Horsehead and Flame Nebula Narrowband Color

©2008 Richard Murray


©2008 Richard Murray

Notes: Here's the color version of the image that was taken on Christmas night (see Ha black and white image below). This is lower resolution than I'd like because of the 2x2 binning and the moon being out but the colors did turn out better than I expected.

I used Ken Crawford's tutorial on combing Ha, OIII and SII filtered images using levels and cliping masks.

Click image for full size.

The second image was created using Peter's Photoshop Actions. I just took the top image and used the new action step 'Increase Dynamic Range'. That's all. I think it improved the image quite a bit. Clicking on the two images for full size will show the difference better.

Imaging Details:

Date: 12-26-07
Object: Horsehead Nebula (IC434) and Flame Nebula (NGC2024)
Telescope: W.O. 80mm Super APO
Mount: LX90
Camera: Atik 16hr
Filter(s): Astronomik Ha 6nm, OIII 14nm, SII 14nm
Exposure: Ha 4x10 min subs, OIII 3x10, SII 3x10, Binning 2x2
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight
Location: Burke Ave. Observatory, Three Rivers, Michigan

Horsehead and Flame Nebula

©2007 Richard Murray

Notes: I started imaging this on Christmas night. Clear nights have been so rare lately I have to go out whenever the skies open up. This was taken on a very bright night with the sixteen day old moon very high in the night sky. Only use of a narrowband filter could result in any kind of useful image so I used an Ha 6nm filter for the above image.

I also got some OIII and SII filtered images so in a few days I'll show the color version which should be fairly colorful despite that pesky moon.

Imaging Details:

Date: 12-26-07
Object: Horsehead Nebula (IC434) and Flame Nebula (NGC2024)
Telescope: W.O. 80mm Super APO
Mount: LX90
Camera: Atik 16hr
Filter(s): Astronomik Ha 6nm
Exposure: Ha - 4x10 min subs, Binning 2x2
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CS2
Location: Burke Ave. Observatory, Three Rivers, Michigan

Comet 17P/Holmes Bicolor Narrowband

©2007 Richard Murray

Notes: This is a first light image from my new observatory and is a bicolor image using Ha and OIII narrowband filters with a synthetic green channel. This isn't the natural color of the comet but it does bring out more detail of its inner structure.

The bottom image is a color negative of the above image.

When Comet 17P/Holmes exploded back in October of this year it shed about 1 percent of it's mass which is the equivalent to the Earth losing its entire crust! At this point the comet is actually larger in the sky than the full moon.

Imaging Details:

Date: 12-1-07
Object: Comet 17P/Homes
Telescope: W.O. 80mm Super APO
Mount: LX90
Camera: Atik 16hr
Filter(s): Astronomik Ha 6nm and OIII 14nm
Exposure: Ha - 1x10 min and 3x5 min subs, OIII 1x4 min sub (clouded out)
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight
Location: Burke Ave. Observatory, Three Rivers, Mi

Just One Clear Night

©2007 Richard Murray

Notes: It's a well known fact in the amateur astronomy community that if you buy a new astronomy gadget you can suffer for days or weeks (depending on the gadget) with cloudy weather. It's been cloudy for three weeks now since I had my new observatory built so I figure I have about a week to go before clear skies. :>))

Since I don't have anything else to take pictures of, above is the latest picture of my observatory through my den window.

Getting Closer to First Light

The Captain and I are almost ready for our first voyage, er ah, I mean first light. I almost thought I heard him say "Take her out Sulu. :>))


©2007 Richard Murray

Notes: We have electric power now. Notice the futuristic gym flooring and the nifty red rope lights. Also the warm room curtains are up. The advantage of installing gym flooring is it's made out of rubber, so if you drop some equipment it doesn't break; it just bounces.

Burke Avenue Observatory Amost Complete

Some pictures of the roof open and the inside.


©2007 Richard Murray

Notes: The roof stops rolling at the beginning edge of the warm room.

Burke Avenue Observatory Almost Done

About six hours left till it's finished!


©2007 Richard Murray

Notes: This is the result of two days work and about a half day to go. Oh boy!

It's 10' x 14' in size with a 5' x 10' warm room and a 9' x 10' scope area.

IC5070 Pelican Nebula

©2007 Richard Murray

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Notes: This was a short exposure run just to test out the GRAS3 scope in New Mexico (1 of 6 scopes available for rental at that location).

