M81/82 update

[jsb]

I completed more sessions on M81/82. There were some good and not so good nights leaving about 8hr of data after culling out the worse frames. Some day I'll get the detail that I would like but happy with the progress.
Redcat 51, asi533mc pro (gain 101, -10C cooled), Star adventure 2i, Asiair plus, guided, EAF.
Optolong L-pro, Bortle 5, 98x300" subs, Calibration frames; darks, flats, bias, Bortle 5.
Stacked and processed in Pixinisight.

 

[JimFox]

I would be pretty happy with this John. You got some really nice color and separation in the arms. And you handled the core really well. I know with galaxies sometimes that's a hard part of it as the core is brighter and can blow out, but if you recover too much then it looks funny too. You walked that fine line on it really well.

It's funny, I got the Eskar Fra500 for Christmas, and I also got the reducer for it, because I wanted to be able to shoot it at 350mm also for a wider view on some objects. I have yet, to use the reducer as I love the reach of the 500mm and often wish I had more. And now it's coming into Galaxy season, there is no way I will need the reducer. I just think it's funny I had made sure I could get the reducer and I have yet to touch it. I keep meaning to use it, but man, I love that closer view of the 500.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Really nice

 

[Comet Hunter]

Is your scope 250 focal length? If so, this is quite amazing to capture this small of target and it looks great

 

[jsb]

I would be pretty happy with this John. You got some really nice color and separation in the arms. And you handled the core really well. I know with galaxies sometimes that's a hard part of it as the core is brighter and can blow out, but if you recover too much then it looks funny too. You walked that fine line on it really well.

It's funny, I got the Eskar Fra500 for Christmas, and I also got the reducer for it, because I wanted to be able to shoot it at 350mm also for a wider view on some objects. I have yet, to use the reducer as I love the reach of the 500mm and often wish I had more. And now it's coming into Galaxy season, there is no way I will need the reducer. I just think it's funny I had made sure I could get the reducer and I have yet to touch it. I keep meaning to use it, but man, I love that closer view of the 500.

Thank you. It is a fine line. I‘m getting better with my processing and used a combination of GHS, LHE and HDR to get details and control the core. For colors I’ve recently been using Bill Blanshan’s color mask scripts.

 

[jsb]

Really nice

Thank you!

 

[jsb]

Is your scope 250 focal length? If so, this is quite amazing to capture this small of target and it looks great

Yep, the redcat51 has a 250mm focal length. Thank you for your kind words!

 

[JimFox]

Thank you. It is a fine line. I‘m getting better with my processing and used a combination of GHS, LHE and HDR to get details and control the core. For colors I’ve recently been using Bill Blanshan’s color mask scripts.

I have been starting to use Bill Blanshan's various scripts. I have looked into HDR in Pixinsight, I watched a video from Shawn Neilson of VisibleDark. But so far, I still fall back on Photoshop since that's what I am best at. So I will do the basic processing in Pixinsight on one's like this that need HDR or masking, and do that in Photoshop, and then bring it back into Pixinsight. A bit of back and forth, but it's working at the moment.

 

[Les]

Very nice you even have some of the background dust showing

 

[jsb]

Very nice you even have some of the background dust showing

Thank you. I tried to keep some background and not clip it too much although I think some is more noise rather than true dust or IFN. Lots of room for improvement!

 

[Mike Lewis]

This is very well done, you have pulled out some of the very faint Intergalactic Flux Nebulosity (IFN) in your version, as well as lots of great color and detail in the galaxies themselves.

ML

 

[jsb]

This is very well done, you have pulled out some of the very faint Intergalactic Flux Nebulosity (IFN) in your version, as well as lots of great color and detail in the galaxies themselves.

ML

Thank you Mike!

 

[Andy Elliott]

Love your results. I have collected RGB and Ha data on this target, but not yet processed it. The last couple of nights I have been adding more RGB using my OSC (ASI2600MC), in the hope of pulling out some of the IFN. Not sure how I will combine all this yet in PixInsight, but will be well happy if it turns out anything like yours.

 

[jsb]

Love your results. I have collected RGB and Ha data on this target, but not yet processed it. The last couple of nights I have been adding more RGB using my OSC (ASI2600MC), in the hope of pulling out some of the IFN. Not sure how I will combine all this yet in PixInsight, but will be well happy if it turns out anything like yours.

Thank you Andy! I tried to do something similar the last time on M31 with my dslr. I captured data with an L-pro and L-enhance to get more Ha. I’ve worked it a few times as I’m not sure the best way to combine it yet. I’m sure you’ll get a great image! It’ll be great to see what you do and learn about your workflow. I’m very much a beginner and have a long way to go.