Shooting Low - Cat's Paw Nebula

Here is an image of NGC6334. I am shooting it pretty low (no more than 20 degrees over the horizon). Sorry for the funky star shapes. I don't know if this was guiding or just atmospheric effects low to the horizon. Image and exposure / processing details are at:

http://www.jthommes.com/Astro/NGC6334.htm
(click on the image if you want higher resolution)

The red seems to predominate even after taking into account atmospheric extinction. I have heard that this object shines through some interstellar dust (attenuating the shorter wavelengths more than the longer).

Scope - Mak-Newt 152 mm @f/4.8
Camera - ST3800M 1-1/4 inch Astronomik Ha LRGB filters
Mount - G11/Gemini
Guiding - Megrez 80 mm at FL 555 mm, DSI Pro, PhD Guiding

Super shot - nice job!

Rolando

Looks good - those horizon color shots get tough. I guess if you really wanted, you could get an H-beta filter and compare the alpha/beta ratio to see how much reddening is due to interstellar, rather than atmospheric effects. Otherwise (on my monitor) you might want to tweak up the blue a tad to give it slightly more magenta tint. (?) But I can't say that would be "correct" for comparing to an overhead shot. In any case the color here is pleasing, which is likely what you want.

Charlie