M45 using partial DSLR-LLRGB Style Processing (ctron)

Celestial hemisphere: Northern · Constellation: Taurus (Tau) · Contains: Maia nebula · Merope nebula · NGC 1432 · NGC 1435 · The star 18Tau · The star Atlas (27Tau) · The star Celaeno (16Tau) · The star Electra (17Tau) · The star Merope (23Tau) · The star Pleione (28Tau) · The star Sterope I (21Tau) · The star Taygeta (19Tau) · The star ηTau

M45 using partial DSLR-LLRGB Style Processing, ctron

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M45 using partial DSLR-LLRGB Style Processing

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M45 using partial DSLR-LLRGB Style Processing

M45 is one of my first DSO images for 2014. I have produced two variations of this and will probably post the other as a work in progress at some point, but this image is the final one I have settled on.

It was acquired using a Pentax KX with a Carl Zeiss Sonnar 135 mm lens @ f/4.5. ISO 800 and 10 exposures of 4 minutes each, and 20 exposures of 120 seconds each, stacked in Deep Sky Stacker, with final processing in Photoshop. I used this DSO as one of the test objects for testing out a Ioptron Skytracker I recently acquired. The Skytracker was mounted on a heavy duty tripod. The Skytracker's polar alignment scope is a real winner and made set up easy. However, sadly, the Skytracker's periodic error increased over several nights so only during its first night of use was I able to get 4 min subs (that's why there's 2 minute subs for night 2). The unit was returned but I am currently evaluating another.

For processing, I mainly used the DSLR-LLRGB method, although I deviated at several points and utilized my own methods as well. For the final image, two images were actually custom combined in Photoshop, with each image having a separately processed luminance originally.

I will post as a "work in progress", an M45 version using these same subs, but processed completely using the DSLR-LLRGB method. It brings out more gas, but I felt the overall result was a bit too soft so I prefer this version. Your mileage may vary!

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Astrometry.net job	365954
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M45 using partial DSLR-LLRGB Style Processing

M45 using partial DSLR-LLRGB Style Processing

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M45 using partial DSLR-LLRGB Style Processing

M45 using partial DSLR-LLRGB Style Processing

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