Night FINALLY a Couple of Clear Nights - The Heart Nebula (maybe my best one yet)

Colorado CJ · **21 Likes**

With all the smoke and clouds, I've only been able to do astrophotography 6 nights since April.

I finally had a couple of clear nights over the past week or so to finish up one more image.
This is the Heart Nebula, located 7500 light years from Earth. The nebula is lit from the ionizing radiation from the star cluster located in it's center. This star cluster is known as Melotte 15.

The image is a combination of:

150, 90 second Hydrogen Alpha Images
66, 90 second Oxygen III images
58, 90 second Sulfur II Images

For a total of 6.9 hours of imaging, the longest single image with my RASA 11 so far. This is also my first image that I used a powerful software package designed specifically for Astrophotography, called Pixinsight. It is a daunting program to learn and is very different than my normal Photoshop routine, but the final image is much cleaner, deeper and more detailed than I have ever made.

I need to upload it somewhere where you can see a larger version, this small sample takes a lot away from the real image.

**dcmsox2004** · 09-23-2020, 11:36 AM

absolutely stunning ! dave m

nosliwmit · 09-23-2020, 03:32 PM

Wow. It looks like your patience has paid off.

condor27596 · 09-23-2020, 05:06 PM

What kind of telescope?

pentax360 · 09-23-2020, 06:12 PM

Very impressive!

**jbinpg** · 09-23-2020, 08:41 PM

Beautiful job, CJ. As a 5-year PixInsight user, I am just scraping its outer surface. Mastering it takes a lot of work.

**Fries** · 09-24-2020, 02:20 PM

That visibly took a lot of effort. Put the result is stunning!

**ToddK** · 09-24-2020, 03:44 PM

This is an amazing image! It is quite a process that you described, thanks for sharing it.

**swip** · 09-24-2020, 03:51 PM

Originally posted by Colorado CJ

With all the smoke and clouds, I've only been able to do astrophotography 6 nights since April.

I finally had a couple of clear nights over the past week or so to finish up one more image.
This is the Heart Nebula, located 7500 light years from Earth. The nebula is lit from the ionizing radiation from the star cluster located in it's center. This star cluster is known as Melotte 15.

The image is a combination of:

150, 90 second Hydrogen Alpha Images
66, 90 second Oxygen III images
58, 90 second Sulfur II Images

For a total of 6.9 hours of imaging, the longest single image with my RASA 11 so far. This is also my first image that I used a powerful software package designed specifically for Astrophotography, called Pixinsight. It is a daunting program to learn and is very different than my normal Photoshop routine, but the final image is much cleaner, deeper and more detailed than I have ever made.

I need to upload it somewhere where you can see a larger version, this small sample takes a lot away from the real image.

excellent image.

**henrikpedersen33** · 11-18-2020, 04:57 AM

Originally posted by Colorado CJ

With all the smoke and clouds, I've only been able to do astrophotography 6 nights since April.

I finally had a couple of clear nights over the past week or so to finish up one more image.
This is the Heart Nebula, located 7500 light years from Earth. The nebula is lit from the ionizing radiation from the star cluster located in it's center. This star cluster is known as Melotte 15.

The image is a combination of:

150, 90 second Hydrogen Alpha Images
66, 90 second Oxygen III images
58, 90 second Sulfur II Images

For a total of 6.9 hours of imaging, the longest single image with my RASA 11 so far. This is also my first image that I used a powerful software package designed specifically for Astrophotography, called Pixinsight. It is a daunting program to learn and is very different than my normal Photoshop routine, but the final image is much cleaner, deeper and more detailed than I have ever made.

I need to upload it somewhere where you can see a larger version, this small sample takes a lot away from the real image.

This you have done very well.

ignath · 11-18-2020, 08:28 AM

!truly excellent astroscape. can't stop staring into it

SimonC · 11-18-2020, 10:05 AM

Stunning! Looking forward to seeing a bigger version:-)

bladerunner6 · 11-18-2020, 10:43 AM

Absolutely gorgeous!

stevebrot · 11-18-2020, 01:19 PM

Impressive! The wait was worth it.

