ASTRO: M106 reprocessed with H-alpha added

When I processed this one last year I was deep in my "blue period". The
outer parts came out way too blue. So I decided to redo it what with
all the clouds here leaving me little else to work on except even worse
data I've about given up processing.

When I did I realized I had also collected some H alpha data a few
months later. But by then I'd changed the camera setup and image scale
was quite different. Also the data was taken with the camera somehow
rotated about 40 degrees from my normal north up position so the field
didn't come close to matching. But since H alpha shouldn't change
stars, only the galaxy to bring out HII regions it didn't matter IF I
could process it so the stars and galaxy disk weren't changed.

After a lot of attempts I finally succeeded. What really surprised me
was the odd Y shaped jet of H-alpha gas coming "up" from the disk,
apparently from a normal looking region. I have no idea what is causing
the jet. A quick look at NED's notes didn't turn up anything. Anyway
to bring out the jet the other HII regions are pretty strong. Still I
think the galaxy colors are about right, just tone down the HII regions
some but my attempts to do that selectively weren't very successful.
I'm still struggling to learn Photoshop.

HA was added to the Lum, red and blue images using the lighten mode
after removing the star field from the H-alpha image. That way the
stars weren't altered by the H-alpha data. Nor was the non H alpha part
of the galaxy as it was a lot fainter than the the LRGB data and thus
didn't change. I used a 50% setting for the Lum and Red images but only
12% for the blue image. That seemed to result in about the right pink
color for the HII regions.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=4x10', Ha=2x30', RGB=3x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick


--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

excellent image again Rick.

--
Dirk van den Herik

A journey of thousand lightyears
starts with the first step.


"Rick Johnson" wrote in message
...
When I processed this one last year I was deep in my "blue period". The
outer parts came out way too blue. So I decided to redo it what with
all the clouds here leaving me little else to work on except even worse
data I've about given up processing.

When I did I realized I had also collected some H alpha data a few
months later. But by then I'd changed the camera setup and image scale
was quite different. Also the data was taken with the camera somehow
rotated about 40 degrees from my normal north up position so the field
didn't come close to matching. But since H alpha shouldn't change
stars, only the galaxy to bring out HII regions it didn't matter IF I
could process it so the stars and galaxy disk weren't changed.

After a lot of attempts I finally succeeded. What really surprised me
was the odd Y shaped jet of H-alpha gas coming "up" from the disk,
apparently from a normal looking region. I have no idea what is causing
the jet. A quick look at NED's notes didn't turn up anything. Anyway
to bring out the jet the other HII regions are pretty strong. Still I
think the galaxy colors are about right, just tone down the HII regions
some but my attempts to do that selectively weren't very successful.
I'm still struggling to learn Photoshop.

HA was added to the Lum, red and blue images using the lighten mode
after removing the star field from the H-alpha image. That way the
stars weren't altered by the H-alpha data. Nor was the non H alpha part
of the galaxy as it was a lot fainter than the the LRGB data and thus
didn't change. I used a 50% setting for the Lum and Red images but only
12% for the blue image. That seemed to result in about the right pink
color for the HII regions.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=4x10', Ha=2x30', RGB=3x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick


--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Great image Rick, although I think that the Halpha is a bit exaggerated. It
would make a good motive for a PC modding case though, with pink LEDs making
up the Ha :-)

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
When I processed this one last year I was deep in my "blue period". The
outer parts came out way too blue. So I decided to redo it what with
all the clouds here leaving me little else to work on except even worse
data I've about given up processing.

When I did I realized I had also collected some H alpha data a few
months later. But by then I'd changed the camera setup and image scale
was quite different. Also the data was taken with the camera somehow
rotated about 40 degrees from my normal north up position so the field
didn't come close to matching. But since H alpha shouldn't change
stars, only the galaxy to bring out HII regions it didn't matter IF I
could process it so the stars and galaxy disk weren't changed.

After a lot of attempts I finally succeeded. What really surprised me
was the odd Y shaped jet of H-alpha gas coming "up" from the disk,
apparently from a normal looking region. I have no idea what is causing
the jet. A quick look at NED's notes didn't turn up anything. Anyway
to bring out the jet the other HII regions are pretty strong. Still I
think the galaxy colors are about right, just tone down the HII regions
some but my attempts to do that selectively weren't very successful.
I'm still struggling to learn Photoshop.

