M42 and the Running Man nebula with Takahashi 150mm

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around astrophotography techniques, specifically focusing on the imaging of the M42 and Running Man nebulae using a Takahashi 150mm refractor. Participants share their experiences, processing methods, and challenges faced during the imaging process.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their first serious attempt at astrophotography, detailing the equipment used and total exposure time.
  • Another participant inquires about the use of H-alpha as a luminance frame in the imaging process.
  • The original poster explains their experience with using H-alpha for luminance, noting issues with star halos and how they resolved it by adjusting the opacity of the H-alpha image.
  • A later reply compliments the astrophotography work, mentioning M3 and M42.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion does not present any clear consensus, as participants share individual experiences and techniques without resolving differing approaches to processing images.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention specific techniques and adjustments made during image processing, but details on the effectiveness of these methods or the underlying assumptions are not fully explored.

Who May Find This Useful

Astrophotography enthusiasts, particularly those interested in nebula imaging and processing techniques, may find this discussion relevant.

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First post on PF, thought I'd share my first serious attempt at astrophotography. I used itelescope since it's perpetual cloud cover where I'm at sadly, and all of my processing was done in Astroart. I learned a lot with this, but it's definitely an uphill struggle!

M42ColorFinal.jpg

M42 and the Running Man nebula.

Total exposure time was 40 minutes (10 in R,G,B and Ha each) and the equipment was a Takahashi 150mm refractor with an SBIG STL-11000M CCD.
 
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Nice. Did you use HA as a luminance frame?
 
Sort of. I tried to use just the H-alpha image as luminance with the RGB but it made the stars look really weird, especially with large halos around the brighter ones. I looked around and found Rob Gendler's website that discusses ways around this, and it helped a lot. One of his solutions was to lower the opacity of the Ha image relative to the others, then integrate it, and that did the trick for me.
 
nice shots of M3 and M42 guys!
 

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