COLOR / FOCUS

ENHANCED HYDROGEN GALAXY IMAGING By Chris Schur

Introduction n What is Enhanced Hydrogen Imaging? n Reasons for obtaining images this way:  Highlights a wealth of normally unseen details  Can be done with standard CCD equipment and telescopes  Produces images complimentary ultra deep remote observatory shots  Demonstrates the dynamics of galaxies in a dramatic fashion n Additional acquisition time is minimal n Tremendous Visual Impact with small additional effort n The Process Revealed …

Process Example: Standard LRGB NGC2903

Process Example: Enhanced LRGB NGC2903

The Process: An Overview n First make a standard LRGB n Take additional Ha frames n Subtract Red data from Ha data n Add difference to Red, Green, Blue n Recombine color image

Step 1: Create Standard LRGB

Final LRGB image

Step 2: Take Ha Frames

Step 3: Isolating the Hydrogen

Step 4: Combining Hydrogen with the LRGB

Final M82 image

Details of the Combining Process: M101 Standard LRGB initial image

Raw Hydrogen Data 4h

Extracted Red Channel from LRGB

Subtraction of Red from Hydrogen Data

Nearly Isolated Hydrogen Image

Differentiation of Stars from Nebula

Hydrogen Data with Stars Removed

Final Image after addition to RGB Channels

Enhanced Hydrogen Images Gallery

NGC 6946 in Cepheus

IC 342 in Camelopardalis

NGC 2403 in Camelopodarus

M 51 in Ursa Major

M 31 in Andromeda

NGC 6822 – Barnard ’ s Galaxy

M33 in Triangulum

M33 in Triangulum in Hydrogen Light

M33 in Triangulum Enhanced Hydrogen Image

The Finally: M33 in Triangulum

M33 in Triangulum with Enhanced Hydrogen

Conclusions n Additional time spent very worthwhile n Galaxy dynamics revealed graphically n Here is a fresh approach to astroimaging n Home results rivaling the ultra long exposures done at remote observatories