One of the ~600 frames that went into it. The software is that powerful!
Critique Style Requested:Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
We’re just coming into the season where gorgeous nebulae are above the horizon at night. I’ve had the astro rig about 3 years now and finally got the hardware upgraded with an autofocuser and learned how to do more things in the software. A string of clear dark nights has kept me busy.
The final image is a stitch of two frames due to the size of the object. Each piece is about 300 1-minute exposures. They are combined with PixInsight into a final image of low enough noise that the histogram can be stretched to bring out incredibly dim structures hidden in the very darkest tones.
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
Trust me, you don’t want the details. The telescope is a 400mm focal length refractor (basically a telephoto lens fine-tuned for pinpoint stars across the field) less expensive than some comparable wildlife lenses and the sensor is APS-C sized in a cooled astro camera run at -10 deg F – the ZWO ASI2600MC Pro. It looks like a large soup can on the back end of the refractor. About 3 hours of 45 second exposures on the SkyWatcher EQM 35 tracker, with the shooting sequence run with the ASIAir computer (about the size of two decks of cards) and an iPad. Processed in PixInsight with calibration frames.
Critique Template
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Thanks, @SandyR-B and @Youssef_Ismail! The dark areas are interstellar dust. It’s amazing how there are clumps and strings of it that are dense enough to block light. There are tremendous forces at play in the universe from gravitational motion and particles and light from star formation and death.
I think I can bring out a little more color in the left half – the processing software allows a lot of leeway in bringing out contrast in various parts of the histogram. I’ll play with it when I have more time.
Just jaw-dropping beautiful. I’m continually astounded by both the wonders of the universe and your ability to photograph it so well. Jeez that sound so asinine. What I mean is that you’ve developed so much expertise and patience to make these kinds of photos. It’s just something I’ll probably never do so thanks for doing it. I’m also amazed that people can do this with “regular” gear. Yes, I know some specialized equipment is needed, but you don’t have to go to extremes to make these photos. The final mix of the starfield and the nebula is so subtle and dramatic that I really want to be a passenger on the Enterprise.
@Keith_Lisk – go for it! You have the rig and the software. I cannot believe how cool that little ASIAIR computer is! All you need is a phone and a finger.
@Kris_Smith – thanks!! I drive myself nuts doing (or trying to do) this stuff but I love what it can do! Interestingly the investment for hardware and software for the astro stuff is comparable to, or even less than, the mid-level “telephoto” rig I have for daytime photography.
