The Whirlpool galaxy (widefield)
Discovered by Charles Messier in 1773, M51 is located 31 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici. It has an apparent magnitude of 8.4 and can be spotted with a small telescope most easily during May. The Whirlpool galaxy’s beautiful face-on view and closeness to Earth allow astronomers to study a classic spiral galaxy’s structure and star-forming processes.
The Whirlpool Galaxy is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus.
Zooming in into this widefield photo you can see the star formation regions inside the galaxy.
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TS-Optics Photoline 2" 0.79x ED Reducer/Corrector
QHYCCD QHY268M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C (Gain 56, Offset 10)
QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
Antlia 36mm LRGB filters
QHYCCD QHY5L-IIM guide camera on a Sky-Watcher Esprit 80
QHYCCD Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 08.04 to 15.04.2024
Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK, bortle 5
Frames:
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 25×120″(50′)
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 30×120″(1h)
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 36 mm: 59×180″(2h 57′)
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 36 mm: 2×300″(10′)
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 23×120″(46′)
Total integration: 5h 43′
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight, with the help of Noise Xterminator, Blur Xterminator, Star Xterminator, and Photoshop CC 2024
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Barnard 11 and Barnard 13
Barnard 11 and Barnard 13 are dark nebulae in the constellation Camelopardalis, located in the south of this constellation. The nebulae are part of the Southern Giraffe Clouds. Also, in this photo, you can see the following nebulae: LDN 1399, LDN 1400, LDN 1401, LDN 1402, LDN 1404 and LDN 1408.
The image is illuminated by the Hydrogen-Alpha signal shown in the image as the red background. I had an attempt to capture some of the extremely faint Oiii signal too (shown in blue in the lower right and center part of the image) but even after 100 x 600sec exposures I didn't get any structure in the fillaments.
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE f6.5 with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB, Chroma 1.25" LoGlow filter and Chroma 1.25" 3nm Ha and Oiii filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, APT, SGP, Stellarium with StellariumScope, PHD2
Location:
2023 - Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Dates:
13.10.2023 to 11.01.2024
Frames:
Chroma Blue 1.25": 50×180″(2h 30′)
Chroma Green 1.25": 50×180″(2h 30′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 100×600″(16h 40′)
Chroma LoGlow Light Pollution 1.25": 300×180″(15h)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 100×600″(16h 40′)
Chroma Red 1.25": 50×180″(2h 30′)
Total integration time: 55h 50′
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator and Blur Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2024
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NGC 2403, Cadwell 7
NGC 2403 (also known as Caldwell 7) is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis.
It is an outlying member of the M81 Group, and is approximately 8 million light-years distant. It bears a similarity to M33, being about 50,000 light years in diameter and containing numerous star-forming H II regions.
The northern spiral arm connects it to the star forming region NGC 2404.
NGC 2403 can be observed using 10×50 binoculars.
NGC 2404 is 2000 light-years in diameter, making it one of the largest known H II regions, even larger than Tarantula Nebula in Large Magellanic Cloud. This H II region represents striking similarity with NGC 604 in M33, both in size and location in galaxy.
Source: Wikipedia
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25"Lo-Glow, RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm HO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, APT, SGP, Stellarium with StellariumScope, PHD2
Location:
2023 - Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Dates:
11.01 to 19.01.2024
Frames:
Chroma Blue 1.25": 60×180″(3h) bin 2×2
Chroma Green 1.25": 60×180″(3h) bin 2×2
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 45×600″(7h 30′) bin 1×1
Chroma LoGlow Light Pollution 1.25": 100×300″(8h 20′) bin 1×1
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 11×600″(1h 50′) bin 1×1
Chroma Red 1.25": 60×180″(3h) bin 2×2
Total integration:
26h 40′
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator and Blur Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2024
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Another oldie but goldie shot with a modified Canon 700D and the 200p that to this day I regret selling.
Messier 45 - The Pleiades
The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45, are an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky.
The cluster is dominated by hot blue and luminous stars that have formed within the last 100 million years. A faint reflection nebulosity around the brightest stars was thought at first to be left over from the formation of the cluster (hence the alternative name Maia Nebula after the star Maia), but is now likely an unrelated foreground dust cloud in the interstellar medium, through which the stars are currently passing.
Distance to Earth: 444.2 light years
Constellation: Taurus
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses: Sky-Watcher Explorer 200P
Imaging Cameras: Canon EOS 700D / Rebel T5i / Kiss X7i (modified)
Mounts: DarkFrame Optics Stellardrive 6 (N/EQ6)
Filters: IDAS LPS-D1 EOS APS-C
Accessories: Baader Diamond Steeltrack Focuser × · Baader Steeldrive II motor focuser with Controller × · Lacerta MGEN-2 standalone autoguider · TS-Optics Off-axis guider for Canon EOS cameras (TSOAG11)
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Distinct Solutions Ltd Astro Photography Tool (APT) · Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight · Russell Croman Astrophotography BlurXTerminator · Russell Croman Astrophotography NoiseXTerminator
Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses
Sky-Watcher Explorer 200P
Acquisition details
Dates: 15 Nov 2017
Frames: IDAS LPS-D1 EOS APS-C: 20×600″(3h 20′) ISO400
Integration: 3h 20′
Darks: 20
Flats: 30
Bias: 50
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I miss the good old times when I was only using an astromodified DSLR and a very good modified 200p telescope. I was shooting 900sec without problems and everything was very simple and easy. I wasn't even using PHD2 for guiding, I was only using a Lacerta Mgen II but it worked. The nostalgia made me return to the data shot in 2017. I might go back to other targets shot back then.
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Sky-Watcher Explorer 200P
Imaging Cameras
Canon EOS 700D / Rebel T5i / Kiss X7i (modified)
Mounts
DarkFrame Optics Stellardrive 6 (N/EQ6)
Filters
IDAS LPS-D1 EOS APS-C
Accessories
Baader Diamond Steeltrack Focuser × · Baader Steeldrive II motor focuser with Controller × · Lacerta MGEN-2 standalone autoguider · TS-Optics Off-axis guider for Canon EOS cameras (TSOAG11)
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Distinct Solutions Ltd Astro Photography Tool (APT) · Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight · Russell Croman Astrophotography BlurXTerminator · Russell Croman Astrophotography NoiseXTerminator
Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses
Sky-Watcher Explorer 200P
Dates:
26 Aug 2017
Frames: IDAS LPS-D1 EOS APS-C: 13×900″(3h 15′) ISO400
Integration: 3h 15′
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LBN777 - Baby eagle nebula
LBN 777, also known as the Baby Eagle or Vulture Head nebula. It is part of the Taurus molecular cloud and is located about 400 light years away in the constellation Taurus.
