Cederblad (Ced) 214 / Sh2-171 Emission Nebula Dark - Narrowband with RGB stars (Cepheus), July 2023
Planewave CDK12.5; AP 1100GTO AE
ASI6200MM, - Antlia V Pro 3.5nm NB and RGB filters
Ha,O,S: (31,26,32 x 480s exposures, Bin 2x2, Gain 200)
R,G,B: (12,12,12 x 120s, Bin 2x2, Gain 200)
Total Integration Time = 13.0 hours
Modified Forax SHO palette with RGB stars.

At the heart of NGC7822, the “Cosmic Question Mark” lies this bright, young star forming region, containing all of the feature of molecular cloud emissions being buffeted by UV radiation and stellar winds from the very stars that they created. One brighter area is being lit by a growing cluster of stars (Berkeley 59). Some of the stars within the cluster are very young and may not have been visible by our ancestor “Lucy”, 3.2 million years ago, even if she did have a telescope. Another patch of cloud on the right of the image, is being intensely excited by the star “BD+66 1673”. Wikipedia describes this “eclipting binary” star as being by the one of the hottest stars within 3000 light-years of us, with a temperature of 45,000K and a luminosity 100,000 fold greater than the sun. Of course, the nebulosity is replete with elephant trunks, pillars and nodules.
This image represents another foray into the Forax palette, which I am still learning the nuances of.