Galaxies in the Beehive Cluster - M44
Uploaded 3/13/16

 

            
This has always
            been a great test object for me, a bright scattered open cluster
            with galaxies hiding amongst the stars. The cluster is huge,
            and only the center is recorded here in this 1 degree wide field
            with the 10 inch.

            
Three versions
            of the same data are presented. The first is a conventional process
            which shows nice stars and colors and is not stretched out too
            much.

            
The second image
            has had a steep non linear curve applied to bring up the faintest
            stars and faint 16th magnitude and fainter galaxies.

            
Finally, a negative
            image with some annotations to identify the brightest galaxies.

            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1290 x 960

            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1290 x 960



            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1290 x 960


Instrument:  10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian with Baader MPCC
Mount:  Astrophysics 1200 QMD
CCD Camera:  SBIG 10XME NABG with Enhanced Water Cooling
Guider: Meade DSI Pro  w/80mm piggyback refractor
Exposure:  RGB: 10:10:10m
AstroDon RGB Combine Ratio:  1: 1.05: 1.2
Location:  Payson, Arizona, Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing FWHM = 2 arcsec , Transparency 7/10
Outside Temperature:  35 F
CCD Temperature:  -20 C
Image Processing Tools: 
Maxim DL6:  Calibration, deblooming (Starizona Debloomer), aligning, stacking
PixInsight:  Curves, Deconvolution
Photoshop CS2:  Curves, Color Correction, Gradient removal (Grad Xterminator), Cleanup

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