The good news is the Tak 150 has about the same field of view as my 80mm Megrez APO which means I can combine images taken at my home observatory with those taken with the Tak in New Mexixo. :>))

Imaging Details:

Date: 10-8-07
Object: IC5070 Pelican Nebula
Telescope: Takahashi TOA 150
Mount: Paramount ME
Camera: SBIG ST-10 XME ABG
Filter: Astrodon Ha
Exposure: Ha - 30 min [10 min subs]
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight
Location: GRAS Observatory, Mayhill, NM

Orion and Running Man Nebula - M42 & NGC1977

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 10/6/07 Camera: SBIG STL-11000M , Imaging Scope:TAK FSQ-106 ED, One 60 sec exposure with a clear filter, Autoguided, Processed with CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight

Notes: I'd like to say I went out and bought a bunch of new insanely expensive equipment but I didn't. This is my first image taken using equipment that is part of the Gobal-Rent-A-Scope stable of fine instruments which are located throughout the world.

This image was taken by me over the internet with a robotically controled scope located in the central part of South Australia on 10/6/07 at 3:30am Ausie time. Here in the US at my location it was in the early afternoon.

Keep in mind this is not a stack of exposures. It is just one 60 sec exposure through a clear filter when the moon was at 33% illumination. Not bad at all for such a short time.

The Beginning Of My New Observatory

The hole is dug for the pier.


©2007 Richard Murray

The base for the pier is complete.


©2007 Richard Murray

Notes: Construction should begin on 10-11-07 and be completed within two or three days. The observatory is going to be a 10' by 14' with a 5' by 10' warm room. More images to come . . .

VdB142 "Elephant Trunk" in Ha:sG:OIII

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 6/20/07 Camera: ATK-16hr, Imaging Scope: Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm 80 min total with 20 min subs, OIII 14nm 90 min total with 30 min subs, no binning, Darks Applied, Autoguided with QGuide and PHDGuide from LX90, , Processed with CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight

Notes: This is an Ha:sG:OIII narrowband image with Ha mapped as red, OIII as blue and a synthetic green generated from the Ha and OIII images. I took this back on June 20th but didn't have a chance to process it until now.

I didn't plan on the colors turning out this way but I think the black and orange are appropriate with Halloween just around the corner. :>))

In the two images below the colors are remapped to red:green:blue respectively.

Here's an Ha:OIII:OIII version.


©2007 Richard Murray

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And here's an OIII:Ha:OIII version.


©2007 Richard Murray

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And here is a collage of all three.

M16 Eagle Nebula in Halpha

©2007 Richard Murray

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This version has had deconvolution and DDP (digital development process) applied.


©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 7/8/07 Camera: ATK-16hr, Imaging Scope: Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 160 min total with 20 min subs, no binning, Darks Applied, Autoguided with DSI Pro and PHDGuide from LX90, , Processed with CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight

Notes: This is my second attempt at M16 with double the amount of Halpha exposure and better tracking overall. Lots more detail is apparent. My old image is here for comparison.

The Eagle Nebula is where the famous Hubble telescope 'pillars of creation' image was taken and are located towards the center of the image.

M31 Andromeda Galaxy Ha-LLRGB

Here's a reprocessed image with a little more natural color.


©2007 Richard Murray


©2007 Richard Murray

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Wide Screen Monitor View

Techno Stuff: 7/28/07 Camera: ATK-16hr, Imaging Scope: Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, IR 40 min total with 8 min subs, no binning, Red & Green 20 min total with 5 min subs, Blue 24 min total with 6 min subs, Binning 2X2, 7/29/07 Ha 160 min total with 20 min subs, No binning,Autoguided with DSI Pro and PHDGuide from LX90, No Darks, Processed with CCDStack, Photoshop CS2

Notes: This is a Ha-LLRGB image which shows the red H-alpha regions surrounding M31. Lots of processing on this image as integrating Ha data with LLRGB is more complicated than I thought. Just for fun, I've also included a widescreen version for those with widescreen monitors.

