NGC 225 and vdB 4

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW (2600x1950)

Scope: Explore Scientific MN152  Maksutov Newtonian at f/4.8, Location: Laguna Mountains, CA   18 October 2014  Camera: ST8300M

Exposure: Exposure: 13 x 10 min  (1x1 bin) exposure with UV/IR block,  8 x 4.5 min (2x2 bin) RGB exposures.

Processing: Data Collection -  CCDSoft (as FITs).  Calibrated, stacked (Sigma Kappa Combine) in Deep Sky Stacker, L - RGB channel registration, equalization, central gradient removal - Astroart.  Curves, Levels, and Luminance development, RGB combine - Images Plus. Finishing  - Photoshop. Color calibration with eXcalibrator. This image is UV/IR Block for the Luminance channel and then a LRGB combine with Luminance layering.  Saturation in LAB color.   Final Image size is approximately 3352x2532 resized to 2600x1950.

North is to the right in this image.  This field dominated by the open cluster NGC 225 (on the right) and the dark lane to the South (left) of NGC 225 is in the constellation of Cassiopeia. The blue reflection nebula on the right is van den Bergh 4 also known as LBN 604. Also in this image are the open clusters NGC 189 and Stock 24. There are several cataloged dark objects running horizontally through the center of the image. These objects and some of the brighter stars are highlighted in the annotated image. Distance to NGC 225  is  2,140 light years; to NGC 189 is 2,450 light years; to stack 24 is a more distant 9,190 light years. This image replaces an earlier image seen here in the archives  Horizontal FOV is 88'

Image center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 00h 43m 07s Dec: +61°29'51"

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2014

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