The Fox Fur Nebula is a nebula (a formation of gas and dust) located in the constellation of [url=mw-redirect=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoceros_(constellation)]Monoceros[/url] (the Unicorn) not far off the right arm of Orion and included in the NGC 2264 Region. In the Sharpless catalog it is number 273.   The image is a close-up of a small section of a much larger complex, generally known as the [url=mw-redirect=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Tree_cluster]Christmas Tree cluster[/url]. The Cone Nebula is also a part of this same cloud.  The red regions of this nebula are caused by hydrogen gas that has been stimulated to emit its own light by the copious ultraviolet radiation coming from the hot, blue stars of the cluster. The blue areas shine by a different process: they are mainly dust clouds that reflect the bluish light of the same stars.  Its popular name arises because the nebula looks like the head of a [url=mw-redirect=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stole_(shawl)]stole[/url] made from the fur of a [url=mw-redirect=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulpes_vulpes]red fox[/url]. =reference[1]Wikipedia

Processing:
Imaged in my backyard in Tucson, AZ on January 9, 2024.
On this image I used the Antlia Triband filter with the ZWO 2600MC camera.
Taken with the Takahashi FSQ-106.
17 subs at 1200 sec with the Antlia Triband filter.

The sub frames were batch processed with Lights, darks, flats and darkflats using WBPP.

The original master light was cloned and cropped.
DBE was utilized to remove gradients. Graxpert did not work well on this image.
Color calibration was applied with the original ColorCalibration process.
I then applied BlurX, NoiseX and StarX ala Russell Croman.
Final stretching of the starless image was accomplished using a combination of GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch and the HistogramTransformation tool
as this was a somewhat complex image to modify the background and preserve the beautiful nebulosity of the background.

After stretching, I added another round of NoiseExterminator at default settings.
Color was added with a combination of extracting the lightness channel and use of the
LRGB combination tool to increase saturation and remove chrominance noise.

I then achieved a pleasing SHO pallet using Bill Blanshan’s wonderful NarrowBandNormalization.

Sharpening was applied using LocalHistogramEqualization, Multiscale Transformation and Unsharp masking.
Another Curves adjustment to add a bit of contrast and then a round of DarkStructureEnhancement to bring out those subtle shadow details.

I then created a “Game mask” to mask off the central portion of the image, inverted the mask and applied NoiseX to the background.
The central beautiful teal/blue OIII region was enhanced via use of the HDR tool.
A final curves to adjust the background with the mask applied to protect the cone region.

Stars were stretched and then color adjusted with curves.
The final stars and starless images were recombined with Pixel math.
I did not use any star reduction as I achieved a good star reduction during my initial star stretch.

Kudos to Masters of Pixinsight, Russel Croman and Bill Blanshan for their fine tools and instruction.
A good day to process during the rain.
Vic