AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

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AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#1

Post by Graeme1858 »


We have no data for AP Processing Challenge No. 14!

Would anybody like to make a submission?

Regards

Graeme


Edit - We have now!
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 14

#2

Post by Jockinireland »


Thats a pity, I'll put something up in a few minutes.
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 14

#3

Post by Graeme1858 »


Thanks David.

Top man you are!

I have replied to your pm.

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
APM 11x70 ED APO Binoculars.

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No. 14

#4

Post by Graeme1858 »


JockinIreland has saved the day!

David has submitted his Messier 45 data for us all to enjoy.

From Wikipedia - The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45, is an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot B-type stars in the north-west of the constellation Taurus. It is among the star clusters nearest to Earth, it is the nearest Messier object to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. The cluster is dominated by hot blue and luminous stars that have formed within the last 100 million years. Reflection nebulae around the brightest stars were once thought to be left over material from their formation, but are now considered likely to be an unrelated dust cloud in the interstellar medium through which the stars are currently passing.

Just click the link below to download David's data then process as you like using your preferred software and methods. When you're done post your results to this thread for us all to enjoy!

This is the AP Processing Challenge No. 14 data file link.

Thanks David.

This is David's original posting.

Please keep the submissions coming in for future challenges. Just send a PM to a Mod or an email to:

tssapchallenge@theskysearchers.com

Have fun!

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
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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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#5

Post by Jockinireland »


Hi All,

This is my M45 data from November last. It is as stack of 3 different exposures 120, 180 and 240s all combined.

There are some obvious dust bunnies because at the time I was having problems with dust motes moving around between flats and therefore not calibrating out - I think it was due to the automatic sensor cleaning on the camera which is now disabled. They are nasty but can be got rid of with judicious cropping and the good old healing brush! Good practice for you. there is also a not so nice gradient but again good practice to get rid of it and its supposed to be a challenge!

Skywatcher 90ED, canon 700D,(FL510, pixel size 4.3micron if you want to do photometric calibration in PI) NEQ6,

Have fun - look forward to seeing what you can do with it!
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer

My Astrobin https://www.astrobin.com/users/mackiedlm/
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#6

Post by yobbo89 »


i'll give it ago , are we posting here ?
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 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#7

Post by Jockinireland »


yup, thats the plan. look forward to seeing what you do with it because I do like your own images very much.
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer

My Astrobin https://www.astrobin.com/users/mackiedlm/
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#8

Post by yobbo89 »


i drizzled , split the channels ,balanced then recombine . worked mainly on the blue channel, theres a bit of detail in green but i couldn't controll the noise ..
Attachments
m45rescale.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 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#9

Post by Jockinireland »


@yobbo89 how do you drizzle on a stacked image. I thought that had to be at the stacking process?
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer

My Astrobin https://www.astrobin.com/users/mackiedlm/
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#10

Post by yobbo89 »


Jockinireland wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 4:38 pm @yobbo89 how do you drizzle on a stacked image. I thought that had to be at the stacking process?
just run it through your stacking software and stack it by itself, it won't stack
obviously but it will run the post soft through with it after .
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 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#11

Post by Gordon »


I had some 'extra' time today and gave it a try.
My versionChallenge No 14 - JockinIreland - M45 - Pleiades.jpg
Here's the shortened version of the steps used in StarTools.
StarTools.doc
(26.5 KiB) Downloaded 179 times
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Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
ZWO mini guider.
Image cameras: ZWO ASI1600 MM Cool, ZWO ASI533mc-Pro, ZWO ASI174mm-C (for use with my Quark chromosphere), ZWO ASI120MC
Filters: LRGB, Ha 7nm, O-III 7nm, S-II 7nm
Eyepieces: a few.
Primary software: Cartes du Ciel, N.I.N.A, StarTools V1.4.

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#12

Post by Graeme1858 »


yobbo89 wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 3:00 pm i drizzled , split the channels ,balanced then recombine . worked mainly on the blue channel, theres a bit of detail in green but i couldn't controll the noise ..

