The Iris Nebula (also known as LBN 487, Caldwell 4) is a reflection nebula lying about 1300 light years away. It gets its dominant blue color from an adjacent hot, young, blue star.  Inside the nebula is the star cluster NGC 7023.

Technical Information       

Date:                       August, 2014

Location:                 Green Valley, Arizona

Telescope:              Takahashi FSQ-106EDX

Camera:                  SBIG STT-8300M

Filters:                     Astrodon Gen 2

Mount:                     AstroPhysics 1200

Exposure:                LRGB = 7:2:2:2 hours, all unbinned

Software:                 Acquisition: Maxim DL 5, TheSkyX, Pinpoint, CCD Commander

                                Processing: CCDStack, PhotoShop CS6 with various plugins