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65Q quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm LRGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 15.10 to 11.11.2023
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Frames:
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 55×180″(2h 45′)
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 55×180″(2h 45′)
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 36 mm: 164×180″(8h 12′)
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 55×180″(2h 45′)
Total integration:
16h 27′
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2024
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The California Nebula (NGC 1499/Sh2-220) is an emission nebula located in the constellation Perseus. Its name comes from its resemblance to the outline of the US State of California in long exposure photographs. It is almost 2.5° long on the sky and, because of its very low surface brightness, it is extremely difficult to observe visually. It can be observed with a Hα filter (isolates the Hα line at 656 nm) or Hβ filter (isolates the Hβ line at 486 nm) in a rich-field telescope under dark skies.
It lies at a distance of about 1,000 light years from Earth. Its fluorescence is due to excitation of the Hβ line in the nebula by the nearby prodigiously energetic O7 star, Xi Persei (also known as Menkib).
The California Nebula was discovered by E. E. Barnard in 1884.
By coincidence, the California Nebula transits in the zenith in central California as the latitude matches the declination of the object.
Source: Wikipedia
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65Q quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha, Sii and Oiii filters
#antlia 36mm RGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 06.09 to 11.11.2023
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Acquisition details:
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 80×300″(6h 40′)
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 20×600″(3h 20′)
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 36 mm: 60×300″(5h)
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Sulfur II 36 mm: 65×300″(5h 25′)
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 10×60″(10′)
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 10×60″(10′)
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 10×60″(10′)
Total integration: 20h 55'
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight, with the help of Noise Xterminator, Blur Xterminator, Star Xterminator, and Photoshop CC 2024
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The Spider (IC 417) is located in the constellation Auriga, and lies about 10,000 light-years away. It is in the outer part of the Milky Way, almost exactly in the opposite direction from the galactic center.
NGC 1931 also known as the Fly nebula, was discovered by Wilhelm Herschel on 4 February 1793. It is a young star cluster, surrounded by a nebula of gas and dust and has partly amorphous, but partly also a filament-like structure. The dust nebula surrounds a small cluster of faint stars. It resembles a miniature version of the Orion Nebula and is located in a spiral arm of the Milky Way, which is probably an extension of the Perseus arm.
Source: https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/spider-nebula/
and https://www.kinchastro.com/spider--fly.html
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, APT, SGP, Stellarium with StellariumScope, PHD2
Location:
2023 - Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Dates:
05.09 to 14.11.2023
Frames:
Chroma Blue 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma Green 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 80×300″(6h 40′)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 80×300″(6h 40′)
Chroma Red 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma SII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 75×300″(6h 15′)
Total integration time: 20h 5′
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator and Blur Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2024
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Sharpless 154
Located very close to the well known Cave nebula (SH2-155), Sharpless 154 or Sh2-154 is a large emission nebula located approximately 3,250 light-years away in Cepheus contellation.
Sh 2-154 is ionised by the B0 III giant LS III +60 28, according to Avedisova. She places the nebula in the star formation region SFR 108.96+1.59 along with a molecular cloud.
According to a 2000 paper, radiation from stars associated with Sh 2-154 may be accelerating a giant molecular cloud that appears to contain 700 solar masses of carbon monoxide and perhaps 10 thousand solar masses in total viral mass.
To the bottom left of the image you can see the open star cluster NGC7419.
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, APT, SGP, Stellarium with StellariumScope, PHD2
Location:
2023 - Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Dates:
05.09 to 14.11.2023
Frames:
Chroma Blue 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma Green 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 20×600″(3h 20′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 80×300″(6h 40′)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 100×600″(16h 40′)
Chroma Red 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma SII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 80×300″(6h 40′)
Chroma SII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 15×600″(2h 30′)
Total integration time: 36h 20′
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator and Blur Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2024
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NGC1333
NGC 1333 is a reflection nebula located in the northern constellation Perseus, positioned next to the southern constellation border with Taurus and Aries. The nebula is visible as a hazy patch in a small telescope, while a larger aperture will show a pair of dark nebulae designated Barnard 1 and Barnard 2. It is associated with a dark cloud L1450 (Barnard 205). Estimates of the distance to this nebula range from 980–1,140 ly (300–350 pc).
The photo is in LRGB with the luminance shot from my back garden in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and the RGB data from a trip to bortle 4 skies in 2019
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses TS-Optics Imaging Star 65/420 (TSAPO65Q)
Imaging Cameras
QHYCCD QHY294 M · ZWO ASI294MC Pro
Mounts
DarkFrame Optics Stellardrive 6 (N/EQ6) · Sky-Watcher EQ3 Pro Synscan
Filters
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 36 mm · IDAS LPS-D1 2"
Accessories
Pegasus Astro FocusCube · QHYCCD QHYCFW3-M-US
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Fabien Chéreau et al. Stellarium · Main Sequence Software Sequence Generator Pro (SGP) · Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight · ProDigital Software StarSpikes Pro · Russell Croman Astrophotography BlurXTerminator · Russell Croman Astrophotography NoiseXTerminator · Russell Croman Astrophotography StarXTerminator · Stark Labs PHD Guiding · Welsh Dragon Computing StellariumScope
Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses
Sky-Watcher 9x50 Finderscope
Guiding Cameras
QHYCCD QHY5L-II M
Dates: 29 Dec 2019 to 24 Jan 2023
Frames:
IDAS LPS-D1 2": 55×120″(1h 50′)
Integration:: 15h 26′
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Sharpless 92
Sh2-92 is a large emission nebula visible at the border between Vulpecula and Cygnus constellations.
Sh2-92 appears very extensive and weak, to the point that very sensitive instruments are needed to be able to resolve it. The best time for its observation in the evening sky is from June to November.
Sh2-92 is a very extensive H II region, the diameter of which exceeds 200 light-years; it belongs perhaps to the outermost edge of the Orion Arm, at a distance of about 4400 parsec (14300 light-years) from the solar system. The source of the gas ionization of this cloud is a bright Wolf-Rayet star, known as WR 127 (or HD 186943); this star, of apparent magnitude 10.18, is actually a binary star system, in which the secondary component is a main-sequence blue star of O9V spectral class.
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65Q quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha, Sii and Oiii filters
#antlia 36mm RGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 19.08 to 26.10.2023
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Acquisition details:
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 80×300″(6h 40′)
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 13×600″(2h 10′)
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 36 mm: 49×600″(8h 10′)
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Sulfur II 36 mm: 50×300″(4h 10′)
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 10×60″(10′)
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 10×60″(10′)
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 10×60″(10′)
Total integration:
21h 40′
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight, with the help of Noise Xterminator, Blur Xterminator, Star Xterminator, and Photoshop CC 2024
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vdB141 - The Ghost nebula in Cepheus
With the Halloween fast approaching I am happy to present to you my version of the Ghost nebula in Cepheus
The Ghost Nebula (designated Sh2-136, VdB 141) is a reflection nebula located 1470 light-years away from us in the constellation Cepheus.
