NGC 488
Also Known as: UGC 907, PGC 4946
Object Type: Spiral Galaxy
Constellation: Pisces
Distance from Earth: 98.3 million light years
Apparent Magnitude: 10.4
Coordinates: RA 01H 21M 46.79S DEC 05 deg 15 min 24.7 sec
Actual Size: 185,000 light years
Apparent Dimensions: 5.4 arcminutes x 3.9 arcminutes
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Environmental Data
Date: October 26, 2025 Start Time: 8:07PM End Time: 3:22AM SQM: 19.39
Moon Age: 4.6 days Moonset: 6:50PM Moon Illumination: 22.2%
Temperature: 44.1 degrees F Humidity: 58% Dew Point: 30.2 degrees F
Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790 Sky Condition: Hazy
Comment: The hazy sky made it difficult to achieve pin-point focus and impacted guiding early in the night.
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Imaging Scope Data
Mount: iOptron CEM120 Camera: ZWO ASI2600 monochrome Focuser: Optec QuickSync FT20
Telescope: Celestron 11 inch SCT Edge Focal Length: 2800mm
Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: None Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip
Filter Wheel : ZWO EFW 7 position 2 inch Filter(s): Baader Lum CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader RED CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader GREEN CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader BLUE CMOS optimized 2 inch
Rotator: Pegasus Falcon 2 Power Control: Pegasus Ultimate Powerbox V2
Imaging Software
Mount: iOptron Commander Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander
Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro Platesolve: ASTAP Rotator/Control: Pegasus Unity Platform
Imaging Status
Imaging Software: Sequence Generated Focus HFR 3.84 Platesolve: Success on 2nd attempt
Guide Scope Data
Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 refractor Camera: ZWO ASI290 mono Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35
Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip Software: PHD2 Exposure: 2 sec Binning: 1x1 Tracking Result: 0.5 to 1.0 arcseconds RMS
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Images Taken
Number of light frames (LUM): 81 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Number of light frames (Red): 35 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Number of light frames (Green): 35 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Number of light frames (Blue: 35 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 10.0
Total Integration Time: 6.2 hours
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Number of flat frames (LUM): 0 Duration: 0.12 Gain:100
Number of flat frames (Red): 0 Duration: 0.38 Gain: 100
Number of flat frames (Green): 0 Duration: 0.26 Gain: 100
Number of flat frames (Blue): 0 Duration: 0.49 Gain: 100
Flat Field Illumination: All-Pro 'Spike-a-Flat Field standard' illuminated panel set to 75%
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Number of Dark frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Number of Bias frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 0.001 seconds Gain: 100
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Imaging Processing
Imaging Processing Software: PixInsight
Processes utilized: Linear - calibration/integration:
For each of the LUM, RED, GREEN, and BLUE lights: Flats ImageCalibration with Master Bias, Flat ImageIntegration, Images ImageCalibration with Flat Master & Dark Master, SubFrameSelector
StarAlign all calibrated lights using best LUM image as reference, ImageIntegration of each of the LUM, RED, GREEN, and BLUE sets
Linear - Background extraction, Color correction, deconvolution, noise reduction:
LUM DynamicCrop, GraXpert, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator
RED/GREEN/BLUE DynamicCrop, GraXpert, ChannelCombination to create color image using only Red/Green/Blue, ImageSolve, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator
Non-Linear:
LUM: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, HDRMultiScleTransform to enhance contrast, CurvesTransformation.
COLOR: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, CurvesTransformation to enhance saturation
ImageBlend to add Lum and Color images, MultiScaleLinearTransform to sharpen, CurvesTransform to increase saturation, MultiScaleLinearTransform to smooth result.
Notes:
Click Below Image for Full Size:
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