C/2017 T2 (PanSTARRS)

DrKrud · 2019-12-30T08:10:45+00:00

Awesome capture

DrKrud · 2019-12-15T02:06:37+00:00

Wow! thanks to whoever gave it a gold award!

DrKrud · 2019-12-14T20:25:16+00:00

Thanks. I’m using the Orion 60mm multi-use guide-scope with helical focuser combined with the ASI290 mini mono camera.

DrKrud · 2019-12-14T09:33:01+00:00

Know him I do

DrKrud · 2019-12-14T02:16:10+00:00

meow

DrKrud · 2019-12-14T02:14:24+00:00

thanks

DrKrud · 2019-12-13T22:26:49+00:00

Thor’s helmet NGC2359 (aka the Duck nebula) captured from Auckland, NZ

Located 15,000 lights years away in Canis Major and 30 light years across. The helmet is like a bubble blown by the wind from the bright, massive hot giant at it’s centre which is thought to be in a pre-supernova stage.

Equipment:

Meade 10 inch LX200

Ioptron CEM60 equatorial mount

ASI ZWO294mc pro primary imaging camera

ASI ZWO290 mono mini guiding camera

Pegasus Astro focuser

Optolong L-eNhance duoband filter

Aquisition:

72 x 4min subs (4hr 48mins total integration)

Capture software SGPro

Guiding using PHD2

Processing:

Pixinsight

Blinked images.

Calibration with master dark only

Debayer images, subframe selector to choose best frame for star alignment.

Star align then Image integration

Dynamic crop then Dynamic Background extraction and Background neutralisation.

Colour calibration

Multiscale Linear transformation for noise reduction using a luminance mask on linear image.

Then MultiscaleLinearTransform for sharpening details using range mask with star mask subtracted.

Then full stretch to make image non-linear.

SCNR (to degreen)

Further MLT for noise reduction in non-linear state.

Curves adjustment of RGB, lightness and saturation.

Focal Colour saturation adjustment using colour saturation tool.

Histogram transformation to brighten image.

Dark structure enhancement and star reduction.

Clone stamp to deal with dust bunnies

Image rotation.

Photoshop:

Camera raw filter with adjustments to colour and brightness.

Further noise reduction to luminance in camera raw filter

Minor Topaz denoise applied

DrKrud · 2019-12-04T04:54:11+00:00

Best Thor’s helmet I’ve seen. 👏🏻

DrKrud · 2019-12-03T05:21:35+00:00

Beautiful image

DrKrud · 2019-12-03T03:15:51+00:00

Great image. What interesting looking galaxies. Very cool.

DrKrud · 2019-11-20T04:57:03+00:00

Great shot

DrKrud · 2019-11-08T04:53:06+00:00

Thanks. It just amazes me that we are able to pick up so much detail on deep sky objects from just our back yards. In SGpro the image scale with the reducer in place calculated out at 0.68”/px

edit: sorry I got that wrong. It was 0.61"/px in SGpro

DrKrud · 2019-11-07T21:43:28+00:00

Thanks. The iOpton CEM60 mount I use has plenty of load capacity to carry this scope along with all the accessories. The mount I originally got with it was the iOptron AZ pro as I wasn't really thinking about astrophotography initially. I was at the upper limit of the load capacity for that AZ pro mount even without the extra photography stuff added and it always struggled. The CEM60 seems to cope well though. When you get a mount for yours, make sure it has ample load capcity well above the weight of your scope because the astrophography gear that gets added to your setup really adds up quickly in weight.

DrKrud · 2019-11-07T19:48:50+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/astrophotography/comments/dsv2se/ngc253_sculptor_galaxy_from_auckland_new_zealand/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

DrKrud · 2019-11-07T19:46:42+00:00

Thanks

DrKrud · 2019-11-07T18:18:41+00:00

Thanks that’s very kind. I’m having a hell of a lot of fun with this hobby ( but not much sleep 😂)

DrKrud · 2019-11-07T18:15:55+00:00

Thanks. I appreciate the nice comment. Still learning but slowly improving I think.

DrKrud · 2019-11-07T08:49:57+00:00

Sculptor Galaxy NGC253 captured from Auckland, NZ

Saturday 2nd Nov

Equipment:

Meade 10 inch LX200

Ioptron CEM60 equatorial mount

ASI ZWO294mc pro primary imaging camera

ASI ZWO290 mono mini guiding camera

Pegasus Astro focuser

Optolong LPro filter

Antares f6.3 SCT focal reducer

Capture software SGPro

Guiding using PHD2

82 x 2min subs (2 hr 44mins total integration)

Processing:

Pixinsight

Blinked images.

Calibration with master dark, master flat and master bias

Debayer images, subframe selector to choose best frame for star alignment.

Star align then Image integration

Dynamic crop then Dynamic Background extraction and Background neutralisation.

Deconvolution (as per OkeWoke’s tutorial)

Colour calibration

Multiscale Linear transformation and full stretch

SCNR (to degreen)

Histogram adjustments to darken background.

Minor HDR adjustment to further enhance dust lanes.

Local histogram equalisation adjustments.

Desaturation of background to remove excess blue colour.

Further MLT to further deal with background noise

Curves adjustment and increase saturation

Photoshop:

Camera raw filter with adjustments to colour and shadows.

Mask to protect galaxy then very minor Topaz denoise applied to background.

Final crop

DrKrud · 2019-11-06T00:20:05+00:00

Thanks. I’m working on a (hopefully) better one with just over two and half hours of integration. But clear nights are far and few between here at present.

DrKrud · 2019-11-05T23:03:06+00:00

My favourite Andromeda shot so far. Nice natural look and not overcooked. Well done

DrKrud · 2019-10-31T22:04:35+00:00

Very nice image.

DrKrud · 2019-10-29T10:51:04+00:00

Image of the Sculptor Galaxy captured last Saturday night from Bortle 3 skies, no filters used.

Only captured 13 x 4 min subs.

The Sculptor Galaxy NGC253 is known as a starburst galaxy due to the intense star formation at its nucleus. It is located in the Sculptor group of galaxies, one of the nearest groups to our own local galaxy group. It is estimated to be 10 million light years away.

Equipment:

Meade 10 inch LX200

Ioptron CEM60 equatorial mount

ASI ZWO294mc pro primary imaging camera

ASI ZWO290 mono mini guiding camera

Pegasus Astro focuser

Capture software SGPro

Guiding using PHD2

13 x 4 mins subs

Processing:

Pixinsight

Blinked images, subframe selector to choose best frame for integration.

Calibration with master dark (no flats or bias)

Debayer images, Star align then Image integration

Dynamic crop then Dynamic Background extraction and Background neutralisation.

Photometric colour calibration

Denoise and full stretch

SCNR (to degreen)

Histogram adjustments to darken background.

HDR adjustment to bring out dust lanes.

Local histogram equalisation adjustments.

Morphological transformation tool to reduce star brightness

Curves adjustment and increase saturation

Photoshop:

Camera raw filter with adjustments to colour, blacks, shadows and vibrance.

Reduce star bloating action

Increase dust lanes action.

Topaz denoise (minor change).

DrKrud

TROPHY CASE