Astro 8A: Fall '10 Student Astrophoto Gallery

Christina's awesome shot of the faint Eagle Nebula was shot low in the sky. M16 Eagle Nebula in Constellation Serpens
10/06/10   Time 20:16:44
Mead 8” Reflector at the Cabrillo Observatory. Two images of five minute exposures where taken. Dark subtracted. Single-shot color processed in CCDOPS5, using DDP transfer function, and saved as a TIFF file. Stacked in Registrax3 without image adjustments. Then I moved to Photoshop7 and I used curves to fix the colors, then cropped it, used 8 bit channel, made the stars smaller, rotated canvas, used unsharp mask, then sharpen edges, space noise reduction, then used local contrast enhancement twice, and finally used the healing brush and stamp to get rid of blue and red lines that appeared in the photo.

y

 

Dani's: The Andromeda Galaxy- Two pictures were taken with an exposure of 300 seconds each. They were taken with the ST-4K camera using a Mead 8" LXD f/4 telescope. First I dark subtracted my images using CCDOPS. I then used the multipoint method to stack my two images with Registax 5. I then edited my photo using Photoshop 7. I first reduced the noise by using an Astronomy action called "Space Noise Reduction". I then flipped horizontally. Using the "curves" application I then sharpened my photo. then adjusted its color balance, hues and saturation.

Charlie did a nice job of framing the Bubble Nebula and the rich open cluster M52. taken 10/26 at 20:20
4 images of 300 seconds each using ST4K camera on an 8 inch Meade LXD75. Dark subtracted and stacked all four images in registax 5 didn't check sky condition Used the curves function to change black to dark grey
Made the stars smaller and the space noise reduction Corrected the color and hue, ten sharpened the image.

Jen's version of the Andromeda Galaxy, from the same frames as used by Dani. 2 images of 300sec exposure each. Taken with ST-4K camera using an 8" Meade LXD75 telescope. Used CCDOPS5 to dark subtract and convert image to color. Both photographs were layered and stacked in Registax5. Stacked image was edited in Photoshop7 using levels and curves to adjust luminescence, color balance to make it more silver, and hue/ saturation to adjust light and dark contrast.

Seth's Plieades. in Taurus
November 9, 2010 – 9:47 pm
8” Telescope – ST4K Camera. Raw Image: 3 images of 5 minute exposure each.  Taken with CCDOPs5, then dark subtracted.  Single-shot color processing in CCDOPS5 using RGB-gamma transfer function and saved as a 16 bit TIFF file.  Stacked in Registax3 without image adjustments. Photoshop Process: 1) adjusted curves to darken the image.  2) used deep space noise reduction.  3) adjusted hue, increased blue color.  4) made lighter with curves.  5) lowered saturation for master color.  6) space noise reduction x3.  7) decreased saturation for all colors except blue.  8) used enhanced DSO and reduced stars.  9) adjusted unsharp mask and increased threshold and amount.

Alex's Comet Hartley 2. Oct 6, 2010. Comet Hartley -  Two five minute exposures were taken with the ST4000XCM through the 8 inch LXD75 telescope.  Each image was dark subtracted using dk5-25.st2k and color processed.  The images were then stacked using registax and aligned on the comet.  The image was edited in Photoshop, with the curve and levels being used to adjust the luminescence.  Then used space noise reduction tool and adjusted hue and saturation, enhancing green and reducing blue, red, and yellow.  Finally, the image was cropped and then printed.

Rachel's Veil Nebula.Three 5-minute exposures. These exposures were taken on Sept. 16, 2009 at 5:11 p.m. Three 5-minute exposures. These exposures were taken on Sept. 16, 2009 at 5:11 p.m. The CCD Camera was SBIG ST-4K. As I didn't take these exposures I am unsure what telescope was used and what the weather was like. Each exposure was first dark corrected and colorized using DDP. The three exposures were then aligned and stacked using RegiStax 5. In Photoshop 7: image cropped, curves to lighten nebula and stars and slightly darken night sky, levels to reduce green, hue/saturation to saturate red, blue, magentas, space noise reduction x2, make stars smaller x1, color balance- more red, deep space noise reduction x1, final hue/saturation of red and blue. I sized the image to 300 pixels and as close to 8x10 inches as possible and then printed it at Bay Photo.

Lindsay's IC1318 photo in Cygnus
September 28, 2010 – 9:30
8” Telescope – ST4K Camera.Raw Image: 3 images of 5 minute exposure each.  Taken with CCDOPS5 and then dark subtracted.  Single-shot color processed in CCDOPS5 using RGB-gamma transfer function, and saved as a 16bit TIFF file.  Stacked in Registax3 without image adjustments.Photoshop process: 1) Levels darkened medium gray.  2) adjusted curves.  3) color balance – more magenta and decreased yellow.  4) Hue-saturation decreased and lightness in yellow.  5) Despeckle.  6) Hue-saturation-less saturation in green.

David's Veil Nebula version.

Veil Nebula - Constellation Cygnus.
Taken: Oct. 27, 2010 from 4:08:58-4:41:43 universal time.
Cold, clear night with the Moon about to rise. 5 images with 5min. exposure.
Taken with CCDOPS5, dark subtracted and single-shot color using sRGB+gamma. 16-bit .tif file. Stacked using Registax5 w/o adjustments. Cropped and contrast darkened in Adobe Photoshop.

