The North America Nebula (NGC 7000) is a large emission nebula in Cygnus. Alongside the Pelican Nebula (IC 5070), this region in space is one of the most interesting areas for astrophotographers of all experience to shoot. I pointed my telescope at this region once again, and I could not be happier with the result.
My old image of the North America Nebula
What are the North American and Pelican nebulae?
NGC 7000 and IC 5070 are large HII emission nebulae. This means that the nebula is composed mostly of hydrogen gas that has been ionized by a large energy source (usually a star.) These nebulae fall inside of the main band of the milky way, which is unsurprisingly where most HII regions are found simply due to the density of matter found within. Some HII regions in the milky way include the Heart Nebula (IC 1805), Gamma Cygni Nebula (IC 1318), and Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8.) HII regions emit a specific wavelength of light called hydrogen alpha (HA for short.) This wavelength is very common in space due to the abundance of hydrogen, and it gives HII regions their signature red glow in most photos.
The Gamma Cygni Nebula (Sadr Region) by me
There are tons of nebulae in the constellation Cygnus including the Sadr Region, Tulip Nebula, Crescent Nebula, and the North America Nebula. It is probably the most interesting region of space to photograph from the Northern Hemisphere. The bright nebulae make for great beginner targets, but there are also quite a few dimmer objects that are great targets for experienced photographers.
How did I produce my image?
Using my normal imaging rig, I collected about 1 hour and 15 minutes of data. With each individual exposure lasting 5 minutes, I captured far more nebula detail compared to my last attempt of NGC 7000. There is a trade-off though, which is the star shapes. Because the 5 minute exposures give the mount and the atmosphere more time to move, the stars appear to trail, even with perfect polar alignment. Even though this is a problem, I will gladly trade star shapes for more nebula detail. Before I started imaging, I planned where I wanted to point my telescope so I could get the NA and Pelican in frame using Stellarium. Below is what I had in mind before shooting. Note the red box that accurately displays what my camera with my telescope will see.
NGC 7000 in Stellarium
After I collected the data, I ended up with 15 x 300s lights, 20 darks, 30 flats, and 50 biases, for a total acquisition time of 2 hours and 55 minutes. I might have went overboard with the calibration frames, but after my last image of NGC 7000, I wanted this one to be nearly artifact-free. For stacking this image, I used the free software SiriL. It has scripts that automate the stacking process which I've found do a very good job. I also used the editing software GIMP 2.10 to bring out the details and adjust the colors to my liking. After editing, this is the image I produced. Please enjoy.
North America and the Pelican by me
If you want to learn more about my imaging rig, the My Equipment section of this site has information on the components, along with links to purchase them. you can find it here:
If you are interested in my planning process, please refer to the blog post here:
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