September 2011 Contest Images

[Javio]

The September 2011 PixInsight Monthly Astrophotography Contest is open. Please use this post ONLY to submit your images. Good luck!

[Nocturnal]

Here's one of the first images from my Edge HD 11. Not even 2.5 hours so it was a challenge.

Full 1:1 version and details available here: http://www.carpephoton.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32:m16&catid=1:astro-photo&Itemid=2 (click on the image)

[Andres.Pozo]

This photograph of the "Elephant's trunk" has been composed using frames taken on two nights between July and August from a village near Valladolid (Spain). The sky was ok but far from perfect.
I used a LX200R 8" with an Astrophysics CCDT67 reducer, a SXV-AOL and a QSI540wgs camera. The filters where Halpha, OIII and SII of 13nm from Astronomik.
Ha: 12x900" bin 1x1
OIII: 12x900" bin 1x1
SII: 12x900" bin 1x1
The effective focal length was 1466mm so the resolution of the image is 1.03"/px

The frames were calibrated with a program written by me but all the following steps were done in Pixinsight.

The processing steps have been:

• StarAlignment
• ImageIntegration
• PixelMath: R=(Ha+S2*2)/3; G=(Ha+O3)/2; B=O3
• MorphologicalTransformation(erosion): using a mask to apply it only on the stars
• HistogramTransformation
• ACDNR
• CurvesTransformation(K,S): using a mask for protecting the stars

The saturation is perhaps a bit over the top, but I hope you like it.

Link to a full size image: http://www.astrophotogallery.org/data/500/2011-08-03_IC1396_v1.jpg

[Sean]

M92 and Friends

A widefield view of Messier 92, with lots of little galaxies visible, particularly in the upper right corner of the image. If you view the larger image http://drakevisual.squarespace.com/picture/m92lrgb2.jpg?pictureId=11159034 you can see the pretty barred spiral galaxy NGC6336 near the top of the image, just to the right of center.

Imaged Aug/Sep 2011 from the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon:

Takahashi FSQ106EDX
AP900 Mount
QSI 583wsg Camera with Astrodon LRGB filters
L 20x300sec Bin 1x1
RGB 15x300sec Bin 2x2
Captured with Images Plus 4.0
Processed with PixInsight 1.70

• Calibration
• Star Alignment
• Image Integration
• DBE
• Color Calibration
• Histogram Transformation
• LRGB Combination
• ACDNR
• Curves

Link to a full size image, where you can see the M92's friends more clearly: http://drakevisual.squarespace.com/picture/m92lrgb2.jpg?pictureId=11159034

Enjoy!

[Philippe B.]

Hello

Here is a classic :  Veil Nebulae
Taken in august 2011 during 3 nights in French Alpes


QSI-540WSG on FS60 at 255mm f/4.2
JPZ (FS2) mount
Astrodon Ha, OIII and SII in 3nm
Ha = 17 x 20min (bin1x1)
OIII = 11 x 20 min (bin 1x1)
SII = 9 x 20 min (bin 1x1)


PI 1.7 full processing

Calibration, staralignment, Image integration... all PI stuff !!
HistogramTransform (Ha, OIII, SII)

LUMINANCE = Max(OIII, Ha)
HDRWT + curve

COLOR
R = Ha and SII
G = OIII and Ha (Hb rendition)
B = OIII and Ha (Hb rendition)

LRGB + curves





FULL IMAGE HERE : http://www.astroccd.eu/images/dentellesrvb100pc.jpg


Enjoy !
Philippe

[roberto_volpi]

M17 – Swan Nebula,  captured with narrow-band filters from my sub-urbane site.
Frames captured:
H-alpha  11x20’ binning 1x1
SII  3x20’ binning 2x2
OIII 3x20’ binning 2x2
Set-up:
AstroProfessional Apo Triplet  115/800
Sbig ST2000XM
Baader  Planetarium Filters
SkyWatcher Eq6 Pro Mount
Location :
Lainate (Milan) Italy
Process:
All fits calibrated with CCDops  - aligned and combined with Maxim DL5
All other process with Pixinsight
For the color I used :
60’ Ha – 60’ SII – 60’ OIII mapped as follow
R = SII + 0.78xHa
G = 0.15xHa + OIII
B = OIII
Luminance:
220’ Ha
I have applied soft process more like an LRGB image that does not  a narrow-band image, I hope to find your satisfaction.
Roberto

[jtalbot]

The faint star trails of M63 showing the results of a past interaction
Image taken in April 11
Calibrated in CCD Stack
Aligned combined, processed in PixInsight
Luminance 120 5min images
RGB 120-150 min each channel binned 2x2
10" astrograph at f3.79
QSI 583 with Astrodon 31mm filters
Taken from my mag 4.5 backyard.


Full web page here:  http://www.starscapeimaging.com/page41/index.html
Jon Talbot

[Alejandro Tombolini]

Hola, este mes Eta Carinae

Detalles:

Objeto: Nebulosa Eta Carinae
Cámara: Canon 5D Mark II - Sin modificar
Telescopio: William Optics 132 FLT - Longitud focal 925 mm - f/7
Cantidad de tomas: 7 x 4 minutos. ISO1600
Tiempo total: 28 minutos.
Programa: PixInsight
Comentarios: Guiado con SSAG y Orion 100 desde Trenel - La Pampa - Argentina.

Procesos principales:

DBE
Color Calibration
Dynamic Crop
Histogram Transformation
ACDNR
Curvas Transformation a la nebulosa sin estrellas
Color Saturation a la nebulosa sin estrellas Con rangeMask
SCNR al verde
GREYCstoration con LMask
Morfological Selection a las estrellas
HDRWaveletsTransform
Segunda aplicación de Curves Transformation a la nebulosa sin estrellas
Segunda aplicación de Color Saturation a la nebulosa sin estrellas Con rangeMask
LocalHistogramEqualization
ATrousWaveletTransform
UnsharpMask

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wcMAua_vqsI/Tnae2ppcT9I/AAAAAAAAAIE/gg9wLkSMKJs/s1600/Proxima+Sur+NGC3372+1600X1059.jpg





Hi, this month Eta Carinae Nebula

Details:

Object: Eta Carinae Nebula
Camera: Canon 5D Mark II - unmodified
Telescope: William Optics 132 FLT - Focal Leng 925 mm - f/7
Number of images: 7 x 4 minutes. ISO 1600
Total Time: 28 minutes
Program: PixInsight
Comments: Guiding with SSAG and Orion 100 from Trenel - La Pampa - Argentina

Main Processes:

DBE
Color Calibration
Dynamic Crop
Histogram Transformation
ACDNR
Curves Transformation to nebula without stars
Color Saturation to nebula without stars with rangeMask
SCNR to green
GREYCstoration with LMask
Morfological Selection to stars
HDRWaveletsTransform
Second Curvas Transformation to nebula without stars
Second Color Saturation to nebula without stars with rangeMask
LocalHistogramEqualization
ATrousWaveletTransform
UnsharpMask

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wcMAua_vqsI/Tnae2ppcT9I/AAAAAAAAAIE/gg9wLkSMKJs/s1600/Proxima+Sur+NGC3372+1600X1059.jpg



Saludos, Alejandro.