It lies near the cluster NGC 7023. Looking at the image, the nebula's name is easily understood. The Ghost Nebula is referred to as a globule (catalogued CB230) and over 2 light-years across. There are several stars embedded, whose reflected light make the nebula appear a yellowish-brown colour.
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" LoGlow for luminance
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 15.08 to 14.09.2023
Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Chroma Blue 1.25": 70×180″(3h 30′)
Chroma Green 1.25": 70×180″(3h 30′)
Chroma Red 1.25": 70×180″(3h 30′)
Chroma loGlow 1.25": 210×180″(10h 30′)
Total integration time 21 hours
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2023
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NGC7822 in SHO with RGB stars
NGC 7822 is a young star forming complex in the constellation of Cepheus. The complex encompasses the emission region designated Sharpless 171, and the young cluster of stars named Berkeley 59. The complex is believed to be around 2900 light years away with the younger components aged no more than a few million years. The complex also includes one of the hottest stars discovered within 1 kpc of the Sun, namely BD+66 1673, which is an eclipsing binary system consisting of an O5V that exhibits a surface temperature of nearly 45,000 K and a luminosity about 100,000 times that of the Sun. The star is one of the primary sources illuminating the nebula and shaping the complex's famed pillars of creation-type formations, the elephant trunks.
Source: Wikipedia
For the final photo I used some of the data shot in 2019
Equipment used:
Eq6 hypertune gen2 by DarkFrame Ltd and StellarDrive GT6
Skywatcher 130pds f5 newtonian telescope
Skywatcher x0.9 coma corrector
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
QHYCCD QHY183M Coldmos, cooled at -20°C
7x1.25" StarlightXpress USB filterwheel
Baader 1.25" filters, 7nm Ha and 8nm Sii
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
TS09OAG off axis guider
Software used:
Eqmod, APT - Astro Photography Tool, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, Stellarium with StellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment.
Date: 18.02 to 03.08.2019 and 09.08 to 05.09.2023
Frames:
Baader H-alpha 7nm 1.25": 56×300″(4h 40′)
Baader S-II 8nm 1.25": 39×300″(3h 15′)
Baader S-II 8nm 1.25": 34×600″(5h 40′)
Chroma Blue 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma Green 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 100×300″(8h 20′)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 49×300″(4h 5′)
Chroma Red 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma SII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 65×300″(5h 25′)
Total integration: 31h 55′
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator Blur Xterminator and Noise Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2023
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Markarian's Chain is a stretch of galaxies that forms part of the Virgo Cluster. When viewed from Earth, the galaxies lie along a smoothly curved line. Charles Messier first discovered two of the galaxies, M84 and M86, in 1781. The other galaxies seen in the chain were discovered by William Herschel and are now known primarily by their catalog numbers in John Louis Emil Dreyer's New General Catalogue, published in 1888. It was ultimately named after the Armenian astrophysicist, Benjamin Markarian, who discovered their common motion in the early 1960s. Member galaxies include M84 (NGC 4374), M86 (NGC 4406), NGC 4477, NGC 4473, NGC 4461, NGC 4458, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435. It is located at RA 12h 27m and Dec +13° 10′.
The bright members of the chain are visible through small telescopes. Larger telescopes can be used to view the fainter galaxies.
At least seven galaxies in the chain appear to move coherently, although others appear to be superposed by chance. Six of the points on the chain can be marked by galaxies. The other two points are pairs of galaxies.
In the annotated photo, you can count over 100 galaxies.
Equipment used:
Eq3 Pro, Hypertuned EQ6
TS65 quadruplet f6.5 imaging telescope
ZWO ASI294MC PRO and ZWO ASI294MM Pro cooled at -15°C
IDAS LPS-D2 2" filter
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" Lo-Glow LP filter
Qhy5 guide camera
9x50 finder-guider
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP, Stellarium with StellariumScope, PHD2
Location: Bushey, Hertfordshire, Bortle 6
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, Bortle 5
Date: 24.02.2020, 02.03 and 24.03.2020
26.01.2023
Total integration time: 18 hours and 30 min
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Widefield of the IC1396 with the QHY294M and Samyang 135mm f2
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC
Imaging Cameras
QHYCCD QHY294 M
Mounts
DarkFrame Optics Stellardrive 6 (N/EQ6)
Filters
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm · Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm · Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm
Accessories
DeepSkyDad Autofocuser 3 (AF3)
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Fabien Chéreau et al. Stellarium · Main Sequence Software Sequence Generator Pro (SGP) · Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight · Russell Croman Astrophotography BlurXTerminator · Russell Croman Astrophotography NoiseXTerminator · Stark Labs PHD Guiding
Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses
Sky-Watcher 9x50 Finderscope
Guiding Cameras
QHYCCD QHY5L-II M
Dates:
25 Jun 2023
Frames:
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 40×30″(20′)
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 50×30″(25′)
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 50×30″(25′)
Integration:
1h 10′
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Pickering triangle in Bi colour
Part of the Large Veil nebula complex, the Pickering triangle, also catalogued as NGC 6979, can be found between the Eastern Veil and Western Veil nebulae in the Cygnus constellation. Located approx 1500 light year away, The Veil nebula is what remained and expanded in time after the explosion of a star, roughly 20 times the mass of our sun.
Equipment used:
Eq6 hypertune gen2 by DarkFrame Ltd
Skywatcher 130pds f5 newtonian telescope
Skywatcher x0.9 coma corrector
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
QHYCCD QHY183M Coldmos, cooled at -20°C
7x1.25" StarlightXpress USB filterwheel
Baader 1.25" filters, 7nm Ha 8.5nm Oiii
QHYCCD QHY5L-IIM guide camera
TS09OAG off axis guider
QHYCCD Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with StellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment.
Location: Bushey, bortle 6
Date: 15, 18, 19, 20, 23 and 24.08.2019
30x600sec Gain 16 Ha
27x600sec Gain 16 Oiii
Total integration time: 9.5 hours
Stacking and calibration in Pixinsight with Dark frames, Flat frames and Dark Flat frames. Channel combination and processing in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2023
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The Propeller nebula in SHO-RGB
Simeis 57 is one of the most intriguing emission nebulae in the late summer sky, yet it is almost unknown to visual observers. Photographers, however, know it as a pair of opposing arcs of reddish light, one extending to the north, the other to the south, that appear to be spinning symmetrically away from a common center. Its unusual appearance has led to its two nicknames: the Propeller Nebula or the Garden Sprinkler Nebula.
The entire complex was assigned Simeis 57 when it was discovered in the early 1950s by G.A Shajn and V.E. Hase at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory at Simeis, Russia.
Later, portions of Simeis 57 were assigned separate designations in various catalogs. The propeller's southern blade is listed as DWB 111, after a 1969 article detailing the Cygnus X region, written by H. R. Dickel, H. Wendker, and J.H. Bieritz that appeared in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A, vol. 1, p. 270 - 280). The same article listed the northern blade as DWB 119.
