Those were really nice images, and a nice and simple explanation of how filters work too. I live at 53° N so the targets in the Perseus arm are available for imaging for a large part of the year, in fact from my backyard the Wizard is visible all year round. The down side is we get a lot of cloudy nights, so it can take weeks or even months to capture enough data when using a mono camera so I use both mono and OSC rigs these days.
Hi Kevin, Thank you. I am aware of your cloud situation as a retired meteorologist. The polar jet stream "lives" in your region, so even if the sky is clear, the winds aloft are usually quite turbulant reducing the "seeing" conditions.
Hey Pat! I spent most of September trying to do a broadband representation of SH2-86 as a fun experiment. Got over 40 hours of LRGB data. Guess what I learned? I should stick to narrowband imaging of emission nebulae from my light polluted skies :). Looking at your RGB data, I see a bit of a calibration issue. Top left and bottom left appear to be over- and under-corrected. There's a clearly visible circular gradient in those corners. Might be something you want to examine. There also a section just to the left of the Wizard where a dust mote didn't properly calibrate out with your flats (much more visible in the starless RGB version). You can see the same over- and under-correction in the narrowband images as well.
Thanks, Jonny. Yep, you are correct. While I did have flats for the narrowband, I failed to take flats for the broadband. Hence, that huge crater of a dust bunny to the left of the Wizard and the vignetting in the left side corners. Thank you for watching my video and leaving your comment. Now go out there and take some narrowband on your target. Ha ha. Clear Skies
I have a C8 with a OSC, ASI071MC Pro. I use the Antlia Quad Band filter. I've been imaging the Wizard Nebula the last several sessions and I have 6 hours of data.so far. I've been thinking about getting a duo narrow band filter. Can you recommend an Antlia model? I've been looking at the Optolong L Extreme. I know a mono camera is probably the best but I have to set up and tear down every session and I can't leave it out from dusk to dawn so shoot 3 to 4 hours per evening if I don't have issues. I feel I don't have the time for filters and the extra calibration frames needed I guess with a OSC you probably need more integration time vs a mono camera set up. I can't see a "Wizard" shape in this nebula. Thank you
Hi KJ, There are pros and cons on the OSC versus monochrome cameras. The OSC ones are a bit more easy to acquire the target while the monochrome requires at least 3 colors and perhaps a luminance set of images. Also, less flats for the OSC. I have the Optolong L-Ultimate, eNhance, Pro, and Quad for my OSC (same as yours) and it depends on the target. I like using the Pro and Quad on galaxies and clusters and like using the other two on nebulae. Speaking of flats, I failed to take them for that RGB image ... oops. Clear Skies
Great video, love your yard. For us newbies your software just isn’t in the budget ($500CN) but all you guys use it, is there something free to get started on ?
Hi Woody, I stated by using Photoshop, but that has a price tag on it too. GIMP is free but is limited. I've heard some good things about Astro Pixel Processor, but again, it has price. Pixinsight is a bit expensive but it is a one time cost, where these other have monthly or yearly rental fees. Clear Skies
How do you know when to use either the narrow band vs broad band, or is that personal preference? What is the actual color of the nebula and how do you know which to use to capture that? Thanks......
I would think the RGB image would be the true color of the target. The narrowband is more "false" color, as you can combine them in any way you want. Which to choose? Yep, personal preference. It depends on what you are looking for. Clear Skies.
Great video Pat; I enjoy the versatility of the narrowband and to put it bluntly, it's just fun sometimes playing with the combinations; I enjoy broadband of course but Narrowband imaging seems time saving.
Hi JP, Chances are you would not be able to see it visually. It is a very dim nebula. My images were 300 seconds each. You would be able to see it if you attach a camera to the scope and put it on a tracker using long exposures. Clear Skies
So fantastic capture
Those were really nice images, and a nice and simple explanation of how filters work too. I live at 53° N so the targets in the Perseus arm are available for imaging for a large part of the year, in fact from my backyard the Wizard is visible all year round. The down side is we get a lot of cloudy nights, so it can take weeks or even months to capture enough data when using a mono camera so I use both mono and OSC rigs these days.
