The Iris Nebula in a Field of Cosmic Dust

Image Title: NGC 7023 - The Iris Nebula And Its Faint Scarlet Secret - 82h HaLRGB

Copyright: Data Contributors: John Poole, Jeff Newgard, Derek Morf, Stefan Pommerin
Project Management: Derek Morf
Image Pre Processing: Jeff Newgard
Image Post Processing: Stefan Pommerin & Derek Morf

Date image was taken: June 28, 2025

Location: StarFront Remote Observatories, Texas, USA.

Data Acquisition Method: Personal Telescope Setup

Description and Details: Target: NGC 7023 The Iris Nebula
Total Exposure: 82h 40m
Location: StarFront Remote Observatories, Texas, USA
Date: All data taken in June, 2025

L 341 × 300″ 28h 25m
R 111 × 300″ 9h 15m
G 114 × 300″ 9h 30m
B 113 × 300″ 9h 25m
Hα 313 × 300″ 26h 5m

In June 2025, a four-member astrophotography team (Game Shark Collective) turned their optics toward one of the night sky's most prominent reflection nebulae: NGC 7023, commonly known as the Iris Nebula in the constellation Cepheus.

The nebula is famous for its bright, blue reflection core. Starlight from the central star HD 200775 scattering off thick interstellar dust.
It is typically imaged as a pure reflection object with no notable emission in narrowband hydrogen-alpha (Hα). But we wondered: is that really the full story?

With over 26 hours of Hα data and a total integration of more than 82 hours, we set out to investigate.
After careful continuum subtraction, subtle structures emerged in the nebula's core - faint but undeniable signs of Hα emission.
This signal is not dominant; it’s delicate and easily lost in the glare of reflected starlight. But it is there.

This image is a blend of broadband LRGB and continuum-subtracted Hα data, capturing both the familiar beauty of the Iris and the rarely revealed presence of hydrogen-alpha emission.

Name: Stefan Pommerin

Website or Facebook Profile: https://app.astrobin.com/u/ShotsByStefan?i=imrz5y#gallery