This telescopic close-up shows off the otherwise faint emission nebula IC 410 in striking false-colors. It also features two remarkable inhabitants of the cosmic pond of gas and dust above and right of center, the tadpoles of IC 410. The picture is a composite of images taken through narrow band filters. The narrow band image data traces atoms in the nebula, with emission from sulfur atoms in red, hydrogen atoms in green, and oxygen in blue. Partly obscured by foreground dust, the nebula itself surrounds NGC 1893, a young galactic cluster of stars that energizes the glowing gas. Composed of denser cooler gas and dust the tadpoles are around 10 light-years long, potentially sites of ongoing star formation. Sculpted by wind and radiation from the cluster stars, their tails trail away from the cluster's central region. IC 410 lies some 12,000 light-years away, toward the constellation Auriga. [Source APOD]

The image was captured with the Meade 12"LX200, using the Atik 383L+ mono at F7.16 (i.e. 2182mm FL). Astronomik's Ha, OIII and SII narrow band filters were used. All subs were taken at 1x1 bin, -10C, and 10 minutes each.

First Image --

Ha : 23 subs (3.83 hr) on Dec 23rd and 25th.

OIII : 18 subs (3.00 hr) on Dec 25th and 28th.

SII : 19 subs (3.17 hr) on Dec 25th, 26th and 28th.

Second Image -- An Additional

OIII : 30 subs (5.00 hr) on Jan 3rd and 4th.

SII : 19 subs (3.17 hr) on Jan 3rd and 4th.

Color mix for the image was done per the Hubble palette:

Red = SII, Green = Ha, Blue = OIII

Processing was done with PixInsight. Each filter set was integrated, processed and stretched. These were then combined with PixelMath per the Hubble palette. This final image was further processed in PI, bringing it to the level presented. The additional OIII and SII on Jan 3rd and 4th gave the second image a bit more character in color. Makes me wonder if I should not go back and get more Ha.

North is up, and this is a very slight crop. I am overall pleased with the outcome. I continue to use my purchased version of Sequence Generator Pro, for all of the camera controls, including auto-focusing and image framing.

EDIT 1/16/2015:

Third image added. This is simply a reprocessing of image #2. Reduced the green and emphasized the yellow i.a.w. Jim Morse's Cribsheet.