Horsehead M106 Horsehead

(Click on image for Full Resolution)


(Click here for my previous best with my C14 - 03/10/2004)


Date: Feb-Mar , 2007
Exposure: LRGB 355m:490m:580m:640m 71 x 300s L, 49 x 600s R, 58 x 600s G, 64 x 600s B
Processing: CCDSoftV5 for image acquisition, CCDStack on a x64 Vista machine for Image calibration, Astrodon LRGB filters (15 flats each L, R,G,B, Bias subtracted and Sigma Clip combined, 40 bias frames Sigma Clip combined, 25-300s and 25-600s darks Sigma Clip combined), alignment, normalization, FITS files creation. CCDAutoPilot3 used to collect data over multiple nights. Photoshop CS2 for final LRGB processing, final layers adjustment and jpg conversion.
Conditions: Average to Fair, Mag 4-5 Skies
Scope: RCOS 16" Truss
Camera: SBIG STL-6303, -25°
Comments: This was a long term project as the spring time weather is very variable and changes rapidly. This data took over a month to gather because of the conditions. The light pollution is continuing to get worse and the processing time gets longer and longer to deal with it. I used some of the techniques that were presented at AIC 2006 to help bring out the color and the details.