NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW (2802x1909)

Scope: Celestron 9.25 Edge HD 235 mm at f/7, Location: DAA Observatory, Shelter Valley, CA, 3 and 10 June 2021  Camera: ASI294MM (Baader  LRGB Filters)

Exposure: Exposure: L - 25 x 4.5 minutes (gain-121 2x2) and 32 x  6 minutes (gain-180, 2x2),  RGB - 20 x 3 min each filter (gain-121 2x2).

Processing: Data Collection -  Sequence Generator Pro (as FITs).  Sub-frame calibration - Pixinsight. Sub-frame  registration and integration (Average combine -  Winsorized Sigma Clipping) - PixInsight.  Mure Denoise - PixInsight. Non-linear stretching, normalization and gradient removal - PixInsight.   Curves, Levels,  RGB combine, Luminance layering - PixInsight.  Final finishing  - Affinity Photo.  Photometric RGB calibration - PixInsight. Annotation - PixInsight, Aladin (Simbad and NED), and Affinity Photo. This image is a  LRGB with luminance layering.  Image processed at 4144x2822 resolution. Final Image size is approximately  2802x1909.

North is up in this image.  This is an image of the galaxy NGC 6946 also popularly known as the Fireworks Galaxy. It is partially obscured by dust in the arms of our own Milky Way galaxy and doesn't shine as bright as its brightness and distance would suggest -  it is about 19 million light years distant. NGC 6946 has been well studied  - many objects within its structure have been identified and catalogued. Some of its brighter star clusters are identified in the annotated image linked below. There is also a smaller, more distant galaxy that can be seen in the lower right corner (2MASX J20324060+6000181) - its distance is about 324 million light years.    These objects, information, and some of the brighter stars are identified in the annotated image.  Horizontal FOV is approximately 39 arc minutes. Full size image scale is approximately 0.84 arcsec/pix.. 

Image center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 20h 34m 52s Dec: +60°09'14"

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2022

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