Sh2-86 'Close-Up'

[Mike Lewis]

It has not been the same prolific type of year as last year for me with my astrophotography, due to gear issues and weather. But I have managed a few new images. Here is my latest. This is a 'first light' image with an OAG added into my image train on The EdgeHD 925 setup to guide with.

Sh2-86 is an emission nebula that is being stimulated by the bright hot cluster of young stars NGC 6823, shown here above the pillar structure. This cluster is about 50 light years wide and approximately 6,000 light years distant.

This is created from ~22 hours of collected data using separate filters in Hα, OIII, SII narrowband and RGB for the stars. Mixed as a modified SHO palette, and then RGB stars added back in. More conventionally imaged at a wider FOV but still a lot to enjoy even at 1645 mm, as was used in this shot. I did some playing around with the palette mixing in PixInsight, Photoshop, and then finally Lightroom and came up with this. Perhaps a bit unorthodox, but it seemed to add a little contrast in some of the faint detail areas. As always, comments and critiques most welcome.

Larger size versions available on Astrobin as well: https://www.astrobin.com/xdllpe/0/

ML

 

[AlanLichty]

Gorgeous palette - a deep space scene I could easily look at for long periods of time. Very meditative.

 

[JimFox]

That's so cool Mike! Yeah, I have been missing seeing your Astro work as well. It's always inspiring.

I don't recall imaging this one yet. With the 9.25 you are using a reducer? What's the final focal length for this?

I love the mix of colors in this and the detail. I do wonder why you would need to go into Lightroom if you already have it Photoshop? Are you more comfortable in Lightroom?

But no matter your route of processing, the end result is a great image.

So do you think you have solved your gear issues?

 

[Mike Lewis]

That's so cool Mike! Yeah, I have been missing seeing your Astro work as well. It's always inspiring.

I don't recall imaging this one yet. With the 9.25 you are using a reducer? What's the final focal length for this?

I love the mix of colors in this and the detail. I do wonder why you would need to go into Lightroom if you already have it Photoshop? Are you more comfortable in Lightroom?

But no matter your route of processing, the end result is a great image.

So do you think you have solved your gear issues?

Thanks Jim for the feedback.

• This is with the reducer, so the FOV mentioned above is correct, at 1645 mm. I have not shot this scope at its native f/10 yet, that is something I need to try. It gives a pretty small arcsec/pixel, but someone else I know images from down in the same area of AZ using the 8" EdgeHD at its native f/10 focal length of 2032 mm and gets decent results.
• Sh2-86 is a cool area, and probably more often imaged wider (your 500mm would be excellent) but I wanted an interesting target and this was well placed in the sky compared to most any other NB stuff this time of year.
• I run everything through Lightroom because that is what I use to do the bulk of my editing for my scenic images with and I love the database/keywording aspect of the program that lets me easily organize and lookup any image in seconds. So I always do the final export to jpg out of there at the very least, although I often do a little more tweaking than that even on my astro images. In this case I used the new Point Color control to target the gold color and pull it over more into the orange. I had already tweaked the palette I got out of Pixel Math in PixInsight in Photoshop quite a bit, but this last color tweak was made in Lightroom. I almost always use all 3 of the programs on every astro image I process.
• I am encouraged on the performance I got from adding OAG tracking to both my telescope setups, but I didn't really get enough time with either of them to definitively say that my star shape issues are behind me. I took the refractor setup off when we were transitioning into galaxy season so that we could work on this EdgeHD 925 setup and get it converted over to OAG, and now that that has happened we are entering the monsoon weather down in AZ so it remains to be seen whether I will get any more data with this before having to swap back to the refractor setup again. Last year the mostly bad weather lasted into October, hoping this year that is not the case. So jury still out on whether all is fixed, but I do feel like the first results from both systems have been positive.
• I am waiting for the ASI585MC Pro and the ZWO mini guider with ASI120MM mini, along with my FMA180 little scope and its AF mounting ficture. The EAF I managhed to find on Amazon for only $25 more so ordered it and it is now already here. Hopefully have everything assembled by next week sometime. of course, weather around here looks to suck for the near future at least as well

ML

 

[JimFox]

Thanks Jim for the feedback.

