Pleiades Star Cluster - M45

The Pleiades also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45, is an open star cluster in the constellation Taurus.

 

This image is a mixture between a starless image and one with stars. I removed most tiny stars but kept the brigther ones, this allows you to see the faint nebulosity and also the colorful stars! I did this in Pixinsight by creating a starless version and then masking out all the small stars using a star mask. I then combined both images using Pixelmath.

 

I hope you like the Image!

 

**Equipment:**

 

* Camera: Canon EOS 6D

* Mount: Skywatcher EQ5 Pro

* Scope: Omegon Pro Astrograph 154/600

* Coma Corrector: Skywatcher Aplanatic Coma Corrector

* Guidescope: Orion 50mm Guidescope

* Autoguider: Orion StarShoot Autoguider

 

**Software (Aquisition):**

 

* Astrophotography Tool (APT)

* PHD2 Guiding

* EQMOD + ASCOM

* Stellarium

 

**Acquisition:** (5.6 Hours total Integration Time)

 

* Date: 15.09.2020 - 20.09.2020

* **Lights**: 84x240s ISO 1600

* **Flats**: 25x ISO 1600

* **Bias**: 100x ISO 1600

* **Darks**: 30x240s ISO 1600

 

**Location:**

 

* Backyard (Bortle 4)

 

**Processing:**

 

* Pixinsight

* Batch Pre-Processing (Calibrate Only)

* Star Alignment

* Image Integration

* DynamicCrop

* DynamicBackgroundExtractor

* Background Neutralization

* Starnet++

* Starmask

* Pixelmath

* Darktable:

* Contrast Equalizer

* Lowpass

* Highpass

* RGB Curve

* Contrast Brightness Saturation

* Tone Curve

* Levels

* Color Contrast

* Velvia

* Color Zones

Done