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The images below
illustrate Mira's
MaxEnt
software applied to an image of an astronomical object. The
original image was acquired using a relatively small telescope through
normally turbulent atmosphere, giving it inherently low spatial resolution.
The MaxEnt processed image is compared with a high resolution image
taken under excellent conditions by a large telescope at one of the
world's premier observatories.
-- image courtesy Dr. William McLaughlin.
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Original Image: Nebula NGC 40
The image has a Point Spread Function of 3 pixels FWHM (Full Width at Half Maximum), or about 2 arc seconds. This image has
good S/N, making it a prime candidate for good results with Maximum
Entropy Deconvolution.
Note: The central star cannot be sharpened because it is saturated.
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Mira MaxEnt Processed Image
This image
was processed using Mira's optional MaxEnt module. One may question
whether the Maximum Entropy method really increases image detail or
simply boosts contrast. How much of the improved detail is real? Compare
this processed image with the high-resolution image below. Looking
closely, you will see that details in the de-convolved image are confirmed
by the high-resolution image, some of which cannot be seen in the original
image. |
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High Resolution Image
NGC 40 comparison image obtained by the 3.5m WIYN Consortium telescope
under sub arcsecond seeing at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in
Arizona. This image has 3 to 4 times the spatial
resolution of our original image at top. Image details revealed by
MaxEnt Deconvolution are confirmed by this high-res image.
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Comparison
This animation shows all 3 images from above. The image
processed with the Mira MaxEnt module reveals most of the detail
shown by the true high-resolution image. As mentioned above, the central star
was saturated in the image, so it could not be sharpened by MaxEnt processing. |
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