M46 and Planetary Nebula NGC 2438

Location: Banglamung, Thailand (100 59 E, 12 55 N)

Date: 29 Jan 2011

Camera: QHY-9 and QHY filters

Telescope: William Optics FLT110

Frames: Six 5 minute exposures in each of RGB.

Processing: Stacked in CCDStack, light polution gradients removed, curves, selective unsharpened and diffraction spikes added in Photoshop CS5.

Comments: This image of the open cluster M46 contains the planetary nebula known as NGC 2438 that lies between us and M46. There is also a smaller planetary nebula in the central left of the image known as PLN 231+4.1 (you may need to click the image to get the larger version).