This is a wide shot encompassing the constellation of Cassiopeia the Queen in the northern autumn sky, showing the variety of colours in the starclouds and nebulas that populate this section of the Milky Way. The colours are brought out by the long exposure used and by contrast enhancements in processing. But yes, they are real! This is not false colour. The pink emission nebulas of the Heart and Soul Nebulas (IC 1848 and IC 1805 respectively), at left, and the NGC 7822/Ced 214 complex, at top, dominate. The small pink patch at bottom is the Pacman Nebula, NGC 281. At upper right are the faint nebulas around the star cluster M52, including the Bubble Nebula, NGC 7635. The purple glows near the star Gamma Cassiopeiae, aka Navi, at centre are the reflection nebulas IC 59 and IC 63. Lots of star clusters populate the area, including the Double Cluster in Perseus at lower left, and NGC 7789, Caroline's Rose, at right. NGC 663 and NGC 457 are the star clusters below the left side of the W that marks Cassiopeia. This is a stack of 14 x 2-minute exposures with the Canon RF 28-70mm lens at 62mm and f/2.5 on the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 1600, and on the Star Adventurer Mini tracker. The lens had a URTH Night filter on it to reduce light pollution and airglow discolouration. Taken from home October 1, 2021 on a night with some loss of transparency due to haze. Nebulosity was brought out with the aid of luminosity and colour range masks created with Lumenzia. An additional exposure through an Alyn Wallace/Kase Starglow filter layered in adds the subtle star glows to make the "W" stars pop. All stacking, alignment and blending done in Photoshop.
Cassiopeia in the northern sky over Red Rock Canyon, at Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, lit by the light of the waxing gibbous Moon. This is a single 45-second exposure with the 24mm lens at f/2.5 and Canon 6D at ISO 800.
The constellation of Cassiopeia (the W at right) behind the old Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Dalum, south of Drumheller, Alberta. It was built in 1929 by the Danish settlers in the area, using traditional Danish architechtural styles. I shot this May 2, 2015 on the night before Full Moon which provides most of the illiumination. Streetlights added yellow tints but I minimized those in processing. This is a single 30-second exposure at ISO 400 with the Canon 6D and f/5.6 with the 35mm lens.
