M16 HaHOO: A Symphony of Telescopes for the Eagle Nebula

This past week has been an exciting exploration into a new astrophotography workflow, and I'm thrilled to share the results with you all! Today, we're diving into the heart of the M16 Eagle Nebula, captured using a novel approach that combines data from two distinct telescope setups to achieve a truly spectacular image.

The Vision: Combining Strengths

The core idea behind this project was to leverage the strengths of different equipment. My new Askar 103APO, paired with an ASI678MM camera and a 7nm Ha filter, provided sharp luminance data with just 20 minutes of total exposure. To complement this, I utilized my Seestar S50, a more portable all-in-one unit, to gather RGB data using a light pollution filter. This filter was cleverly mapped, with R to Ha and G to OIII, resulting in an impressive 7 hours of exposure time over 2468 frames.

The Processing Pipeline: A Creative Dance

Combining data from different sources can be a delicate dance, and this project was no exception. After acquiring the data, I began by stretching the luminance and RGB data separately, then registering them. A minor hurdle arose when the blue channel refused to cooperate with registration, but this led to a creative solution: using R and G as Ha and OIII for an HOO palette.

From there, the process involved:

• Channel Separation: All channels were separated in Siril.
• Denoising & Deconvolution: GraXpert was used for denoising, followed by deconvolution on the object, targeting a size of approximately 6.8 pixels.
• Recombination: The channels were recombined in Siril.
• Color Tweaking: Minor adjustments to colors and stretches were made in Siril.
• Final Touches: GIMP was employed for final color enhancements and the image was exported as a JPG.

To achieve a harmonious final image, I binned the luminance data by 2x and drizzled the RGB data by 2x. This process resulted in roughly the same effective pixel size for both datasets, crucial for seamless integration.

The Result: Detail Meets Color

The outcome is an image where the high resolution and detail from the Askar telescope's luminance data are beautifully supported by the rich color information from the Seestar's processed RGB data. It's incredibly rewarding to see how even a modest 20 minutes of dedicated luminance exposure can yield sharper results than much longer exposures from other setups, especially when combined with a well-executed processing strategy.

This project has reaffirmed the power of creative processing and the potential that lies in intelligently combining data from various instruments. I'm eager to continue exploring this avenue and see what other wonders we can unveil in the night sky!