Laura's version of the Bubble Nebula. Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635)in Cassiopeia. Date: 10/22/08 (Jerimiah photo 1 yr ago) Chip temperature: -22.65˚c 5 images of 5 min exposure each taken with a ST2000xcm.I missed the day the objects were being shot, so I can't provide details on the
condition of the night the picture was taken. I was given images that
had been taken 2 years ago, and I used those to edit. The dark was
subtracted as well as converted to color using CCDOPS5. I used DDP
transfer function, and saved it as a 16bit TIFF file. Then I stacked it
using Registax3 using the brightest star on the picture. With Photoshop,the image was sharpened, saturated
(for a more intense look), and the darkness of the image was adjusted
using light-curves. I used the Burn Tool to darken around the Nebula,
and the noise was adjusted as well.

 

Colby's Image: M13
in Hercules. 2 images of 5 min exposure each. Taken with CCDOPS5, dark subtracted.Single-shot color processed in CCDOPS5.Using DDP transfer function, and saved as a 16bit Tiff file, stacked in Regitax 3 without image adjustments.
photoshop Processing: I reduced the saturation to -100, i cropped the image slightly, reduced the "green color" to 0, and rotated the image 90deg. to the right.I then went to "image,noise,despecle" to reduce the graininess.Then in the "unshap-mask" brought the amount from 29% to 100%. 

Keith's Elephant Trunk Nebula- Cepheus Taken 11/03/10 with six five min. intervals. chip temp. -24C
The night I took the pic. was clear, but very humid. One of my shots was corrupted because i didn't clean the lens. Also Rick stated that this is going to be dim. Each image was dark framed using DDP. then all images were stacked in Registax 3. then in photoshop i used the curves and made the darker stuff darker, and the lighter stuff lighter. then i converted the image to a 8 bit image, and then i reduced the noise, and then i took of a median. then i took deep space noise reduction 3 times, and then made the pic. a little more red. then printed.

  

Doug Groom's M17: The Omega Nebula,

Sagittarius 10/5/2010ST4000XCM Camera on a Meade 8” LXD75, clear.  Temp: 54º New Moon3 images of 5min exposure each. CCDOPS5, dark Subtracted, Single shot color process sRGB + gamma, Stacked using Registax5 without further processing, Photoshop processing, Levels adjusted to raise black-floor, Hue/Saturation adjusted to darken sky, Green level adjusted to reduce light pollution, Curves adjusted to brighten nebula and darken sky, Cropped to center on nebula whilst leaving sky for contrast, Clone stamped out red spots, Image Size:  Resolution – 135 pixels/inch  8in x 9.97in,printed at bay photo


Brad's M15 Globular Cluster in Pegasus (late) - Two three minute exposures where taken with a Mead 8” Reflector. Each image was dark frame corrected and colorized using DDP. Both of the two pictures were then stacked in Registax using the multipoint method. The stacked image was edited with Photoshop Lightroom to make stars brighter and smaller. First I lowered the Hue, but raised the Saturation for the colors red, blue, green. Black Clipping and Noise Reduction where then used to clean up the back round static. Raising the Dark Tones but decreasing the Shadow Tones made the stars more clear. The Brightness was increased along with the Black Clipping to make everything stand out. I would now be able to lower the Contrast and the Fill Light. Then just needed to be sharpened and printed.

JP's version of the Eagle Nebula M16 10/5/2010 at 8:07 pm
Camera: ST4000XCM CCD on 8” Meade LXD75 Telescope
Chip Temperature: -24.01º C

2 images processed in CCDOPS5, dark subtracted, single shot color processed using sRGB + gamma and saved as a TIFF file. Image was then aligned and stacked using Registax 5. The image was further processed using photoshop. I used the level application to bring out the red and the curve application to increase the contrast between the light and the dark. I then boosted the saturation and rotated the image 45º counter clock wise and cropped. Unfortunately I was unable to take a photo of my own I had planned on capturing NGC 1805 but never got the chance so I used this image.

Becky's shot of Comet Hartley 2 and a red giant in Perseus, from Big Sur on Astro 28J in October Out of the 9 photographs taken (#6 wasn't saved for some reason), each 5min. exposures, I processed images 7, 8 & 9 in CCDOPS5 with a dark subtract frame (dk5-25.st2k). Single-shot color processed using sRGB+gamma method. Saved as 16bit TIF file. Stacked images using registax first stacking images 7, 8, and 9. Then stacked images 8 & 9. Stacked 2 modified images together. Photoshop Process:
Adjusted light values using the curves command, hightening the contrast between light and dark. used the hue & saturation command to increase the blue and red values, as well as making them more saturated. cropped the image and changed canvas size to 8x10 inches.

Our class combined data on the light curves of variable stars Delta Cephei and Beta Lyrae - Jen and Lindsay tied for winning the best data on Delta Cephei, and Jen won for Beta Lyrae

     

 

 

On Nov 16 we had a rare Astro 8A field trip opportunity - a local graze on a class night! OK, it wasn't a very GOOD graze; just a magnitude 9.0 star grazing an 81% moon. But I thought with good seeing and luck I might be able to video record it, and students might see it with the 12". We did have clear skies, and everyone found our meeting spot at Mar Monte Ave near Hwy 1 south of town. But, the seeing was terrible and it just took too much time and feeble 12V hairdrying of the corrector plates to get data on such a faint star. Karl joined us to help out, and at least everyone did get to see what all the excitement is about when it comes to getting a time-critical event like this. Here's a couple of photo's which captured the moment...

The team at Station 2 was in good spirits - shouting "D!" and "R!" long after the graze was over and hopelessly lens-fogged out - just to mess with me a few hundred feet away

Christina, Becky, David and JP joined me at Station 1 after the graze to gaze at the moon and study the terrible seeing waves