Mu cephei, Garnet Star

[Ginge]

Hi all!

This is my first project processed exclusively in PI. I've always done finishing touches in PS before, but not anymore.

The new DPSF-module is just great and the GradientMergMosaic tool too, they both work really well.

So, this is a two-panel mosaic rendered in two palettes, HST and a Ha-(Ha/SII/OIII)-OIII palette inspired by the Hubble photos of Bok globules in NGC 281 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/drl1974/1141258244/). I only did DBE on the OIII exposures as it was the only stack that showed any gradient, and as these frames show very little background I did the DBE on the grey OIII exposure separately to have better control. Tried to do it on the RGB mix but felt I was removing too much nebula data in the Ha and SII. Apart from this I first did the deconvolution on the linear material, after this ACDNR followed but histogram stretch, curve adjustments and a pass of the DarkStructureEnhance script.

About the palettes: I'm selecting these on a purely aesthetic basis, trying out my own versions of what I see others do.

Aquisition details are as follows:


IC1396 around the Garnet Star, Mu Cephei, two-panel mosaic

Palettes: HST (SII-Ha-OIII) and Ha-(60%Ha+20%SII+20%OIII)-OIII
Optics: Vixen R200SS 8" f/4 MPCC
Camera: QSI 583wsg
Guider: DSI II via OAG
Mount: EM-200 Temma 2m
Exposures: Ha: 32h, OIII:12,5h, SII:28h, 30 minute subs +Darks, Flats
Total 72h 30min
Filters: Astrodon 5nm Ha, OIII, SII
Shot from Holmlia/Oslo, spring/fall 2011


HST:


Larger size here: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6274170816_22eeb887db_o.jpg


Ha-(Ha/SII/OIII)-OIII:


Larger size here: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6096/6274167794_f565dc114a_o.jpg


Suggestions for improvemets are very welcome indeed!

Clear skies,
Ginge

[Lex]

Hi,

Really really nice Pictures!!
For me the first one is the nicest! 

Congrats!

[alejandromeira]

Hi  very nice images and great colors. Congratulations for that.

[Ginge]

thanks for those nice comments Lex and Alejandro! I can never decide on one palette. Bad habit. Must try to get out of town and do more RGB.

Clear skies!
Ginge

[Lex]

Ginge,

indeed with these narrowband filters the light pollution is not a really problem any more but I think with the modern LRGB filters it is also possible to override this...

Nice Pictures again!!!

Best

[Ginge]

I do struggle with the streetlight Lex, but a combination of shooting close to zenith and wrapping the house in black cloth helps to keep the gradients at a minimum. The rest is for DBE, the tool that got me started with PI in the first place. The downside is that my house looks like a satanist church at night 

Clear skies,
Ginge

[Lex]

Wow,

Wrapping a house into black cloth; that's love for our hobby; cool