NGC 7000 — North America Complex
Cygnus · Samyang 135mm F2.0 · ZWO ASI2600MC Pro · Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi · 2026-04-06
Acquisition
| Filter | Exposures | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Optolong L-Ultimate HA/OIII 3nm | 36 × 300s | 1 |
| SVBony SV220 SII/OIII 7nm | 108 × 300s | 3 |
Total integration: 12h
Main Challenges
Nearly full moon (89% illumination) across all sessions — a deliberate test of the dual narrowband setup under hostile conditions. The 135mm at f/2.8 gives a 6° field, wide enough to frame the entire North America and Pelican complex in one shot.
Process Notes
The North America Nebula (NGC 7000) and its neighbour the Pelican (IC 5070) form one of the largest and most dramatic emission nebula complexes in the northern sky. At 135mm this is a wide-field project — the goal was to capture the full extent of the complex in a single frame, something impossible with the FRA400.
This was a deliberate experiment in dual narrowband filter stacking: the Optolong L-Ultimate (3nm HA/OIII dual bandpass) handles the hydrogen core and oxygen contrast, while the SVBony SV220 (7nm SII/OIII dual bandpass) adds the sulphur channel and broadens the OIII signal. The two filters serve different roles in the final SHO combine.
The sessions ran under an almost completely full moon — 89% illumination. A stress test for the narrowband setup more than anything. Both filters passed.
A Different Rig
Unlike the FRA400 targets, this was shot on a Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi — a compact, travel-friendly alt-az GoTo mount — with the Samyang 135mm f/2.0 (shot at f/2.8) and a ZWO ASI2600MC Pro colour camera. Acquisition via ZWO ASIAIR Plus rather than N.I.N.A. A leaner, more portable setup optimised for large-scale objects.
Software
Stacked and processed in PixInsight.