The Rosette Nebula (please click on image for larger presentation) is approximately 5500 light years from Earth and spans over 1 degree in the sky which is more than 5 full moons. The nebula itself has different NGC designations including 2223, 2238, 2239, and 2246. The open star cluster in the middle of the nebula is designated as NGC 2244. The nebula is located in the constellation Monoceros.
This image is another in my continuing experimentation with using Adobe Light Room and Photoshop exclusively in post-processing. I actually selected only 11 of the best images I had for this object taken during the Winter Star Party in February 2009. The 11 images were each 3.5 minutes in exposure at ISO 1600 for a total exposure time of 40 minutes. ISO 1600 was used as a compromise to maximize exposure time due to the sporadic cloudiness that was present. The telescope used was a Tom Back 92mm signature series refractor at approximately f4 and a focal length of about 400mm. The camera used was a modified Canon 450D. So far, I am very happy with the results of the Adobe processing work flow. The only question that I have is how well with this process work on hydrogen alpha images. I hope to do some experimentation with this in the coming weeks. I hope you enjoy the image and please drop me a line if you get a chance.