Russell Croman Astrophotography  

 

 

NGC 7000 and IC 5070
in Elemental Colors


About This Photograph

This vast cloud of gas in the constellation of Cygnus (the Swan) is about 3,000 light years away. From a very dark observing sight, it is easily visible with the naked eye, including the dark band running through the middle. On the left, and tipped on its side, is the North America Nebula, an appropriate name if you imagine the photo flipped top to bottom the way it appears in many telescopes. To the right of upper center is another favorite, the Pelican Nebula.

We see the nebulas here in "mapped color," a way of conveying information about the distribution of ionized gases. Red represents ionized sulphur, green excited hydrogen, and blue ionized oxygen.

 

Related Photographs

The Pelican Nebula
in Elemental Colors
The North America Nebula Region in Elemental Colors
 

Technical Details

Optics:Takahashi FSQ-106N.
Camera:STL-11000M.
Mount:Astro-Physics AP1200GTO.
Filters:Custom Scientific 5nm S-II, H-alpha, O-III.
Dates/Times:20, 24 July 2004.
Location:my backyard observatory in Austin, Texas.
Exposure Details:SII:Ha:OIII = 2:4:1.75 hours (15-minute individual exposures).