July AP Processing Challenge No. 3 - NGC 7822

[Graeme1858]

Ok, so here's my go!

I pulled in the RGB, Ha and Oiii into Gimp as separate layers. After stretching all three with curves and levels and boosting the RGB layer colours and saturation I played about with the order of the stack and with the opacity.





So treating NB files as OSC files in Gimp doesn't work! At least Brett above understands the words used for NB processing, I don't have that advantage for half of them! A Gimp processing expert might be aware of some functions that could do a better job but I'm off to play with Startools colour mapping!

Regards

Graeme

[KingNothing13]

At least Brett above understands the words used for NB processing

Well - let's not be hasty now - I recognize that they are English......

[carastro]

OK Guys, sorry I didn't get back sooner with replies to all your questions.

As discussed with Graeme when I submitted the data, I did bin the Oiii and Sii and also combining the Ha 3nm and 7nm I simply stacked each separately and then stacked the stacks in Ha.

However I thought it would be a bit much to submit binned data "as is" so I registered all the filters to each other before uploading so you didn't have to mess about, especially if some of you don't have the software to do that. I didn't supply the fits files, just the already stacked and registered files for the same reason.

There was no noise reduction applied during stacking. The binned data was resized by the registering software (Registar) but not drizzled, though now you come to mention that I might even give that a try next time.

did she do this for the nii data ?

No Nii data.

Hope I have answered all the questions.

For those who don't know how to combine filters, you add them to the relevant channels. In this case I created a new image from one of the files and converted it to RGB, then pasted the Sii into the Red channel, Ha into the Green channel, and Oiii into the Blue channel to create an SHO Hubble palette image.

With narrowband you can do what you want really, some like to do HOO (Ha into Red channel, and Oiii into Green and Blue.

Some-one asked to see my original image, and I did more than one version.

This was an HOS version (Ha in the Red channel, Oiii in the Green Channel and Sii in the blue channel)


This was my SHO Hubble Palette version:


and this was my final version where I also added some RGB stars into the mix, but I don't think I gave you the RGB just for the stars as I thought that might be a bit too much, indeed it has taken me a number of years to work out how to do that.

[Juno16]

Hi Everyone,

I really wasn't going to play (yes play) with this data, but I got rained out from cutting the grass this afternoon and had a curious shot at it. I really, really have absolutely idea what I am doing with this type of data.

When I commented in this thread earlier Graeme ([mention]Graeme1858[/mention] , I meant that I was looking forward to seeing the processes of other members. I had no plans to work with the data myself!

Anyway, I did download the data and messed around with it. Sorry Carole [mention]carastro[/mention] , I really did not do your beautiful data justice!!!!!

Once I started working with it, I saw huge swings of coloration and detail.

I really don't know what I did here, except that I did process the data in Startools and chose to use the Sii into the Red channel, Ha into the Green channel, and Oiii into the Blue channel. I used the SHO (HST) setting in the Startools Color Module.

I really destroyed some of the nice stars by not correctly using the Deconvolution Module and the colors are really messed up!

The coloration is so far off from Carole's beautiful processing, but it was kinda cool looking to me so I am going to share it below.

[bobharmony]

Cara, I was happy to see your efforts with the data. When I did the Ha->R, Oiii->G, Sii->B combination the result seemed a bit over colored to me. I worked to tone it down a bit and will put that version up when finished. Looking at your results, I begin to think the vibrance is in the data, and not in my process.

Thanks for throwing this out there, it's nice to work with NB data for a change.

Bob

[Juno16]

Cara, I was happy to see your efforts with the data. When I did the Ha->R, Oiii->G, Sii->B combination the result seemed a bit over colored to me. I worked to tone it down a bit and will put that version up when finished. Looking at your results, I begin to think the vibrance is in the data, and not in my process.

Thanks for throwing this out there, it's nice to work with NB data for a change.

Bob

I agree Bob, Carole's data and process is very vibrant. Yobbo's process is very beautiful too.

I toned things down a bit, but cannot even scratch the other very fine processes displayed here. Thanks for the exercise!

[bobharmony]

I went back and loaded StarTools up mapping Ha to R, Oiii to G and Sii to B. I also added the Ha data to the Luminance channel. This time I really pushed the deconvolution module. I backed the colors off a bit from what StarTools came up with. Here is the result:

I wasn't able to do anything useful with the downloaded RGB file so have not tweaked the star colors at all. Great fun! Process was Crop, Wipe, Develop, Color Deconvolution, Corlor again, and some noise reduction.

Bob

[Graeme1858]

Hope I have answered all the questions.

For those who don't know how to combine filters, you add them to the relevant channels. In this case I created a new image from one of the files and converted it to RGB, then pasted the Sii into the Red channel, Ha into the Green channel, and Oiii into the Blue channel to create an SHO Hubble palette image.

With narrowband you can do what you want really, some like to do HOO (Ha into Red channel, and Oiii into Green and Blue.

I'm sure you have Carol and raised a whole load more!

Your final images are really lovely, thanks again for letting us have a go at your data and for sharing your knowledge.

What software do you use to produce the final image from the NB files?

Regards

Graeme

[carastro]

What software do you use to produce the final image from the NB files?

I use Photoshop CS3.

Carole

[carastro]

By the way, one thing I find very useful once I have processed my image is to blur the coloured image as it removes noise and a multiple of sins. Then I place a decent processed version of the Ha over the top and blend as luminosity, this really cleans and sharpens the image, but does often require some fiddling with the coloured layer as the Ha placed over the top tends to wash out the colour.

Practice makes perfect.

Finally to say if any-one uses photoshop and is interested, I have a number of processing tutorials on You Tube.