• This is with the reducer, so the FOV mentioned above is correct, at 1645 mm. I have not shot this scope at its native f/10 yet, that is something I need to try. It gives a pretty small arcsec/pixel, but someone else I know images from down in the same area of AZ using the 8" EdgeHD at its native f/10 focal length of 2032 mm and gets decent results.
• Sh2-86 is a cool area, and probably more often imaged wider (your 500mm would be excellent) but I wanted an interesting target and this was well placed in the sky compared to most any other NB stuff this time of year.
• I run everything through Lightroom because that is what I use to do the bulk of my editing for my scenic images with and I love the database/keywording aspect of the program that lets me easily organize and lookup any image in seconds. So I always do the final export to jpg out of there at the very least, although I often do a little more tweaking than that even on my astro images. In this case I used the new Point Color control to target the gold color and pull it over more into the orange. I had already tweaked the palette I got out of Pixel Math in PixInsight in Photoshop quite a bit, but this last color tweak was made in Lightroom. I almost always use all 3 of the programs on every astro image I process.
• I am encouraged on the performance I got from adding OAG tracking to both my telescope setups, but I didn't really get enough time with either of them to definitively say that my star shape issues are behind me. I took the refractor setup off when we were transitioning into galaxy season so that we could work on this EdgeHD 925 setup and get it converted over to OAG, and now that that has happened we are entering the monsoon weather down in AZ so it remains to be seen whether I will get any more data with this before having to swap back to the refractor setup again. Last year the mostly bad weather lasted into October, hoping this year that is not the case. So jury still out on whether all is fixed, but I do feel like the first results from both systems have been positive.
• I am waiting for the ASI585MC Pro and the ZWO mini guider with ASI120MM mini, along with my FMA180 little scope and its AF mounting ficture. The EAF I managhed to find on Amazon for only $25 more so ordered it and it is now already here. Hopefully have everything assembled by next week sometime. of course, weather around here looks to suck for the near future at least as well

ML

Thanks for the info Mike.

And congrats on the ordering of the 585mc Pro. I probably should get one too, and get my EAF onto the Samyang 135mm. Or.... I might end up waiting for Christmas and get the 585mc Pro at Christmas.

What have you decided for filters? ZWO makes a nice filter drawer, though it can be too easy for my taste to accidently knock the drawer out of the holder. I keep a piece of duct tape on mine as I don't want any accidents. I know Askar makes a filter drawer as well, I was curious if it's anymore secure, but I don't know.

 

[Anubis1311]

Cracking image Mike! I feel like adding the OAG was a game changer for my c9.25. Only managed s few galaxies so far but this is making me want to get up close and personal to some traditionally widefield images like you have!

 

[Comet Hunter]

Nicely Done, I hope to be back soon with astrophotography. I have been in a dry spell since Feb

 

[Mike Lewis]

Cracking image Mike! I feel like adding the OAG was a game changer for my c9.25. Only managed s few galaxies so far but this is making me want to get up close and personal to some traditionally widefield images like you have!

Danny,

Thanks for the feedback - it does seem like the 925 Edge is really a wonderful performer. I originally bought mine used, and it had some issues, butr was able to get it over to Dean at Starizona and he fixed it up wonderfully.

I have seen the excellent work you have done with yours so far, and can't wait to see what you can get on some close-ups of some more traditional widefield targets like this one.

Best Regards,

ML

 

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks for the info Mike.

And congrats on the ordering of the 585mc Pro. I probably should get one too, and get my EAF onto the Samyang 135mm. Or.... I might end up waiting for Christmas and get the 585mc Pro at Christmas.

What have you decided for filters? ZWO makes a nice filter drawer, though it can be too easy for my taste to accidently knock the drawer out of the holder. I keep a piece of duct tape on mine as I don't want any accidents. I know Askar makes a filter drawer as well, I was curious if it's anymore secure, but I don't know.

Jim,

Have not figured out the filter yet - I will need to do that. Most of the rest of the gear shows up tomorrow I think - but not sure when I will have the little FMA180 OTA back here. I can already feel myself wanting something with a little more aperture (and I have not even tried the FMA180 yet) - so that is not a good sign I am guessing one of the filters that is not 3nm but the next bandwidth wider is a good choice as I have seen that the Duo can guide well with that type of setup, and I want to keep the Duo option in the mix if this setup takes off for me. And a filter drawer makes the most sense I think. Gotta add up all the dollars as this is project is suffering from cost-creep

ML