The California Nebula, NGC 1499, by the blue star Zeta Persei, aka Menkib, which likely illuminates the nebula. The California Nebula was discovered in 1884 by E.E. Barnard. It lies about 1000 light years away. This is a stack of 9 x 6 minute exposures with the filter modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 and through the TMB 92mm apo refractor at f/4.4 with the Borg 0.85x field flattener/reducer, shot from New Mexico Nov 16, 2014.
California Nebula in Perseus, with 105mm A&M/Officina Stellare apo refractor and modified Canon 5D MkII camera, at ISO 800 for stack of 5 x 15 minute exposures, Mean combined, taken at f/5.1 (using Borg 0.85x reducer flattener).
NCG 1499 California Nebula in Perseus - with Canon 20Da and 135mm Canon L-series telephoto at f/2.8 for stack of 4 x 6 minute exposures at ISO 400 - taken from home under ideal conditions Sept 30 2008. Field of view across short dimension of frame equals that of typical binoculars.