M8 Lagoon Nebula under Southern Skies

[Startrek]

Captured M8 last week under my City Suburban Bortle 8 skies with a full moon up high illuminating my backyard
Conditions poor to average
Some smoke haze from back burning during the day on the outskirts of the City
Some intermittent high cloud as well

New 8” f5 Klaus Helmerich Carbon fibre Newt
Skywatcher EQ6-R pro mount
ZWO 2600MC cooled to -10C , Gain 100
Antlia ALPT 5nm Dualband filter
150 x 2 minute dithered subs
40 x Flats
60 x Bias
EQMOD and Ascom Stellarium
APT
PHD2 Multistar guiding ( 0.65 to 0.80 ) guiding fell away later into the evening
Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker
Processed in Startools v1.8
Data set loaded via Compose OSC Bi Color
Colour module used SHO presets in Matrix

SHO Color version
Synthetic Luminance version

Astrobin link below for full resolution…..,

https://www.astrobin.com/jmd0zn/

Comments welcome

Thanks

Martin

[Stefan B]

Hi Martin,

amazing how much OIII signal you captured despite the full moon. And how well you were able to balance the color between OIII and Ha. Hats off to you

Regards
Stefan

[fmeireso]

It's a beautifull picture for sure!

[Startrek]

Thanks All for your comments
Much appreciated
I’ve been using Startools for 6 years now and still finding different approaches to my processing.
Some folk on our local forum have trouble using the color module in ST and eventually go back to Pi or PS. I’m sure it’s to do with preparation ( stacking ) and selecting the best luminance Color balance in Compose that often results in disappointing results in the Color module ( plus a few other things )
I’m pretty happy how this image turned out considering the less the favourable conditions.

Thanks again

Martin

PS: After just over 3 years using the ZWO 2600MC OSC I’m taking the plunge into Mono imaging with filters( 2600MM , ZWO 2” filter wheel and 2” Antlia LRGB and 3nm Ha , Oiii , Sii filters . Should be a challenging and exciting transition period

[Stefan B]

Hi Martin!

Some folk on our local forum have trouble using the color module in ST and eventually go back to Pi or PS. I’m sure it’s to do with preparation ( stacking ) and selecting the best luminance Color balance in Compose that often results in disappointing results in the Color module ( plus a few other things )

Your thinking of the first slot where you specify where your (synthetic) luminance and color is coming from?

PS: After just over 3 years using the ZWO 2600MC OSC I’m taking the plunge into Mono imaging with filters( 2600MM , ZWO 2” filter wheel and 2” Antlia LRGB and 3nm Ha , Oiii , Sii filters . Should be a challenging and exciting transition period

That sounds exciting for sure. I'd be intimidated by taking all the flats Hope It's a smooth transition!

Regards
Stefan

[Startrek]

Stefan,
Yes , I use Compose for broadband OSC as well, I hardly ever use Open to load my OSC data sets
I use Compose Luminance Color as follows for OSC broadband - L + Synthetic L from R ( 2 x G ) B, RGB ( Colour from OSC / DSLR ) For OSC and DSLR data sets. Creates Synthetic Luminance from R , 2x G and B channels, and colour from RGB channels, output result will be colour.

Flats are not too time consuming
I can have them done for my OSC in 10mins
I prepared for Mono and the possibility of not finishing an object in one night ( unlike OSC )

I’m still going to use my OSC 2600MC , it’s still an unbelievable camera but not in the same league as Mono and 3nm filters under my Bortle 8 skies ( at other my dark site both cameras will excel )
Clear Skies
Martin

[Mike in Rancho]

Stefan,
Yes , I use Compose for broadband OSC as well, I hardly ever use Open to load my OSC data sets
I use Compose Luminance Color as follows for OSC broadband - L + Synthetic L from R ( 2 x G ) B, RGB ( Colour from OSC / DSLR ) For OSC and DSLR data sets. Creates Synthetic Luminance from R , 2x G and B channels, and colour from RGB channels, output result will be colour.

Flats are not too time consuming
I can have them done for my OSC in 10mins
I prepared for Mono and the possibility of not finishing an object in one night ( unlike OSC )

I’m still going to use my OSC 2600MC , it’s still an unbelievable camera but not in the same league as Mono and 3nm filters under my Bortle 8 skies ( at other my dark site both cameras will excel )
Clear Skies
Martin

Any reason for doing it that way with OSC/DSLR broadband, Martin? Unless of course you'd want to add in NB Accent, or see if the new preset helpers ("field-filling nebula," etc) are useful.

I have always thought that the linear-not-white-balanced-OSC option in Open is identical to L+SynthL R(2xG)B in Compose.

Can't wait to see what you do with the new mono setup!

[Stefan B]

I have always thought that the linear-not-white-balanced-OSC option in Open is identical to L+SynthL R(2xG)B in Compose.

This has been my understanding, too.

I always open my purely broadband data sets via Open. I only use Compose if I'd like to do fancy things like NBAccent or using duo NB data for luminance and broadband for RGB.

Regards
Stefan

[Startrek]

Ivo mentioned some time ago you can load your DSLR OSC broadband data set with either option
Ive just been used to using Compose for so long with my OSC it will be second nature for my new Mono set up now in any case

Clear Skies
Martin