IC5146 "Cocoon Nebula" in Cygnus

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Scope: C8 at f/6,  Location: Blair Valley, Anza Borrego Desert, CA   16 September 2006,   Camera: Artemis285

Exposure: 7 x 420 sec H-Alpha (1x1),  5 x 180 sec IR/UV Block Filter (1x1), 6 x 120 sec RGB Exposures (2x2). 

Processing: Images were captured  with Artemis Capture (as FITs).  Aligned/stacked in Registax 3 and saved as FITS. Luminance,  H-Alpha, IR/UV Block,  and Color channels were scaled and  color balanced in Astroart. Channels were co-registered in Astroart.  Curves and Levels applied in Photoshop to optimize object features. Luminance construction consisted of the H-Alpha exposure mixed with the IR/UV Block exposure. Final LRGB combine was done in Photoshop using Luminance Layering (or LLRGB) - G2V calibration factors and Atmospheric Extinction factors were applied. .  Noel's Astronomy Tools Space NR applied 50% to the luminance construction.  Final Image size is approximately 1392x1040.

All exposures in this image were guided; North is up in this image. IC 5146 is also known as the Cocoon Nebula. The Cocoon Nebula is located in the constellation of Cygnus. This object is a star cluster embedded in gaseous emission area.  Distance estimates vary but the approximate distance from Earth is about 3,000 light years.  This image replaces an earlier image in my archives here   The Horizontal FOV is 26'.

Image center is located approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 21h 53m 24s Dec: +47°16'00"

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2012

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