Tag Archives: Horsehead Nebula

IC434 – Horsehead Nebula in LRGB

My first RGB Image from the Qhyccd 183M 20mpx Back Illuminated ColdMOS Camera, so here’s what I hope is one of many images taken with this awesome camera

Gear:
Imaging Scope: Sky-Watcher Quattro 8″ F4 Imaging Newtonian
Imaging Camera: Qhyccd 183M 20mpx ColdMOS Camera at -20C and DSO Gain
Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ8 Pro
Guide Camera: Qhyccd QHY5L-II Mono
Guide Scope: Sky-Watcher 50×90 Finder Scope
Filter Wheel: Starlight Xpress Ltd 7x36mm EFW
Filters: Baader Planetarium 36mm RGB
Coma Corrector: Sky-Watcher Aplanatic Coma Corrector
Image Acquisition: Main Sequence Software SGPro
Image Processing: PixInsight

Image Details:
Target: IC434 – Horsehead Nebula
Constelation: Orion
Red: 19x300S
Green: 19x300S
Blue: 19x300S
Darks: 51x300S
Flats: 101
Bias: 251 converted to SuperBIAS and deducted from Flats

Data acquired on: Feb. 9, 2018,  Feb. 11, 2018,  Feb. 15, 2018

PixInsight Image processing workflow:
1. Calibrated against darks and Bias Subtracted Flats
2. Star Alignment
3. Least noise frame from each colour chosen as Normalization Frame and Dynamic Background Extraction Performed
4. Normalization of all frames
5. Stacking of frames and generation of drizle data (for larger quality image in future)
6. Performed LinearFit using Red stacked image as reference
7. Performed MultiMedianTransformation to reduce background noise
8. Performed SCNR to remove excessive green in image
9. Stretched the image using HistogramTransformation
10. Performed a CurvesTransformation to bring out the star colour

Right now I have not performed any Sharpening of the image, nor have I added the Ha data to this image, I’ll post an updated image when I get round to doing that