M42 and NGC 1977

The Great Orion Nebula and the Running Man Nebula in HaLRGB
 
Other image sizes
1024 x 768
1420 x 1040

Details:
Optics Celestron 80ED @ f/5.8 , guided with an 8" LX200 Classic @ f/6.3
Mount LX200
Camera Starlight Xpress SXV-H9
Filter Astronomik RGBIIc and Ha (13nm) filters
Exposure Ha: 181min(22x8' + 10x30"), L:  65min.(12x5' + 10x30") RGB: 65 min each(12x5' + 10x30") 
All binned 1X1
Processing Acquired in AstroArt3,  DDP , final work in Photoshop7
Date 01.08.07 - 01.09.07
Location Elk Grove, CA
Notes Seeing and transparency average.  1/2 moon affecting shot.  The processing created many challenges, with the large dynamic range of the shot.  I combined with masks in Photoshop, the short and long exposures, so that I could display the faint details and yet not overexpose the core of the nebula.  I also combined the Ha and L frames in lighten mode in PS, to create the new L channel. Then I combined them with the RGB frame, using Ron Gendler's Luminance enhanced RGB method.  I then performed some selective sharpening and gradient removal, as well as selective curves. Finally, I performed a high pass overlay, masked to protect the stars.