NGC 7023 Iris Nebula

On the 4th April 2023 the nearly full moon was casting its light across the sky, but up in the Northern constellation of Cepheus the Iris Nebula was still visible.

 

Many of the nebulae visible in the night sky are emission nebulae since they are clouds of dust and gas that are hot enough to emit their own radiation and light. The Iris Nebula or NGC 7023, is a reflection nebula. This means that its colour comes from the scattered light of its central star, which lies nestled in the abundant star fields of the constellation Cepheus. Located some 1,400 light-years away from Earth, the Iris Nebula’s glowing gaseous petals stretch roughly 6 light-years across. You can also see extensive streams of brownish dust and gas obscuring the distant stars beyond this nebula.

 

I managed about two hour on this target in the small hours of the morning before finding myself falling asleep. Stayed awake just long enough to pack up all my gear and in bed by 4:30 am.

 

There is something wrong with this hobby.

 

Equipment Used

 

Telescope: William Optics Zenithstar 81 APO

Mount: SkyWatcher EQ6-R Pro

 

Controller: ZWO ASIAIR Plus

Main Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro at gain 101, temperature -10C

Filter: ZWO IR cut-off (Infrared block) filter

Focal reducer: William Optics 0.8x 2.00"

Focuser: ZWO EAF

Guide Camera: ZWO ASI290MM Mini guidecam

Guide Scope: William Optics 50mm

Flat Panel: PegasusAstro Flatmaster250

 

Stacked from:

Lights 30 at 300s, gain 101, temp -10C

Darks 30 at 300s, gain 101, temp -10C

Flats 30 at 10s, gain 101, temp -10C

DarkFlats 30 at 10s, gain 101 temp -10C

 

Bortle 4 sky.

Stacked in AstroPixelProcessor and adjusted in Photoshop CS4 and Topaz DeNoise AI

 

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Done