November 23, 2024

NGC 1499 – The California Nebula in Perseus

NGC 1499 – The California Nebula in Perseus

Telescope: ES DHL Comet Hunter MN6 at f/4.8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon D610

Filter: 2” Radian Triad Ultra Hb, OIII, Ha, SII filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 22x300sec, ISO 400, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/5sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard Nikon, Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

NGC 1499 is a part of a vast expanse of interstellar hydrogen set aglow by the nearby Xi Perseus (Menkib) in the lower right of this field. This section of the nebula lies about 1,000 light years away and is about 100 light years in length.

NGC 1499 is currently high in the northeast as the sky darkens. (Photo credit; John Graham, 11/6/2021)