Image Links Published image Full resolution Annotated image Pop up previewFull resolution Target Information Main Target Designations C4 Companion Objects NGC7023 RA Center 21h 01m 37.249s DEC Center +68° 10' 10.94" Rotation -0.720° Exposures LRGB 255'/105'/105'/120' All subframes 900" @ 1x1 Total Integration 9hrs 45min Date(s) of acquisition 20Jun2015, 12Jul201516Jul2015, 17Jul2015 Locations Whiteside, MOBelgrade, MOBourbon, MO Equipment Imager SBIG STF-8300M Telescope/Lens Orion 8" f/3.9 Astrograph Mount Celestron CGEM Guiding Apparatus OAG-8300 Guiding Camera QHY5L-II Filter Wheel FW5-8300 Wide Filters Astronomik LRGB Narrow Filters Astronomik 12nm Hα Accessories Coma Corrector Baader MPCC Mark III Collimator Orion LaserMate Focusing Bahtinov mask Software Acquisition Sequence Generator Pro Guiding PHD2 Processing PixInsight 1.8 This image presentation was last processed on 2017Feb09The original version can be found here. At long last I've added to a new category of images: nebulae!  Presenting itself in grand fashion here is the Iris Nebula, a unique blue reflection nebula in the constellation Cepheus.  As the name and type would suggest, this nebula shows cloud blooms like a flower, illuminated by the light reflecting off it from the nearby star cluster NGC7023.  As nebulae are very rarely strong visible light sources, we tend to find most at a close distance in our own galactic neighborhood.  The Iris is no different, sitting a mere 1,300 light years from us as seen through a host of stars from our galaxy. This is my first image with a brand new imaging system.  I've ditched my Olympus E-P5 for astro work and have moved to a monochrome CCD, the STF-8300M.  Along with this camera I've attached a filter wheel, which allowed me to take luminance, red, green, and blue exposures separately to compose this image.  I've also employed the use of an off-axis guider which uses the same imaging train as the main camera, which in turn provides much more accurate tracking correction without concerns of parts moving in a separate optical system (as I had done before).  The result is a major step up in image quality.  I've only scratched the surface here with 15 minute exposures, and can't wait to get back in the field to uncover more treasures.
