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All the material on this website is copyrighted to J-P Metsavainio, if not otherwise stated. Any content on this website may not be reproduced without the author’s permission.

Have a visit in my portfolio

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

2010, my second image of the Month award





An award certificate



 An image of the "Lagoon Nebula", M8, was selected as a image of the month in Northern Galactic international astronomical imaging group.

ORIGINAL IMAGE AND TECHNICAL DETAILS:

3D-experiments of the M8, in different formats, can be found here:







Monday, June 28, 2010

Sh2-11 as an animated 3D




Animations are made by creating artificial parallax to an image. Then two images are animated together by using conversion web service, Start3D. There can be some artifacts in images, due the experimental nature of this work! The volumetric models are based on some known facts and an artistic impression.
Please, let the images load for few seconds to see them animated!



Original 2D-image with the technical details:
Other 3D-formats:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.


Original 2D-image

Sh2-11 as a Stereo pair 3D





Parallel vision


Cross vision

Other 3D-formats can be found here:

Original 2D-image:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.
Viewing instructions can be found from a Right hand side menu.



Sh2-11 as an Anaglyph Red/Cyan 3D





You'll need Red/Cyan Eyeglasses to be able to see this image right. 
Note, if you have a Red and Blue filters, you can use them! Red goes to Left eye.





Other 3D-formats can be found here:
Original 2D-image:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.

NGC 6357, Sharpless 11





HST-palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen


Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission.
This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.

NGC 6357 locates in constellation Scorpius and it's know by names Sharpless 11, RCW 131 and Gum 66.

Looks very much like an Egyptian Horus!

The telescope and technical information:

16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
H-alpha 4x1200s, Dark and artificial Flat calibrated.
1xO-III 1200s, Dark and artificial Flat calibrated.
1xO-III 1200s, Dark and artificial Flat calibrated.
Raw data is shared with "Team Finland"

Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.

A Starless version to show the actual nebulous.
In my processing technique, the starless image is used as a color map for HST-palette balancing.
Now and then I publish an image with a suppressed stars, since it can look kind of nice/spooky.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

M17, the "Omega nebula" as a Stereo pair 3D





Parallel vision


Cross vision

Other 3D-formats can be found here:

Original 2D-image:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.
Viewing instructions can be found from a Right hand side menu.


M17, the "Omega nebula" as an Anaglyph Red/Cyan 3D



You'll need Red/Cyan Eyeglasses to be able to see this image right. 
Note, if you have a Red and Blue filters, you can use them! Red goes to Left eye.





Other 3D-formats can be found here:
Original 2D-image:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.

Monday, June 21, 2010

M17, the "Omega nebula"





M17, imaged with the Northern Galactic members remote telescope in Australia.
The Omega Nebula, also known as the Swan Nebula or the Horseshoe Nebula, cataloged as Messier 17 and NGC 6618.  This H-II region loactes in constellation Sagittarius. Distance from Earth is between 5000-6000 light years and it spans about 15 light years in diameter. Image area is 30'x30', about half a degree.
Open cluster of 35 hot young stars lies inside of the nebula and causes ionization glow of the elements.
The image is in HST-palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen



Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission.
This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.

The telescope and technical information:


16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
H-alpha 6x1200s, Dark and Flat calibrated.
O-III 1x1200s, Dark calibrated 
S-II 2x1200s, Dark calibrated
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio


Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.
Seeing was not good at the time of imaging, FWHM 5"

100% crop from the image of M17




I made an experimental starless image to show the actual nebulous better.


M17 with a suppressed Stars.




Sunday, June 20, 2010

Helix nebula as a 3D Stereo pair




Parallel vision


Cross vision

Other 3D-formats can be found here:

Original 2D-image:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.
Viewing instructions can be found from a Right hand side menu.


Helix nebula as an anaglyph Red/Cyan 3D


You'll need Red/Cyan Eyeglasses to be able to see this image right. 
Note, if you have a Red and Blue filters, you can use them! Red goes to Left eye.






Other 3D-formats can be found here:
Original 2D-image:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Helix nebula with some new photons added




Litle by litle the image gets deeper when more exposures gets added.
Previous version here:

The Helix nebula, NGC 7293. Planetary nebula in constellation Aquarius about 700 light years from the Earth..
(The helix has been often referred to as the "Eye of Good", 
I'll like to know, which one it's supposed  to belong... least we know now He/She has very large Blue eye(s).)

This is a start for an imaging project, since the Helix has lowish surface brightness, it'll need a long integration time. Now there is just One hour used for the Luminance channel and 10 min./each RGB-channel.
I think, about Five to ten hours is needed to reveal dimmer outer parts of this Planetary nebula.
Later we'll shoot all the narrow band channels, H-a, O-III and S-II, too. 

The telescope and technical information:

16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
Luminance 9x600s., Dark and Flat calibrated.
Red 5x600s, Dark calibrated 
Green 5x600s, Dark calibrated 
Blue 5x600s, Dark calibrated 
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio

Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.

