Abell 39, PN A66 39 planetary nebula, LRGB-Oiii-Hß (AnaTa)

Abell 39, PN A66 39 planetary nebula, LRGB-Oiii-Hß

Revision title: Main image

Abell 39 (aka PK047+42.1) is a low surface brightness (in LRGB) planetary nebula in the constellation of Hercules. Thus, L, G and B show hint of it, while R does not show it at all. Similarly, SII does not show it. Ha is extremely dim. Abell 39 could reliably be revealed by at least 5 min exposure using Oiii or Hß. It suppose to be a faint halo that extends about 18″ beyond the bright rim, but I could not capture it. On the panel C, background galaxies are visible near the nebula, and couple of them can be seen through the translucent nebula.
Abell 39 planetary nebula has a nearly uniform spherical shell. Abell 39 has a cental blue star with estimated 0.61 solar mass. The material in the planetary nebula comprising an additional 0.6 solar mass. The bright rim of the planetary nebula has an average thickness of about 10.1″, or an absolute size of about 0.19 light-years. This planetary nebula has been expanding for an estimated 11,000 years, based on an assumed expansion velocity between 32 and 37 km/sec.
Originally, this nebula was photographed from backyard using Oiii filter. Hß data was added from remote observatory. Seeing from backyard was superb. FWHM 1.7" was achieved. Remote dark sky location had awful seeing. So, Hß integrated frame has FWHM of only 2.7". However, addition of Hß data gave nebula more bluish appearance, and it is main panel.

Processing:
Cropping for R, G, B, Lum, Hß and O3
GraXpert was used to clean background, which is always present at bortle 8
RGB was combined
DBE was applied to RGB
Color Colib for RGB
Blur and Noise XT for RGB, Lum, Hß and O3
StarXT for RGB, Lum, Hß and O3
RGB stars were moderately stretched
Manual stretching (with HT) starless, RGB, Lum Hß and O3
Created LRGB
Created LRGBO3 using PixelMath R - no change, G multiply 1.1x factor, B multiply 2x factor.
Then created LRGBO3Hß using PixelMath R - no change, G multiply 1.1x factor, B multiply 2x factor.
Noise XT again for LRGBO3 and LRGBO3Hß
Stretching again for LRGBO3 and LRGBO3Hß

Simple Lum mask for LRGBO3 and LRGBO3Hß
Local Histogram Equalization: Kernel radius of 40 and then 150 (setting 0.2)
Multiscale-median transform for sharpness. Setting 0.03
Curves: saturation and brightness are manipulated.
Mask off.
Saturated RGB stars were added to LRGBO3 and LRGBO3Hß
RGBO3Hß is the panel A
Cropped LRGBO3 is the panel C
Cropped LRGBO3Hß is main image on the panel D.

Original
C
Final
D

C

Title: Cropped version; LRGBO3

Uploaded: ...

D

Title: Main image

Uploaded: ...

Planetary Nebulae
Abell Planetary Nebula

Nebulae (Planetary)

	Distinct awarded users	Total awarded images
Image of the day
Top picks
Top pick nominations

	Image of the day	Top pick	Top pick nominations	Total submitted
Deep sky
Solar system
Extremely wide field
Star trails
Northern lights
Noctilucent clouds
Landscape
Artificial satellite

	Image of the day	Top pick	Top pick nominations	Total submitted
Backyard
Traveller
Own remote observatory
Amateur hosting facility
Public amaeteur data
Professional, scientific grade data
Mix of multiple sources
Other
Unknown

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
PixInsight job	O7BLG8GUSAWWZ3P8IZRXSG0EQEHAOSH6
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	TASK_LOG

RA (center)	16h27m33s.642
RA (top/left)	16h27m04s.290
RA (top/right)	16h27m03s.523
RA (bottom/right)	16h28m03s.199
RA (bottom/left)	16h28m03s.865

Dec (center)	+27°54′29″.64
Dec (top/left)	+28°01′01″.10
Dec (top/right)	+27°48′05″.15
Dec (bottom/right)	+27°47′57″.41
Dec (bottom/left)	+28°00′53″.14

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