Imaging telescopes or lenses: AG Optical 12.5" iDK
Imaging cameras: FLI PL16803
Mounts: Astro-Physics 1100 GTO
Guiding cameras: Starlight Xpress Ultrastar
Software: SharpCap · CCDWare PemPro · PHD Labs PHD 2 Guiding · Starkeeper Software Voyager · Pixinsight
Filters: Chroma O3 3nm 50mm Square · Chroma S2 3nm 50mm Square · Chroma Ha 3nm 50mm Square
Resolution: 2500x2500
Data source: Backyard
So I was waiting on the imaging night to begin for my Coma Cluster project, and cursing at the moon for being so bright and so necessary to life. In and attempt to scare the moon away I pointed the 12.5" iDK at it, switched to the 3nm Ha filter, and fired 6 warning shots with the PL16803. To my surprise the Ha frames looked really good at .5 seconds. Which considering the giant shutter on the FLI, was pretty surprising. This camera needs 3-5s flat frames to avoid shutter shadow. The results were so good I took 6 more frames with the S2 filter, and another 6 with O3. Mostly out of boredom, and I really didn't think they would amount to a color image.
I aligned and stacked each channel with PIPP, Autostakkert!, and RegiStax. I combined the 3 channels in a 1:1:1 SHO blend in Pixinsight. The image looked almost like a normal RGB one, and I only made some minor color tweaks with curves. LocalHistogramEqualization worked exceptionally well for this, which I had never considered for lunar photography. That was the only enhancement/sharpening tool I used on the image. Didn't want to go full "mineral moon", but I did give a small saturation bump to add a little warmth and try to mimic some of the brownish-greys that are reported in some NASA articles.
Ha 3nm - 6 @ .5s
S2 3nm - 6 @ .5s
O3 3nm - 6 @ .5s
Description: Fixed some background artifacts from stacking that could be seen on bright screens.
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Description: Fixed an issue with the background on brighter screens. Brightened subject a tad.
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Description: Ran it through a light application of Topaz Denoise.
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