Astrophotography by Keith B. Quattrocchi

NGC 1514
Crystal Ball Nebula in Taurus
H-alpha Image

Copyright 2007
Keith B Quattrocchi

    
Image Acquisition Information                      
 
Telescope: 16" RCOS Ritchey-Chretien Telescope (ion milled at f/9) 
Location: The Lost Valley Observatory, located at Sierra Remote
Observatories in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California 
Camera: SBIG STL-6303
Guiding: Astrodon MOAG AOG (SBIG 237 with .65 FLR)
Filters: Astrodon H-alpha
Mount: Software Bisque Paramount ME
Acquisition Programs:   The Sky,CCDAutopliot III, CCD Soft. 
Processing Programs: CCDStack, Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3
Date:: January 1-January  19, 2008                              
Imaging Time: 21x20 min, total of 7 hours                           
Processing:  CCD Stack and PhotoShop CS/3
 
Image Information:  An irregularly lit planetary nebula in Taurus.  It has an unusually bright central star, magnitude 9.5. 

Processing Comments:  This image was challenging as it was shot during a full moon, causing some background variation. Assembled with CCDStack, with  processing (levels/curves, High Pass Filter, Kodac Gem) in PS CS3.