M20, the "Triffid nebula", more lights added





M20, the "Triffid Nebula" in constellation Sagittarius. Distance about 7600 light years.
Less compressed versions in my Portfolio:
http://astroanarchy.zenfolio.com/p1072219942/h3197814b#h3197814b


This is a third version of the M20. Image gets deeper and deeper as more exposures gets added.
Previous versions can be seen here:

An experimental Starless version to show the actual nebula.



M20, imaged with a Northern Galactic members remote telescope in Australia,

Impressive instrumentation and great location in Souther Australia under a dark Sky, makes possible to go deep in very short time! 

Technical details

16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
LRGB-image, Luminance=5x300s + 5x600s, total 1h 15min.
 Red=3x300s, Dark and Flat calibrated. 
Green=3x300s, Dark and Flat calibrated.
Blue=3x300s + 1x600s, Dark and Flat calibrated.
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio

Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations.






Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.





Cropped image at 100% scale



Sunday, June 13, 2010

Start of a new imaging project, the Helix nebula




The Helix nebula, NGC 7293. Planetary nebula in constellation Aquarius about 700 light years from the Earth..
(The helix has been often referred to as the "Eye of Good", 
I'll like to know, which one it's supposed  to belong... least we know now He/She has very large Blue eye(s).)


This is a start for an imaging project, since the Helix has lowish surface brightness, it'll need a long integration time. Now there is just One hour used for the Luminance channel and 10 min./each RGB-channel.
I think, about Five to ten hours is needed to reveal dimmer outer parts of this Planetary nebula.
Later we'll shoot all the narrow band channels, H-a, O-III and S-II, too. 

The telescope and technical information:

16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
Luminance 6x600s., Dark and Flat calibrated.
Red 1x600s, Dark calibrated 
Green 1x600s, Dark calibrated 
Blue 1x600s, Dark calibrated 
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio

Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.




Saturday, June 12, 2010

M8, LRGB, second edition





M8, LRGB image redone.
Previous version and technical details can be seen here:



M8, the "Lagoon nebula" in H-alphaLR(H-alpha)GB composition





H-alpha boosted LRGB image of M8.
H-alpha emission of ionized Hydrogen is mixed to a LRGB image.
50% H-a to Red channel in "lighten" mode and 33% H-alpha mixed to a luminance channel.


The telescope and technical information:


16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
Luminance 7x300s., Dark and Flat calibrated.
H-alpha 4x1200s, Dark and Flat calibrated.
Red 5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Green 5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Blue 5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio


Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.




Different color versions:

Pure LRGB-composition.



H-alpha


Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission.
This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.


HST-palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen

More information of used color schemes:


M8, the "Lagoon nebula" as a LRGB-broad band image




M8, pure LRGB-composition.

The telescope and technical information:


16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
Luminance 7x300s., Dark and Flat calibrated.
Red 5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Green 5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Blue 5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio


Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

M8, the "Lagoon nebula", as a 3D-stereo pair




Parallel vision


Cross vision

Other 3D-formats can be found here:

Original 2D-image:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.
Viewing instructions can be found from a Right hand side menu.

M8, the "Lagoon nebula", as an anaglyph Red/Cyan 3D




You'll need Red/Cyan Eyeglasses to be able to see this image right. 
Note, if you have a Red and Blue filters, you can use them! Red goes to Left eye.





Other 3D-formats can be found here:

Original 2D-image:



NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.

M8, the "Lagoon nebula", as an animated 3D



Animations are made by creating artificial parallax to an image. Then two images are animated together by using conversion web service, Start3D. There can be some artifacts in images, due the experimental nature of this work! The volumetric models are based on some known facts and an artistic impression.

Please, let the images load for few seconds to see them animated!




Original 2D-image with the technical details:
Other 3D-formats:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

An experimental M8, the "Lagoon nebula"




M8 in HST-palette, 50% broad band luminance used at top of the NB image, 100% for the Stars.


M8 in natural color narrow band composition, 50% broad band luminance used at top of the NB image, 100% for the Stars.

Original pure narrow band compositions can be found here:
Technical details are behind the link above.

Star colors are not RGB-colors! 
They are mixed from O-III and H-alpha stars by using a scientifically "wrong" method as a form of artificial Green channel. 

Luminance information, 7x300s, dark calibrated.










Saturday, June 5, 2010

An other Southern globular cluster, NGC 6752





NGC 6752, a globular cluster in constellation Pavo. Distance from Earth about 13000 light years.



100% crop from the core of NGC 6752

The telescope and technical information:


16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
Luminance 7x300s and 8x150s, Dark and Flat calibrated.
Red  1x300s, Dark calibrated 
Green 1x300s, Dark calibrated 
Blue 1x300s, Dark calibrated 
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio


Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 10 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.

Tucanae 47, a Globular cluster




LRGB image of Tucanae, NGC 104, globular cluster in constellation Tucana.
16700 light years away from Earth and 120 light years across.

Less compressed images here: 
-
Image field is about 30' x 30', half a degrees.
A new project, from Northern galactic remote telescope in Australia.

100% crop from the core of Tukanae 47.

