Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cepheus (Cep)  ·  Contains:  HD200775  ·  Iris Nebula  ·  LBN 475  ·  LBN 487  ·  LDN 1167  ·  LDN 1168  ·  LDN 1170  ·  LDN 1171  ·  LDN 1172  ·  LDN 1173  ·  LDN 1174  ·  NGC 7023  ·  T Cep
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Iris on the Side (NGC 7023), estabrook
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Iris on the Side (NGC 7023)

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
Iris on the Side (NGC 7023), estabrook
Powered byPixInsight

Iris on the Side (NGC 7023)

Equipment

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Acquisition details

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Description

This season I've been concentrating on galaxies, of course, but my primary targets generally set behind my house by 2:00 am or so, leaving me with a couple hours of unused darkness.  These are potentially the best hours of the night, since neighbors tend to turn out their lights before bed, reducing overall light pollution.

To make use of this time, I've been experimenting with the ASI Air Pro's Plan mode, which allows enables the telescope to move from target to target throughout the night.  What a boon for astro-productivity!

So in addition to my Galaxy Season projects, I've been capturing an Iris on the side.  The Iris Nebula (NGC 7023) rises just over my northern neighbor's house just as the galaxies are setting, and I've been able to collect just over 7 hours of useful data on it over the past few weeks (and quite a few hours of bad data too).

I am a little disappointed that 7 hours of imaging didn't reveal more of the brown dust surrounding the reflection nebula.  Perhaps that was too much to hope for in my Bortle 8 skies, and perhaps my annual summer visit to a Bortle 4 area will yield better data.  

Aside from that, I'm pleased with the richness and color I was able to capture--with very little effort!

Comments

Revisions

  • Final
    Iris on the Side (NGC 7023), estabrook
    Original
  • Iris on the Side (NGC 7023), estabrook
    D

D

Description: Added some dark structure enhancement in PixInsight.

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Sky plot

Sky plot

Histogram

Iris on the Side (NGC 7023), estabrook