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LBN 406 in Draco

 

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR  FULL SIZE VIEW (3200x2400)

Scope: FSQ-106N refractor at f/5, Location: Laguna Mountains, CA  5 April 2014  Camera: ST8300M

Exposure: 20 x 13 min  (1x1 bin) exposure with UV/IR block, 8 x 4.5 min (2x2 bin) RGB exposures.

Processing: Data Collection -  CCDSoft (as FITs).  Calibrated, stacked (Sigma Kappa Combine) in Deep Sky Stacker, L - RGB channel registration, equalization, central gradient removal - Astroart.  Curves, Levels, L - RGB combine and finishing  - Photoshop. Final color Calibration with eXcalibrator. This image is UV/IR Block for the Luminance channel and then a LRGB combine with Luminance layering.     Final Image size is approximately 3352x2532 resized to 3200x2400.

North is up in this image. LBN 406 is a broad, very faint region of dust reflecting nearby star shine - also referred to as a Molecular Cloud. It is the dominant central object in this image and is sometimes given the common name of the "Laughing Skull Nebula". Its hard to see a resemblance, but the skull jaw would be to the right and the eyes are facing up. Also in the upper left is a portion of a similar cloud of dust - LBN 413. Toward the lower edge is a Saturn like object that is really a interesting distant galaxy known as UGC 10548. There are numerous other small galaxies visible in this image. Here is a link to an Annotated Image to help you locate some of the more visible ones. Horizontal FOV is 115'

 

Image center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 16h 46m 01.2s Dec: +60°08'50" 

 

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2014

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