M33 Pinwhell Galaxy

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 9/10/07 Camera: ATK-16hr, Imaging Scope: Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, IR 65 min total with 5 min subs, no binning, Red 25 min with 5 min subs, Blue 30 min with 6 min subs, Binning 2X2, Synthetic Green channel, Autoguided with Q-Guide and PHDGuide from LX90, No Darks, Processed with CCDStack, Photoshop CS2 and PixInsight

Notes: This is an LLRGB image using a synthetic green channel. It was taken under murky conditions with high altitude clouds forcing me to keep the exposure time down. The RGB color required a heavy saturation boost plus LLRGB layering in order to realize much color at all.

Sh2-104 Emission Nebula in Cygnus

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 8/18/07 Camera: ATK-16hr, Imaging Scope: Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm, 76 minutes total with two 30 min subs and one 16 min sub (interupted due to clouds), binning 1x1, Autoguided with DSI Pro and PHDGuide from LX90, No Darks, Processed with CCDStack, Photoshop CS2 and PixInsight

Notes: Seldom imaged by amateur astronomers, this is a very faint emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus. This is located due east of the popular Crescent Nebula. Sh-104 is viewed by professional astronomers as a good illustration of the "collect and collapse" model of star formation triggered by the rapid expansion of a Helium II region.

IC1805 Heart Nebula

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 8/26/07 Camera: ATK-16hr, Imaging Scope: Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm 140 minutes total with 20 min subs binning 1x1, Autoguided with Q-Guide and PHDGuide from LX90, No Darks, Processed with CCDStack and Photoshop CS2 and PixInsight

Notes: I tried to keep the amount of processing down on this one because the stacked image looked so good. This was taken on a clear calm night just after about 2 weeks of rain.

NGC7023 Iris Nebula LRGB

©2007 Richard Murray

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©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 5/18/07 for Luminance and RG and 8/11/07 for B, Camera: ATK-16hr, Imaging Scope: Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Luminance IR 11 minutes total with 1 min subs and 80 minutes total with 5 minute subs binning 1x1, Red and Green 20 minutes with 5 minute subs binning 2x2, Blue 30 minutes with 6 min subs binning 2x2, Autoguided with DSI Pro and PHDGuide from LX90, Darks Applied Luminance Only, Processed with CCDStack, Photoshop CS2 and PixInsight.

Notes: I imaged the luminance, red and green frames in May but it took me until August to get some decent blue frames. The full size image is small because the blue frames had to be rotated almost 45 degrees to match up with the earlier images. But it all turned out ok in the end.

The second image is the same as the first but processed by combining the red and blue frame with a synthetic green frame along with the original luminance frame. Once this was processed in Photoshop, the top image was desaturated (color removed) and this was placed on top as another luminance frame to create what is called an LLRGB image.

VDB 152 Reflection Nebula in Cepheus

©2007 Richard Murray

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And here is the LRGB Color image of the same object.


©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 7/21/07 for Luminance and 7/22 for RGB, Camera: ATK-16hr, Imaging Scope: Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Luminance IR 60 minutes total with 10 min subs binning 1x1, Red and Green 25 minutes with 5 minute subs, Blue 30 minutes with 6 min subs binning 2x2, Autoguided with ATK-2hs and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied Luminance Only, Processed with CCDStack and Photoshop CS2

Notes: The color image had to be cropped due to rotation of the RGB images which were taken on the following night. This was much easier to process in grayscale than in color. The color image took two separate processing attempts and I settled on the second try.

Emission Nebula in M31 Andromeda Galaxy

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 7/29/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Halpha 6nm 160 minutes total with 20 min subs no binning, Autoguided with Atk-2hs and Guidedog from LX90, No Darks, Processed with CCDStack Photoshop CS2 PixInsight

Notes: Just as most emission nebula in the Milky way emit prodigious amounts of energy in the Halpha range, there is no reason why emisson nebula in the Andromeda Galaxy shouldn't as well. So I spent the night imaging M31 using an Halpha filter to see if I could find a few. And there they are, sprinkled throughout the sprial arms.

The one which I've highlighted is a dead ringer for NGC2359 Thor's Helmet. Imagine an alien amatuer astronomer imaging such a giant emission nebula as this! (I sure would like to know what kind of astronomy equipment he, she, it is using) :>))

M31 Andromeda Galaxy

©2007 Richard Murray

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Below is a softer processed version which doesn't burn out the galaxy core so much and brings out more of the outer arms. This was blended with the above image in Photoshop. Click on the image for a full size view.


