Object Data: NGC 7000, the North America Nebula, is located in the constellation of Cygnus. It is a very large area of emission nebulosity extending some 2.5 degrees to the east of Deneb. It was discovered in the early 1890s during experiments into wide field astrophotography. Several areas of nebulosity can be seen surrounding NGC 7000 including IC 5070, the Pelican Nebula to the west and IC 5068 to the south. The 'Skull Nebula' can also be seen between the North America and the Pelican nebulae.
Date of Exposure: 9/8/97
Location: Wiltshire, U.K.
Conditions: Very calm, seeing quite good. Transparency poor early
but improved later. Transparency=6, Seeing=6
Telescope: Meade LX200 10" f/10 used as a mount / guidescope
for the lens
Off-Axis Guider: None
Autoguider:SBIG ST-4
Camera / Lens:Nikon F2 with Tamron 300mm f/2.8 lens (working
at f/4) mounted piggyback on the LX200 which was autoguided by the ST-4
Film:Gas Hypersensitised Kodak Ektapress Mulitspeed PJM-2
Filtration:Lumicon Deep Sky Filter
Exposure:50 minutes, 9/8/97
Enhancement:The single negative was digitally enhanced in Photoshop
Notes:
Exposure was between 00:50 and 01:40 on Saturday 9th August when this area
of sky was close to the zenith from my back garden site in Wiltshire, U.K.
Optimum elevation compensated for the relatively poor transparency.
The Michael Stecker Astrophotography Competition was judged at the European
AstroFest on 31 January 1998. There were winner and runner up prizes in
each of three sections: Deep Sky, Solar System, and Picturesque. There was
also an overall 'Grand Prize' winner. The above photograph was awarded the
Grand Prize and winner of the Deep Sky section.
The Award
The Plaque