Voyaging through clear dark skies

Melotte 15

Image details: Crop of Heart Nebulae focusing on central open star cluster (melotte 15) surrounded by nebulosity and star forming regions in the center of the Heart Nebulae. Imaged in Narrow Band to accentuate the nebulosity 

Telescope : Takahashi FSQ85-EDP at 450mm

Mount: ZWO AM3

Camera : ZWO2600mm Pro operated at -10oC and Unity Gain, Offset 0

Filter wheel: ZWO EFW 

Fliters: ZWO L, R, G, B, Ha, OIII, SII

System Control: Stellarmate OS on a Rpi 5 

Guiding Camera :ZWO 120mm

Guiding Camera: OffAxis Guider with ZWO OAG-L

Guiding Software : EKOS internal guider

Calibration Frame Creation:
Master Dark frames were created from 20 dark frames of 60, 120, 180 or 300s in length at a temperature of -10oC. The raw frames were processed through PixInsight as part of a WBPP batch to create master darks. Dues to the timing of the images the same darks were used 

Master Flat Frames were created using an even illuminated field from a EL panel in a custom 3D printed frame controlled using Stellarmate OS (EKOS) using the automated flat routine to maintain ADU at 40,000. DarkFlat frames were also created. Raw flat frame data was processed using the WBPP in PixInsight  to create the master flat frames.

No Bias frames  

Date: September 16th – 18th

Location: Tiny Marsh, Ontario (traveller)

Image Batch:

Ha: 15 x 300s ; OIII: 15 x 300s ; SII: 15 x 300s

Processing: 

  • Raw frames were calibrated, integrated and any cropping performed automatically with WBPP in PixInsight. No cosmetic correction or pedestal was applied to the images. 
  • The linear Monochrome images were processed through GraXpert removing gradients.
  • The linear images were then processed using “linear fit” using Ha as the reference.
  • Each image was then subjected to a slight correction with BlurXterminator , Stellar Adjustment   0.2, None Stellar, Auto PSF, 0.25
  • The noise in each frame was reduced using NoiseXterminator V2, denoise 0.25
  • Mono images were then combined using LRGBCombination script following a basic SHO colour scheme
  • The combined image was then subjected to a second round of Noise removal again using NoiseXterminator V2 with a denoise level of 0.35
  • The combined image was then stretched using GHS, following a standard scheme of stretches in GHS until the stars were starting to saturate.
  • The image then was subjected to star removal using StarXterminator
  • The star removed image was stretched further with GHS and the background controlled using linear stretches 
  • Final cosmetic colour balance / correction was performed using colour saturation and curves
  • The stars were reapplied to the starless image using the combine images script
  • Any magenta halo was removed using the correct magenta stars script
  • Region of Interest crop using Dynamic Crop