Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission. This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.



NGC 1499, the "California Nebula" locates in constellation Perseus. Distance is about 1000 light years.

This is a closeup image, the actual nebula covers about 2,5 degrees of sky.

RA 04h 03m 18.00s Dec +36° 25′ 18.0"



I have shot this image as a wide field version before. For this closeup I shot 27x1200s, binned down 2x2, for H-alpha channel, colors are from my older wide field image. NGC 1499 has a very low surface brightness, hence a longish integration time is needed.



Technical details:



Processing work flow:

Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.

Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.

Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations, 50% mix..

Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.





Telescope, Meade LX200 GPS 12" @ f5

Camera, QHY9 Guiding, SXV-AO @ 4,5Hz

Image Scale, 0,75 arcseconds/pixel

Baader H-alpha 7nm 27x1200s, binned 2x2



Older wide field version of IC 405 from 2008 is used for colors.

http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/03/california-nebula-ngc1499.html