M101 in lRGB

After quite a while hunting down data, I finally managed to grab enough to make a 'half' decent stab at this. I would say that this is the most difficult galaxy I have ever imaged. Searching through the web, I find not a great deal of very good images of this target in colour. I can see why now its a nightmare not just to capture well but to process too. It seems to me that this galaxy is full of subtle contrast chages which are large scale in nature and are diffult to render well.

Any 'nuff of the BS here's the beef!

webtreatz.com/component/option,com_zoom/...geNo,7/key,59/hit,1/

Details as always, under the image and feedback as always mucho appreciated.

Dave,

First Class

I completely agree with you. To get the subtle detail you have to sharpen so much that the grain effect goes way up in the outer parts of the galaxy. When you go the other way the fainter spiral arms are completley lost. I went through the same pain barrier. Its one of those objects that may need about massive hours exposure. Given that M101 is more or less on the zenith it just shows what a difficult object this is.

Dave - the monitor here in Conneticut probably isn't the best but...

I see quite a few eggy stars - at first I thought it was coma but a few in the centre of the image seem eggy too. Tracking? Or just a dodgy monitor on my part?

Other than that, it looks good. Framing, colour balance and background are great.

On another subject, I have just received some new astro equipment and true to form, a snow storm arrived. Hopefully, we'll leave it behind here in the USA (if we get out tomorrow)... If not, apologies in advance and I hope my insurance covers it.

Dave

Dave, that is a marvellous image, the colour and arm detail is as good as i could imagine it.
I see egg stars also, looks like tracking probs, not to worry, it doesn't take away from the galaxy itself.
There doesn't seem to be alot of h-alpha activity going on in this galaxy, compared to others.

Superb image Dave! Fantastic detail.

I love this galaxy, mainly because it is so hard to pinpoint in a 6 inch scope when star-hopping (no autoguiding)! Dave, your image is pretty bang on to text book quality i.e. could be in an encylopedia some day! The detail is absolutely stunning there. Well done!