Cat's Eye Nebula Question

[sreilly]

As is the case with several other nebula, The Cat's Eye has a very bright core with faint outer details lost if processed only for the core. I think this is one of those times that layers would definitely be an advantage. So the question becomes, how to proceed without using layers? I've processed one view for the core details and another for the fainter outer gas. The image only consists of 3 hours of Ha data so far and looks promising. The issue becomes how to overcome the light/dark differences in the object to show the full detail. I'm using a 12.5" f/9 RC and STL-11002M CCD camera. I've uploaded the two images here on Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/sh/u12fvhx7uydft6s/AAB6__pYSYKhsSzShB_0L6zxa?dl=0
Any suggestions always welcomed.

Steve

[sreilly]

OK, so now I have 14.5 hours of data, 29 - 30 minute Ha exposures and the problem is still the same. There is a very fine detail in the core but in order to get to it the background is almost pure black and the mid-tone gases all but disappear. Do I need to resort to Photoshop to get both in one image?

[pfile]

this image that i did for jerryyyyyy was done with masks and pixelmath:

http://www.astrobin.com/49600/

i think that's the way to go if HDRComposition fails you...

rob

[sreilly]

Rob,

Thanks for the reply but I didn't think HDRComposition was for use on same exposure images. All 29 half hour images are the same. I did use HDRComp when I did my M42 but none other as my exposures were 60 second, 3 minute, 5 minute and 10 minute groups. It worked very well there. Here is a link to what I've been able to do so far. http://www.astral-imaging.com/NGC6543-IC4677-RC2.html The biggest difference so far has been using HDRMultiScaleTransform with first 7 layers and then 5 with 3 iterations inverted, median transform checked, To lightness and Lightness mask both checked with deringing. Trying the same with a star mask didn't work as well. After looking the the image on a few more monitors I may need to make a few adjustments but on my calibrated monitors it looks about right to me.

[pfile]

well so then prepare two different stretches and then merge them together with pixelmath and masks...?

rob