Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Monoceros (Mon)  ·  Contains:  NGC 2237  ·  NGC 2238  ·  NGC 2239  ·  NGC 2246  ·  Rosette A  ·  Rosette B  ·  Rosette Nebula  ·  The star 12Mon
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Rosette Nebula and the open cluster NGC 2244, Monty Giavelli
Rosette Nebula and the open cluster NGC 2244
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Rosette Nebula and the open cluster NGC 2244

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
Rosette Nebula and the open cluster NGC 2244, Monty Giavelli
Rosette Nebula and the open cluster NGC 2244
Powered byPixInsight

Rosette Nebula and the open cluster NGC 2244

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Description

Not sure what to call this, a hybrid HO palette image (HOO?)
I started off with a fully processed image(PixInsight) made up of 169 images captured thru a city light pollution filter and 121 images captured thru an Optolong L-eXtreme filter. The L-eXtreme images were longer so the total exposure was about 50/50 for broadband and narrowband.

Then I did this with PixInsight - The real trick is how you make the range mask !!

1. Split R,G,B (split channels RGB icon or with ChannelExtraction Process)
2. Rename R = Ha
3. Oiii has green and blue, so -
PixelMath: RGB/K - Blue*0.3 + Green*0.7 (check 'Use Single RGB/K..)
check 'Create new image', and 'Color space' = Same as target (ie greyscale)
Apply - we get a new image (grey)
Rename it - Oiii
4. Stretch both Ha and Oiii if they need it so both are similar
HistogramTransformation to bring up RGB/K - don't clip the blacks
5. Create a Range Mask for Oiii image
Create a mask - RangeSelection - we want mask to show bright and semi bright regions
Create a Real-Time Preview of Oiii
RMA - Lower Limit: 0.16 to show only most vibrant areas as white. Rosette:0.34 or 0.44
Upper Limit: 1.0 Rosette: 0.78
Fuzziness: 0.70 Rosette: 0.72
Smoothness: 65 to 70%
Another Try: Lower:0.53, Upper:0.76 - This worked well for Rosette Nebula !!
Click Apply to create range_mask and apply the new mask to the main Oiii image.
Background should red.
6. Stretch Oiii
range_mask on Oiii and bkgd red
Real-Time Preview
HistogramTransformation and stretch the data - don't burn out white
I brought center tab to 1/8 (was 1/4)
Apply and remove the mask
We now have Ha and Oiii data images !!
7. HistogramTransformation
Edit Ha with RGB/K so background looks similar to Oiii
8. Color combine with PixelMath
Remove Mask
UnCheck 'Use single RGB/K expression', Create new image, 'Color Space' = RGB
R/K: Ha
G: Ha*0.5 + Oiii*0.5 (Rosette Nebula: G: Ha*0.4 + Oiii*0.6 OK too)
B:Oiii
Apply - Created new image - didn't seem to matter if range_mask still on(protect bkgnd)
9. CurvesTransformation - on new image
Put on range_mask with background red
Real-Time Preview
Saturation - bring it up 1/4 area
Blue - lock 1/2 and bring 1/4 down
Green - 1/2 down slightly and bring 1/4 down
Red - decrease 1/2 - brought it down one line and blue popped out
Apply - Got a good effect by applying twice
10. Convolution to blur image - may want to put on a star mask to protect stars if too blurred
I had previously reduced the stars and the edges were to hard so blurring edges helped.
StdDev: more noise=higher StdDev - Highter noise: 4.00
Low noise Rosette Nebula: 1.5 StdDev and 2.0 Shape or stars got bad
Low noise Rosette Nebula: 2.4 for both was pretty good
11. LRGCombination ( mask on or off ??)
Range mask on (with red bkgnd) - added detail and contrast to blue with no effect on corners
Range mask off (with red bkgnd) - added detail and contrast to blue but lost faint nebulosity
Check 'L' and select Ha image
Lightness: 0.5
Saturation: 0.5
Can check 'Chrominance Noise Reduction' if needed.
Apply - really brings out the darker area - should see sharpness improvement
12. Rosette Nebula - put range mask on with background NOT red(ie invert the mask)
This will improve the fainter nebulosity in the edges and corners of Rosette Nebula
CurvesTransformation
Saturation - 1/2 up one line
Red - 1/2 up 1/2 line
RGB/K - 1/8 down a little, 3/4 up about 1/3 line
Apply

I learned a lot of this from this video -
RockyMountainAstro - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M3zB7-Llhw&t=293s

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Rosette Nebula and the open cluster NGC 2244, Monty Giavelli