The NIR region remains largely unexplored by amateur imagers. Perhaps this is due to the impression that the Si CCD camera is not sufficiently sensitive in the NIR. Perhaps it is not clear what can be imaged in the NIR. Narrowband imaging has only recently become popular, allowing imagers to take images from backyard equipment like the Hubble Space Telescope’s “Pillars of Creation” (Messier 16). NIR imaging may follow this recent narrowband evolution and become another tool in the imager’s toolkit. This image is of Maffei 2, a galaxy in the plane of the Milky Way that is obscurred by dust and hence, very faint. This image was made entirely in the NIR with no visible light!.
Goals
- Produce tri-color images entirely in the NIR
- Color combine weights for NIR1, 2, 3 are ~ 1:1:1.2.
- Examine objects highly obscured by dust in the plane of the Milky Way, such as the IC342/ Maffei group, that are difficult to image at VIS wavelengths.
- Explore faint, extended red emission (ERE) nebula.
- Uncover stars and other details in nebula that are obscured by bright VIS emissions from H-a, SII, OIII or other elements.
- Mix NIR with RGB of globular clusters to enhance the appearance of cooler stars.
- Minimize terrestrial light pollution from sodium and mercury street lamps and oxygen skyglow for imagers living in suburban or city locations
- Use the NIR luminance (no visible light) to explore galaxy structure in comparison to VIS luminance data.
