Astrophotography by Keith B. Quattrocchi


M20
Emission, Reflection and Dark Nebula
Ha/LRGB

Copyright 2022
Keith B Quattrocchi and Bray Falls

Image Acquisition Information  
                    
Telescope: 16" RCOS Richey Chretien Telescope (ion milled at f/9) 
Camera: ZWO Full Frame Back Illuminated CMOS ASI 6200 MM
Guiding: Starlight Xpress AO with UltraStar Autoguiding Camera (AO control using maxim DL software).
Filters: Astrodon LRBG, H-alpha, S-II and OIII Filters
Acquisition Programs: NINA, The SkyX, PHD2, PWI4
Processing Programs: PixInsight, RC Astro, CCDStack, Photoshop CS4
Date: Data processed on June 15, 2022.  Data acquisition:  May of 2022                            
Time:  5 hours (10 minute exposures) for each of Ha/LRGB  for a total of 25 hours.                
              
Image Information:  The Trifid Nebula, also known as M20 or NGC 6514, is a star-forming region in the constellation Sagittarius. It is a rare celestial object that features three types of nebulae in one location: an emission nebula, a reflection nebula, and a dark nebula. 
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Processing Information: These Ha/OIII + RGB images were obtained using AstroDon filters.  The Ha/OIII + RGB images were batch processed (calibrated, registered, normalized and integrated) in PixInsignt.   Further stretching, high pass filtering and background smoothing was performed with Adobe Photoshop CS/4 and PixInsight.