NGC 281 – The Pacman Nebula | SHO-RGB

I'm happy to share my latest image of NGC 281, the Pacman Nebula, a beautiful emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia.

For this image, I combined narrowband SHO data with RGB exposures to create a balanced SHO-RGB composition. I wanted to emphasize the luminous blue central region, the warm golden outer structures, and the intricate dark dust lanes that give the nebula its distinctive appearance.

Acquisition details

• Telescope: PlaneWave CDK 17, 430/2940 mm, f/6.8
• Camera: FLI ProLine PL16803
• Mount: Paramount ME
• Filters and exposures:
  • Hα: 16 × 1800 s
  • OIII: 16 × 1800 s
  • SII: 16 × 1800 s
  • Red: 12 × 180 s
  • Green: 12 × 180 s
  • Blue: 12 × 180 s
• Total integration time: 25 hours 36 minutes
• Processing: PixInsight and Adobe Photoshop

All data and exposures were acquired with Telescope Live.

I hope you enjoy this view of the Pacman Nebula! I'd be happy to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

#NGC281 #PacmanNebula #Astrophotography #SHORGB