|
Software |
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PixInsight & Photoshop CS6.
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eXcalibrator v5.0 for
(g:r)
color balancing, using 102 stars from the APASS database.
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PixInsight
processing includes calibration, registering, stacking, LRGB
creation, non-linear stretching
with HistogramTransformation .
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Noiseware 5, a
PhotoShop plug-in.
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PhotoShop for
final touch up.
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|
Comment |
North is to the
top.
Late in 2004, Steve
Mandel noticed a huge faint nebula complex around the galaxies M81
and M82. Longer exposures, with only a 4-inch refractor, revealed
many beautiful structures. The Angel Nebula, as named by Mandel's
12-year-old son, is perhaps the most exquisite.
This large complex,
also called the Galactic Cirrus, was first seen on Palomar Sky
Survey plates in the mid-60s. It was often considered a nuisance
because it interfered with images of distant galaxies. Later,
astrophotographers thought it was random noise and digitally
removed the nebula.
Mandrel realized that the general galactic starlight illuminated the
reflection nebula. This led to the creative name... The Integrated
Flux Nebula.
Mandrel's initial work inspired several research papers. The nebula
was shown composed of dust particles, hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
For his work, Mandrel received the Chambliss Amateur Achievement
Medal from the American Astronomical Society. |
