Description
Sh2-290 is also known as Abell 31 and PK 219 +31. It is a planetary nebula in the Constellation of Cancer that is very large – nearly the size of the better known Helix Nebula. It was discovered in 1955 by George Abell. Parallax measurements from HST put its distance at ~ 2,000 light years. It is very faint, requiring long exposures and the additional contrast that the 3 nm H-a and OIII narrowband filters provide. H-a was mapped to magenta and OIII to blue-green to provide “natural” color for the image. RGB data were added for star colors using a G2V white point.
Exposure: 15.5 hrs Total; 6.5 hrs H-a, 7.5 hrs OIII, 1.5 hrs RGB
Telescope: RCOS 16
Mount: Software Bisque Paramount ME
Oag: Astrodon MonsterMOAG
Acquisition: CCD AutoPilot4
Calibration: CCDStack2
Observatory Site: Sierra-Remote Observatories, Shaver Lake, CA
Telescope: RCOS 16
Mount: Software Bisque Paramount ME
Oag: Astrodon MonsterMOAG
Acquisition: CCD AutoPilot4
Calibration: CCDStack2
Observatory Site: Sierra-Remote Observatories, Shaver Lake, CA
Camera: Apogee U16M
Filters: Astrodon 3nm OIII, H-a, Gen 2 RGB
Guider: SBIG ST-402
Camera Operation: MaximDL4.62
Processing: Photoshop CS5 Extended
Image Date: 01/23/2011 - 01/29/2011
Filters: Astrodon 3nm OIII, H-a, Gen 2 RGB
Guider: SBIG ST-402
Camera Operation: MaximDL4.62
Processing: Photoshop CS5 Extended
Image Date: 01/23/2011 - 01/29/2011