The Propeller is 5° southwest of Deneb [Alpha (α) Cygni], and just to the west of a right triangle the 7th-magnitude stars SAO 49403, 49413, and 49418.
Source: https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/column/phil-harrington-s/cosmic-challenge-emission-nebula-simeis-57-r3201
The Propeller nebula is a target that I tried before, but this time I wanted to add more Oiii and make it stand out in the final image. The data captured this year wasn't really enough, so I stacked the new data with everything I had from my previous attempt and I can finally say theat I am pleased with the final result.
Equipment used:
2019
Eq6 Hypertuned gen2 by DarkFrame LTD
Skywatcher 130pds f5 newtonian telescope with Skywatcher x0.9 coma corrector
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser and TSFlat 2" field Flattener
Rigel nStep atofocuser
QHY183m Coldmos, cooled at -20°C
7x1.25" StarlightXpress USB filterwheel
Baader 1.25" 7nm Ha filter
Baader 1.25" 8.5nm Oiii filter
Baader 1.25" 8nm Sii filter
TS65Q as guidescope
QHY5L-IIM guidecam
QHYCCD Polemaster
TS 09 OAG off axis guider
2023
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, APT, SGP, Stellarium with StellariumScope, PHD2
Location:
2019 - Bushey, Hertfordshire, Bortle 6
2023 - Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Dates:
18 Apr 2019 · 7 Jul 2023
Frames:
Baader H-alpha 7nm 1.25": 78×300″(6h 30′)
Baader H-alpha 7nm 1.25": 16×600″(2h 40′)
Baader O-III 8.5nm 1.25": 29×600″(4h 50′)
Baader S-II 8nm 1.25": 30×600″(5h)
Chroma Blue 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma Green 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 50×300″(4h 10′)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 50×600″(8h 20′)
Chroma Red 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma SII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 50×300″(4h 10′)
Total integration time: 36h 10′
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator and Blur Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2023
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Cygnus mosaic (18 panel) in SHO-RGB
This is the first time I properly use my Samyang 135mm F2 lens with one of my mono cameras and I thought it would be a good opportunity to take on a big project that I've been planning for quite a while.
Because of the lack of astronomical darkness in the UK during the summer months, a lot of people stop imaging but I never do, but despite that, I used the lens wide open at F2 to collect a lot of data in a short period of time. Most of the panels are done in a single night, because a single panel has 2 hours and 45 minutes worth of data and the nautical darkness only lasts for about 3 and a half hours.
I shot 10 subs for each filter, 5 min for the narrowband and 30sec for the RGB stars.
I initially started with the Sadr region which was processed separately, and after seeing how easy it is to collect the data during a single session, I started adding panels to make my largest mosaic to date.
I cropped the most important objects in the mosaic for a better view on a phone screen.
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Samyang 135mm F2 lens
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha filter
#antlia 36mm RGB filters
Deep Sky Dad AF3 autofocuser
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 20.05 to 26.06.2023
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 180×300″(15h)
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 36 mm: 180×300″(15h)
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Sulfur II 36 mm: 180×300″(15h)
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 180×30″(1h 30′)
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 180×30″(1h 30′)
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 180×30″(1h 30′)
Integration:
49h 30′
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2023
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SH2-54 and NGC6604
Sh2-54 is an extended bright nebula located 6200 light-years away, in the constellation of Serpens.
In its core there are many protostars and many infrared sources; some of these sources, like IRAS 18151−1208, are most probably very young high-mass stars. The older star population in this region has an average age of 4–5 million years, and its components are grouped in the open cluster NGC 6604.
Sh2-54 belongs to an extended nebulosity that includes also the Eagle Nebula and the Omega Nebula.
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 10.10.2022 to 15.12.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Chroma Blue 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma Green 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 80×300″(6h 40′)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 70×300″(5h 50′)
Chroma Red 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma SII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 54×300″(4h 30′)
Total integration time 17 hours and 30 minutes
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2023
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Messier 101 (The Pinwheel galaxy) and the supernova SN2023ixf
The Pinwheel Galaxy (also known as Messier 101, M101 or NGC 5457) is a face-on spiral galaxy 21 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and was communicated that year to Charles Messier, who verified its position for inclusion in the Messier Catalogue as one of its final entries.
Messier 101 a bit of a monster; physically spanning around 170,000 light years (it lies some 20.9 million light years away) and believed to host a trillion stars, Messier 101 is the second-largest galaxy in Messier’s catalogue after the mighty Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31). Thus, unsurprisingly, it is the third largest by appearance on the sky after Andromeda and M33, the Triangulum Galaxy, spanning a whopping 27’ x 26’. Physically, M101 matches up well with M31 and somewhat dwarfs M33.
The galaxy's spiral arms are sprinkled with large regions of star-forming nebulas. These nebulas are areas of intense star formation within giant molecular hydrogen clouds. Brilliant, young clusters of hot, blue, newborn stars trace out the spiral arms.
On the 19th May 2023, Mr. Koichi Itagaki, discovered a type II (core collapse) supernova in the Pinwheel galaxy. The supernova was catalogued with the IAU Designation: SN 2023ixf.
Initial magnitude at discovery was 14.9. After discovery, the Zwicky Transient Facility project found a precovery image of the supernova at magnitude 15.87 two days before discovery. The supernova is about 21 million light-years from Earth and is expected to have left behind either a neutron star or black hole based on current stellar evolution models.
As seen in the annotated photo, the supernova is located near a prominent HII region, NGC 5461, in an outer spiral arm of the bright galaxy.
By 22 May 2023 SN 2023ixf had brightened to about magnitude 11. It can be seen in telescopes as small as 114 mm (4.5 in) and should remain visually visible with backyard telescopes for a few months. The last supernova this close to Earth was SN 2014J in Messier 82 roughly 12 million light-years from Earth.
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB, Chroma 1.25" 3nm and Chroma 1.25" LoGlow filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 20 to 27.05.2023
Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Frames:
Ha: 36x300sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Luminance: 70x180sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Red: 35x180sec; Green: 35x180sec; Blue: 35x180sec; Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Total integration time 11 hours and 45 minutes
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator, Noise Xterminator and Blur Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2022
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LoTr5
NGC 4725
NGC 4725 is an intermediate barred spiral galaxy with a prominent ring structure, located 41 million light-years away in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices, near the north galactic pole. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on April 6, 1785.
NGC 4725 is the brightest member of the Coma I Group of the Coma-Sculptor Cloud, although it is relatively isolated from the other members of this group. This galaxy is strongly disturbed and is interacting with neighboring spiral galaxy NGC 4747, with its spiral arms showing indications of warping. The pair have an angular separation of 24′, which corresponds to a projected linear separation of 370 kly.