Steve

Bertrand3000 · 11-18-2020, 02:29 PM

Looks stunning. I look forward the large scale version which must be indeed even more impressive!

Colorado CJ
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09-23-2020, 11:36 AM	#2
dcmsox2004 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: rhode island Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,522	absolutely stunning ! dave m

09-23-2020, 03:32 PM	#3
nosliwmit Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Pacific Northwest Photos: Gallery Posts: 913	Wow. It looks like your patience has paid off.

09-23-2020, 05:06 PM	#4
condor27596 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC, USA Posts: 870	What kind of telescope?

09-23-2020, 06:12 PM	#5
pentax360 Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: OR Posts: 436	Very impressive!

09-23-2020, 08:41 PM	#6
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	Beautiful job, CJ. As a 5-year PixInsight user, I am just scraping its outer surface. Mastering it takes a lot of work.

09-24-2020, 02:20 PM	#7
Fries Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Gauw Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,582	That visibly took a lot of effort. Put the result is stunning!

09-24-2020, 03:44 PM	#8
ToddK Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,532	This is an amazing image! It is quite a process that you described, thanks for sharing it.

09-24-2020, 03:51 PM	#9
swip Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,825	Originally posted by Colorado CJ With all the smoke and clouds, I've only been able to do astrophotography 6 nights since April. I finally had a couple of clear nights over the past week or so to finish up one more image. This is the Heart Nebula, located 7500 light years from Earth. The nebula is lit from the ionizing radiation from the star cluster located in it's center. This star cluster is known as Melotte 15. The image is a combination of: 150, 90 second Hydrogen Alpha Images 66, 90 second Oxygen III images 58, 90 second Sulfur II Images For a total of 6.9 hours of imaging, the longest single image with my RASA 11 so far. This is also my first image that I used a powerful software package designed specifically for Astrophotography, called Pixinsight. It is a daunting program to learn and is very different than my normal Photoshop routine, but the final image is much cleaner, deeper and more detailed than I have ever made. I need to upload it somewhere where you can see a larger version, this small sample takes a lot away from the real image. excellent image.

11-18-2020, 04:57 AM	#10
henrikpedersen33 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Roskilde, Denmark Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,624	Originally posted by Colorado CJ With all the smoke and clouds, I've only been able to do astrophotography 6 nights since April. I finally had a couple of clear nights over the past week or so to finish up one more image. This is the Heart Nebula, located 7500 light years from Earth. The nebula is lit from the ionizing radiation from the star cluster located in it's center. This star cluster is known as Melotte 15. The image is a combination of: 150, 90 second Hydrogen Alpha Images 66, 90 second Oxygen III images 58, 90 second Sulfur II Images For a total of 6.9 hours of imaging, the longest single image with my RASA 11 so far. This is also my first image that I used a powerful software package designed specifically for Astrophotography, called Pixinsight. It is a daunting program to learn and is very different than my normal Photoshop routine, but the final image is much cleaner, deeper and more detailed than I have ever made. I need to upload it somewhere where you can see a larger version, this small sample takes a lot away from the real image. This you have done very well.

11-18-2020, 08:28 AM	#11
ignath Pentaxian Join Date: May 2018 Location: Riga Posts: 1,759	!truly excellent astroscape. can't stop staring into it

11-18-2020, 10:05 AM	#12
SimonC Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Trearddur Bay, Isle of Anglesey Posts: 466	Stunning! Looking forward to seeing a bigger version:-)

11-18-2020, 10:43 AM	#13
bladerunner6 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,080	Absolutely gorgeous!

11-18-2020, 01:19 PM	#14
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Impressive! The wait was worth it. Steve

11-18-2020, 02:29 PM	#15
Bertrand3000 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 2,009	Looks stunning. I look forward the large scale version which must be indeed even more impressive!