Pacman Nebula in Narrowband

Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis

Staff Member
So here is the 5th from the most recent data collects. I originally was not sure I would go after this target, but in retrospect I am glad I did. Hopefully I am not wearing folks out with all these recent astro posts, but this is about the end of it for me again for a while. Hard to know if the next data collection opportunities that are scheduled to start in January will take place, given the current state of the world. So anyway, here is one more.

This region is located approximately 9200 light years away in the constellation Cassiopeia. It gets its name from a resemblance to Pac-Man, the famously voracious video game character from the 1980s. This region was imaged remotely from Green Valley, AZ for a total of 12.4 hours in NB light using H-a/OIII/SII filters. with RGB filters for the stars.

I had what seemed like noisy OIII data (that is predominantly being used for the blue channel in this image) but managed to get the noise tamed eventually. Due to the orientation I ended up with (the Pac-Man is pointing up) and the depth of data that added some areas to the nebula, I would say this looks more like an upside down piece of Broccoli to me than a Pac-Man character, but hey, what can I say :)

LRCC_sRGB_FW_untitled_sRGB_V2_Pacman_NB_mix1_SCNRInvert_wminusHTStars_DSE_LHE_PSCC_clean3_MT.jpg


As always comments, questions, and critiques are all most welcome.

Equipment:
ZWO ASI1600MM-C Camera @ -20C and
Gain:200 Offset:50
Software Bisque MyT Mount
Stellarvue SVQ100 Astrograph Refractor, 580mm @ f/5.8
Innovations Foresight ONAG

Software:
Pixinsight Commercial Version 1.8
Lightroom CC
Photoshop CC
Innovations Foresight SkyGuard

Light Frames:
Ha: 41 x 360 secs ( 4 hrs 6 mins)
OIII: 37 x 360 secs (3 hrs 42 mins)
SII: 40 x 360 secs (4 hrs)
Red: 24 x 30 secs (12 mins)
Green: 22 x 30 secs (11 mins)
Blue: 23 x 30 secs (11 mins 30 secs)

12 hrs 22 mins 30 secs total

Dark Frames:
10 x 60 secs, RGB (30 mins)
10 x 360 secs, Ha,OIII,SII (3 hrs)

Bias Frames
100

Flat Frames
20 each filter

ML
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Very cool work Mike. The Pacman is one I have dreamed of capturing some day. Certainly not now, but hopefully one day I can do it justice.

One of the many fine details I like in this is just how delicate the blues came out in the center of this. There is so much detail and depth in that.

As to wearing people out with your Astro photos??? First off, they are awesome and if you posted 1 new Astro photo a day you are not going to wear people out. Many of us post a new Landscape photo every single day and no one is complaining. :) And second, we want the Astro forum to grow, and it will only grow as we continue to post Astro photos in here and make it a place other astrophotographers want to come. :)

So back to point 1, if you could post a brand new astro photo every day, that still wouldnt be too much... :) So keep it up Mike, all of your work and all of your posting is worth it and is greatly appreciated. Hopefully we can get a few more guys to join FocalWorld that do Astro too.
 
Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis

Staff Member
Jim,

Thanks for your comments. I met a few new contacts online, and have been pushing FW astro to them, but so far no one has taken me up on it. I will keep at it.

ML
 
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