NGC 2539 in Puppis

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Scope: Megrez 80 mm APO  at f/5.8, Location: Laguna Mountains, CA   25 February 2012  Camera: Artemis285

Exposure: 12 x 3 min  (1x1 bin) exposure with UV/IR block, 8 x 1 min (2x2 bin) RGB exposures.

Processing: Images were captured  with Artemis Capture (as FITs).  Aligned/stacked and dark subtracted in Astroart with Sigma Combine.   IR / UV Blocking  filter  and Color channels were scaled and  color balanced in Astroart.  Channels were co-registered in Astroart.  Central gradient was removed in Astroart.  Luminance channel consisted of the IR/UV blocking filter exposures.  Curves and Levels applied in Photoshop to the Luminance channel to optimize star depth.   Final LRGB combine was done in Photoshop.    Final Image size is approximately 1800 x 1350.

North is up in this image. This cluster, NGC 2539 is an open cluster located in the constellation of Puppis.  INGC 2539 roughly center in this image is estimated to be 4,000 light years distant. The bright star in the lower left is "19 Puppis" and is estimated to be only 185 light years distant - so it is a foreground star.  This image replaces an earlier image in the Archives here. Horizontal FOV is 67'

Image center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 08h 10m 42s Dec: -12°50'00"

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2012

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