Lagoon and Trifid nebulae

Image Critiques Nightscape & Astro Critiques
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Lagoon-Trifid.jpg
Lagoon-Trifid.jpg1746×2500 1.43 MB

Full frame 28mm lens:

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_49A1407-Edit.jpg2000×1334 735 KB

Full frame 50mm lens:

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Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I’ve been wasting photons doing astrophotography from the house. There is a lot of light pollution, especially to the south, but I have just astonished myself at the results I got last night. There is a very pretty nebula called the Lagoon right in the galactic center area of the Milky Way – shown in the other two posts. I can’t see even a trace of the southern end of the MW from the house or anywhere near it (its a little bit better looking to the north) but last night, just on spec (it was a clear night with little moonlight) I told the tracker to aim at the Lagoon, and the special astro camera recorded it, and the nearby Trifid. I could hardly believe it. I only got an hour of acquisition time before it dropped below the trees, but it processed very well. I can get another hour or a little more tonight and again Wednesday night. They will combine in the fancy software (PixInsight) and the longer total time will give me a better quality result with even more tonal detail to pull out. But I went ahead and processed the first night and here’s the result. This is without any special filters, which claim to be able to deal with light pollution amazingly well.

The software for this stuff has gotten so much better, as has the equipment.

Specific Feedback

All comments welcome!

Technical Details

You really don’t want to know. 1 hr of acquisition in 30 sec increments with a special astro camera (APS-C sensor) and refracting telescope that is the rough equivalent of a 400mm lens! Black, Flat and Bias calibration files.

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@Diane_Miller, all I can say is “Wow”! These images are amazing. Your equipment and the time required tell me that you’re dedicated to astrophotography. (I have used my 5DsR and the 70-200mm lens for my forays into night photography. Borrrring… :slightly_smiling_face: ) I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful and intriguing work!

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Thanks, @Susanna_Euston! I’m not sure it’s so much that I’m dedicated to it as that it has me by the throat. It’s probably a good thing that clear, dark nights are scarce.

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Wow, Diane. These are amazing. I don’t even get to see these, much less photograph them. I like sleeping when the stars are out! :grinning: Well done. I appreciate your patience for shots like this. Well done.

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Wonderful image and explanation. Amazing what kind of images are possible these days!

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Thanks, @Shirley_Freeman and @DeanRoyer! Dean – totally! I am blown away by what I can do, with equipment that is not out of line with what we pay for high-end wildlife stuff. My tracker with tripod is roughly $1000, the high-end refractor telescope (400mm equivalent) is about $1200, the astro camera (one of the best) is about $1800, the ASIAIR computer that runs it is $300. And the images are an order of magnitude better than what I can do with my regular camera and lens.

1 Like