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Tuesday, March 4, 2025

HFG1, a Challenging Planetary in Cassiopeia

 I have planning to shoot this dim, diffused and large planetary nebula for a long time. The imaging season up here 65N is over in few weeks since we'll loose astronomical darkness for six months due to high latitude.

So far I have collected about 20 hours of exposures of light emitted by a triple ionized oxygen, O-III
I think it's very beautiful as it now but I'll add H-alpha light  when ever weather allows.


HFG1
Click for a large image, 2000x2000 pixels

HFG1 in O-III light only



Technical details

Processing workflow

Image acquisition, MaximDL 6
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PotoShop
Levels and curves in PotoShop.

Imaging optics, 
Celestron EDGE 14" with 0.7 Focal reducer

Mount, 
Mesu Mount Mark II

Cameras, 
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U9000M and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and SXV-AO Active Optics @ 5hz

filters, 
Astrodon 5nm H-alpha, 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III

O-III, 60 x 1200 s = 20h