Accoding to ChatGPT... IC 1590 is a young open star cluster embedded within the bright emission nebula NGC 281, also known as the Pacman Nebula, in the constellation Cassiopeia. The cluster lies at the heart of this active star-forming region, illuminating and shaping the surrounding gas and dust through powerful stellar winds and radiation from its massive, hot stars (SIMBAD). Prominent dark dust lanes carve out the “mouth” of the Pacman shape seen in deep astrophotography.

Located about 9,200 light-years away (NED), IC 1590 spans roughly 10 light-years across and is part of a much larger molecular cloud complex associated with the H II region Sharpless 2-184. The cluster and its nebula are prominent targets for narrowband imaging, revealing intricate details of hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur emissions (APOD 2014-09-08). The region is visually challenging under light-polluted skies but rewarding for astrophotographers using Hα filters. Look for it near the eastern portion of Cassiopeia, the celestial Queen.

Total image time was 1.75 hours. Imaged during the Full Moon with cloudy periods.

References: NASA APOD (2006-09-06), NASA APOD (2014-09-08), SIMBAD Astronomical Database, NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED), Sharpless 2-184 entry.

A total of 5 hours exposure.

Exposure	15@1200 sec
ISO	1600
Camera	Nikon Z7 [5440x3616] in DX mode
Optics	Skywatcher Esprit 120mm Refractor
Filter	Radian Triad Ultra Quad-Band Narrowband Filter
Guiding	Phd2 using a ZWO 224MC on an Orion 60x240mm Guide scope
Controller	Images taken using Kstars on an Quieter3C
Scale	1.066 arcsec/pixel
Focuser Temperature	-8.0 C
Location	Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date	2023-01-11
PixInsight Processing	< WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script Dynamic Crop Background Extractor BlurXTerminator HistogramTransform NoiseXTerminator BlurXTerminator CurvesTransformation

Date: March 26, 2025 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/Pacman-Nebula&image=NGC281_NT.jpg Tue, 07 Mar 2023 09:59:55 -0400 https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/Pacman-Nebula&image=masterLight_BIN_1_5440x3616_EXPOSURE_1200_00s_FILTER_LPR_RGB_autocrop_integration_autocrop_DBE_clone.jpg The Pacman Nebula NGC 281 is a bright emission nebula and part of an H II region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia and is part of the Milky Way's Perseus Spiral Arm about 9200 ly away. Edward Emerson Barnard discovered the nebula in August 1883, describing it as "a large faint nebula, very diffuse.

A total of 5 hours exposure.

Exposure	15@1200 sec
ISO	1600
Camera	Nikon Z7 [5440x3616] in DX mode
Optics	Skywatcher Esprit 120mm Refractor
Filter	Radian Triad Ultra Quad-Band Narrowband Filter
Guiding	Phd2 using a ZWO 224MC on an Orion 60x240mm Guide scope
Controller	Images taken using Kstars on an Quieter3C
Scale	1.066 arcsec/pixel
Focuser Temperature	-8.0 C
Location	Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date	2023-01-11
PixInsight Processing	< WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script Dynamic Crop Background Extractor BlurXTerminator HistogramTransform NoiseXTerminator CurvesTransformation

Date: March 26, 2025 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/Pacman-Nebula&image=masterLight_BIN_1_5440x3616_EXPOSURE_1200_00s_FILTER_LPR_RGB_autocrop_integration_autocrop_DBE_clone.jpg Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:50:04 -0300 https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/Pacman-Nebula&image=masterLight_BIN_1_5440x3616_EXPOSURE_1200_00s_FILTER_LPR_RGB_autocrop_integration_autocrop_DBE_topazSharpen.jpg The Pacman Nebula NGC 281 is a bright emission nebula and part of an H II region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia and is part of the Milky Way's Perseus Spiral Arm about 9200 ly away. Edward Emerson Barnard discovered the nebula in August 1883, describing it as "a large faint nebula, very diffuse.

A total of 5 hours exposure.

Exposure	15@1200 sec
ISO	1600
Camera	Nikon Z7 [5440x3616] in DX mode
Optics	Skywatcher Esprit 120mm Refractor
Filter	Radian Triad Ultra Quad-Band Narrowband Filter
Guiding	Phd2 using a ZWO 224MC on an Orion 60x240mm Guide scope
Controller	Images taken using Kstars on an Quieter3C
Scale	1.066 arcsec/pixel
Focuser Temperature	-8.0 C
Location	Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date	2023-01-11
PixInsight Processing	WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script Dynamic Crop Background Extractor BlurXTerminator Generalized Hyperbolic Stretch NoiseXTerminator CurvesTransformation

Date: March 26, 2025 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/Pacman-Nebula&image=masterLight_BIN_1_5440x3616_EXPOSURE_1200_00s_FILTER_LPR_RGB_autocrop_integration_autocrop_DBE_topazSharpen.jpg Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:50:04 -0300 https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/Pacman-Nebula&image=NGC_281_masterLight_BIN-1_8256x5504_EXPOSURE-1200.00s_FILTER-LPR_combined_RGB_drizzle_1x_stf.jpg The Pacman Nebula NGC 281 is a bright emission nebula and part of an H II region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia and is part of the Milky Way's Perseus Spiral Arm about 9200 ly away. Edward Emerson Barnard discovered the nebula in August 1883, describing it as "a large faint nebula, very diffuse.

A total of 4 hours and 40 minutes exposure.

Exposure	14@1200 sec
ISO	1600
Camera	Nikon Z7 [8856 x 5504]
Optics	Skywatcher Esprit 120mm Refractor
Filter	Radian Triad Ultra Quad-Band Narrowband Filter
Guiding	Phd2 using a ZWO 224MC on an Orion 60x240mm Guide scope
Controller	Images taken using Kstars on an Odroid-N2 (Raspberry Pi clone)
Field of View	2.08 x 1.37 deg
Location	Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date	2020-10-30
PixInsight Processing	WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script NoiseXTerminator Dynamic Crop Automatic Background Extractor ColourCalibration (both saturation and hue) MultiscaleLinearTransform HistogramTransform CurvesTransformation

Date: March 26, 2025 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/Pacman-Nebula&image=NGC_281_masterLight_BIN-1_8256x5504_EXPOSURE-1200.00s_FILTER-LPR_combined_RGB_drizzle_1x_stf.jpg Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:50:04 -0300