Helix Nebula in Aquarius

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Scope: C8  f/4.8 Location: Laguna Mountains, CA   20 OCtober 2005  Camera: Artemis285

Exposure: 8 x 8 min H-Alpha (1x1 bin), 8 x 4  min IR Block (1x1 bin), 8 x 2 min RGB Exposures (2x2 bin)

Processing: Images were captured Artemis Capture (as FITs). Aligned/stacked and dark subtracted in Astroart with Sigma Combine.   H-Alpha, IR Block,  and Color channels were scaled and  color balanced in Astroart.  Channels were co-registered in Astroart.   Central Gradient removal was performed in Astroart on the RGB color channels.  The H-Alpha exposure was the main exposure for the luminance construction - the IR block exposure was combined (lighten combine) with the H-Alpha for star depth with the fainter stars and the blue inner region of  the nebula.    Final LRGB combine was done in Photoshop using Luminance Layering in LAB color space.   Color balancing and final touches were done in Photoshop.  A light background noise was done on the final result in PixInsight LE. Selectic sharpening of the inner ring was performed in Photoshop.  Final Image size is approximately 1392x1040.

All exposures in this image were guided; North is up in this image. NGC 7293 (the Helix Nebula) is a planetary nebula - it is likely one of the closest to Earth at about 450 light years - but that distance is not certain. This image replaces an earlier image that can be seen in the Archives here.  The Horizontal FOV is 32'.

Image center is located approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 22h 29m 38s Dec: -20°50'11"

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

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