TheSkySearchers

Hello all Astrophotographers, accomplished, aspiring and curious.

Welcome to:

AP Processing Challenge No. 5

This time it's the turn of BobHarmony. Bob has submitted his capture of NGC7023, The Iris Nebula in Cepheus.

"I am adding my Iris stack from 9/27/2019. It consists of 74 180 second lights, 81 flats, and a Master Bias. Stacked using DSS with no color or background calibration performed. I am curious to see what others can do with the data, particularly with how much dustiness may be hiding here. Imaged with Celestron C6N and Canon 60D unmodified DSLR."

From Wikipedia:
The Iris Nebula is a bright reflection nebula in the constellation Cepheus. The designation NGC 7023 refers to the open cluster within the larger reflection nebula designated LBN 487. The nebula, which shines at magnitude +6.8, is illuminated by a magnitude +7.4 star designated SAO 19158.
Radius: 2.9998 light years
Distance to Earth: 1,300 light years

The fits file has been calibrated and stacked ready for processing and can be downloaded from here:



Please download and process using your preferred software. Then post an image of your results with a description of your methods for discussion.

You can also just join the discussion with comments or questions.

AP Processing Challenge No. 5 starts today and ends on the 31st August.

If you have data to submit for a future challenge please email a cloud storage download link to tssapchallenge@theskysearchers.com

Regards

Graeme

Oh, I'm curious, and like Alice, things just get curioser & curioser as I age. I'll give this one a shot.

None of my processing/image viewing programs will open this file save Fits Liberator and it saves it as a B&W .tif. Also, Fits Liberator shows it as having 3 different panes. What's up with that?

JT

JT, very interesting. I am downloading it atm to see if it will load into StarTools for me.

Update: I downloaded the file from the link and was able to open it in StarTools with no issues. I'm blaming you JT for the issue you are having

Update #2 This size of the file that I uploaded and the one that I downloaded are the same on my PC 216,302,400 bytes. You may want to check the size of what came down for you. "Size on disk" is reported a little larger, who knows what Google may have done to the file!

Bob

bobharmony wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 1:58 pm JT, very interesting. I am downloading it atm to see if it will load into StarTools for me.

Update: I downloaded the file from the link and was able to open it in StarTools with no issues. I'm blaming you JT for the issue you are having

Update #2 This size of the file that I uploaded and the one that I downloaded are the same on my PC 216,302,400 bytes. You may want to check the size of what came down for you. "Size on disk" is reported a little larger, who knows what Google may have done to the file!

Bob

Just to add - I could open the file as normal in APP and using the Fitsplug plugin straight to Photoshop.

Sorry JT but he's right - it is just you

Right, here we go!

First thanks to [mention]bobharmony[/mention] for sharing the data, It was a pleasure to work with and a target I've not done myself so great practice.

My first go is almost straight out of APP with gradient removal, star colour calibration and a moderate stretch. Then into photoshop for some contrast curves, noise reduction with Dfine2, star reduction with Carbonis actions and a selective high pass routine for a bit more contrast in the iris. Normally I'd have left it at that - I think its about as good as my ability will allow at this point - and I thought it was quite nice.

But since bob asked us to "find the dust" I gave it another go using Scott Rosens technique using luminance layers, screen mask invert, hard selective stretching and lots of other stuff. Its way too long to explain here so see http://www.astronomersdoitinthedark.com ... torial.php Now its really a bit of a mess but I do think that it shows there is plenty dust in there - it just needs a more skilled operator to bring it out. I may give it another go as I think I know some things I could do better.

Would really love comments and suggestions on both efforts.

Take care

David

Jockinireland wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 4:46 pm

bobharmony wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 1:58 pm JT, very interesting. I am downloading it atm to see if it will load into StarTools for me.

Update: I downloaded the file from the link and was able to open it in StarTools with no issues. I'm blaming you JT for the issue you are having

Update #2 This size of the file that I uploaded and the one that I downloaded are the same on my PC 216,302,400 bytes. You may want to check the size of what came down for you. "Size on disk" is reported a little larger, who knows what Google may have done to the file!

Bob

Just to add - I could open the file as normal in APP and using the Fitsplug plugin straight to Photoshop.

Sorry JT but he's right - it is just you

Cool processing David!

Can you open each as a layer in Photoshop and use the opacity slider on the dist layer to include some of the dust?

Here is what I ended up with the first run through.

Juno16 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 8:27 pm

Jockinireland wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 4:46 pm

bobharmony wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 1:58 pm JT, very interesting. I am downloading it atm to see if it will load into StarTools for me.

Update: I downloaded the file from the link and was able to open it in StarTools with no issues. I'm blaming you JT for the issue you are having

Update #2 This size of the file that I uploaded and the one that I downloaded are the same on my PC 216,302,400 bytes. You may want to check the size of what came down for you. "Size on disk" is reported a little larger, who knows what Google may have done to the file!