Source: Wikipedia
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" LoGlow filters
QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
Antlia 36mm LRGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 11.02.2022 to 24.05.2023
Location: Bushey, Hertfordshire, Bortle 7 and Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Frames:
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 5×180″(15′) (gain: 2600.00) f/6.5 -16°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 11×180″(33′) (gain: 2600.00) f/6.5 -16°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 36 mm: 76×180″(3h 48′) (gain: 2600.00) f/6.5 -16°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 13×180″(39′) (gain: 2600.00) f/6.5 -16°C bin 1×1
Chroma Blue 1.25": 35×180″(1h 45′) (gain: 125.00) f/6.5 -15°C bin 2×2
Chroma Green 1.25": 29×180″(1h 27′) (gain: 125.00) f/6.5 -15°C bin 2×2
Chroma LoGlow Light Pollution 1.25": 24×180″(1h 12′) (gain: 125.00) f/6.5 -15°C bin 1×1
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 100×300″(8h 20′) (gain: 125.00) f/6.5 -15°C bin 2×2
Chroma Red 1.25": 27×180″(1h 21′) (gain: 125.00) f/6.5 -15°C bin 2×2
Total integration time 19h 20′
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2023
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Stunning emission nebula IC 1396 mixes glowing cosmic gas and dark dust clouds in the high and far off constellation of Cepheus. Energized by the bright central star seen here, this star forming region sprawls across hundreds of light-years, spanning over three degrees on the sky while nearly 3,000 light-years from planet Earth. Among the intriguing dark shapes within IC 1396, the winding Elephant's Trunk nebula lies to the right in this photo. Stars could still be forming inside the dark shapes by gravitational collapse. But as the denser clouds are eroded away by powerful stellar winds and radiation, any forming stars will ultimately be cutoff from the reservoir of star stuff. The gorgeous color view is a composition of image data from narrowband filters, mapping emission from the nebula's atomic oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur into blue, green, and red hues.
Source: https://science.nasa.gov/
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65Q quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha, Sii and Oiii filters
#antlia 36mm RGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 09.12 to 26.12.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Acquisition details
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Ha 36 mm: 61×300″(5h 5′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm OIII 36 mm: 60×300″(5h) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm SII 1.25": 60×300″(5h) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 20×60″(20′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 20×60″(20′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 20×60″(20′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Total Integration: 16h 5′
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight, with the help of Noise and Star Xterminator, and Photoshop CC 2023
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Another over looked target that doesn't draw much attention because of a famous neighbour but this time it's SH2-284 in Monoceros.
Sh2-284 is a HII star forming region of gas and dust located approximately 15 thousand light years from the Earth.
It is observed in the central-eastern part of the constellation, about 5° southeast of the famous Rosette Nebula
Along the edges of Sh2-284 are several "elephant trunk" formations. These are monstrous pillars of gas and dust that stretch into the central void of the nebula. Perhaps the most prominent of the pillars is located to the right center. It resembles the forefinger of a hand pointing to the stars in the center of the nebula. These pillars are formed by intense radiation and stellar winds radiating from the very hot stars of the central open cluster designated Dolidze 25. The radiation and wind from the cluster is responsible for clearing the central void in the surrounding nebula. Dolidze 25 is a very young cluster with an estimated age of approximately 3 to 4 million years.
Source: https://www.kinchastro.com/sh2-284-2021.html
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
Antlia 36mm 3nm Ha filter
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 17.01.2022 to 17.12.2022
Location: Bushey, Hertfordshire, Bortle 7 and Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 41×600″(6h 50′)
Chroma Blue 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma Green 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 49×600″(8h 10′)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 40×600″(6h 40′)
Chroma Red 1.25": 10×60″(10′)
Chroma SII 3nm Bandpass 1.25": 38×600″(6h 20′)
Total integration time 28 hours and 30 minutes
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2023
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NGC 2903 (cropped photo)
NGC 2903 is an isolated barred spiral galaxy in the equatorial constellation of Leo, positioned about 1.5° due south of Lambda Leonis. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel, who cataloged it on November 16, 1784. He mistook it as a double nebula, as did subsequent observers, and it wasn't until the nineteenth century that the Third Earl of Rosse resolved into a spiral form.[5] J. L. E. Dreyer assigned it the identifiers 2903 and 2905 in his New General Catalogue; NGC 2905 now designates a luminous knot in the northeastern spiral arm.
This field galaxy is located about 30 million light-years away from the Milky Way, and is a member of the Virgo Supercluster.
72% of the stellar mass is located in the outer disk of the galaxy, and 20% is found in the bar.
Source: Wikipedia
Equipment used:
Eq6 hypertune gen2 by DarkFrame Ltd
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI183MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" LoGlow and RGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
9x50mm finder-guider
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 27 and 28.02.2023
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Luminance:105x120sec, Gain 111 Offset 10
Red: 55x120sec; Green: 55x120sec; Blue: 56x120sec; Gain 111 Offset 10
Total integration time 9 hours and 2 minutes
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2023
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A while ago I have seen some really nice images of the Double cluster in Perseus with a lot of faint Hydrogen alpha around it.
This year I set my telescope to take some Ha photos of the region and this is my result.
The Double Cluster is the common name for the open clusters NGC 869 and NGC 884, which are close together in the constellation Perseus. Both visible with the naked eye, NGC 869 and NGC 884 lie at a distance of 7500 light years.
NGC 869 has a mass of 3700 solar masses and NGC 884 weighs in at 2800 solar masses; however, later research has shown both clusters are surrounded with a very extensive halo of stars, with a total mass for the complex of at least 20,000 solar masses. Based on their individual stars, the clusters are relatively young, both 12.8 million years old. In comparison, the Pleiades have an estimated age ranging from 75 million years to 150 million years. There are more than 300 blue-white super-giant stars in each of the clusters. The clusters are also blueshifted, with NGC 869 approaching Earth at a speed of 39 km/s (24 mi/s) and NGC 884 approaching at a similar speed of 38 km/s (24 mi/s). Their hottest main sequence stars are of spectral type B0.
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65Q quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha filter
#antlia 36mm RGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 02 to 24.01.2023
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 150×600″(25h)
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 30×180″(1h 30′)
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 30×180″(1h 30′)
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 30×180″(1h 30′)
Total integration:
29h 30′
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2023
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Sharpless 2-88 or Sh 2-88 is a region including the diffuse nebula Sh 2-88A and the two compact knots Sh 2-88B1 and Sh 2-88B2, all of which are associated with Vulpecula OB1.
Sh 2-88A is an HII-type diffuse nebula excited by the type O8 star BD+25°3952. Both neutral and ionized gases in Sh 2-88 are between 150 and 410 solar masses and the dust mass is about 2 to 9 solar masses. The structure been interacting with a HI interstellar bubble shaped by the stellar winds of BD+25°3952 and the blue O8.5II(f) star BD +25°3866. Overall, its actual structure is located 2.4 kiloparsecs away, at 23 × 15 parsecs in radius. It has a dynamical age of 1.5 million years, and a mass of 1,300 solar masses. It has an rms electron density of 9 cm−3. All separate star forming regions are 1 arcminute in diameter.
