How to best tackle the galaxy in this NB image.

Bruce Donzanti

Hi Adam

I took this wide field of view, showing M97 and M108.  The focus was to get a wide FOV of the Owl Nebula- which I did but I want to try to get M108 look like a galaxy instead of its current red blob.  I am going to try and collect some RGB data tonight but the weather for tonight and the next 2 weeks looks bad. So, most likely, I only have these Ha and OIII data to work with on this image. Is there a way to play with the data to at least get M108 to resemble a galaxy? 

Thx

Bruce   

BlockHead

Hi Bruce,

That looks like great data. Good stuff for enhancing M108 actually.. but NOT good for making M108 look like a galaxy. With the Ha filter- you simply are not seeing the rest of the galaxy- you are just seeing parts of light up i that particular color. So my basic answer is no.... you can't make an NB image of M108 resemble a broadband image of the same.

-the Blockhead

Bruce Donzanti

Thanks, Adam.  I appreciate the compliment.  Oh, well- I was afraid of that.  Didn't hurt to ask.