Antares Region - 2020/02/27 + Edit

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
This is one from almost 4 weeks ago that I took out in Joshua Tree National Park, it's the Antares Region. I had shot it previously and liked what I got, but it's one I wanted to try again.

There is a lot of trial and error still with the processing, but to an extent with the shooting too as I work through whether I want longer shutter speeds and lower ISO or faster shutter speed and higher ISO. This is a 3 minute shot at ISO 800. What I noticed though is there seem to be a whole lot more background stars in this one compared to my first. There is different ways to deal with stars, but no matter what I have tried in the finished end the sky gains an almost pixelated look in area's and it's not noise, it's the background stars which can turn into a gray color, but a color that doesn't match the background sky.

So, for a while I think all of my Astrophotography of Deep Space Objects will be a work in progress as I continue to shoot more and find the exact settings, and also the correct post processing that works best for me. It's definitely fun to see these objects come to life, and as time goes on I will become more proficient and efficient in how I Post Process.

This is not perfect by any means, but I am happy enough with it for now. I hope I can get back out this week to shoot some more at some place in the desert. It looks like Joshua Tree is closed to vehicles, though where I like to set up my Astro Gear is not even a half mile from the entrance station, so it wouldn't be a huge deal even to go back out there and hike in with my gear. Or I can take a little Red Wagon with me and just pull the gear in on the wagon as I won't have to worry about cars on the road. :)

Nikon D850
Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 @ 90mm
SkyGuider Pro
14 x 3 min exposures at ISO 800
7 x 3 min exposure Dark Frames
No Bias or Flats


All comments are welcome,

Jim

AntaresRegion_20200227_d1w.jpg



+ Edit - I started again from Scratch, this time not using Starnet++ to remove the stars as a suggestion by @Mike Lewis . I also went with a square crop this time. I think I like this better then the original.
AntaresRegion2_20200227_dw.jpg
 
Last edited:

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Nicely done, plenty of details there.
Thanks so much Tony! It’s a fun area to work with due to all of the colors. It’s one of those areas that I think I need to settle on my settings and then just keep shooting it each time I go out to build up longer library of images to stack.
 

Mike Lewis

Staff Member
I added an edit per a suggestion from @Mike Lewis
Yes, I agree with Alan - lots more fine detail and depth in the second version, and the stars look much more natural. I also like the color rendition in the second version - much more natural looking as well. I would be very happy with that edit personally!

I think a case where not every post processing technique or tool can be applied successfully to every image. Kinda like fishing - you wouldn't be able to take your favorite fly fishing rig out and successfully deep sea fish with it :)

Edit - so excited about the rendering differences I missed the modified crop. Like that too!


ML
 

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Yes, I agree with Alan - lots more fine detail and depth in the second version, and the stars look much more natural. I also like the color rendition in the second version - much more natural looking as well. I would be very happy with that edit personally!

I think a case where not every post processing technique or tool can be applied successfully to every image. Kinda like fishing - you wouldn't be able to take your favorite fly fishing rig out and successfully deep sea fish with it :)

Edit - so excited about the rendering differences I missed the modified crop. Like that too!


ML
Thank you Mike. And thanks for suggesting I try editing without removing the stars first. Editing Astro photos is a lot like painting I think, where it will never look the same way twice. I didn't look at the original while editing this new one either, so I just kind of let the processing flow where it went.

And yeah, I really liked the different crop in this a lot.

Thanks again!
 

Colorado CJ

Well-Known Member
Nicely done! I do like the second one best.

Yeah, about the stars, there are many areas of the sky that background stars are SO dense, they basically blanket whole areas of the sky. It's hard to imagine so much mass out there, to think of how many stars are in our galaxy alone, then to multiply that by the literally countless other galaxies in the universe.

Really makes you think. That is one aspect I really enjoy about looking up at the night sky, the sheer scale of our universe boggles the mind.
 
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