Don… here is a comment after your post in that thread. I selected your image as IOTW on TAIC because I saw what I thought was a very good image and from seeing your past efforts, a significant improvement in your processing. This also is a nice image with improved processing from your earlier efforts.
At least in my opinion, I hold the DSW data to a much higher standard. It's shared by many people and it's hard to have any image from that data set stand out from the crowd. The quality of the data also exceeds almost all data I've worked with. Lloyds done an excellent job in providing a great site with great skies and excellent raw material to work with. I think it's been numbing people a little bit to excellent widefield work which is very challenging to do, especially for many that set up at home in worse conditions with rarely clear skies. Some people who get continual IOTD awards from that data set have just amassed a large following for a variety of reasons and it's usually playing the game a little more or being popular before joining the group.
Also, the best images of targets don't always get the recognition. I'll be blunt since we are on that topic… the blue snowball that won IOTD a couple of days ago was quite good. Just matter of factly speaking however, it was not as deep, it didn't have as good colors, it didn't have as many details, it didn't have background ifn, the concentric shells weren't well defined, and it had a large diffraction spike through it distracting and hiding much of the structure, while the image I posted at almost the same time of the same target wasn't even selected for a top pick, let alone IOTD. The better images are rarely the ones selected as IOTD. Have you seen the quality of some of the Horsehead IOTDs? It's not always about which images are best.
The awards and digital trophies here can't be taken too seriously. It's a popularity contest, a superficial view of thumbnail presentations, and a very minimal side gig for a few folks who aren't worried about whether yours or anyone's images get their proper recognition. You can't take it too seriously and typically forums provide better feedback on processing techniques anyways. This place is typically much more about doing an excellent job hosting images and providing details and getting very organized and sharing and allowing people high fives and pats on the back. All of that being said, your image there is quite nice. In my opinion, with the quality of the data, there is too much noise reduction and the stars are too soft. It's not real bad, but I think could be better. The colors and enhancements of the structures are very nice. It's been fun to see you coming along with your processing skills.
