M106, LRGB, 23-24 Mar 2016 (David Dearden)

M106, LRGB, 23-24 Mar 2016

Relatively poor conditions for this image, the primary problem being wind, but it’s been so long since I’ve been able to image that I gave it a shot anyway. I continue to have problems with USB connections, this time primarily to the guide camera, but also some problems with the filter wheel. I suspect all of these issues are related to looseness in the connectors, so I’ll try rigging something different. But eventually I did get some data and this is the result. I can see the bar in this image better than in any of my previous attempts.

Date: 23-24 Mar 2018

Subject: M106

Scope: AT8IN+High Point Scientific Coma Corrector

Filters: ZWO 31 mm diameter unmounted L, R, G, B

Mount: EQ-6 (EQMOD 2.000j)+PEC

Guiding: Orion Thin Off-axis Guider + DSI Ic +PHD 2.6.4.dev9 (Win 10 ASCOM)

Camera: ASI1600MM-Cool, -20 °C, Gain 139 Offset 21

Acquisition: Sequence Generator Pro 3.0.1.0

Exposure: 59x180 L, 24 x 180 R, 20x180 G, 19x180 B

Stacking: Neb 4.1.7, dark+flats, trans+rot align, Nebulosity 1.5σ stack and align.

Processing: StarTools 1.4.328: Used StarTools’ “Wipe”, then aggressively stretched and deconvoluted L and RGB separately in StarTools. Did RGB combination in Nebulosity. Aligned the processed layers in Nebulosity then combined in Photoshop. Increase star color, worked on a few stars with excessive color bleed “by hand,” deep space & space noise reduction, AstroFrame.

Original
B
C
Final
D

B

Description: Playing with the new beta 64-bit Deep Sky Stacker 4.1.0 and with 2x2 binning during processing. I like the colors better, and the 2x2 binning makes the processing easier and more disk-friendly. May have lost a little detail but I think it's more a function of differences in deconvolution than of anything else.

Uploaded: ...

C

Description: Another stab at using 64-bit DSS 4.1.0 beta 1 with 2x2 binning early in processing and much more aggressive stretching and deconvolution per suggestion from user ruccdu. Maybe a little too much deconvolution this time?

Uploaded: ...

D

Description: One more try with these data, employing some of the things I’m learning about StarTools’ color module. This time I sampled an area in M106 I wanted to look gray to get the colors I wanted, then deliberately boosted the saturation knowing that adding the L channel would back it off a bit. This is the result. It’s less red than my previous attempt and to me more pleasing in colors. Finally I can see the blue and Hα colors I wanted in the spiral arms. I didn’t bother to fix the messed up color in some of the brighter stars.

Uploaded: ...

Image the Universe
ZWO ASI1600MM/QHY163M

	Distinct awarded users	Total awarded images
Image of the day
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	Image of the day	Top pick	Top pick nominations	Total submitted
Deep sky
Solar system
Extremely wide field
Star trails
Northern lights
Noctilucent clouds
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	Image of the day	Top pick	Top pick nominations	Total submitted
Backyard
Traveller
Own remote observatory
Amateur hosting facility
Public amaeteur data
Professional, scientific grade data
Mix of multiple sources
Other
Unknown

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	2007048
PixInsight job	RZ2U2437GFMF7ACXLY8VKHJY29U15K0Y
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	n/a

RA (center)	12h17m10s.44
RA (top/left)	12h20m35s.10
RA (top/right)	12h14m08s.84
RA (bottom/right)	12h13m49s.49
RA (bottom/left)	12h20m09s.53

Dec (center)	+47°18′29″.8
Dec (top/left)	+47°41′08″.7
Dec (top/right)	+47°46′05″.3
Dec (bottom/right)	+46°55′34″.7
Dec (bottom/left)	+46°50′43″.5

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