M20 Trifid Nebula and M8 Lagoon Nebula: A Starless Journey
Behold the majestic Trifid Nebula (M20) on the left and the Lagoon Nebula (M8) on the right, presented here in a unique starless rendition. This breathtaking image was captured under pristine Bortle 2.5 skies, offering an unobstructed view of these iconic celestial wonders.
The Astronomical Arsenal
The pursuit of such detailed astrophotography requires a finely tuned setup and dedicated processing. Here's a glimpse into the equipment and techniques used to bring these nebulae to life:
Acquisition Details:
- Location: Pinnacles National Park, Hain Wilderness (Bortle 2.5)
- Mount: Hypertuned Celestron AVX
- Telescope: Redcat51 f/4.9 250mm Gen 1 (manual focus)
- Guiding: ZWO 120mm ZWO Guide Camera
- Camera: ZWO ASI585MC Pro (One Shot Colour, 3840 x 2160 resolution)
- Integration Time: 300 x 14 lights
- Filter: ZWO UV/IR Cut Filter
Processing Workflow:
The journey from raw data to this stunning final image involved a meticulous processing pipeline:
- Stacking: Performed using ASISTUDIO.
- Noise Reduction & Calibration: Siril was instrumental in removing green noise, performing image plate solving, and applying spectrophotometric color calibration. Deconvolution was also applied to enhance sharpness, followed by background extraction.
- Star Removal: Siril's Starnet feature was used to create a starless version.
- Stretching & Denoising: Graxpert was employed for denoising, further background extraction, and image stretching to 10%.
- Final Touches: GIMP was used for fine-tuning light curves and achieving the final aesthetic.
This image is a testament to the power of dedicated astrophotography, combining advanced equipment with patient, skillful processing to reveal the universe's hidden beauty. Share your thoughts on this starless wonder in the comments below!
