Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Auriga (Aur)  ·  Contains:  24 phi Aur  ·  IC 417  ·  NGC 1931  ·  Sh2-234  ·  Sh2-237  ·  The star φAur
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IC 417/NGC 1931, "The Spider and the Fly", Hα(HαR)GB, 12-13 Nov 2018, David Dearden
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IC 417/NGC 1931, "The Spider and the Fly", Hα(HαR)GB, 12-13 Nov 2018

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
IC 417/NGC 1931, "The Spider and the Fly", Hα(HαR)GB, 12-13 Nov 2018, David Dearden
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IC 417/NGC 1931, "The Spider and the Fly", Hα(HαR)GB, 12-13 Nov 2018

Equipment

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Acquisition details

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Description

This target was definitely overdue for a new try with my newer gear and (hopefully) improved skills since the last attempt in 2014, so I added it to my list. I think the image would have benefitted from some additional integration, especially to bring out more of the “spider’s” “legs,” but this is what I was able to get this time around. It does look a lot better than my last attempt, 4 years ago, so I guess I have learned a little since then!

Date: 12-13 Nov 2018

Subject: IC 417/NGC 1931, “The Spider and the Fly”

Scope: AT8IN+High Point Scientific Coma Corrector

Filters: ZWO 31 mm diameter unmounted 7 nm Hα, R, G, B

Mount: EQ-6 (EQMOD 2.000j)+PEC

Guiding: Orion Thin Off-axis Guider + DSI IIc +PHD 2.6.5 (Win 10 ASCOM)

Camera: ASI1600MM-Cool, -20 °C, Gain 139 Offset 21

Acquisition: Sequence Generator Pro 3.0.3.140

Exposure: 48x300 Hα, 24x180 R, 25x180 G, & 25x180 B

Stacking: Deep Sky Stacker 4.1.1 (64-bit) dark+flat (no bias), κ-σ stacking with κ = 1.5.

Processing: StarTools 1.4.332: Software binned all subs 2x2. Vignette wiped the Hα, color & vignette wiped the RGB, stretched, and HDR optimized. Deconvoluted (3 pixels) and untrack denoised the Hα; processed RGB without deconvolution because I knew I was going to blur it anyway. Used Photoshop to combine Hα with RGB using Starizona Method 2. Did a few rounds of levels and curves, followed by deep space noise reduction on the combination, then AstroFrame.

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IC 417/NGC 1931, "The Spider and the Fly", Hα(HαR)GB, 12-13 Nov 2018, David Dearden