©2007 Richard Murray

Techno Stuff: 7/22/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Luminance IR 30 minutes total with 6 min subs binning 1x1, Red and Green 15 minutes with 5 minute subs, Blue 18 minutes with 6 min subs binning 2x2, Autoguided with Q-Guide and PHDGuide from LX90, No Darks, Processed with CCDStack and Photoshop CS2

Notes: Let's just say this was a real adventure in color processing. I can't recall imaging an object that had this many colors pop out at once during processing. But that's part of the fun of doing what I do.

Looks like there is a very clear light bridge from M31 to it's captured satellite galaxy M32.

This image was taken on a very special night. Even though several neighbors had there porch lights on, the night was crystal clear with the milkyway in full view.

M106 and Friends LRGB

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 6/8/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Luminance IR 80 minutes total with 8 min subs, binning 1x1, Red 20 minutes with 5 minute subs - Blue 30 minutes with 6 minute subs Binning 2x2, Synthetic Green, Autoguided with Atk-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied, CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight

Notes: To get all the details of M106's core please look at the full size image. I did the best I could on the color. I started out with the whole thing looking yellowish green so I switched to Lab Color in Photoshop and the color processing went a lot smoother.

The large galaxy is M106 and the edge on smaller galaxy right next to it on the left is NGC4248. The two galaxies next to that are NGC4231 and NGC4232. There appears to be a faint light bridge between them so they may be interacting. The larger edge on galaxy at bottom right is NGC4217 and to the right of it is NGC4226. I'm pretty sure the faint galaxy just below M106 is UGC7356.

Sh2-171 Emission Nebula

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 7/13/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm 140 minutes total with 20 min subs, binning 1x1, Autoguided with CCD Labs Q-Guide and PHDGuide from LX90, Darks Applied, CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight

Notes: This is the second portion of Sh2-171, the first being the Calf Head Nebula. Not as much structure as the Calf Head but still an interesting nebula.

Sh2-171 Calf Head Nebula In Cepheus

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 7/13/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm 40 minutes total with 20 min subs, binning 1x1, Autoguided with CCD Labs Q-Guide and PHDGuide from LX90, Darks Applied, CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight

Notes: My original plan was to just try out my new Q-Guide autoguider (cmos webcam) and PHDGuide expecting a night of frustration while I worked the bugs out. Even if it was the unlucky mornning of Friday the 13th, after a few hiccups the darn thing started to work, so I went over to the constellation Cepheus and got this image. Notice the large Calf Head in the upper center (Keep looking, you'll see it. Hint - It's turned sideways with the nose pointing right).

This is part of a much larger nebula, much too large for my setup, but I managed to also image another portion near the bottom of the complex which I'll post next after the processing is done.

Thinking Blogger Award

I recently received the Thinking Blogger Award so I'm passing it on.

Here are my choices for the Thinking Blogger Award. (three more to follow)

1. rightbrain/leftbrain
Some great art here - whimsical and humorous by a very talented artist.

2. The Time Sink
Amazing photography of the natural world (just go to his Photo Blog link on the left).


Congratulations, you won a Thinking Blogger Award!

THE RULES ARE:

Should you choose to participate, please make sure you pass this list of rules to the blogs you are tagging. The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the memo

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (there is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

Rick Astronomy Journal

M104 Sombrero Galaxy

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 5/13/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, IR 40 minutes total with 8 min subs binning 1x1, RGB 15 minutes total each with 5 min. subs binning 2x2, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied, CCDStack, Photoshop CS2.

Notes: The IR (Infared/UV blocking filter) frames turned out very well. However, the RGB (red, green, blue filtered) frames suffered from heavy light pollution gradients which CCDStack took care of surprisingly well allowing me to come up with a decent final image. I like doing LRGB processing and plan on doing more with fairly bright objects like M104.

M16 The Eagle Nebula

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 6/26/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm, 80 minutes total with 20min subs, Binning 1x1, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied, CCDStack, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight, Image Analyzer

Notes: There was every reason in the world why this image should not have come to be. The night was murky and foggy, the object was at a low altitude (33 degrees), I forgot to plug in my dew strap so each exposure taken left the Megrez objective more and more fogged up. So frankly, I think I deserve a little applause for ending up with a halfway decent image. :>D

NGC6960 Veil Nebula West

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 6/17/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm, 39 minutes total with 25min, 9min, 5min subs, Binning 1x1, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, No Darks, Registax3, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight, Silkypix

Notes: I battled the clouds all night to get this one saving what exposure time I had accumulated whenever the next batch of clouds started to roll in. I managed three exposures: 25 (lucky me), 9 and 5 minutes for a total of 39 minutes in all.

