NGC 7822 – SHO

by EasyQuest

1 Comment

  1. **Comments**

    The project started in Fall of 2024. I was going to process the data and post it back then, but I decided to wait to get more data the following year. Nearly 100 hours of data helped pull out the details in the fainter areas.

    I processed a SHO and OSH of this object. OSH is in the revision as SHO is the main show piece.

    * Astrobin SHO: https://app.astrobin.com/i/jetpyt
    * Astrobin OSH: https://app.astrobin.com/i/jetpyt?r=B

    **Moon Phase, Light Pollution, and Date**

    * Average Moon Phase: 42%
    * Bortle 7
    * 2024: Sep. 7, 8.
    * 2024: Oct. 2, 5, 7-11.
    * 2025: Sep. 7, 12, 15, 17, 18, 26-30.
    * 2025: Oct. 2, 3, 4.

    **Equipment**

    * Telescope/Lens: **Takahashi FSQ-106 (530 mm at f/5)**
    * Flattener/Reducer: N/A
    * Auto Focuser: PrimaLuceLab – ESATTO 4″ Robotic Microfocuser
    * Filter: **Chroma 50mm SHO 3nm Telescope Filter – Unmounted**
    * Filter Wheel: ZWO EFW (7 x 50mm)
    * Mount: **Astro-Physics Mach 1 GTO**
    * Camera: **ZWO ASI6200mm Pro**
    * Guider Camera: ZWO ASI120MM-MINI
    * Guide Scope: William Optics 50mm Guiding Scope (Color: Blue)
    * Dew Heater Controller: Pegasus Astro Pocket Powerbox Micro (Clean up Cables)
    * Dew Heater: Dew Not 4″ Dew Heater Strip – DN005 (Main scope)
    * Dew Heater: Dew Not 2″ Dew Heater Strip – DN003 (Guidescope)
    * Polar Alignment: QHYCCD Polemaster (Precise polar alignment)
    * Intel NUC (For imaging, dither, auto guiding, plate solve)

    **Software**

    * PHD2 (For Auto Guiding)
    * QHYCCD PoleMaster Software (Polar Alignment)
    * Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy (NINA) (Automation with Dithering, plate solving, mount control)
    * Astro-Physics ASCOM V2 (AP Mach 1 GTO Control)
    * Pegasus Astro Pocket Powerbox (Control the Powerbox Micro)
    * Photoshop (Processing)
    * PixInsight (Calibration & Processing)

    **Acquisition**

    * Total Exposure: **98 Hours**

    * Chroma SII – 360 x 300s (30 hrs)
    * Chroma HA – 360 x 300s (30 hrs)
    * Chroma OIII – 456 x 300s (39 hrs)

    * Temperature: -10°C to -5°C

    * Flats: 20 per Filter
    * Darks: N/A
    * Bias: 200
    * Gain: 100
    * Offset: 50
    * Bin: 1×1
    * Pixel Scale: 1.47″/pixel

    **Processing in Photoshop and PixInsight**

    PixInsight

    * Subframe Selector
    * Image Calibration
    * Star Alignment
    * Blink
    * Image Integration
    * RC-Astro BlurXTerminator

    Photoshop

    * RC-Astro StarXTerminator
    * RC-Astro NoiseXTerminator
    * Adjusted levels
    * Adjusted Curves
    * Selective Curves Adjustment
    * Layer set as “Linear Dodge (Add)” to add back the stars
    * Star Color Correction
    * Blacks Correction
    * Vibrance Applied
    * Clarity Applied
    * Dehaze Applied
    * Sharpening Applied
    * Crop out edge artifacts