M31 - Take 2 in Bortle 2 (Tom Gray)

Celestial hemisphere: Northern · Constellation: Andromeda (And) · Contains: Andromeda Galaxy · HD3431 · HD3741 · HD3765 · HD3827 · HD4143 · HD4174 · M 110 · M 31 · M 32 · NGC 205 · NGC 206 · NGC 221 · NGC 224

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M31 - Take 2 in Bortle 2

Revision title: Messing in APP with non-linear processing - saturation, sharpening, highlights and background protection

Powered byPixInsight

M31 - Take 2 in Bortle 2

Revision title: Messing in APP with non-linear processing - saturation, sharpening, highlights and background protection

A surprise clear, but not transparent, night greeted me, after a visit to Stonehaven to collect my son from the station, and legendary fish supper at Dunnottar Castle, where my wife and I had our first date - 38 years ago! A quick setup, with my portable rig, and here is the result of 2 panels of a hopefully 3 panel mosaic.

Guiding was pretty poor due to fluctuating seeing, so I am surprised to have achieved so much detail. What a difference a dark sky makes - with moments of good transparency you can easily make out the N American Nebula, and Andromeda is easy without averted vision. The Milky Way is spectacular, a bright river of stars overhead.

I'm buzzing, this little setup is delivering, and I'm so impressed with AstroPixel Processor. The image comprises 120s subs in two integrated frames, with background neutrlalisation, a little star reduction, and saturation, using default settings. There is a definite loss of definition and gradient /cast in the right hand panel, which was taken later in the night as seeing deteriorated. The left panel comprises 30x120s subs and the right panel 19x120s subs, a total of 98m data of rather variable quality.

It is forecast clear again tonight, and hopefully better seeing and transparency, I might try a widefield Milky Way vista before moving onto a deep sky target.

Original
B
Final
C

B

Title: A saturated version

Description: Saturation boost using APP HSL tool, with green reduction

Uploaded: ...

C

Title: Messing in APP with non-linear processing - saturation, sharpening, highlights and background protection

Description: I prefer this, a little easier on the eye.

Uploaded: ...

Altair Astro 183 M/C Hypercams
UK Astro-Imaging
Messier Objects
The OSC Club (One Shot Camera)

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	6201483
PixInsight job	UJHKXPKC8J8DJ6TO14JJRVUNHBRL1GU9
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	TASK_LOG

RA (center)	00h41m24s.98
RA (top/left)	00h42m25s.50
RA (top/right)	00h34m20s.60
RA (bottom/right)	00h40m27s.36
RA (bottom/left)	00h48m41s.43

Dec (center)	+40°58′53″.4
Dec (top/left)	+42°37′01″.10
Dec (top/right)	+40°01′51″.7
Dec (bottom/right)	+39°20′41″.10
Dec (bottom/left)	+41°54′14″.8

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M31 - Take 2 in Bortle 2

Revision title: Messing in APP with non-linear processing - saturation, sharpening, highlights and background protection

M31 - Take 2 in Bortle 2

Revision title: Messing in APP with non-linear processing - saturation, sharpening, highlights and background protection

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M31 - Take 2 in Bortle 2

Revision title: Messing in APP with non-linear processing - saturation, sharpening, highlights and background protection

M31 - Take 2 in Bortle 2

Revision title: Messing in APP with non-linear processing - saturation, sharpening, highlights and background protection

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