This is a portrait of the southern region of Cepheus the King that takes in the red emission nebulas in the constellation. The area is also laced with dark lanes of dust. The main nebula is IC 1396, aka the Elephant Trunk Nebula, at bottom. Above and to the right is the arc of Sharpless 2-129. At lower left is NGC 7380 near the edge and Sharpless 2-132, the Lion Nebula, at bottom left. Sharpless 2-140 is at upper left. Unfortunately, the Cave Nebula Sh 2-155 is just cut off at upper left. The stars above IC 1396 are part of the Cepheus OB2 stellar association. The very orange star at centre on the edge of IC 1396 is Herschel's Garnet Star, aka Mu Cephei. The double star and variable star Delta Cephei is at lower left. This is a stack of 17 x 1.5-minute exposures with the Canon EF-L 135mm lens at f/2.8, on the red-sensitive Canon Ra at ISO 1600, all on the Star Adventurer Mini tracker. The lens was also equipped with a Haida Clear Night light pollution reduction filter. Taken from home on a very clear night in late August. An application of a Pro Contrast filter from the Color EFX plug-in from the Nik Collection 5 helped snap up contrast and bring out the nebulosity, as did using curves with luminosity masks generated by the Lumenzia extension panel. All stacking, aligning and processsing in Photoshop.
The Coal Sack and Jewel Box Cluster area on the east side of Crux, the Southern Cross. The Coal Sack, which to the eye looks like a large dark patch, under photography breaks up into small patches, the darkest just south of the Jewel Box Cluster, here just below and left of Becrux, or Beta Crucis. Other star clusters in the scene are NGC 4852 at top left, Trumpler 20 at right. and NGC 4609 at lower centre. The cluster at far right above Acrux is NGC 4349. The small intensely red area left of centre is the nebula Gum 46. The star at lower right is Acrux, Alpha Crucis. This is a stack of 5 x 8 minute exposures with the Borg 77mm astrographic apo refractor (330mm focal length) at f/4.3 and with the filter-modified Canon 5D Mark II at ISO 800. Taken from Coonabarabran, Australia, March 2014.
The Coal Sack and Jewel Box Cluster area on the east side of Crux, the Southern Cross. The Coal Sack, which to the eye looks like a large dark patch, under photography breaks up into small patches, the darkest just south of the Jewel Box Cluster, here just below and left of Becrux, or Beta Crucis. Other star clusters in the scene are NGC 4852 at top left, Trumpler 20 at right. and NGC 4609 at lower right. The small intensely red area is the nebula Gum 46. This is a stack of 5 x 8 minute exposures with the Borg 77mm astrographic apo refractor (330mm focal length) at f/4.3 and with the filter-modified Canon 5D Mark II at ISO 800. Taken from Coonabarabran, Australia, March 2014.
