nickatnight
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/14/08
Posts: 1751
Loc: Santa Clarita, CA (LA Suburbs)
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Hi Folks, I shot this about 10 days ago, and have pretty good detail, but I've been struggling getting the color to look natural. This is 1 hr and 50 min of 5 minute exposures with the modded Canon XTi @ iso800 through the EON 72mm @ f4.8 with IDAS LP2 filter, piggybacked on the CPC925 on a Mitty wedge, guided with SSAG through the CPC. I also added 15 minutes of 60 sec subs to get a little deeper into the core.
Here's a link to the not so big version:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/4070678303_12955df214_o.jpg
and a small one for here:
Thanks for looking...
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Nils_Lars
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 3422
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains , CA
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Really good details and well processed right down to the core , a solid M31 Nick.
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Erik
Orion Atlas Self Hypertuned (EQMOD)
Orion ED 80
Williams Optics VII reducer
Celestron 8" SCT
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Stilleto CVF and Bahtinov mask
Tamron 75-300mm&28-80mm lenses
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/31986095@N05/
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Rankinstudio
sage
Reged: 04/05/08
Posts: 412
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT, Lake Powel...
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That is a wonderful M31. Way to go 
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David Rankin
http://www.rankinstudio.com
Astro Gallery
Orion 254mm F4.7 (imaging scope)
Baader MPCC
Quickcam pro 9000 (guider, imager)
Canon Rebel XSi (self modified)
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Canon 28-200 F3.2 Lens
DSLR peltier cooler
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SGT500
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/03/06
Posts: 2922
Loc: Ny
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Hey Nick,
Thats a really Great shot. you really went deep into this one
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-Sal
AstroTech Ritchey Chretien 8"
Williams Optics Zenithstar 80
Orion Atlas Eq-G
Hap Griffin Modified Canon Eos Xs (1000D)
My Astrophotography Gallery
My Sketch Gallery
Edited by SGT500 (11/03/09 10:54 AM)
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Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
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Nick,
This image is my ultimate goal!
What an absolute beauty!
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Illinois
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/18/06
Posts: 693
Loc: near Chicago, Illinois USA
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Wow! Awesome and sharp details in M31 with pinpoint stars!
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Astronomer since 1975!
Orion 80mm ED refractor and
iOptron CubePro mount
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Tele Vue Eyepieces
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Member of IDA, let's fight light pollution!
Old Edmund 6"F8...donated to cousins
Super Polaris C8...donated to Byron Observatory in Illinois
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wrather1
AstroBear
Reged: 10/25/05
Posts: 3880
Loc: Dallas, Texas
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Nick, what are you concerned with here - your shot looks great!
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"Don't worry about what telescope you own, or its quality. Just get out under the night sky, and enjoy God's wondrous universe." - T. M. Back
Meade RCX400-12 "Ursa Major"
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Rankinstudio
sage
Reged: 04/05/08
Posts: 412
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT, Lake Powel...
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I really like how you didn't stretch and over saturate the reds and blues. It gives it a much more natural look. Again, good job
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David Rankin
http://www.rankinstudio.com
Astro Gallery
Orion 254mm F4.7 (imaging scope)
Baader MPCC
Quickcam pro 9000 (guider, imager)
Canon Rebel XSi (self modified)
Atlas EQ-G (EQ MOD)
Canon 50mm F1.8 II Lens
Canon 28-200 F3.2 Lens
DSLR peltier cooler
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StarmanDan
sage
Reged: 08/27/07
Posts: 391
Loc: China Spring, Texas
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Excellent shot! Wish mine were as good. 
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"Starman" Dan Doyle
Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas
Central Texas Astronomical Society
8" LX200GPS w/ST80 guidescope, Canon 350D+DSI Pro
150mm f/8 Sky Watcher Refractor
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RV-6 Criterion Dynascope
http://darcstar.wordpress.com
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Agnotio
sage
Reged: 08/29/08
Posts: 230
Loc: Ottawa, Canada
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Quote:
I really like how you didn't stretch and over saturate the reds and blues. It gives it a much more natural look. Again, good job
Sorry but I have to disagree with you here David. The problem is the opposite: too much stretching of the colors, red especially, is giving the galaxy a purple hue. It's otherwise a very nice shot. I did a small color balance tweak here because I don't have PS on this computer, but I think it's in the right direction:
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Sky-Watcher Equinox 80ED
EQ6 Pro with EQMOD
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Sky-Watcher 10" f/4.7 Dob
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antimorris
sage
Reged: 08/16/09
Posts: 245
Loc: San Antonio-ish, TX
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I think its great - makes me want to get the EON for my piggyback scope!
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Anna
CPC 800 XLT w/FeatherTouch micro-focuser
Orion EON 80ED
unmodded Nikon D40
Meade DSI II Pro with ATIK Filter Wheel & Outback Razorback Cooler
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Morris Astronomy
My Astro Blog
"sic itur ad astra"
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antimorris
sage
Reged: 08/16/09
Posts: 245
Loc: San Antonio-ish, TX
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Could you post the unprocessed stack somewhere so I can work on my processing? I havent been able to do M31 myself yet since I dont have a piggyback yet and my CPC800 is too small a FOV to get all of Andromeda - I would love to practice on yours until I get my own. Thanks!
