NGC 2359 (Thor's Helmet)

[Kinch]

From 1st light a couple of weeks ago (Mono only) I have progressed somewhat and brought EFW2 filter wheel into play with the 460EX. The sensitivity of this camera is fantastic - this picture (although highlighting my lack of processing skills - and obviosly crying out for more exposure) is nevertheless an eye opener for me as to what will be possible with practice, practice, practice. NGC 2359 is a mere 45x60s L subs (unbinned) with 5 each 60s RGBs (binned 2x2) using Astronomok LRGB filter set. A total of 1 hour. As I get more competant and confident - I'll be happy to gather more light (longer subs).....but of course now will need to get a guide camera set up. I use Astroart 5 for capture and Pixinsight for processing. There are no darks or flats used here - that is another part of the job I need to get my head around :-)

[bwa]

Start of a great Thor!

What is the focal ratio of your setup?

Do you have a lot of light pollution?  I notice quite a gradient from top to bottom in your image.

bwa

[topboxman]

Try PixInsight's SCNR to remove green gradients. Use default values and apply to image. No masks or anything else is necessary. This is usually done after stretching with Histogram Transformation.

Nice job for unguiding.

Peter

[Kinch]

Thanks bwa & Peter for taking the time. Re light pollution - not always the same and I think on the 14th due to neighbour's garden lights - it was indeed a bit worse than previous. However at the moment I am not expecting super shots, I am more concerned about just getting the whole thing coming together with control and processing - hence not spending too much time on getting all the subs that I really should. (... your comment last time, bwa, really helped make me more conscious of tweeking the focus EVERY time).  The scope is an F5 Tak FSQ106ED - great purchase second hand last month....well worth the money. Together with the 460ED I am sure I will get comfortable in time with all of this. I have a TAK FS60CB - again 2nd hand - for guiding but have not yet got what I need to bring my old SX-MX7C to focus yet as a guide camera.....soon I hope. Both will sit comfortably on my Tak EM200 mount. Peter - I attach here the same shot with green removed and a slight tweek on the curves. Whenever I get more data I hope that I can indeed make more of a real shot out of this - it took me all day yesterday just figuring out how to get the RGBs together and then combine with the L. I suppose I could buy a book :-) that tells me all this stuff.....but searching the NET for the answers is also good with overall achievement satisfaction, even if it does take more time.

[topboxman]

Looks much better with the green gradients removed. This should be done right after Histogram Transformation so that further post processing becomes easier.

Peter

[Lex]

Hi,

thor would be proud of his new helmet. IMO there are some exposures missing; collecting data is the only way to reveal nebulosity around the shell.

Best