Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cepheus (Cep)  ·  Contains:  HD200775  ·  Iris Nebula  ·  LBN 487  ·  LDN 1174  ·  NGC 7023  ·  PGC 2817439
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NGC 7023.  Iris Cropped to the Core, Alan Brunelle
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NGC 7023. Iris Cropped to the Core

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NGC 7023.  Iris Cropped to the Core, Alan Brunelle
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NGC 7023. Iris Cropped to the Core

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Description

Found data resulted in this image.  I have always thought that I could get better data on the Iris vs my first two attempts.  I did collect a bunch more data on NGC 7023.  I even tried to process it.  But I must have failed because the data was found in a folder that was named 7023 Dud.  I thought that I had better revisit this.  In doing so, I decided to add this to the data from 2 other aquisitions.  This image includes 200 second, 240 second, and 300 second subs for a total integration time of 8.94 hours.  This is the most time I have ever put into any single object with my RASA.  I had hoped to see an impact on the image quality, certainly the signal depth.  And that bore out!  I could see a fair amount of detail and features from the unstretched image.  The sacrifice was that the orientations of the three sessions were different, and combining the data resulted in a severe crop.  But that is not the image I am presenting here.  That is revision B.  This image is a significant crop from even that.  I guess I decided to go all artsy on this one.  Since I already have two other wide field views of NGC 7023, I decided that the better signal and resolution could be put to better use by offering a cropped version to create a more dramatic presentation.  Supporting this was also the much better detail I got in return of the large amount of data and the "modern" processing methods. 

This image is a rather lightly stretched view (that is compared to my other images, which are more like 2-3 hours of integration time).  The image of the Iris itself may seem a bit dark, but I did not want to wash out the sharpness of the image core with saturation.  And I believe the detail is interesting to look more deeply into this gem of a reflection nebula.  Darker versions offer detail in other areas, etc.  But this one seemed the best compromise.  I love the complex ridges of reflecting dust just to the right of the very bright young star that is the primary illuminating feature of this nebula.  These seem to be separated by clear lanes.  They also seem to have features that cross at oblique angles.  These linear features have different densities and indeed the middle one seems to have a flocculance that the others do not.  They actually remind me of jet airplane contrail vortecies.  The dense core found at about 1 o'clock contains numerous YSO, partially and fully embedded in the cloud.  I like the faint reddish signal that can be seen just below one of these red YSO.  It reminds me of a glowing ember.  But oddly, no stars can be seen embedded within this red area, even in IR images of the area.  So the red may be some H alpha signal.  Hard to imagine since so many of the reflective clouds seem to show no propensity for hydrogen excitation.  The whole area seems starved (relatively) of hydrogen. (Note in edit: I have seen an image from a 4 meter telescope that makes it plainly obvious that this red color is a reflection nebula, likely a result of the red star just above the red glow.)

Revision B is the "uncropped" image.  But again, most of the field was lost during registration because of frame rotation during collection.  Certainly this is a more typical view of this nebula, but very much cropped over the original subs.  This revision is processed with the more extended molecular clouds in mind.  So the Iris, itself, is a bit over stretched.  Certainly, when compared to my old image of this object I feel is is a very much improved image.

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Revisions

  • Final
    NGC 7023.  Iris Cropped to the Core, Alan Brunelle
    Original
  • NGC 7023.  Iris Cropped to the Core, Alan Brunelle
    D

D

Title: Widefield Version Revised, SPCC, CT(Saturation), Denoise

Description: Should be more color correct with SPCC. I did boost saturation and lowered noise.

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NGC 7023.  Iris Cropped to the Core, Alan Brunelle