Nice one Rob.

You brought the colours out really well.

Gordon wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 6:56 pm I had some 'extra' time today and gave it a try.

Great nebulosity Gordon.

Must have a go at this one tonight!

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
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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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#13

Post by Graeme1858 »


Here's my go:

Pulled into Gimp
Curves
Levels
Curves
Levels
Curves
Levels
Exposure
Colour Balance
Saturation
Sharpen
Flip Vertically
Rotate Anticlockwise
Crop

M45_DLM_3sessions.jpg

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
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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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#14

Post by STEVE333 »


Here is my try with PixInsight. Hope you like it.
M45_Hist_LRGB.jpg
Steve
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#15

Post by Gordon »


Another great example!
Gordon
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
ZWO mini guider.
Image cameras: ZWO ASI1600 MM Cool, ZWO ASI533mc-Pro, ZWO ASI174mm-C (for use with my Quark chromosphere), ZWO ASI120MC
Filters: LRGB, Ha 7nm, O-III 7nm, S-II 7nm
Eyepieces: a few.
Primary software: Cartes du Ciel, N.I.N.A, StarTools V1.4.

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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#16

Post by Graeme1858 »


STEVE333 wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:59 pm Here is my try with PixInsight. Hope you like it.

You have brought out the background stars well without overexposing the sisters and their Mum and Dad!

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
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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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#17

Post by Jockinireland »


@Graeme1858 @Gordon @STEVE333 All good goes.

Steve, I love how you have controlled the bright stars but got lots of fine nebulosity and even good background stars. How did you do all that, star removal? Starnet++
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer

My Astrobin https://www.astrobin.com/users/mackiedlm/
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#18

Post by STEVE333 »


Jockinireland wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 11:11 pm @Graeme1858 @Gordon @STEVE333 All good goes.

Steve, I love how you have controlled the bright stars but got lots of fine nebulosity and even good background stars. How did you do all that, star removal? Starnet++

I didn't use Starnet++ to control the stars. Here is what I did:
  • Do normal linear processing (Remove gradients, color calibration, noise reduction)
  • Perform a mild stretch of the image.
  • Make a copy of the stretched image.
  • Remove the stars from the copy using Starnet++
  • Blur the copy to remove sharp structures.
  • Use PixelMath expression max(stretched, f*blur) where f was adjusted till the "dust bunny" was eliminated but the nebulosity was left unchanged. Call this fixed image "Repaired"
  • Extract the Luminance image from Repaired
  • Sharpen the Luminance image then reduce the noise
  • Combine the sharpened image with the Repaired image using LRGBCombination (with only L checked in LRGBCombination (This step sharpens the nebulosity structures while actually slightly reducing some of the stars)
  • Make a star mask for the LRGB image.
  • Apply the star mask to the LRGB image and then increase the color saturation to add color to the stars
That is the basic approach I used.

Steve
Steve King: Light Pollution (Bortle 5)
Telescope + Mount + Guiding: W.O. Star71-ii + iOptron CEM40 EC + Orion Magnificent Mini AutoGuider
Camera: ASI 1600MM Pro + EFW Filter Wheel + Chroma 3nm Siii, Ha, Oiii + ZWO LRGB Filters
Software: PHD2; APT; PixInsight ***** My AP website: www.steveking.pictures
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#19

Post by Jockinireland »


@STEVE333 Thanks for that - that seems like a really cool method - I'm going to give it a go this week-end.
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer

My Astrobin https://www.astrobin.com/users/mackiedlm/
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Re: AP Processing Challenge No 14 - M45 - Pleiades

#20

Post by andrewsscope »


Hi all this is my attempt at Jacks m45,I used my Serif affinity and stacked in Affinity.I used prodigital software to take out light pollution on the image.Then I adjusted the blue level quite aggressively and then used astrophotography background to increase the black.
newm452klmtmt.jpg
Thanks
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