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Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146)
Characteristics:
FOV 19 x 28'
Magnitude:
7.2
Distance: 4,000 light years
RA (J2000): 21h 53m 29s
Dec (J2000):
47 degrees 16' 01"
Position Angle: Minus 18 degrees (Pinpoint)
Description:
This is the second light image for my
newly modified VC200L, which now includes thinner vanes
and a outer edge mirror mask to correct a turned down edge. The
Cocoon Nebula floats like an
island within a sea of dark clouds. It is a star forming region
that contains three of the major types of nebulosities: emission,
reflection, and absorption.
These three types of gas clouds are responsible for the red, blue, and
black regions shown above. The large central star within the
Cocoon has blown a hole in the nebula and is likely responsible for
exciting the surrounding hydrogen to emit in Ha light. Please click
here for more information about this object.
Photographic Details:
Date: August 25, 26, 27, 2008
Scope: Vixen VC200L at f9 (FL = 1800 mm) on the
Takahashi NJP
Mount.
Autoguider: SBIG ST-402 with
60mm guidescope, focal length 227mm
Camera: Apogee U32 -20C.
Filters: Astronomik
Clear (unblocked), R, G, B filters.
Exposures (all unbinned):
Luminance: 42 x 5' = 210'; R: 8
x 10' = 80'; G: 8 x 10' = 80'; B: 10 x 15' = 150'. Total exposure
8.7 hours.
Conditions: Clear with FWHM
in the range of 2.6 to 2.9".
Post-processing:
Debloomed, calibrated, aligned, and Sigma
Clip combined
in Maxim. DDP
in ImagesPlus (IP). Deconvolution in Maxim using Bob
Vanderbei's Fat Tail Deconvolution script (3 iterations).
Further processing in Photoshop
CS (16
bit format).
Please
note: Graphics on this website
may not be reproduced without author permission.
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