HA was added to the Lum, red and blue images using the lighten mode
after removing the star field from the H-alpha image. That way the
stars weren't altered by the H-alpha data. Nor was the non H alpha part
of the galaxy as it was a lot fainter than the the LRGB data and thus
didn't change. I used a 50% setting for the Lum and Red images but only
12% for the blue image. That seemed to result in about the right pink
color for the HII regions.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=4x10', Ha=2x30', RGB=3x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick


--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

When I tried to turn it down the jets vanished suddenly. Think I need
more LUM data to balance the H-alpha which was very strong in the
H-alpha filter. I was really surprised how strong the HII regions were.
Like beacons. Far stronger than any other galaxy I've tried this with
including M33. But the jet is weak causing the balance problem. I will
try again next year with more data. That is, if the skies ever let me.
Snowed again this weekend. Winter just won't let go. Saturday was
fishing opener but with half the lake still in ice and it snowing,
instead of the usual armada of boats I saw not even one all day. Saw
one Sunday and nothing yet today. I can't put out my dock with huge ice
blocks still banging around out there. They'd crush it in a minute and
it's really cold near the water. Too cold for comfort with no sun for
warmth.

Rick

Stefan Lilge wrote:

Great image Rick, although I think that the Halpha is a bit exaggerated. It
would make a good motive for a PC modding case though, with pink LEDs making
up the Ha :-)

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...

When I processed this one last year I was deep in my "blue period". The
outer parts came out way too blue. So I decided to redo it what with
all the clouds here leaving me little else to work on except even worse
data I've about given up processing.

When I did I realized I had also collected some H alpha data a few
months later. But by then I'd changed the camera setup and image scale
was quite different. Also the data was taken with the camera somehow
rotated about 40 degrees from my normal north up position so the field
didn't come close to matching. But since H alpha shouldn't change
stars, only the galaxy to bring out HII regions it didn't matter IF I
could process it so the stars and galaxy disk weren't changed.

After a lot of attempts I finally succeeded. What really surprised me
was the odd Y shaped jet of H-alpha gas coming "up" from the disk,
apparently from a normal looking region. I have no idea what is causing
the jet. A quick look at NED's notes didn't turn up anything. Anyway
to bring out the jet the other HII regions are pretty strong. Still I
think the galaxy colors are about right, just tone down the HII regions
some but my attempts to do that selectively weren't very successful.
I'm still struggling to learn Photoshop.

HA was added to the Lum, red and blue images using the lighten mode
after removing the star field from the H-alpha image. That way the
stars weren't altered by the H-alpha data. Nor was the non H alpha part
of the galaxy as it was a lot fainter than the the LRGB data and thus
didn't change. I used a 50% setting for the Lum and Red images but only
12% for the blue image. That seemed to result in about the right pink
color for the HII regions.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=4x10', Ha=2x30', RGB=3x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick


--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".





--

Close up! good image Rick...

--
Regards, Doug W.
www.photonsfate.com
"Rick Johnson" wrote in message
...
When I processed this one last year I was deep in my "blue period". The
outer parts came out way too blue. So I decided to redo it what with
all the clouds here leaving me little else to work on except even worse
data I've about given up processing.

When I did I realized I had also collected some H alpha data a few
months later. But by then I'd changed the camera setup and image scale
was quite different. Also the data was taken with the camera somehow
rotated about 40 degrees from my normal north up position so the field
didn't come close to matching. But since H alpha shouldn't change
stars, only the galaxy to bring out HII regions it didn't matter IF I
could process it so the stars and galaxy disk weren't changed.

After a lot of attempts I finally succeeded. What really surprised me
was the odd Y shaped jet of H-alpha gas coming "up" from the disk,
apparently from a normal looking region. I have no idea what is causing
the jet. A quick look at NED's notes didn't turn up anything. Anyway
to bring out the jet the other HII regions are pretty strong. Still I
think the galaxy colors are about right, just tone down the HII regions
some but my attempts to do that selectively weren't very successful.
I'm still struggling to learn Photoshop.

HA was added to the Lum, red and blue images using the lighten mode
after removing the star field from the H-alpha image. That way the
stars weren't altered by the H-alpha data. Nor was the non H alpha part
of the galaxy as it was a lot fainter than the the LRGB data and thus
didn't change. I used a 50% setting for the Lum and Red images but only
12% for the blue image. That seemed to result in about the right pink
color for the HII regions.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=4x10', Ha=2x30', RGB=3x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick


--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".