AP Processing Challenge No. 4 - The Needle Galaxy

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AP Processing Challenge No. 4 - The Needle Galaxy

#1

Post by Graeme1858 »


Hello all Astrophotographers, accomplished, aspiring and curious.

The format of the AP Processing challenge is about to change. There have been a couple of submissions of data for processing and so that those who submitted don't have to wait too long, the next challenge starts today!

Welcome to:

AP Processing Challenge No. 4

Umasscrew39 (Bruce) submitted his capture of the Needle Galaxy (NGC 4565) (with a touch of NGC 4562)

"My new powerhouse threadripper desktop finally arrived. I have been collecting data with my new ZWO ASI2600 but my laptop kept crashing due to the large file sizes. So, here is my first one capturing the Needle Galaxy and NGC4562 in the lower right slightly visible. This is 3 hours total integration (120s guided suns) on a C11" EdgeHD @ f/7 and an Optolong L-Pro filter."

NGC 4565 is an edge-on spiral galaxy about 30 to 50 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. It lies close to the North Galactic Pole and has a visual magnitude of approximately 10. It is known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile.

The fits file has been calibrated and stacked ready for processing and can be downloaded from here:



Please download the files and process using your preferred software. Then post an image of your results with a description of your methods for discussion.

You can also just join the discussion with some input for us all to learn from.

AP Processing Challenge No. 4 starts today and ends on the 14th August.

If you have data to submit for a future challenge please email a cloud storage download link to tssapchallenge@theskysearchers.com

Have fun!

Regards

Graeme
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#2

Post by Juno16 »


Thanks Graeme,

I like the new format!
Jim

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#3

Post by Graeme1858 »


Thanks Jim,

I look forward to seeing your submission.

Regards

Graeme
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#4

Post by yobbo89 »


here is my go .
Attachments
needle.jpg
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#5

Post by jerrysykes »


My attempt using Startools
challenge-4.JPG
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#6

Post by Graeme1858 »


yobbo89 wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 6:31 pm here is my go .
Image

Nice one Yobbo.

It's a fine looking galaxy. How did you process the file?

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#7

Post by Graeme1858 »


jerrysykes wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 6:55 pm My attempt using Startools
Image

Cheers Jerry

Could you post up your Startools method?

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#8

Post by jerrysykes »


Graeme1858 wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 8:34 pm
jerrysykes wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 6:55 pm My attempt using Startools
Image

Cheers Jerry

Could you post up your Startools method?

Regards

Graeme
Processed using Startools 1.5

Cropped the edges of the pic
Binned to 50%
Auto dev
Wipe
Global redo (dev)
Contrast
Decon
Sharpen
Life
Color
Noise reduction
Telescopes: Skywatcher120pro ED, Skywatcher80pro ED, Meade 8inch SCT, Orion ST80
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#9

Post by yobbo89 »


Graeme1858 wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 8:31 pm
yobbo89 wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 6:31 pm here is my go .
Image

Nice one Yobbo.

It's a fine looking galaxy. How did you process the file?

Regards

Graeme
I'll give you the full details when I get some free time and analyse my exact process , i ended spliting the frames to b/w and processed individually and reduce the background noise on the green channel, used some deconvolution ectt
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#10

Post by Sky »


Processed in Photoshop ...

- imported Luminosity using Fits Liberator w/ ArcSinH(ArcSin H(x)) processing
- minor stretching
- background noise reduction
- sharpening
- set background level at 17
- imported RGB image as a tif file
- color balancing
- curves
- star color boost
- green background reduction
- set background level at 17
- blended RGB and Luminosity
- selective contrast applied to bring out faint detail in dark dust lane

Great data ... very little processing needed.
Umasscrew39-NGC4565-AF.jpg
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#11

Post by Juno16 »


My shot in Startools (new version 1.7.402). Quick process. See link below for processing log file.



Had a hard time with some of the saturated stars, but otherwise a similar image to those above. Perhaps not as sharp as some.

One of the cleanest datasets I have ever seen!
Umasscrew39 NGC4565 Needle Galaxy processed.jpg
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
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Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#12

Post by umasscrew39 »


Well, these are all great images given my lack of good data for you all to work with. This was taken from my home observatory located just north of Orlando, FL under Bortle 6 skies. This was the best I could do with my limited processing experience. Basically, I use PixInsight to do both the pre-and post-processing. I used the new WBPP script followed by a simple post-processing workflow: ABE, color calibration, histogram transformation, TGVDenoise, mask generation to sharpen the image, curves transformation. I have found that the new ZWO ASI2600, as well as the 533, both have very low noise and no amp glow as advertised.

Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Needle Galaxy_cropped.jpg
Bruce

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#13

Post by Graeme1858 »


Tell you what Bruce, that is very clean data! The usual trade off between enhancing data and increasing noise was not an issue at all.

When I first opened the file there were three images, a line, a green version of the image that looked like it had already been stretched and the normal fits file. Is the green one for a purpose? I didn't use it!

So I opened the fits file in Gimp and pulled a couple of gentle stretches, levels didn't need much adjusting. Then I spent some time colour balancing. I pulled up the shadows red and blue to balance out the green cast. Saturation didn't increase the colour much. Sharpened the whole thing with an unsharp mask. Finished with a Yobbo style crop to use the star and minor galaxy as corner markers and to offset the main target. And that's all that was needed! I might still have a tad too much green but it looks more natural to me than over tweaking the magenta.


Image


Thanks for the image Bruce. That ASI2600 does a great job.

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#14

Post by JayTee »


Okay,

So here is my attempt at this. It felt like a homework assignment!

Here's the full image.
Image
Here's the crop.
Image
Here's the steps in PSCC.
Image

I do my color balancing using the "curves" function. I individually adjust each of the RGB curves until the colors look correct (to me).

Cheers,
JT
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#15

Post by umasscrew39 »


Well, at least you got an A+ on your homework assignment! :lol:
Bruce

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#16

Post by Juno16 »


JayTee wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 11:32 am Okay,

So here is my attempt at this. It felt like a homework assignment!

Here's the full image.
Image
Here's the crop.
Image
Here's the steps in PSCC.
Image

I do my color balancing using the "curves" function. I individually adjust each of the RGB curves until the colors look correct (to me).

Cheers,
JT
Thanks for sharing your pic workflow JT. I am a Startools user and a recent subscriber to pscc.

I might give it a go in ps following your guide.

Thanks
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#17

Post by carastro »


This is my process, done in Photoshop.
Mainly color balancing, stretching, increasing the colour and a gradient exterminator.

Carole
Attachments
Umasscrew39 NGC4565 Needle Galaxy smaller.png
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#18

Post by Graeme1858 »


That's a nice bright, clear rendition Carole.

Makes me think I might have darkened the sky a bit too much in mine.

Think I'll have another go! :)

Thanks

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
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ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#19

Post by Jockinireland »


i'm coming late to the party because i did not see the new system till today!!

Anyway, in photoshop;
Arcsin stretch
Gradient exterminator
A couple of general gentle stretches in curves and colour balance in levels
HLVG
carbonis local contrast
Carbonis lighten DSO
Noise reduction with Dfine2
selective high pass routine to bring structure to dark lane
Camera raw filter - slight dehaze, tiny bit noise reduction, pulled back the sat just a tad.
I then made a lum lllayer from the green channel as it seemed to have the best dust lane structure (in retrospect i probably should have done this earlier - like before the high pass sharpen. (well dang! I'll just need to try it again :D )
All bringing me to this...
Umasscrew39 NGC4565 Needle Galaxy DLM final full .jpg
This was great data to work with so thanks very much. I dont really think i've been able to do it justice.

Rgds

David
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 4

#20

Post by Graeme1858 »


Jockinireland wrote: Sun Jul 26, 2020 6:48 pm i'm coming late to the party because i did not see the new system till today!!

Anyway, in photoshop;
Arcsin stretch
Gradient exterminator
A couple of general gentle stretches in curves and colour balance in levels
HLVG
carbonis local contrast
Carbonis lighten DSO
Noise reduction with Dfine2
selective high pass routine to bring structure to dark lane
Camera raw filter - slight dehaze, tiny bit noise reduction, pulled back the sat just a tad.
I then made a lum lllayer from the green channel as it seemed to have the best dust lane structure (in retrospect i probably should have done this earlier - like before the high pass sharpen. (well dang! I'll just need to try it again :D )
All bringing me to this...

This was great data to work with so thanks very much. I dont really think i've been able to do it justice.

Rgds

David

That's a very fine go at it David. I don't know if Photoshop is the same but when I opened the fits file in Gimp there were two seperate images, an rgb and a green version. I only used the rgb. When you say you used the Green chanel as a luminance layer was that the seperate green image?

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
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ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
APM 11x70 ED APO Binoculars.

https://www.averywayobservatory.co.uk/
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