I really like the wide field images folks are creating using camera lenses & DSLRs. Trying my hand at it using an old Nikon 50 mm lens coupled with a dual narrowband filter. This is also my first attempt at creating a mosaic using PixInsight. Still learning my way through this, so this is a work in progress.

Original version: Two panel mosaic of the Northern Cygnus region covering the North America, Gamma Cygni, and Veil nebulas. Data taken on the night of October 4, 2019. I've been imaging each of these targets with my 81mm refractor this fall, so it is fun to see the whole region in one image.

Second version: Added another panel to make this a three panel mosaic. Data taken on the night of November 3, 2019. Third panel was centered on the star Sadr to caputure more of the region down the spine of the northern cross.

Imaged with Nikon 50mm zoom at 150mm and F/2, Optolong L-Enhance dual narrowband filter threaded on the front of the lens, and full spectrum modified Nikon D5300. I think I messed up the F stop for this panel and the stars show lots of coma. Shot this at F/2 and the original panels were likely at F/2.8.

Pre-processed using PixInsight Batch Pre-Processing (BPP) script. Images calibrated using darks, bias, and flats. Stacked 15 subs for North American nebula region and 24 subs for Veil nebula region (180 sec at ISO 400) for a total integration time of ~1 hour for each region.

Post-processed in Pixinsight:

(1) For each mosaic panel - Pre-process stacked mosaic segment images: Crop black edges, ABE (keep linear),

(2) Apply dnaLinearFit script to match brightness of mosaic segments

(3) StarAlignment process with Working mode set to Register/Union – Separate.

(4) Generate mosaic using GradientMergeMosaic process

*Note: For three panel mosaic, completed steps 3 & 4 in two passes. First pass with two panels, Second pass with the mosaic of panels 1,2 and panel 3.

(5) Additional post-processing on linaer mosaic: MLT for noise reduction, Photometric Color Calibration, Masked stretch, Histogram Transformation Tool with settings from STF, Curves Transformation, ACDNR for noise reduction, HDR transform, Morphological Transformation to shrink stars, and Color Saturation boost.