Astrophotography by Keith B. Quattrocchi

NGC 281
Pac Man Nebula in Cassiopia 
 H-alpha Image
 
Copyright 2007
 Keith B Quattrocchi

      
Image Acquisition Information                      
 
Telescope: 16" RCOS Ritchey-Chretien Telescope (ion milled at f/9) 
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
Date:: October 14-October 31, 2007                              
Time: 24x20 min ( 8 hours) of Ha:  total 24 hrs                           
Processing:  CCD Stack and PhotoShop CS/2
 
Image Information:  The Pac Man Nebula is an emission nebula energized by a nearby open star cluser.  It primarily is an HII emitter.  The dark "Bok" nodules are believed to contain protostars.

Additional Comments:  Minimal Processing, primarily with curves/Levels and High Pass filtering used in PS CS/2.