M27 - the dumbbell nebula

 

This is a planetary nebula in the constellation of Vulpecula. I have seen various distance estimates ranging from 500 to nearly 1,000 light years. Here is the original photo, 46 images combined by GRIP. This is the natural colour - no filters were used and the colour balance has not been altered:

Canon EOS5DMkII 254mm Newtonian @ 2380mm 46 x 10s f/9.4 ISO12800 2009-8-21 21:48:19-22:01:30 UT
From Whitley Bay 55.1N 1.5W 10m asl. Suburban, significant light pollution (6.5 Bortles)

Next is an enhanced version of the above. I have used unsharp masking and the the red component (a prominent feature of light pollution) has been reduced):

Canon EOS5DMkII 254mm Newtonian @ 2380mm 46 x 10s f/9.4 ISO12800 2009-8-21 21:48:19-22:01:30 UT

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