Bob

Just to add - I could open the file as normal in APP and using the Fitsplug plugin straight to Photoshop.

Sorry JT but he's right - it is just you

Cool processing David!

Can you open each as a layer in Photoshop and use the opacity slider on the dist layer to include some of the dust?

Good Idea Jim,

So here it is as you suggested, the dusty image as a layer on to of the other then reduced opacity - calms the dust down a bit and improves the overall affect I think.

Jockinireland wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:47 pm

Juno16 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 8:27 pm

Jockinireland wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 4:46 pm

Just to add - I could open the file as normal in APP and using the Fitsplug plugin straight to Photoshop.

Sorry JT but he's right - it is just you

Cool processing David!

Can you open each as a layer in Photoshop and use the opacity slider on the dist layer to include some of the dust?

Good Idea Jim,

So here it is as you suggested, the dusty image as a layer on to of the other then reduced opacity - calms the dust down a bit and improves the overall affect I think.

Very nice dust David!!!

I use ASI Fits viewer (won't open), Irfanview (won't open), Fits Liberator (does open), and PSCC (does open). In PSCC it opens as 16-bit Black and White image and I can get no color out of it. Hmmmm

Not cheers,
JT

JayTee wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 1:41 pm None of my processing/image viewing programs will open this file save Fits Liberator and it saves it as a B&W .tif. Also, Fits Liberator shows it as having 3 different panes. What's up with that?

JT

I deleted Fit Liberator today to free up some disc space!

Gimp opens the file ok but once it gets stretched with curves there is a red cast. I turned up the Green and Blue and adjusted the hue of the Red. That really boosted the nebulosity but I failed to get that nice striking colbalt blue nebula. (Anyone remember Larry's Iris Nebula?)





I'll have to see if Gimp can import as layers.

Regards

Graeme

Jockinireland wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 7:29 pm Right, here we go!

That's a great go at it! The blue nebula has a good colour and the surrounding dark nebula is visible.

Regards

Graeme

OhNo wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:17 pm Here is what I ended up with the first run through.

You caught the dark nebula nicely too Brent. How did you do yours?

I must have another go at this!

Regards

Graeme

JayTee wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 10:53 pm I use ASI Fits viewer (won't open), Irfanview (won't open), Fits Liberator (does open), and PSCC (does open). In PSCC it opens as 16-bit Black and White image and I can get no color out of it. Hmmmm

Not cheers,
JT

Irfanview won't open fits files.

Would you be able try opening the file in Gimp? And see what you get.

Regards

Graeme

Well, thanks Bob for the data and Graeme for putting this challenge together.

One week short of two months since I have been able to get out, so I appreciate the opportunity to work with some good data.

Startools 1.7 alpha is wonderful to work with. I also have been playing with Photoshop and have so much to learn with both (probably the learning will go on for quite some time!).

Anyway, I imaged this target last year and had a rough time with it. I never actually saved a final version because I could not get the "look" that I was trying for.

I also had a tough time with this data (not the nebula, just trying to bring out some dust).

Well, these are my shots at it:

I have this version that I was able to somewhat control the noise and still bring out some dust.


Also have this one, where there is slightly more dust, but some extra noise to go along with it.


Thanks for the opportunity!

Okay, I've tried every available means to process this image and I can't get my programs (which have never had a problem in the past) open this particular .fts formatted file!

PSCC shows this error when trying to open this .fts file. ASI Fits Viewer shows this error when trying to open this file. This is what I get when I open it in Fits Liberator and then save it as a .tiff (the only option). It is only 1 of 3 planes and all 3 planes are black and white. My Irfanview will open a .fit but not a .fts.

This is the second challenge that has used a .fit/.fts file. Could we please have all future submission submitted in the .tif format this will make it easier for all to participate! After all, we want beginners to participate and I would bet that most have not heard of, let alone seen a .fit/.fts file.

JT

JT - could you try the extension change trick and see if that allows you to open the file? As in, change the extension from .fts to .fit - sometimes simple solutions work well.

The reason I creat fits files out of DSS is that they are easier to open in StarTools, which is my usual processing program. ST will open Tiff files but they have to be uncompressed. I will look into creating an uncompressed tiff file out of DSS in the near future.

Bob

I am really enjoying seeing what you all have been able to pull out of the data. I am messing with a reprocess myself and may post in here too. Thanks you for taking the time and posting your efforts.

I believe the red tint is mostly the result of my local light polluted skies. It is worst to the north, so this data is impacted quite heavily. No filters here, I am trying to collect every photon I can!

Bob

bobharmony wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 1:57 am JT - could you try the extension change trick and see if that allows you to open the file? As in, change the extension from .fts to .fit - sometimes simple solutions work well.
Bob

Thanks for the suggestion, Bob. Even after the change, PSCC still gives the same error message as does ASI Fits View. I don't know why it's not working. It may be a clue as to why the ASI Fits View is asking this question - Cheers and thanks,
JT