NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula

[gminder]

After posting in the "Image Troubleshooting" forum about my attempt at the Crescent Nebula, I collected another 45 minutes of subs last night before clouds set in for the evening. My revised processing is below, using the 1.3.5.246 beta. I used the new M8 tutorial video for inspiration. I think the nebula masking for Wipes helped. I used the Life module early which really darkened up the background. The latest version of the color module is really nice. I am including the log file below also.

After processing in ST I used PhotoShop CC to darken the background a tiny bit and for a small contrast curve.

Capture Details:

C8 XLT / AVX
F/6.3 Reducer
50mm guide scope with SSAG
Baader Modified 450D
BYEOS for Camera Control
35 subs at an average of 150s (1.5 hours total)
Darks, Bias and Twilight Flats

Processing Details:
Pre-processed with Nebulosity
Processed with Star Tools 1.3.5.246 beta
Final Tweaks and resizing in PhotoShop CC

Astrobin link: http://www.astrobin.com/52768/

NGC6888 Neb PreProc with New Subs_ST Proc_PS Levels & Contrast Curve_Reduced.jpg (331.83 KiB) Viewed 4894 times

--- Auto Develop
Parameter [Ignore Fine Detail <] set to [Off]
Parameter [Outside ROI Influence] set to [50 %]
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [477 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [2559 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [4173 pixels (-384)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [491 pixels (-2405)]
--- Wipe
Parameter [Mode] set to [Correct Color & Brightness]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [No]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [2 pixels]
Parameter [Drop Off Point] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Corner Aggressiveness] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
--- Auto Develop
Parameter [Ignore Fine Detail <] set to [Off]
Parameter [Outside ROI Influence] set to [50 %]
--- Wipe
Parameter [Mode] set to [Correct Color & Brightness]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [No]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [2 pixels]
Parameter [Drop Off Point] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Corner Aggressiveness] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
--- Wipe
Parameter [Mode] set to [Correct Color & Brightness]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [No]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [2 pixels]
Parameter [Drop Off Point] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Corner Aggressiveness] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [90.15 %]
Parameter [Blue Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Green Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Red Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [5 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [2.0 pixels]
--- Life
Parameter [Detail Preservation] set to [Linear Brightness Mask]
Parameter [Compositing Algorithm] set to [Multiply, Gamma Correct]
Parameter [Inherit Brightness, Color] set to [Off]
Parameter [Output Glow Only] set to [No]
Parameter [Airy Disk Sampling] set to [128 x 128 pixels]
Parameter [Airy Disk Radius] set to [8 pixels]
Parameter [Glow Threshold] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Detail Preservation Radius] set to [20.0 pixels]
Parameter [Saturation] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Strength] set to [51 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [40.0 pixels]
--- Deconvolution
Parameter [Image Type] set to [Deep Space]
Parameter [Mask Behavior] set to [De-ring Mask Gaps, Hide Result]
Parameter [Radius] set to [1.5 pixels]
Parameter [Iterations] set to [6]
Parameter [Regularization] set to [1.00 (optimal noise and detail)]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [8.0 pixels]
--- HDR
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [Medium]
Parameter [Channels] set to [Brightness Only]
Parameter [Algorithm] set to [Optimize Hard]
Parameter [Dark/Bright Response] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Detail Size Range] set to [4 pixels]
Parameter [Noise Suppression] set to [Off]
--- Contrast
Parameter [Expose Dark Areas] set to [No]
Parameter [Compensate Gamma] set to [No]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [1 pixels]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [15 %]
--- Wavelet Sharpen
Parameter [Channels] set to [Brightness Only]
Parameter [Scale 1] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 2] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 3] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 4] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 5] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [8.0 pixels]
Parameter [Brightness Mask Power] set to [0.00]
Parameter [Amount] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Small Detail Bias] set to [75 %]
--- Color
Parameter [Cap Green] set to [To Yellow]
Parameter [Bias Slider Mode] set to [Sliders Reduce Color Bias]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [True color]
Parameter [Dark Saturation] set to [2.40]
Parameter [Bright Saturation] set to [Full]
Parameter [Saturation Amount] set to [250 %]
Parameter [Blue Bias Reduce] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Green Bias Reduce] set to [1.20]
Parameter [Red Bias Reduce] set to [1.11]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
--- Wavelet De-Noise
Parameter [Scale 1] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 2] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 3] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 4] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 5] set to [18 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
Parameter [Scale Correlation] set to [2]
Parameter [Color Detail Loss] set to [35 %]
Parameter [Brightness Detail Loss] set to [20 %]
Parameter [Redistribution Kernel] set to [4.5 pixels]
Parameter [Read Noise Compensation] set to [0.00]
Parameter [Smoothness] set to [70 %]
--- Repair
Parameter [Radial Samples] set to [32]
Parameter [Sub Sampling] set to [4x]
Parameter [Algorithm] set to [Warp]
Parameter [Grow Mask] set to [0 pixels]

[gboulton]

This is definitely turning into a really enjoyable image!

Kudos.

[admin]

Nice - the overall shape is really starting to show now!