Rosette Nebula with DSLR

[jon.s]

Continue to dip my toes into DSO astrophotography. Here's my second target, the Rosette Nebula.

The stars were fuzzy round blobs in the raw files. I believe I got the focus right originally (using a Bahtinov mask plus the focus tool in APT), but then tinkered with things a bit and rushed and botched the refocus job. Oh well, lesson learnt.

I used Starnet++ to remove the stars (to prevent them from turning into even bigger blobs during stretching), processed the nebula, then added the stars back. Starnet++ isn't able to completely remove the stars and leaves faint white blobs behind - I believe because the stars are not sharp enough to begin with.

When we get clear skies again I'll be reshooting this target. Until then, here's my Rosette. Feedback welcome!

Details:
Canon T4i full-spectrum-mod, Canon 300mm f/4 IS, STC Duo Narrowband filter
93x2 min (3 hr 6 min) at ISO 3200, 20 flat / dark / dark-flat / bias each
Stacked in DSS, processed in Photoshop / astrophotography tools action set / Starnet++

[BABOafrica]

Ok, the focus does look a bit weak, as you say. But still, close enough to end up being a beautiful image.

BABO

[Graeme1858]

That's really good for a second image!

And a great lessons learnt.

Regards

Graeme

[messier 111]

very pretty, it looks like diamonds in the center.
thx.

[jon.s]

Thanks @BABOafrica , @Graeme1858 and @messier 111 !

So much to learn, but it's been fun!

[pakarinen]

Wow. That's a great incentive to get a DSLR and try some astrophotography with it.

Knowing nothing of DSS, how long did it take you to process that puppy?

[TheButcher]

Verry Nice!

[jon.s]

Wow. That's a great incentive to get a DSLR and try some astrophotography with it.

Knowing nothing of DSS, how long did it take you to process that puppy?

Thanks. DSS is just for stacking the subs and calibration frames. It's relatively new to me (I've been using Sequator for nightscapes previously) and the first few times using DSS it failed to stack, but eventually I figured it out and it's now a relative breeze to stack. For processing after stacking, I'm skilled in Photoshop, but other DSO-specific tools are again new to me so it's always a learn-as-you-go process. Next time if I'm doing the exact same processing, I imagine I can get it done in an hour or so, but then I'll be throwing in more new tricks ...

[Astrovetteman]

Hey that's a beautiful image, even with the focus issues! There's so many things that have to be just right in Astrophotography.....practice makes perfect!!
Great Image!!
Tom

[Juno16]

Really pretty image Jon!

Feels so good to shoot a successful deep sky image! You are right, AP is so much fun and so gratifying!

[jon.s]

Verry Nice!

Hey that's a beautiful image, even with the focus issues! There's so many things that have to be just right in Astrophotography.....practice makes perfect!!
Great Image!!
Tom

Really pretty image Jon!

Feels so good to shoot a successful deep sky image! You are right, AP is so much fun and so gratifying!

Thank you folks for the encouragement!

Itching to go out and shoot again but sadly there hasn't even been 2 hours of clear sky since I shot this in early December. Hope things improve in January!

[Gordon]

Congratulations Jon for having your image selected as todays TSS APOD!!!

app.php/article/1-2-2021-tss-astrophoto ... of-the-day

[jon.s]

Congratulations Jon for having your image selected as todays TSS APOD!!!

app.php/article/1-2-2021-tss-astrophoto ... of-the-day

Wow ... what an honour. Thanks!

[Ruud]

  
   Pretty image!

[Makuser]

Hi Jon. A superb Rosette Nebula image. I love the beautiful color that you achieved in the processing. Thanks for sharing this fine work with us on here Jon, and congratulations on winning the TSS APOD Award today.

[jon.s]

Pretty image!

Hi Jon. A superb Rosette Nebula image. I love the beautiful color that you achieved in the processing. Thanks for sharing this fine work with us on here Jon, and congratulations on winning the TSS APOD Award today.

Thanks!

[BABOafrica]

Congratulations! First in line for 2021! TSS APOD

BABO

[Ylem]

Very nice, it looks perfect on my phone screen

[jon.s]

Congratulations! First in line for 2021! TSS APOD

BABO

Very nice, it looks perfect on my phone screen

Thank you!

[XCalRocketMan]

Congrats. Sure, a bit of a focus problem, but still, a pretty good image. Astrophotography is hard. Keep at it.