2021 Oct. 28 ~ The Cocoon Nebula (IC5146) & Dark Cigar Nebula (B168) in the constellation Cygnus

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Photographed at Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, between 21.57 and 22.21 EDT

(285 km by road north of Toronto)

* Altitude of centre of frame at time of exposures: ~56°

* Temperature 5 C.

 

* Total exposure time: 12 minutes

* 660 mm focal length telescope

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Description:

 

There are actually three deep-sky objects in this image: (i) the pinkish Cocoon Nebula (IC5146), (ii) the associated open star cluster Cr 470, which appears embedded in the cocoon Nebula, and (iii) stretching out to the right (west in the sky) the dark nebula B (Barnard) 168. The first two objects are located about 4,000 light years from our solar system.

 

The Cocoon Nebula is a star nursery, and the associated stars within Cr 470 are young, hot, blue stars ~100,000 years of age.

 

For a version of this photo WITH LABELS, click on the RIGHT side of your screen, or click here:

www.flickr.com/photos/97587627@N06/51639702940

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Technical information:

 

Nikon D810a camera body on Tele Vue 127is (127 mm - 5" - diameter) apochromatic astrograph, mounted on Astrophysics 1100GTO equatorial mount

 

Twelve stacked frames; each frame:

660 mm focal length

ISO 8000; 1 minute exposure at f/5.2; unguided

With long exposure noise reduction

 

Subframes stacked in RegiStar;

Processed in Photoshop CS6 (levels, colour balance, bright star bloating reduction)

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Done