IC1396 Elephant Trunk Nebula

©2007 Richard Murray

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Here's a more dramatic perspective.


©2006 Richard Murray

This image was processed in CCDStack prior to touchups in Photoshop.


©2006 Richard Murray

Techno Stuff: 6/15/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm, one 40 minute exposure, Binning 1x1, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, No Darks, Registax3, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight

Notes: I was having some tracking problems while trying to image this object which weren't resolved until about 3:30am. So I went for broke and decided to do one long 40 minute exposure and just leave it at that. It turned out pretty good. :>))

NGC6820/NGC6823 Open Cluster and Emission Nebula

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 6/13/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm, 186 minutes total with 26.6 minute subframes, Binning 1x1, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied, Registax3, Photoshop CS2

Notes: NGC6823 is the star cluster in the center while NGC6820 is the surrounding emission nebula. Note the dark nebula and pillars of cold molecular clouds which probably contain newborn stars obscured by the enveloping dust.

NGC6888 Crescent Nebula Widefield

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 5/28/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/3 with 0.5 focal reducer, mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha 6nm 60 minutes total with 20 minute subframes, Binning 1x1, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied, Photoshop CS2, Image Analyzer

Notes: The Atik 0.5 focal reducer allowed for a wider field of view and good nebula definition. The stars ,however, were a distorted mess and required a lot of processing to get them back to normal. All in all it turned out pretty well.

Abell 1656 Coma Galaxy Cluster

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 5/9/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6 mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Luminance IR 6x600secs Binning 1x1, RG 3x300secs B 3x360secs Binning 2x2, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight, Image Analyzer

Notes: Most of the smaller galaxies are clustered around the two larger galaxies on the left: NGC4874 to the left and NGC4889 to the right. There are well over 40 galaxies in this image.

NGC5985 Galaxy Triplet

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 4/20/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6 mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Luminance IR 8x600secs, , RGB 5x300secs, Binning 1x1, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight, Image Analyzer

Notes: Here's a galaxy triplet in the constellation Draco with a face on spiral (NGC5985), a dwarf elliptical (NGC5982) and an edge on spiral (NGC5981).

NGC7635 Bubble Nebula

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 5/12/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6 mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha6nm 2x1200secs, Binning 1x1, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, No Darks, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight, Image Analyzer, Silkypix

Notes: It's a little early in the season for this one in the Northern hemisphere but I was at the end of an imaging sessions and saw that the Bubble Nebula was up so I went for it. :>))

IC1318 Narrowband

Hubble Palette

©2007 Richard Murray

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CFHT Palette

©2007 Richard Murray

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Halpha 6nm

©2007 Richard Murray

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Techno Stuff: 5/4/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6 mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Ha Luminance 3x1200secs, OIII 1x900secs SII 1x900secs, Binning 1x1, Luminance Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, OIII and SII Manually Guided, Darks Applied, Photoshop CS2, AstroWave, PixInsight

Notes: This is my first narrowband image made with Ha, OIII, and SII filters. This was taken during a full moon and wind gusts of 20mph which is why I was only able to process a few frames. The top image was processed using the 'Hubble Palette' where SII=Red, Ha=Green and OIII=Blue. The second image made use of the 'CFHT palette' where Ha=Red, OIII=Green and SII=blue. The bottom image is in Halpha.

Hickson 68 Compact Galaxy Group

©2007 Richard Murray


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Techno Stuff: 4/20/07 ATK-16hr, Megrez 80mm APO at F/6 mounted on LX90 8" SCT, Luminance IR 10x600secs Binning 1x1, RG 5x360secs B 5x420secs Binning 1x1, Autoguided with Atik-2HS and Guidedog from LX90, Darks Applied, Registax3, Photoshop CS2, PixInsight

Notes: This is a cluster of galaxies from Paul Hickson's Catalog of Compact Galaxy Groups. I've counted seven galaxies so far and will be putting up a labeled chart later. There's a substancial green halo around the large yellow star which you can see in the full sized image. I don't know if this is real or an artifact caused by optics.