Behold the Iris Nebula: A Cosmic Jewel Captured from Earth
A celestial wonder, the Iris Nebula, also known as NGC 7023, is a reflection nebula located in the constellation Cepheus. It's a popular target for astrophotographers, and this recent capture truly showcases its intricate beauty.
What makes this image particularly impressive is that it was captured from Los Angeles, CA, a Bortle 9 zone known for its significant light pollution. Despite these challenging conditions, the detail and color present in the Iris Nebula are simply stunning.
Capturing the Cosmos from the City
Here's a glimpse into the equipment and processing that brought this image to life:
Equipment:
- 8" Meade LX200 f/10 SCT
- ZWO ASI533MC Camera
- Guide Scope
- ZWO AM5 Mount
- ASIAIR Plus
Processing:
The image is an integration of 35 x 180-second subs, totaling 1 hour and 45 minutes of acquisition time. The post-processing pipeline involved several key steps using Pixinsight:
- Integration: Combining all captured subs.
- Background Removal: Addressing and minimizing light pollution.
- Spectrophotometric Calibration: Correcting color balance.
- BlurXterminator: Enhancing sharpness and reducing blur.
- Noise Reduction: Minimizing digital noise.
- Histogram Stretch: Adjusting brightness and contrast.
- Star Reduction & Removal: Refining the appearance of stars.
- Curves/HDR Transformation: Further enhancing dynamic range and detail.
- Star Combination: Reintroducing stars after processing.
- Curves Transformation: Final color and tonal adjustments.
This dedication to detail in both acquisition and processing has resulted in a truly remarkable image of the Iris Nebula, proving that even from a light-polluted city, the wonders of the universe are within reach for dedicated astrophotographers.
