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Surrounding the
            dim but moderately rich open cluster IC1590 is Sharpless2-184,
            also known as NGC281. The nebula is quite large, spanning over
            half a degree in size, filled with dark Bok globules, the birthplace
            of stars. The cluster on the other hand is a respectable 7.4
            magnitude, but only 4 minutes in size.

            
Seen here clearly
            is the unique color differentiation from bright core to outer
            nebulosity. While the core has more blues which yield a bluish
            pink tint the outer most nebulosity is deep red and represents
            a much lower level of hydrogen excitation. The beautiful dark
            nebula superimposed are called Bok Globules, and represent areas
            of a higher density of dust becoming gravitationally bound.

Instrument:  12.5" f/5 Home made Newtonian
Mount:  Astrophysics 1200 QMD
CCD Camera:  SBIG 10XME NABG with Enhanced Water Cooling
Guider: Meade DSI w/Lumicon Newt Easy Guider
Exposure:  HaRGB = 120:10:10:10 
AstroDon RGB Combine Ratio:  1: 1.05: 1.11
Location:  Payson, Arizona, Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing FWHM = 10 arcsec (Maxim DL - 10min subframe), Transparency 9/10, 21.1 mag/sec sky
Outside Temperature:  35 F
CCD Temperature:  -30 C
Image Processing Tools: 
Maxim DL:  Calibration, deblooming (Starizona Debloomer), aligning, stacking
PixInsight:  Curves, Deconvolution
Photoshop CS2:  Curves, Color Correction,  Cleanup

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