u/One-Pomegranate-3926

https://preview.redd.it/55lchza444tg1.png?width=1233&format=png&auto=webp&s=709124565113e51f98e3a965f8200dea888edf02

This a screenshot
Acquisition & Processing Details

Equipment:

• Camera: Sony a6000 (Unmodified)
• Lens: TTArtisan 50mm f/1.2 (Manual)
• Aperture: f/2 (Stopped down for star sharpness and 10-point diffraction spikes)
• Tripod: Basic Manual Panhead K&F brand

Acquisition:

• Focal Length: 50mm (Full-frame / No Crop)
• Light Frames: ~825 x 3.2" (Total Integration: ~44 Minutes)
• ISO: 3200
• Calibration: 50 Darks, 50 Bias, 10 flats
• Bortle Class: Bortle 3
• Focusing: Bahtinov Mask on Alnitak using 11.7x LCD Magnifier

Processing:

• Stacking: DeepSkyStacker (Kappa-Sigma clipping)
• Background Extraction: Heavy gradient removal to pull the Witch Head (IC 2118) out of the background glow.
• Color Calibration: Balanced for the distinct blue reflection of the Witch Head against the deep H-Alpha reds of Barnard’s Loop.
• Final Touch: Levels/Curves in Photoshop to stretch the faint dust lanes without blowing out the Trapezium core in M42.

Starless editing in Siril using Starnet++ was also used. Minimum filters were also used in Photoshop. About a 500 percent enlargement from the original

https://preview.redd.it/aqdlyuge14tg1.png?width=1005&format=png&auto=webp&s=66a15a6b2532064393a91094b4fa55b478c4cf4a

This a screenshot
Acquisition & Processing Details

Equipment:

• Camera: Sony a6000 (Unmodified)
• Lens: TTArtisan 50mm f/1.2 (Manual)
• Aperture: f/2 (Stopped down for star sharpness and 10-point diffraction spikes)
• Tripod: Basic Manual Panhead K&F brand

Acquisition:

• Focal Length: 50mm (Full-frame / No Crop)
• Light Frames: ~825 x 3.2" (Total Integration: ~44 Minutes)
• ISO: 3200
• Calibration: 50 Darks, 50 Bias, 10 flats
• Bortle Class: Bortle 3
• Focusing: Bahtinov Mask on Alnitak using 11.7x LCD Magnifier

Processing:

• Stacking: DeepSkyStacker (Kappa-Sigma clipping)
• Background Extraction: Heavy gradient removal to pull the Witch Head (IC 2118) out of the background glow.
• Color Calibration: Balanced for the distinct blue reflection of the Witch Head against the deep H-Alpha reds of Barnard’s Loop.
• Final Touch: Levels/Curves in Photoshop to stretch the faint dust lanes without blowing out the Trapezium core in M42.

Starless editing in Siril using Starnet++ was also used. Minimum filters were also used in Photoshop. I think the 44 min integration is a limitation, but I am quite satisfied with the fact that Barnard's Loop and the Witch Head Nebula are distinct from the background noise