Observation Log - March 31, 2000 - Tinton Falls, NJ

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M27, the Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula, a planetary nebula, magnitude 7.6, dimensions 8'.0 x 4'.7, distance is 815 light years. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer, for an effective f/ratio of f/4. This is an LRGB composite created from images taken on March 26, and March 31, 2000. The Luminance channel is a composite of 6 images totaling 15 minutes; red channel is 5 images totaling 11 minutes; green is 4 images for 9 minutes; and blue is 4 images for 8 minutes. Each channel was processed separately with dark frame removal, flat field and compositing. Then the four composites were color combined and aligned into a color composite. This image was color balanced, saturation adjusted and realigned, and then a MaxIm Digital Development filter was used (FFT low-pass, mild) to create the final image. The last process was a contrast stretch. It should be noted that the color balance in this photo was adjusted to be pleasing to the eye and relatively true to what an observer with a large telescope might hint at seeing. Most observers report this object as "faintly green" and that is the way I have tried to adjust it. Photos from other sources often show this object as mostly red or mostly blue, so without some form of calibration, it is up to the photographer to select the final color balance.

NGC5566/5560/5569, three spiral galaxies in Virgo. NGC 5566 is in the center, magnitude 10.5, length 6'.5. NGC 5560 is on the right, magnitude 12.4, length 3'.9. NGC 5569 is on the left, magnitude 15.0, diameter 1'.9. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer, for an effective f/ratio of f/4. This is a composite of 19 images with a total integration time of 59 minutes.Images were processed with dark frame removal, flat frame, then compositing, MaxIm Digital Development (FFT low-pass, mild hardness), and finally a contrast stretch. Images were taken between 1:48 a.m. and 3:13 a.m. the morning of the 31st. For reference, the bright star to the left of NGC 5566 is magnitude 11.92. The brightest star on the right is magnitude 14.07. The bright star between NGC 5569 and NGC 5560 is magnitude 13.27.

NGC5921, a spiral galaxy in Serpens Caput, magnitude 10.8, length 4'.9. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer, for an effective f/ratio of f/4. This is a composite of 9 images with a total integration time of 21 minutes.Images were processed with dark frame removal, flat frame, then compositing, MaxIm Digital Development (FFT low-pass, mild hardness), low-pass kernel filter, and finally a contrast stretch. Images were taken between 3:22 a.m. and 3:59 a.m. the morning of the 31st.

M71, a globular cluster in Sagitta, magnitude 8.4, diameter 7'.2, distance 13,000 light years. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer, for an effective f/ratio of f/4. This is a composite of 3 images with a total integration time of 7 minutes.Images were processed with dark frame removal, flat frame, then compositing, MaxIm Digital Development (FFT low-pass, mild hardness), and finally a contrast stretch. Images were taken between 4:02 a.m. and 4:19 a.m. the morning of the 31st.