Observation Log - July 8, 2000 - Tinton Falls, NJ

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M16, The Eagle Nebula, The Ghost, or The Star Queen Nebula, an open cluster and emission nebula in Serpens, magnitude 6.0 (cluster), dimensions 120' x 25' (nebula), distance is 9,000 light years. This image was taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place, giving an effective focal ratio of f/4. Images were taken between 12:30 and 2:07 a.m. on the morning of the 8th. This is a mosaic made from four composite panels, with 6 minutes of integration time on each panel. All panels were composites made from from 1-minute long individual exposures. Images were all processed using AstroArt, with dark frame removal and flat frame. The mosaic was assembled using MaxIm, then enhanced with a median filter, and finally a contrast stretch.

M10, a globular cluster in Ophiuchus, magnitude 6.6, diameter 19', distance is 14,300 light years. This image was taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place, giving an effective focal ratio of f/4. This is an LRGB composite using an 11-minute luminance component, 8 minutes each in red and green, and 9 minutes in blue. All were composites from 1-minute long individual exposures. Each color channel was processed with dark frame subtraction, flat fields and separate compositing, then the final image was color combined, color smoothed (FFT low-pass, mild), Digital Development (kernel, low-pass), an unsharp mask (kernel, high-pass), and finally a a contrast stretch. Images were taken between 10:58 p.m. on the 7th and 12:04 a.m. on the morning of the 8th.

M17, The Omega, Swan, Horseshoe or Lobster Nebula, a cluster associated with nebulosity in Sagittarius, magnitude 6.0 (cluster), dimensions 40' x 30' (nebula), distance is 4,890 light years. This image was taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place, giving an effective focal ratio of f/4. This is an LRGB composite using an 11-minute luminance component, and 7 minutes each in red, green, and blue. All were composites from 1-minute long individual exposures. Each color channel was processed in AstroArt with dark frame subtraction, flat fields and separate compositing, then the final image was transferred to MaxIm for color combination, color smoothing (FFT low-pass, mild), and finally a a contrast stretch. Images were taken between 2:13 and 2:55 a.m. on the morning of the 8th.

M20, The Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius, magnitude 6.3, dimensions 20' x 20', distance is 5,000 light years. This effort used the f/6.3 focal reducer and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place, giving an effective focal ratio of f/4. This was shot through a gap between two trees in my front yard, and is a composite of only 2 exposures for 2 minutes total integration. The final image was created and processed with dark frame subtraction, flat field, then compositing, unsharp masking (kernel, low-pass), a contrast stretch, and the final image was then resampled for a fifty percent enlargement. Images were taken between 12:13 a.m. and 12:15 a.m. on the morning of the 8th. Better things should happen on my next attempt on this object!

M57, The Ring Nebula, a planetary nebula in Lyra, magnitude 8.8, diameter 76 seconds, distance 1,140 light years. Images were taken between 9:36 pm and 10:47 pm, the evening of July 7th. This is an RGB shot taken with a 9 minute red composite, a 6 minute green composite, and a 7 minute blue composite. A luminance composite was also made, but not used for the final assembly. Each of the channels was composited separately after dark frame removal and flat fielding. Each channel was then processed with Maximum Entropy Deconvolution and Digital Development (FFT, low-pass, mild for red and green, hard for blue.) The RGB channels were then combined, realigned and color smoothed with a low-pass kernel filter. The exposures were taken through the Meade LX200 10" f/6.3, with an f/6.3 focal reducer (f/4 net) and a Homeyer color filter wheel. [NOTE: this image does not rival the quality of the image produced on June 23/24, below.]