Hi Kevin,
Thank you.
I am aware of your cloud situation as a retired meteorologist. The polar jet stream "lives" in your region, so even if the sky is clear, the winds aloft are usually quite turbulant reducing the "seeing" conditions.
A good shot Pat!
Thank you, Hein
Great images!
Thank you, Thomas
All nice images
Thank you, Kyle
nice comparison Pat!
loved it!
Thank you, Alex
Thanks Pat. Great shots!
Thanks for watching!, Ron
Hey Pat! I spent most of September trying to do a broadband representation of SH2-86 as a fun experiment. Got over 40 hours of LRGB data. Guess what I learned? I should stick to narrowband imaging of emission nebulae from my light polluted skies :).
Looking at your RGB data, I see a bit of a calibration issue. Top left and bottom left appear to be over- and under-corrected. There's a clearly visible circular gradient in those corners. Might be something you want to examine. There also a section just to the left of the Wizard where a dust mote didn't properly calibrate out with your flats (much more visible in the starless RGB version). You can see the same over- and under-correction in the narrowband images as well.
Thanks, Jonny.
Yep, you are correct. While I did have flats for the narrowband, I failed to take flats for the broadband. Hence, that huge crater of a dust bunny to the left of the Wizard and the vignetting in the left side corners.
Thank you for watching my video and leaving your comment. Now go out there and take some narrowband on your target. Ha ha.
Clear Skies
I have a C8 with a OSC, ASI071MC Pro. I use the Antlia Quad Band filter. I've been imaging the Wizard Nebula the last several sessions and I have 6 hours of data.so far. I've been thinking about getting a duo narrow band filter. Can you recommend an Antlia model? I've been looking at the Optolong L Extreme. I know a mono camera is probably the best but I have to set up and tear down every session and I can't leave it out from dusk to dawn so shoot 3 to 4 hours per evening if I don't have issues. I feel I don't have the time for filters and the extra calibration frames needed I guess with a OSC you probably need more integration time vs a mono camera set up. I can't see a "Wizard" shape in this nebula.
Thank you
Hi KJ,
There are pros and cons on the OSC versus monochrome cameras. The OSC ones are a bit more easy to acquire the target while the monochrome requires at least 3 colors and perhaps a luminance set of images. Also, less flats for the OSC. I have the Optolong L-Ultimate, eNhance, Pro, and Quad for my OSC (same as yours) and it depends on the target. I like using the Pro and Quad on galaxies and clusters and like using the other two on nebulae. Speaking of flats, I failed to take them for that RGB image ... oops.
Clear Skies
Great video, love your yard. For us newbies your software just isn’t in the budget ($500CN) but all you guys use it, is there something free to get started on ?
Hi Woody,
I stated by using Photoshop, but that has a price tag on it too. GIMP is free but is limited. I've heard some good things about Astro Pixel Processor, but again, it has price. Pixinsight is a bit expensive but it is a one time cost, where these other have monthly or yearly rental fees.
Clear Skies
How do you know when to use either the narrow band vs broad band, or is that personal preference? What is the actual color of the nebula and how do you know which to use to capture that? Thanks......
I would think the RGB image would be the true color of the target. The narrowband is more "false" color, as you can combine them in any way you want. Which to choose? Yep, personal preference. It depends on what you are looking for.
Clear Skies.
Thanks!
Thank you, David, for the "Super Thanks".
Great video Pat; I enjoy the versatility of the narrowband and to put it bluntly, it's just fun sometimes playing with the combinations; I enjoy broadband of course but Narrowband imaging seems time saving.
Hi Jerry,
Thank you for watching. I agree with you. I never thought I would like monochrome beter than OSC, but, Yes-I-Do.
Clear skies
I'm new to astronomy i got a 100mm refractor with 600 apature would I be able to see that
Hi JP,
Chances are you would not be able to see it visually. It is a very dim nebula. My images were 300 seconds each. You would be able to see it if you attach a camera to the scope and put it on a tracker using long exposures.
Clear Skies
@@HeavenlyBackyardAstronomy i see thank u those cameras and the tripod their kinda expensive for me maybe one day lol