Sword of Orion - M42, NGC1977
Emission and Reflection nebulosities in Orion
Uploaded 7/5/21

 
This
            complex region of blue reflection and pink emission nebulosity
            is one of the most amazing regions in the sky. This two part
            composite with the 10 inch required months of processing to achieve
            the best possible image. Half a dozen images of just the M42
            part were merged in an HDR type of process to maintain the brightness
            range within limits. Separate frames had to be warped on the
            edges to register the stars accurately due to the complex field
            curvature of the coma corrector lens (Baader MPCC). This is the
            final result, the largest dynamic range image I have yet produced
            on this field.

            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1600 x 1290


Instrument:  10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian with Baader MPCC
Mount:  Astrophysics 1200 QMD
Camera:  ZWO ASI071MC Pro Color CMOS
Guider: ZWO ASI mini  w/80mm piggyback refractor
Exposure:  3 hours total integration time
Location:  Payson, Arizona, Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing FWHM = 2 arcsec , Transparency 9/10
Outside Temperature:  40 F

Image Processing Tools: 
Maxim DL6:  Calibration, Color Conversion, aligning, stacking
PixInsight:  Saturation Curves
Photoshop CS2:  Curves, Color Correction, Gradient removal (Grad Xterminator), Cleanup

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