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Scope: C8 at f/3.3, Location: Laguna Mountains, CA 19 August 2006, Camera: Artemis285
Exposure: 8 x 360 sec H-Alpha (1x1), 5 x 120 sec IR/UV Block Filter (1x1), 6 x 90 sec RGB Exposures (2x2).
Processing: Images were captured with Artemis Capture (as FITs). Aligned/stacked in Registax 3 and saved as FITS. Luminance, H-Alpha, IR/UV Block, and Color channels were scaled and color balanced in Astroart. Channels were co-registered in Astroart. Central Gradient removal was done in Astroart. Curves and Levels applied in Photoshop to optimize object features. Luminance construction consisted of the H-Alpha exposure mixed with the IR/UV Block exposure. Final LRGB combine was done in Photoshop using Luminance Layering (or LLRGB) - G2V calibration factors and Atmospheric Extinction factors were applied. Astronomy Tools Space Noise Reduction was applied at 50% . Selective sharpening was applied to nebula features in Photoshop with a layer mask. . Final Image size is approximately 1392x1040.
All exposures in this image were guided; North is up in this image. This object is referenced in two catalogues Caldwell 9 and SH2-155. It is also popularly known as the Cave Nebula. This object is located in the constellation of Cepheus. One distinctive feature is the dark area left of the bright nebula with few stars. This is a region of dust obscuring the star field behind it. This image replaces and earlier image that can be seen in the Archives here . The Horizontal FOV is 46'.
Image center is located approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 22h 56m 42s Dec: +62°37'29"