Nearby objects
Sharpless 2-88 is the first part of this nebula to have created a star-forming region. It had star formation first start in this large diffuse nebula, which then spread to the other star-forming regions in the nebula. It spread to the compact Sharpless 2-88B1, then to the ultracompact Sharpless 2-88B2.
Sharpless 2-88B1 is a HII region ionized by an O8.5-9.5 V star, and is compact. It is also associated with a nearby star cluster that contains several massive stars.
Sharpless 2-88B2 is a HII region ionized by a star that is dimmer than B0.5 V, and is ultracompact.
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 10.10.2022 to 15.12.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Frames:
Ha: 51x300sec and 17x600sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Oiii: 75x600sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Sii: 55x600sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Red: 10x60sec; Green: 10x60sec; Blue: 10x60sec; Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Total integration time 29 hours and 15 minutes
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2022
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Part of the larger complex and more exactly the southern part of NGC7822 also known as the Question Mark nebula, this region of the sky sits at the border between the Cepheus and Cassiopeia.
The complex is believed to be some 800–1000pc distant (approx 2900ly), with the younger components aged no more than a few million years. The complex also includes one of the hottest stars discovered within 1 kpc of the Sun, namely BD+66 1673, which is an eclipsing binary system consisting of an O5V that exhibits a surface temperature of nearly 45,000 K and a luminosity about 100,000 times that of the Sun.
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 09.11.2022 to 15.12.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
Frames:
Ha: 100x300sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Oiii: 79x300sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Sii: 79x300sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Red: 10x60sec; Green: 10x60sec; Blue: 10x60sec; Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Total integration time 22 hours
Stacked and calibrated in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2022
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CTB 1 / Abell 85 or LBN 576 is a very faint Supernova Remnant in the constellation of Cassiopeia. It is located approximately 9780 light years away, spans approx 98 light years in diameter and is thought to be around 10,000 years old.
The nebula's apparent diameter is about half a degree (around the same size as a Full Moon). Upon early discovery, CTB1 was thought to be a planetary nebula, so Abell included it in his catalog of planetary nebulae as Abell 85. Further research showed that CTB1 is, in fact, a supernova remnant. The deep red color of the SNR comes from light emitted by energized Hydrogen (Ha), but CTB1 also has an area shining in blue/green light from energized Oxygen (OIII) atoms. The surrounding Ha light has been shown to be related to CTB1 as well.
CTB1 makes for a very challenging object to photograph, as it is quite faint. Without using Ha and OIII filters, the SNR is virtually invisible.
Source: The World-Wide Web
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65Q quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha, Oiii and Sii filters
#antlia 36mm RGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 10.09.2022 to 16.10.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 185×300″(15h 25′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 36 mm: 150×300″(12h 30′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 10×60″(10′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 10×60″(10′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 10×60″(10′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Total integration: 28h 25′
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight, with the help of Noise and Star Xterminator, and Photoshop CC 2022
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NGC 206 is the richest and most conspicuous star cloud in the Andromeda Galaxy as well as one of the largest and brightest star formation regions of the Local Group. It contains more than 300 stars brighter than Mb=−3.6. It was originally identified by Edwin Hubble as a star cluster but today, due to its size, it is classified as an OB association.
NGC 206 is located in a spiral arm of the Andromeda Galaxy, in a zone free of neutral hydrogen and has a double structure, with one region that has an age of around 10 million years and includes several H II regions in one of its borders and other with an age of between 40 million years and 50 million years that includes a number of cepheids. Both parts are separated by a band of interstellar dust and include hundreds of stars of spectral type O and B.
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
iOptron Photron 6 inch Ritchey-Chretien (RC6)
Imaging Cameras
Mounts
DarkFrame Optics Stellardrive 6 (N/EQ6)
Filters
Baader Blue (B-CCD) 1.25" × · Baader Green (G-CCD) 1.25" × · Baader Red (R-CCD) 1.25" × · Baader UV/IR Cut / Luminance 1.25" ×
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Fabien Chéreau et al. Stellarium · Main Sequence Software Sequence Generator Pro (SGP) · Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight · Stark Labs PHD Guiding
Acquisition details
Dates:
Frames: 738×120″(24h 36′)
Integration: 24h 36′
Avg. Moon age: 22.62 days
Avg. Moon phase: 44.99%
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The Heart Nebula (also known as the Running dog nebula), IC 1805, Sharpless 2-190, is some 7500 light years away from Earth and is located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia. It was discovered by William Herschel on 3 November 1787. It is an emission nebula showing glowing ionized hydrogen gas and darker dust lanes.
The brightest part of the nebula (a knot at its western edge) is separately classified as NGC 896 or the Fish head nebula, because it was the first part of the nebula to be discovered. The nebula's intense red output and its morphology are driven by the radiation emanating from a small group of stars near the nebula's center. This open cluster of stars, known as Collinder 26 or Melotte 15, contains a few bright stars nearly 50 times the mass of the Sun, and many more dim stars that are only a fraction of the Sun's mass.
The Heart Nebula is also made up of ionised oxygen and sulfur gasses, responsible for the rich blue and orange colours seen in narrowband images. The shape of the nebula is driven by stellar winds from the hot stars in its core. The nebula also spans almost 2 degrees in the sky, covering an area four times that of the diameter of the full moon.
Source: Wikipedia
Equipment used:
Mount: StellarDrive GT6
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
ASI294MM Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 15°C
8x1.25" ZWO USB filterwheel
Chroma 1.25" RGB and Chroma 1.25" 3nm SHO filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
OpticStar AR90 as guidescope
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 11.09.2022 to 18.10.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, bortle 5
For each of the 6 panels I shot:
Ha: 20x300sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Oiii: 20x300sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Sii: 20x300sec Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Red: 10x60sec; Green: 10x60sec; Blue: 10x60sec; Bin 2x2, Gain 125 Offset 30
Total integration time 33 hours
Stacked and blended in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight (with help from Star Xterminator and Noise Xterminator) and Photoshop CC 2022
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Sharpless 119, also known as the Clamshell Nebula, is a large emission nebula covering about three degrees of the sky located around 1800 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus. It is not often photographed, likely the result of its proximity to its photogenic neighbours, the North America and Pelican nebula, just two degrees east. The large, bright star in the center is 68 Cygni and is about 5th magnitude. It also filled with some nice Bok globules and dark dust lanes annotated in the LDN and LBN database.
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65Q quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha, Oiii and Sii filters
#antlia 36mm RGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 10.09.2022 to 16.10.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 73×300″(6h 5′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 12×600″(2h) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 36 mm: 50×600″(8h 20′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Sulfur II 36 mm: 60×300″(5h) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Sulfur II 36 mm: 9×600″(1h 30′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 10×60″(10′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 10×60″(10′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 10×60″(10′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Total integration: 23h 25′
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight, with the help of Noise and Star Xterminator, and Photoshop CC 2022
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SH2-126 is a large emission nebula in the Lacerta (The Lizard) constellation and it apears in this image as the red nebula. The source of its ionisation is the intense ultraviolet radiation from the star 10 Lacertae, a blue main sequence star.
