Messier 97 (M97)
Common Name: Owl Nebula
Also Known as: NGC 3587
Object Type: Planetary Nebula
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance from Earth: 2,030 light years
Apparent Magnitude: 9.9
Coordinates: RA 11H 14M 47.734S DEC 55 deg 01 min 08.5 sec
Actual Size: 3 light years in diameter
Apparent Dimensions: 3.4 arc-minutes x 3.3 arc-minutes
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Environmental Data
Date: March 19, 2021 Start Time: 8:16 PM End Time: 1:48AM SQM: 18.66
Moon Age: 5.8 days Moonrise: 0:10AM Moon Illumination: 34.0%
Temperature: 38 degrees F Humidity: 33% Dew Point: 11.5 degrees F
Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790 Sky Condition: Clear
Comment: Sky mirky after midnight
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Imaging Scope Data
Mount: iOptron CEM120 Camera: ZWO ASI071 OSC Focuser: Optec QuickSync FT20
Telescope: Celestron 11 inch SCT Edge Focal Length: 1960mm
Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: 0.7 focal reducer Filter: None
Rotator: Manual Power Control: None Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip
Imaging Software
Mount: iOptron Commander Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander
Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro Platesolve: Platesolve2 Rotator/Control:
Imaging Status
Imaging Software: Sequence Generated Focus HFR 1.75 Platesolve: Success on 5th attempt
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Guide Scope Data
Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 refractor Camera: Lodetsar X2 Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35
Dew Heater: Software: PHD2 Exposure: 1 sec Binning: 1x1 Tracking Result: 0.55 arc-seconds RMS
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Images Taken
Number of light frames: 148 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
Total Integration Time: 4.93 hours
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Number of flat frames: 50 Duration: 0.15 seconds Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
Flat Field Illumination: All-Pro 'Spike-a-Flat Field standard' illuminated panel
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Number of Dark frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 2 minutes Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
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Number of Bias frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 0.001 seconds Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
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Imaging Processing
Imaging Processing Software: PixInsight
Processes utilized: Linear - calibration/integration: Flats ImageCalibration with Master Bias, Flat ImageIntegration, Images ImageCalibration with Flat Master & Dark Master, Debayer, SubFrameSelector, StarAlign, ImageIntegration.
Linear - Background extraction, Color correction, deconvolution, noise reduction: DynamicCrop, DynamicBackgroundExtraction, ImageSolve, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator, StarXterminator used to create stars-only and starless images.
Non-Linear:
Stars-only image: HistrogramTransformation
Starless image: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, MultiscaleLinearTransform for sharpening, CurvesTransformation, HistogramTransformation,
PixelMath used to merge the two images.
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Notes:
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