cloudy nights = reprocessing time Cat's Paw Nebula

Clouds. Rain. Babies. No new data. Pulled out my NGC6334 Cat's Paw from Astrofest 2009 and tried to implement some processing things I've learned since then. Mainly wanting to control the stars a bit better. My original attempt completely blew out the stars. I've attached both attempts, repro on the left.

Do you think the repro was worth it?

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …piggo/519183136​6/lightbox

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …piggo/424672419​7/lightbox

Nice job Troy, I really like the new version.

The new version shows better detail but i like the colors in the original better . If you can tone down the red in the new one it would be better . BTW thats' a very good shot of the CP ! Not many can get that .

Thanks guys.

Ron - I agree. The nebula was looking a little magenta. Just adjusted it a bit to more like what I think it should be.

Hey Tro i scimmed some of your picts and just noticed your Celestron SCT . Is that a 8" and also what kind of focuser is that attached to the rear ?? I didn't know you could attach that kind of focuser to a SCT ??

In the new one the stars and highlights look better, the overall image looks smoother from noise reduction, but it also looks like you clipped away more of the color and fainter details that were in your first attempt further out from the main area of nebulosity.

looks like you control the white point better in the new one. Good Job!!

Celestron wrote in post #11318545
Hey Tro i scimmed some of your picts and just noticed your Celestron SCT . Is that a 8" and also what kind of focuser is that attached to the rear ?? I didn't know you could attach that kind of focuser to a SCT ??

Yeah mate, it's a Celestron C8. I've actually since sold that and now got a C9.25. That focuser on the C8 is just a GSO 10:1 crayford focuser specifically for SCTs. This is the specific one, just re-badged https://www.bintelshop​.com.au/Product.aspx?I​D=7449

On my C9.25 I have a Moonlite motorised focuser. 'Tis a thing of beauty

tkerr wrote in post #11318873
In the new one the stars and highlights look better, the overall image looks smoother from noise reduction, but it also looks like you clipped away more of the color and fainter details that were in your first attempt further out from the main area of nebulosity.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm still playing with it and will try to address this.

jsigone wrote in post #11318986
looks like you control the white point better in the new one. Good Job!!

Thanks mate.

What mount did you upgrade to? Or you still using the skywatcher one? I miss my C6 already for getting up close to those small objects, but the focuser sucked HAHA

I had the HEQ5Pro, now I have the EQ6.

Great improvement on the high end Troy. How much total time was this?

I'm looking forward to your final image, it really is an incredible object and I know you'll squeeze out every photon. This reminds me of my marathon processing of the Heart Nebula, fun to apply new techniques as we learn.

Thanks Steve! This is 18x4min @ ISO800 with a modded 40D on my humble ED80. Think it was about 17x4m darks, no flats or biases.

Originally I just wanted to go back and control the stars a bit more, but now I want to get into the background noise and enhance the nebula detail/sharpness. Bit of a project.