back to » nebulae

C4 (The Iris Nebula)

C4 - The Iris Nebula in Cepheus (Version 2) C4 - The Iris Nebula in Cepheus (Version 2) ©2017 Frederick Steiling
Image Links
Full resolution
Pop up preview
Full 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, 12Jul2015
16Jul2015, 17Jul2015
Locations Whiteside, MO
Belgrade, MO
Bourbon, 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 2017Feb09
The 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.

share this item
facebook googleplus linkedin rss twitter youtube
More in this category: Sh2-86 / NGC6820 / NGC6823 »