The telescope and technical information:


16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
Luminance 12x300s and 8x150s, Dark and Flat calibrated.
Red  5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Green 5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Blue 5x300s, Dark calibrated 
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio


Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 10 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.

Friday, June 4, 2010

M8, the "Lagoon nebula"




HST-palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen


Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission.
This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.

Less compressed images here: 
-

M8, the "Lagoon nebula" in Constellation Sagittarius.
Image field is about 30' x 30', half a degrees.
A new project, from Northern galactic remote telescope in Australia.
The Lagoon nebula, M8, in ionized light from the Three elements, H-alpha, O-III and S-II.

100% crop from the image of M8

The telescope and technical information:


16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera. 
LRGB combo.
H-alpha 4x1200s, Dark and Flat calibrated.
O-III x1200s, Dark calibrated 
O-III x1200s, Dark calibrated
Raw data is shared with Petri Kehusmaa and J-P Metsavainio


Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.

Edit 05.06.2010

Here is a Starless version of M8, I like to do some tricks with the images and the results are experimental in nature. Actual nebula can be seen better here.



Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Viewing 3D





Finnish-Suomeksi
Nähdäksesi anaglyph 3D-kuviani tarvitset Puna-Sinilasit!
Ne ovat yleensä erittäin edullisia, 1-2€,  ja helposti ostettavissa onlinemyymälöistä.
Suomessa laseja voi ostaa ainakin täältä:
http://www.dealextreme.com/search.dx/search.3d%20glasses 
HUOM! 
Lasien linssien täytyy olla PUNAINEN ja SINININEN, jotta kuvat näkyisivät oikein.

-
English
To see my anaglyph Red/Cyan 3D-images, you'll need a right kind of 3D-eyeglasses!
They are usually very inexpensive and can be bought online easily.

Here are few links:
USAhttp://www.berezin.com/3D/3dglasses.htm

There is many online sellers for 3D-glasses, google them down to find a suitable seller in you area.



EDIT. Finnish only, sorry!

Huomasin juuri, että samassa Suomalaisessa verkkokaupassa, jossa myydään 3D-laseja, on myynnissä 9€ hintainen stereokuvien katselulaite:
http://www.elektroni.fi/?product=5452

Ko. laitteella voi katsella stereopari-paerikuvia 3D-muodossa!


Täältä voi tilata stereoparikuviani valokuvinahttp://astroanarchy.zenfolio.com/p272573124
Hinta 1,95€ kappale, vähän isompi koko, joka vielä toimii, 3,95
Katselulaitteen kanssa siis toimivat vain "parallel vision" tekniikalla katseltavat kuvat.





My Anaglyph images






To see my Anaglyph Red/Cyan 3D-astronomical images, please use this link:
Nähdäksesi anaglyph 3D kuviani, ole hyvä ja klikkaa tätä linkkiä:

In my Blog, there is many anaglyph movies too:
Blogissani on useita anaglyph 3D elokuvaklippejä:
Scroll down and don't forget to look older posts to see movies!
Rullaa alas postilistaa nähdäksesi elokuvia, älä unohda klikata "older posts" painiketta sivun alareunassa!




M16, the "Eagle nebula" as a 3D stereo pair




Parallel vision


Cross vision

Other 3D-formats can be found here:

Original 2D-image:

NOTE! This is a personal vision about forms and shapes, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.
Viewing instructions can be found from a Right hand side menu.


HOW?


I have been asked many times, how my 3D-images are done, so here it goes!





All the original 2D-images are imaged by me.
Due the huge distances, no real parallax can be imaged to form a volumetric information.
I have developed a method to turn any 2D-astronomical image to a various 3D-formats. The result is always approximation of the reality, based on some known facts and an artistic impression.

What are the known facts?

By using a scientifically estimated distance of the object, I can organize right amount of stars front and behind the object. 
(as then we know the absolute position of an object at our Milky-way) 

There usually is a known star cluster or a star(s) coursing the ionization and stars can be placed in right relative position to the nebula itself . 
Stars are divided to groups by apparent brightness, that can be used as a draft distance indicator, brighter the closer. 

The nebula itself is emitting its own light, when ionized, typical to each element. 
The thickness of the nebula can be estimated by its brightness.

Many other relative distances can be figured out just carefully studying the image, like dark nebulae must be front of bright ones. 

The local stellar wind, radiation pressure, from the star cluster shapes the nebulae, pillar like formations must then point to a cluster for that reason.
Same radiation pressure usually forms kind of cavitation hole at the nebulosa, around the star cluster, by blowing away all the gas around it.
Many other small indicators can be found from the image itself.

The artistic part is then mixed to a scientific part, rest is very much like a sculpting.

I have published a, little simplified, step by step tutorial about turning astronomical images to a 3D-stereo pairs under a PhotoShop. It can be found from here as a PDF: astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/04/neaic.html

WHY?

Firstly, they are great fun to do. Secondly, because I can.

3D-experiments seems to increase a public interest to a subject, as you might have noticed.  
Personally, I have studied my astronomical images much deeper, than ever without 3D-modeling.
The 3D-studies have really add a new dimension to my hobby as an astronomical photographer.  (pun intended)