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CYGNUS - NEBULAE REGION - MAJESTIC! |
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NGC
7000 and IC 5067/70 - NORTH AMERICA and PELICAN NEBULAE in CYGNUS
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About this Object: |
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A terrific region of the sky in the constellation Cygnus, this region of emission sources are among the skies most recognizsble objects. The shape of these two nebula remind most people, unmistakably, of the North America continent (top) and a Pelican (bottom). The pair rests just to west side of Deneb, the star at the top of the Swan or Northern Cross asterism. While not especially faint objects, these nebulae can be difficult to spot through telescopes because of their size. Binoculars and short focal length telescopes normally give you the better views...in dark skies, of course. If the skies are dark enough, don't be surprised if you can make out the North America Nebula with the naked eye. It's a sight to behold and a good indication as to the quality of your skies. |
Location:
Okie-Tex
Star Party, Kenton, OK
Date: September 18-19,
2006
Seeing:
3/10
Transparency: 9/10
Temperature: -25 degrees C on camera
Scope/Mount: Tak FSQ-106 @ f/5
on Paramount ME
Camera: SBIG STL-11000M astro
CCD camera
Filter: Custom Scientific 4.5 nm H-alpha
filter
Exposure Info: Ha+LRGB
image; 150:60:30:40 minutes (10 minute subexposures for LRGB, 30 minute
subexposures for Ha)
Processing Information:
Acquisition
with CCDSoft. Calibration
(darks/flats), and registration in CCDstack
(median combine). RGB
combine and Ha blending, color balance, levels/curves, and
noise removal/local contrast enhancement (Noel Carboni's Astronomy Tools) in Photoshop
CS.
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Hydrogen
Alpha Data used for image (150 minutes)
Previous Images:
Click
on the image for larger resolution (1600 x 1055 pixels)
North America and the Pelican - HaRGB image
This image of NGC 7000 and IC 5067/5070, the North America Nebula and the Pelican Nebula respectively, was acquired using two sets of data. One set is the color photograph shown immediately below and the other is the Hydrogen-alpha shot here. This technique uses the h-alpha information and blends it into the color information by becoming the "luminance" or detail layer in the image. The result perserves the color of the region while taking advantage of the details provided by the hydrogen-alpha data.
Click here to see this same object in Hydrogen-alpha light
Location: Texas Star Party 2004 near Ft. Davis, Texas
(RGB) and Eldorado Star Party 2004 near Eldorado, Texas (Luminance)
Date: May 17, 2004
(RGB) and October 15, 2004 (Luminance)
Scope/mount: Takahashi FSQ-106 @ f/5 and Tak NJP mount
Camera: SBIG STL-6303E, self-guided
Filter:
Custom Scientific 4.5nm Hydrogen-alpha filter
Exposure Info: HaLRGB image - 120:30:30:30:10 minutes (10 min.
subexposures, all unbinned).
Processing Info: Dark frame calibration (no flats),
de-blooming, registration, and Sigma combine of all channels in MaxIm 4.0.
Digital-Development in Images Plus (RGB) and MaxIm 4 (Luminance).
Blending of final data, Levels, Curves, and color balance in Photoshop
CS.
Processing Note: Original LRGB used as RGB for color information. Ha information blended 50% with Red layer in RGB set. Ha information used as luminance at 100%. Blue and Green information attenuated to allow for full luminance blend (for star halo reduction).
Click
on the image to view at larger resolution (1600 x 1063)
North America and the Pelican in Cygnus
NGC 7000 and IC 5067/5070
comprise the North America Nebula and the Pelican Nebula. These
objects lie just next to Deneb in the Northern Milky Way region
of Cygnus. The North America Nebula is rather large, approximating
the width of 4 full moons. I managed to see hints of the dark
lane between these objects with my naked eye under the dark, remote
night skies. A gorgeous and easily photographed area
of the sky.
Location: Texas Star Party 2004 near Ft. Davis, Texas
Date: May 17, 2004
Temperature: 60 degrees F
Seeing: 8/10 (1.2
FWHM)
Transparency: 9/10
Scope/mount: Takahashi FSQ-106 @ f/5 and Tak NJP mount
Camera: SBIG STL-6303E, self-guided
Exposure Info: LRGB image -
30:30:30:10 minutes (10 min.
subexposures, all unbinned).
Processing Info: Dark frame calibration (no flats),
de-blooming, registration, and Sigma combine of all channels in MaxIm 4.0.
Digital-Development in Images Plus.
Blending of final data, Levels, Curves, and color balance in Photoshop
CS.
Awards/Publications: This image won the BEST DEEP SKY PHOTOGRAPH at the 2004 Texas Star Party.
Location: Texas Star Party 2003
near Fort Davis, Texas
Seeing: 7/10
Transparency:
9/10
Date and Time: May 2, 2003 @ 2:40 AM
CST and 2:51 AM CST
Equipment: 420mm @ f4
(300mm Nikkor ED lens with TC14B teleconverter) guided with Meade
208xt
Length: A 10 minute exposure and 15 minute
exposure stacked and averaged
Film: Kodak
Royal Gold 400
Processing Information: Exposures
were registered and averaged. Then slightly cropped with a
levels adjustment and contrast increase. Slight unsharp mask
and gaussian blur applied.
Exposure Notes: I think I finally got this object about right. Shows the excellent sharpness across the entire field of the Nikon lens with teleconverter when used wide open.
Location: Texas Star Party,
near Fort Davis, Texas
Date/Time: May, 2002
Equipment:
10" LX-200 with Nikon F2 piggybacked; 200mm lens.
Film:
Kodak Royal Gold 400 Select Series
Exposure Info:
15 minute exposure at f/4; guided with SBIG STV
Processing Info: Levels adjustment and color balance in Photoshop
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