NGC 2264 (Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula) (JDJ)

NGC 2264 (Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula)

Revision title: NGC2264 XMAS style

Imaged the Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC2264) over the course of four nights in March 2023. Finally getting around to processing late in 2023 just in time for Christmas....

Imaged with a William Optics GT81 at F4.7 (382 mm focal length) using Flat6A II field flattener/0.8x reducer, Optolong LeNhance dual narrowband filter, and ZWO ASI 533MC Pro. Total integration time of ~8 hours: LENH NB filter = 116 subs at Gain = 100 with an exposure time of 240 seconds.

All images pre-processed using Pixinsight's weighted batch pre-processing script (WBPP) to perform calibration, debayering, registration, local normalization, and integration. Background removed using GradXpert. Initial post-processing in Pixinsight: spectrophotometric color calibration, blur x terminator, and noise x terminator. Generated stars only version using StarXTerminator.

Stars image processing: Histogram stretch using STF stretch parameters. Star reduction using blur x terminator and morphalogical transformation processes.

Starless image processing (for nebulosity): Masked stretch, generalized hyperbolic stretch, curves adjustment, and additional pass with noise x terminator. Narrowband normalization process (Mode 1) used to generate SHO palette style image. Curves transformation in Hue mode to generate green 'christmas tree style' version. Final image generated by combining stars only and starless images using Pixelmath process.

Original version: NGC2264 in HOO

Rev B: NGC2264 in HOO, starless

Rev C: NGC2264 SHO style

Rev D: NGC2264 SHO style, starless

Rev E: NGC2264 XMAS style

Rev F: NGC2264 XMAS style, starless

B

Description: NGC2264 in HOO, starless

Uploaded: ...

C

Description: NGC2264 SHO style

Uploaded: ...

D

Description: NGC2264 SHO style, starless

Uploaded: ...

E

Title: NGC2264 XMAS style

Description: NGC2264 XMAS style

Uploaded: ...

F

Description: NGC2264 XMAS style, starless version

Uploaded: ...

Starless Images
William Optics GT Series
ASI533MC Pro
Duo-band, Tri-band, and Quad-band Imaging
Hubble Palette Group
The refractors!
Cloudy Nights
Optolong L-eNhance filter
Suburban Astrophotography

	Distinct awarded users	Total awarded images
Image of the day
Top picks
Top pick nominations

	Image of the day	Top pick	Top pick nominations	Total submitted
Deep sky
Solar system
Extremely wide field
Star trails
Northern lights
Noctilucent clouds
Landscape

	Image of the day	Top pick	Top pick nominations	Total submitted
Backyard
Traveller
Own remote observatory
Amateur hosting facility
Public amaeteur data
Professional, scientific grade data
Mix of multiple sources
Other
Unknown

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	8959051
PixInsight job	U4G2ZKAVD4RF43WIV3L8UGYZZQHU0IWU
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	TASK_LOG

RA (center)	06h41m07s.54
RA (top/left)	06h36m38s.49
RA (top/right)	06h40m46s.53
RA (bottom/right)	06h45m36s.63
RA (bottom/left)	06h41m28s.78

Dec (center)	+09°55′32″.9
Dec (top/left)	+10°03′09″.9
Dec (top/right)	+08°49′02″.3
Dec (bottom/right)	+09°47′41″.1
Dec (bottom/left)	+11°02′02″.5

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