NGC 6960 western veil (Tom Gray)

NGC 6960 western veil

I was keen to see how much resolution the DSI III pro mono provided over my DSI II OSC. I'm certainly not dissapointed with this, or the increased field of view in the 2/3 chip; I have some work to do, to optimise the light train and filters.

Imaged through my Optolong LeNhance narrow band filter, this provides rich Halpha and OIII data, revealing detail in these tenuous strands, and helps the target stand out from the sky background.

Rather than remove my IR inference filter, I took this image through this together with my narrowband filter - overkill and may well have caused some internal reflections, resulting in unwelcome noise; light may also have seeped in round my filter slide. I have some work to do to optimise the light train to remove artefacts, but this early result is full of promise. A little tweaking of the final image in iPhoto to boost contrast and mask artefacts.

I will collect some RGB data to bring out the colour in this beautiful supernova remnant.

Original
B
C
D
Final
E

B

Description: With less HDR brightening, but perhaps too much contrast, hiding detail

Uploaded: ...

C

Description: This version has RGB colour added. I collected these using 2x2 binning the following night, with the same set up, apart from the camera orientation, which had moved. I found it particularly difficult to align the stacked 20m RGB images with my Ha/OIII L stack.

I used the align and combine tool in Nebulosity to translate, rotate and scale the RGB stacks before processing in Startools. LRGB module composition resulted in poorly aligned G and B images, which I was unable to correct.

This image used the layers module to overlay the RGB stack with the separate L stack (previously processed in Startools) with some success. There are a lot of artefacts from pre-processing and poor rotational alignment in Nebulosity. I think this may be the way to go, but would value the experience of others.

Uploaded: ...

D

Description: Another version aligned and post processed in Nebulosity. The alignment seems much better, although the LRGB image needs further development to bring out the fainter detail. Again, I'd value others' opinion as to whether it is better to process as an LRGB stack or separate L and RGB stacks, and use layers to combine these?

Uploaded: ...

E

Description: My final version - L frame (using duoband filter) and RGB filtered images from following night, auto-aligned in nebulosity, processed in StarTools and then L frame blended in using layers. A final tweak in iPhoto to darken background (and cover up the numerous artefacts from my imaging train and clumsy processing). A rather messy image but the best I can do at the moment and plenty of opportunity to improve.

Any comments, experience or guidance for better LRGB stacking, aligning and processing in Nebulosity/StarTools most welcome.

Uploaded: ...

Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (SCT) Imagers
Altair Astro 183 M/C Hypercams
Optolong L-eNhance filter
UK Astro-Imaging

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	3690812
PixInsight job	KP0ZG8JPNVLNK8RL5VQGZVPPEG8P4S87
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	TASK_LOG

RA (center)	20h45m44s.23
RA (top/left)	20h46m06s.22
RA (top/right)	20h47m15s.68
RA (bottom/right)	20h45m21s.100
RA (bottom/left)	20h44m13s.13

Dec (center)	+30°42′30″.5
Dec (top/left)	+30°19′16″.5
Dec (top/right)	+30°55′36″.1
Dec (bottom/right)	+31°05′42″.10
Dec (bottom/left)	+30°29′14″.1

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