Astrophotography by Keith B. Quattrocchi

IC 410
Emission Nebula in Auriga
Narrow Band image


Published:  Sky and Telescope Gallery, February 2008

Copyright 2008
Keith Quattrocchi

Image Acquisition Data:
 Telescope:   16" RCOS Ritchey-Chretien Telescope (ion milled at f/9) 
Camera:  SBIG STL-6303 M
Guiding:  Astrodon  MOAG AOG (SBIG 237 with .65 FLR)
Filters:   Astrodon Ha, SII, OIII
Mount:   Software Bisque Paramount ME
Acquisition Programs:   The Sky,CCDAutopliot III, CCD Soft. 
Processing Programs: CCDStack, Maxim DL, Photoshop
Date:November 1-3, 2007                              
Time: 18x20 min ( 6 hours) each for SII, HA, OIII: total 24 hrs                           
Processing:  CCD Stack and PhotoShop CS/2
 
Image Information:  IC 410 is a faint emission nebula surrounded by a star cluster (NGC 1893).  The famous “tadpoles” of this nebula are clearly seen.  IC 410 is about 12,000 light years distant. The nebula itself is immense in size, in this image about 50 light years across.
Processing Comments:  Image processing involved Hubble Palette blending of SII (Red), Ha (Green) and OIII (Blue).  Color combine in Maxim DL, data stretching (curves) and further processing (unsharp mask and Kodac Gem) in Photoshop CS/2.