2020.11.02 – Pacman Nebula
Gear
- Telescope – Meades 70mm Series 6000 Refractor
- Main Camera – ZWO ASI294MC Pro
- Filter – Optolong 2″ L-Enhance
- Mount – HEQ5
- Guide Scope – ZWO 30mm f/4 mini guide scope
- Guide Camera – ZWO ASI290MM
- Controller – ZWO ASIAir Pro
Acquisition
- 40 Light Images at 120 gain, 300s exposure
- 30 Dark Images
- 200 Bias Images
- No Flats
The Pacman Nebula. AKA NGC 281. AKA SH2-184. AKA IC 11. About 9500 light years away.
Who doesn’t love a classic video game. I like how a star is almost in good position to act as an eye.
Processing this image was pretty straight forward. I used DeepSkyStacker to stack the images. No flats here still. One day I’ll use flats but I seem to be doing ok without them at the moment. I think everyone that starts this hobby says that to themselves.
Then in Photoshop I did the following:
- Color Balance
- Curve adjustments
- Gradient correction using GradientXTerminator
- Saturation Boost
- Vibrance Boost
- Noise Reduction using Astronomy tool – Space Noise Reduction action
- Noise Reduction using Astronomy tool – Deep Space Noise Reduction action
- Sharpening
- Minimized stars in Photoshop
- Minimized stars using Astronomy tool – Make Stars Smaller action
Overall, I like how this image came out. I can clearly see Pacman in the nebula.
The cosmos is said to be an ordered place, ruled by laws and principles, yet within that order exists chaos, unpredictability, and the unexpected. Perhaps true balance is not about eliminating chaos but embracing it, learning to see the beauty in disorder, the harmony within the unpredictable. Maybe to truly understand the universe, we must stop trying to control it and simply become one with its rhythm.