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Anna
CPC 800 XLT w/FeatherTouch micro-focuser
Orion EON 80ED
unmodded Nikon D40
Meade DSI II Pro with ATIK Filter Wheel & Outback Razorback Cooler
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Morris Astronomy
My Astro Blog
"sic itur ad astra"
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waassaabee
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/26/07
Posts: 2700
Loc: Central California Coast
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Quote:
Sorry but I have to disagree with you here David. The problem is the opposite: too much stretching of the colors, red especially, is giving the galaxy a purple hue. It's otherwise a very nice shot. I did a small color balance tweak here because I don't have PS on this computer, but I think it's in the right direction:
I thought the pinkish tinge was a reminder about Breast Cancer Awareness Month...
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Gary
34N 120W
-My kingdom for blue squares!-
WO Megrez 90FD/TV 0.8x FR/FF
AT8RC
mini Borg 50/Q-Guide/PHD
CGEM
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nickatnight
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/14/08
Posts: 1751
Loc: Santa Clarita, CA (LA Suburbs)
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Thank you very much everyone! I'm happy to have a good galaxy to add to my collection. I still feel I'm much better with nebulous things, and have a ways to go with galaxy processing. But M31 is big and kind and fun to shoot and processes.
I totally agree I have to get rid of the pinky, purple hue. I do think Agnotios tweaks helped that out, thanks Agnotio.  It was actually worse when I first posted, and Gary was kind enough to send me a "secret message" that it was too pink. I'm all for promoting Breast Cancer Awareness, but the pink is honestly not for the cause I'm sorry to say. (Thanks for the cover story gary) I tweaked it a bit, but it does need more. I'll give it some tweaks tonight when I have a better monitor to work from.
Anna - I think for the price the EON 72mm is a great scope, super compact, but it needs a focal reducer/field flattener, so include that in any decision. I bought a used WO Type-2 .80, which works very nicely. I'll see what I can do about posting a link to the stack. I need to sign up with mediafire or the likes.
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nickatnight
Celestron CPC 9.25" GPS
Lumicon 2" LumiBrite Diagonal
Meade s5000 18mm UWA, Meade 6.7mm UWA,
Parks G.S-5 10mm, Celestrom 40mm Plossl
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Lumicon UHC Filter and Deep Sky Filter
Canon Rebel XTi (prime)
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Star surfer8
super member
Reged: 05/15/06
Posts: 493
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Excellent M31 Nick. Lots of detail. As for the color, it's all a matter of taste but if you're going for the natural look then I think it's a little on the pinkish side. That's just me though. You can always go with Gary's thought.
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Tom
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Grouptele
sage
Reged: 08/11/07
Posts: 304
Loc: Qcy, IL
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Nick,
Looking good!
Agnotio,
Good call
Victor.
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C8-XLT, G5, AT66
EQ-G
Starshoot color CCD
Canon XS, HapMod
SPC900NC webcam
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Rankinstudio
sage
Reged: 04/05/08
Posts: 412
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT, Lake Powel...
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Quote:
Quote:
I really like how you didn't stretch and over saturate the reds and blues. It gives it a much more natural look. Again, good job
Sorry but I have to disagree with you here David. The problem is the opposite: too much stretching of the colors, red especially, is giving the galaxy a purple hue. It's otherwise a very nice shot. I did a small color balance tweak here because I don't have PS on this computer, but I think it's in the right direction:
If it was over stretched in red it was very slight, really a matter of preference. I have seen many many m31 shots that looked way to blue red. I think he did a great job on keeping the color tame. Just my opinion.
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David Rankin
http://www.rankinstudio.com
Astro Gallery
Orion 254mm F4.7 (imaging scope)
Baader MPCC
Quickcam pro 9000 (guider, imager)
Canon Rebel XSi (self modified)
Atlas EQ-G (EQ MOD)
Canon 50mm F1.8 II Lens
Canon 28-200 F3.2 Lens
DSLR peltier cooler
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scopemankit
super member
Reged: 01/27/09
Posts: 137
Loc: south africa
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Great image Nick!
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Chris
Cape Town
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nickatnight
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/14/08
Posts: 1751
Loc: Santa Clarita, CA (LA Suburbs)
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Thanks David and Chris.
OK, I got a MediaFire link set up to the stack. Be warned of the heavy sky gradient. I usually fix that early on with Gradient Exterminator or DBE (dynamic background extraction)in PixInsight.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/yhjzjbjwlmm/m31_1h50m_5mx_iso800_eon_dss.TIF
Good luck...
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nickatnight
Celestron CPC 9.25" GPS
Lumicon 2" LumiBrite Diagonal
Meade s5000 18mm UWA, Meade 6.7mm UWA,
Parks G.S-5 10mm, Celestrom 40mm Plossl
Parks 2x Barlow, Meade Tele-Extender
Celestron f6.3 Focal Reducer
Lumicon UHC Filter and Deep Sky Filter
Canon Rebel XTi (prime)
Canon Powershot G9 (afocal)
Canon EOS T-Ring and Parks T-Adapter
Lumicon Univ DigiCam Adapter
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bedowinn
member
Reged: 07/17/09
Posts: 20
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Hey fellow santa clarita "up all night" resident.
What do you use to process your images??
Awesome work btw
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