The yellow-brownish nebula, which forms a "stellar funnel" in the centre-top of the image and snakes away to the right, is designated LBN 437 also known as The Gecko Nebula. It is a molecular cloud whose densest part is associated with some bright young stars. Its most striking feature is a symmetrical reflection nebula associated with the Herbig Ae/Be star V375 Lacertae. This star is also responsible for the bipolar Herbig-Haro objects within the nebula. Herbig-Haro objects are small nebulae around young stars. They form when gas ejected by the star hits dust clouds.
This region, with its faint nebular filaments, is part of Lacerta OB1, a giant star-forming region about 1200 light-years from Earth.
The nebula emits its light in broadband and in isolated emission lines.
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65Q quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha filter
#antlia 36mm 3nm Oiii filter
#antlia 36mm LRGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 10.09.2022 to 11.10.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 93×300″(7h 45′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 77×180″(3h 51′) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 80×180″(4h) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 36 mm: 160×180″(8h) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 80×180″(4h) (gain: 1600.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Total integration time 27 hours and 36 minutes
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2022
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Full of very faint dust, this area is part of a large molecular cloud named the Cepheus Flare by Edwin Hubble. The opaque dust blocks most of the starlight behind it, but blue light from a young star is scattered and reflected off some of the particles to illuminate the reflection part of the nebula. Some of the faint dust may be glowing in a dim red color from luminescence, forming an Extended Red Emission nebula (ERE).
The 9.3 magnitude star B.D. +69° 1231, inside vdB 152, seems to be powering the nebulae in the area, but is not thought to have formed there, but rather is just passing through.
Wolf's Cave was first discovered photographically by August Kopff, an assistant to Max Wolf, and announced by Wolf in 1908 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 69, p.117.
The van den Bergh catalog was published by Sidney van den Bergh in 1966 from a study of the Palomar Sky Survey and contains 158 reflection nebulae.
Barnard 175 was cataloged by E. E. Barnard in A Photographic Atlas of Selected Areas of the Milky Way from photographs made at Lick Observatory from 1889-1895, but not printed until 1913.
Dengel-Hartl 5 in Cepheus
Ancient Planetary Nebula
Dengel-Hartl 5 is a large, ancient planetary nebula (PN) in Cepheus at RA 22h 19m 34s and DEC +70d 56m 01s. It is also designated as PK 111 + 11.1.
It was discovered in 1979 in a survey of Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS) plates (#559) and described in the 1980 Astron. Astrophys. Research Note “A Search for Planetary Nebula on the “POSS””, vol 85, pp 356-358 by J. Dengel, H. Hartl and R. Weinberger. It is designated as DeHt 5, and not to be confused by DHW5, which is a different PN altogether (this is still a point of confusion for me). North is toward the right. The blue star in the center of the blue-green OIII-rich region is the central star of the PN: UCA3 322:74172 (white dwarf WD 2218+706). Beverly Lynds catalogued the brighter portion as LBN 538 in 1965.
Many PN are circular. The lower portion (below the H-a-rich region near the top of the object) is roughly circular. However, this deep image including that upper region indicates that it has a very unusual shape. It is ~ 9′ EW (up-down) and 7′ NS (right-left), but there is a faint halo extending north (right) beyond the brighter portion of the nebula, increasing the NS apparent size to 11′. DeHt 5 is estimated to be 1300 – 1600 light years distant, making it one of nearest known PN according to Dengel et al. Some reports suggest that the intrinsic morphology of DeHt5 was destroyed in interacting with the interstellar medium (ISM). It is suggested that it has been interacting with the ISM for > 74,000 years. Radio polarization images reveal a long “tail” behind DeHt5 in a direction opposite of the movement of its white dwarf star.
It is near the often-imaged reflection nebula, vdB 152, in the large molecular cloud, B175 (Bok globule) and can be seen at the upper left of Bernhard Hubl’s image of vdB 152 as a faint, red, crescent-shaped object.
Equipment used:
Mount: Dark Frame Hypertuned EQ6
Telescope: TS65q Quadruplet Apo refractor
#QHY294M Pro Cmos camera, cooled at - 10°C
#QHYCCD QHYCCD CFW3M-US 36mm filterwheel
#antlia 36mm 3nm Ha filter #antlia 36mm 3nm Oiii filter
#antlia 36mm LRGB filters
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
Qhyccd Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Date: 25.08.2022 to 16.09.2022
Location: Hemel Hempstead, bortle 5
Luminance: 100x300sec 11Mp mode, Gain 1600 Offset 25
Ha: 50x300sec 11Mp mode, Gain 1600 Offset 25
Oiii: 50x180sec 11MP mode, Gain 1600 Offset 25
Red: 50x180sec 11MP mode, Gain 1600 Offset 25
Green: 50x180sec 11Mp mode, Gain 1600 Offset 25
Blue: 50x180sec 11Mp mode, Gain 1600 Offset 25
Total integration time 22 hours and 30 minutes
Stacked in AstroPixel Processor and processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2022
Imaging telescopes or lenses: TSAPO65Q TS - Optics TS APO65Q
Imaging cameras: QHYCCD QHY294M Pro · ZWO ASI294MC Pro
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R PRO · SkyWatcher EQ3 Pro SynScan GoTo
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Skywatcher 9x50 finder guider
Guiding cameras: QHYCCD QHY 5 II L M
Software: Adobe Phosotshop CC · Astro Pixel Precessor · Stellarium · Sequence Generator PRO · PixInsight · SharpCap pro
Filters: Baader Planetarium 36mm SII 8nm · Baader Planetarium 36mm OIII 8.5nm · Baader Planetarium 36mm H-Alpha 7nm · Baader Planetarium 36mm Blue · Baader Planetarium 36mm Green · Baader Planetarium 36mm Red · Astronomik 6nm Ha Clip-In Filter
Accessory: QHYCCD CFW3M-US · Pegasus Astro FocusCube · QHYCCD Polemaster
Dates:Nov. 30, 2020 , Oct. 9, 2021 , Oct. 10, 2021
Frames:
Astronomik 6nm Ha Clip-In Filter: 166x300" (13h 50') (gain: 200.00) -15C bin 1x1
Baader Planetarium 36mm H-Alpha 7nm: 100x300" (8h 20') (gain: 1600.00) -15C bin 1x1
Baader Planetarium 36mm OIII 8.5nm: 61x300" (5h 5') (gain: 1600.00) -15C bin 1x1
Baader Planetarium 36mm SII 8nm: 65x300" (5h 25') (gain: 1600.00) -15C bin 1x1
Integration: 32h 40'
Darks: 50
Flats: 30
Flat darks: 100
Avg. Moon age: 7.59 days
Avg. Moon phase: 44.65%
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 7.00
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AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
Qhyccd QHY183M Coldmos, cooled at - 20°C
7x1.25" Starlight Xpress USB filterwheel
Baader 1.25" filters, 7nm Ha, 8.5nm Oiii and 8nm Sii
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
TS09OAG off axis guider
Qhyccd Polemaster
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
34x300sec and 20x600sec Oiii
17x300sec and 22x600sec Sii
Imaging telescopes or lenses: TSAPO65Q TS - Optics TS APO65Q
Imaging cameras: ZWO ASI294MC Pro
Mounts: SkyWatcher EQ3 Pro SynScan GoTo
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Skywatcher 9x50 finder guider
Guiding cameras: QHYCCD QHY 5 II L M
Software: ProDigital StarSpikes Pro 4 · Noise Ninja 2 Noise Reduction · Astro Pixel Precessor · Adobe Phosotshop CC · Stellarium · Sequence Generator PRO · PixInsight · SharpCap pro
Filters: Antlia 3nm Ha 2" · Optolong L-eXtreme 2" · IDAS 2" LPS D2
Accessory: Pegasus Astro FocusCube · QHYCCD Polemaster
Dates:Feb. 10, 2021 to March 17, 2021
Frames:
Antlia 3nm Ha 2": 25x600" bin 1x1
IDAS 2" LPS D2: 12x300" bin 1x1
Optolong L-eXtreme 2": 102x300" bin 1x1
Optolong L-eXtreme 2": 47x600" bin 1x1
Integration: 21.5 hours
Full resolution on my astrobin account
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The Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888, Caldwell 27, Sharpless 105) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away from Earth. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1792. It is formed by the fast stellar wind from the Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 (HD 192163) colliding with and energizing the slower moving wind ejected by the star when it became a red giant around 250,000 to 400,000 years ago.
