Halpha employed as luminance. Color: RGBHalphaOIII:

Nebulae in Auriga: IC405, IC410 and IC417.

Equipment: Takahashi FSQ106 scope. Losmandy G11 mount. SBIG STL11000 camera. Luminance, red, green, blue, H alpha and OIII filters (LRGBHalphaOIII)

Location: broadband LRGB data obtained from montes de Toledo, about 150 Km away from Madrid (Spain) in a rural location. Narrowband H alpha and OIII data obtained from Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid suburbs)

Date: february 18th 2012

Exposure: 4x600 seconds L (unbinned), 3x600 seconds R, 2x600 seconds G (binned 2x2), 2x600 seconds B (binned 2x2), 6x1800 seconds H alpha (unbinned), and 3x1800 seconds OIII (unbinned). Total exposure: 110 min broadband and 540 min narrowband

The images shown here were processed using the H alpha channel and the OIII channel to enhance the color data. The method employed was the one suggested by Debra Ceravolo in Sky and Telescope, december 2011.

The upper image was processed using the L channel (clear filter) as luminance and the lower image was processed using the H alpha cannel as luminance. Colors are better preserved in the upper image, subtle nebulosity is better shown in the lower image.

Clear filter employed as luminance. Color:RGBHalphaOIII: