The Draco Nebula and MBM 42, MBM 43

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW (3800x2850)

Scope: Explore Scientific MN152 at f/4.8, Location: DAA Observatory, Shelter Valley, CA, 5 and 13 May 2021  Camera: ASI1600M (Astronomik Gen 2  LRGB Filters)

Exposure: Exposure: L - 64 x 4 minutes (gain-220 1x1) ,  RGB - 20 each x 3 minutes  - ( gain-121 1x1).

Processing: Data Collection -  Sequence Generator Pro (as FITs).  Sub-frame calibration - Pixinsight. Sub-frame  registration and integration (Average combine -  Winsorized Sigma Clipping) - PixInsight.  Mure Denoise - PixInsight. Non-linear stretching, normalization and gradient removal - PixInsight. Generation of starless nebulosity image (Luminance) - Star XTerrminator  Curves, Levels, RGB combine, Luminance layering - PixInsight.  Final finishing  - Affinity Photo.  Photometric RGB calibration - PixInsight. Annotation - PixInsight, Aladin (Simbad and NED), and Affinity Photo. This image is a  LRGB with luminance layering. The monochrome starless was combined with a full monochrome image (two stops down in stretch) to minimize star bloat (using pixel math). Image processed at 4656x3520 resolution. Final Image size is approximately  3800x2850.

North is up in this image.  This image captures the central portion of the generally named "Draco Nebula". The more well known catalogs do not cover this area - but MBM 42 and MBM 43 in this image are in the generally known Magnani, Blitz, Mundy catalog of Molecular clouds at High Galactic Latitudes . What is unique with this complex is that they are high velocity clouds (around 23 km/sec). While this image does not contain popular objects, there are some fairly interesting items. The distant galaxy cluster NSC j165342+611800 is about 2.15 billion light years distant (redshift lookback time).  Several other galaxies are also in this image and range from 652 to 881 million light years distant. There are also a number of visible Quasars that range in redshift from 0.100 to 2.900 (1.29 to 11.46 billion light years Lookback). These objects, information, background galaxies and some of the brighter stars are identified in the annotated image. Horizontal FOV is approximately 85 arc minutes. Full size image scale is approximately 1.34 arcsec/pix.. 

Image center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 16h 53m 50s Dec: 61° 11 22"

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2021

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