Iris in the Dust

Here is NGC 7023 in a somewhat wider field in an effort to try to expose some of the dust in the region. It is processed up a bit high to highlight the dust. This was kind of a fun catch with a simple setup on the humble CG5 Goto mount and a homemade guide scope. A full size image is here:

http://www.jthommes.com/Astro/NGC7023Wide.htm
(click on the image for full rez)

Optic - Zenithstar 66 mm APO at f/4.5
Camera - Artemis285 (Astronomiks IR/UV Blocking filter and RGB filters)
Mount - CG5 GOTO
Guiding - 180 mm FL guide scope, Vesta 690 LE Webcam, K3CCDTools

I also have a 2006 image of the Iris up close:

http://www.jthommes.com/Astro/NGC7023.htm

Hey Jim, the dust really shows well and the color works nicely.

Beautiful work Jim! 8)

Love the dust, Jim!

Tom

Thanks for the comments guys.

I am beginning to appreciate that different subject matter can suggest variations to your "normal" processing workflow. PS Actions and other automation tends to perpetuate the routines. I am glad I tried a few different things with saturation, levels and filters on this one.