Here is a link to my relevant web site page giving you all the links:
https://sites.google.com/site/caroleast ... -tutorials

Carole

[Juno16]

I went back and loaded StarTools up mapping Ha to R, Oiii to G and Sii to B. I also added the Ha data to the Luminance channel. This time I really pushed the deconvolution module. I backed the colors off a bit from what StarTools came up with. Here is the result:



I wasn't able to do anything useful with the downloaded RGB file so have not tweaked the star colors at all. Great fun! Process was Crop, Wipe, Develop, Color Deconvolution, Corlor again, and some noise reduction.

Bob

Very nice process Bob!

I like the coloration and the nice detail that you pulled out.

After reading your post, I went back in and mixed up the channels somewhat and used Decon to pull out a good amount of detail. I didn’t like how the colors looked, so I just closed it.

Yes it was fun to play with the data. I really don’t have a clue though. I am hoping that some folks here that are familiar with mono data will have a try at it. Just to see what they can do with better familiarity with the process. Yobbo’s process was really a wonderful job. Just goes to show what amazing things can be done with data if you know what you are doing!

Carole’s processes are beautiful!

[Graeme1858]

After some youtubing I discovered you can pull NB images into Gimp with Open as Layers and then use Colour Components Compose to allocate colours. I've been trying different configurations all morning! The original RGB file pasted over the top at 30% opacity whitens the stars. Now I've just re-read Carole's advice above to do that last thing as a sharpening tool!

Here is an OSH version that's been stretched (not too much) with Curves and Levels then Colour Balanced. I turned up the Saturation and Sharpened. A final S Curve and then a Lightening Curve tweak. I've just noticed that attempting to keep the right side of the image has led to a poor crop!

It's not brilliant but it was lots of fun and I've learnt loads!





Regards

Graeme

[yobbo89]

OK Guys, sorry I didn't get back sooner with replies to all your questions.

As discussed with Graeme when I submitted the data, I did bin the Oiii and Sii and also combining the Ha 3nm and 7nm I simply stacked each separately and then stacked the stacks in Ha.

However I thought it would be a bit much to submit binned data "as is" so I registered all the filters to each other before uploading so you didn't have to mess about, especially if some of you don't have the software to do that. I didn't supply the fits files, just the already stacked and registered files for the same reason.

There was no noise reduction applied during stacking. The binned data was resized by the registering software (Registar) but not drizzled, though now you come to mention that I might even give that a try next time.

did she do this for the nii data ?

No Nii data.

Hope I have answered all the questions.

For those who don't know how to combine filters, you add them to the relevant channels. In this case I created a new image from one of the files and converted it to RGB, then pasted the Sii into the Red channel, Ha into the Green channel, and Oiii into the Blue channel to create an SHO Hubble palette image.

With narrowband you can do what you want really, some like to do HOO (Ha into Red channel, and Oiii into Green and Blue.

Some-one asked to see my original image, and I did more than one version.

This was an HOS version (Ha in the Red channel, Oiii in the Green Channel and Sii in the blue channel)


This was my SHO Hubble Palette version:


and this was my final version where I also added some RGB stars into the mix, but I don't think I gave you the RGB just for the stars as I thought that might be a bit too much, indeed it has taken me a number of years to work out how to do that.

very nice i like the last one, chft pallet ?

[Jockinireland]

This is my very first attempt to process NB - so thank you so much [mention]carastro[/mention] for providing this. It was a real challenge for me but a real pleasure too.

So my process (which i'm sure is going to sound crazy to most of you but i am really just working it all out)

First I took each of the mono images into PSCC and did some levels, curves, nose reduction and star reduction.
Then took them in to APP and combined them using the combine RGB tool. I tried various palettes settling on the SHO (Hubble)1 and adjusted the various sliders till I got colour I liked. I did a low level stretch in APP then took it back to PS.

Here I did some more gentle stretching in curves, star reduction (carbonis actions). I increased the saturation using the Bock method and applied a harsh blur with "Dust and scratches". I then went back to the Mono HA and did some more stretching and star reduction on that then applied it as a luminace layer over the blurred version. Some noise reduction using Dfine then a selective High pass routine to bring out the detail in the nebula.A final curves and ended up with this;

I'm reasonably happy with it as my first ever NB, maybe a bit moody and overdone but subtlety does not come easy to me

I'd love to hear suggestions on how to improve this and on my process overall.

[Graeme1858]

I'm reasonably happy with it as my first ever NB,

Yeah, i would be happy with that too!

Your colours are nice and bright and the darks are moody.

Regards

Graeme

[andrewsscope]

Hi all I used all the narrowband images and combined in Adobe cs2,used curves to bring out the detail.I then used a lasso tool on part of the image and used saturation at 45 percent on a couple of points on the image to enhance the colour.I also used Affinity to sharpen the image by creating a few layers and merging.This is what I finished up with after about 1 hours work.

[andrewsscope]

Hi all this is my second attempt using my lasso tool in adobe cs2.

[Graeme1858]

Here is a link to my relevant web site page giving you all the links:
https://sites.google.com/site/caroleast ... -tutorials

Just watched your tutorial on layers Carole (sorry I've been spelling your name wrong! ) I feel another attempt coming on with the RGB layer posted over the top of the composed NB layer as a luminosity layer.

Thanks

Regards

Graeme

[Jockinireland]

OK, so here is my second effort to try and make it a bit less dramatic than my post at #34 above.

For this one I made a starless image with Starnet++ then brought the starred version back in as layer set to lighten and adjusted the stars with curves to get what I wanted.

I'm not sure which I prefer - the difference is quite subtle and I think this one is easier on the eye.

[Hankmeister3]

I'm just a spectator, I wouldn't know where to start!