It is a rather faint object located about 2 degrees SW of Sadr. For most telescopes it requires a UHC or OIII filter to see. Under favorable circumstances a telescope as small as 8 cm (with filter) can see its nebulosity. Larger telescopes (20 cm or more) reveal the crescent or a Euro sign shape which makes some to call it the "Euro sign nebula".
Equipment used:
Eq6 hypertune gen2 by DarkFrame Ltd
Skywatcher 130pds f5 newtonian telescope
Skywatcher x0.9 coma corrector
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
QHYCCD QHY183M Coldmos, cooled at -20°C
7x1.25" StarlightXpress USB filterwheel
Baader 1.25" filters, 7nm Ha 8.5nm Oiii
QHYCCD QHY5L-IIM guide camera
TS09OAG off axis guider
QHYCCD Polemaster
Software used:
Eqmod, APT - Astro Photography Tool, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, Stellarium with StellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment.
Location: Bushey, bortle 6
Date: 21.04.2019; 15.05.2019; 06, 19, 22 and 24.07.2019; 08.08.2019
74x300sec Gain 11 and 15x600sec Gain 16 for Ha
40x600sec Gain 16 for Oiii
Total integration time: 15.3 hours
Calibration in Pixinsight with Dark frames, Flat frames and Dark Flat frames, stacking, alignment of the filters and dynamic crop also in Pixinsight.
Processing in Photoshop CC 2020
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Believed to be the cosmic fire of creation by the Maya of Mesoamerica, M42 blazes brightly in the constellation Orion. Popularly called the Orion Nebula, this stellar nursery has been known to many different cultures throughout human history. The nebula is only 1,500 light-years away, making it the closest large star-forming region to Earth and giving it a relatively bright apparent magnitude of 4. Because of its brightness and prominent location just below Orion’s belt, M42 can be spotted with the naked eye, while offering an excellent peek at stellar birth for those with telescopes. It is best observed during January.
Appearing like glistening precious stones, M42’s Trapezium cluster, named for the trapezoidal arrangement of its central massive stars, is brightening the core of nebula in such a way that different lenght exposures are needed to show it in the final photo. All of the members of the Trapezium were born together in this hotbed of star formation.
Source: nasa.gov
Equipment used:
Eq6 Hypertuned gen2
Skywatcher 200p
Upgraded Carbon fibre Skywatcher 10" quattro
Astromodified Canon 700D
QHY10 osc cooled CCD
Skywatcher 0.9x coma corrector
Baader mpcc iii coma corrector
IDAS LPS-D1
IDAS LPS-D1Clip filter
Lacerta mgen standalone autoguider
9x50 finder-guider
The Leo Triplet, or the M66 Group, is a group of interacting spiral galaxies located in the northern constellation Leo.
The group consists of the galaxies Messier 65, Messier 66 and NGC 3628, also known as the Hamburger Galaxy. The Leo Triplet lies at an approximate distance of 35 million light years from Earth.
The three large spiral galaxies can be seen in a single field of view and are well viewed even in small telescopes. Their galactic disks are tilted at different angles when seen from Earth. NGC 3628 appears edge-on, while M65 and M66 are inclined enough to reveal their spiral arms.
The M66 Group is located in the eastern part of Leo constellation, along the line from the bright star Denebola to Regulus. The galaxies are located between the stars Chertan, Theta Leonis, and Iota Leonis.
Messier 66, the largest and brightest member of the Leo Triplet, is roughly 95 light years across. It has an apparent size of 9.1 by 4.2 minutes of arc and an apparent magnitude of 8.9.
Messier 65 has a visual magnitude of 10.25 and occupies an area of 8.709 by 2.454 arc minutes of apparent sky. It is an intermediate spiral galaxy, poor in dust and gas, and shows little evidence of star formation.
NGC 3628 or The Hamburger Galaxy is an unbarred spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 10.2. Seen edge-on, the galaxy occupies an area of 15 by 3.6 arc minutes and appears transected by a broad band of dust that stretches along its outer edge, hiding the young stars in the galaxy’s spiral arms.
The three galaxies in the M66 Group have all been affected by gravitational interactions with each other. This is evident in the deformed, drawn out spiral arms of M66 that are experiencing a high rate of star forming activity and in the warped, inflated disk of NGC 3628. With a prominent tidal tail consisting mainly of young blue stars, NGC 3628 seems to be the most affected of the three, while M65 appears to have suffered the least damage from the interaction. The tidal tail of NGC 3628 spans over 300,000 light years, but is very faint and does not always appear in images of the galaxy.
Source: messier-objects.com
Equipment used:
Eq6 Pro
Skywatcher explorer 200p, f5 newtonian
Astromodified Canon 700D
Astronomik CLS-CCD clip in filter
Baader mpcc coma corrector
Lacerta Mgen standalone autoguider
TS09OAG off axis guider for EOS.
Software used:
Eqmod, APT, Stellarium with StellariumScope, Astrotortilla, Lacerta Autoguider PC app
Location: Bushey, Bortle 6
Date:24 and 31.03.2017
The image is the result of photos taken during two imaging sessions with a total exposure time of 5 hours and 40 minutes and is composed of 15x300sec, 13x600sec and 9x900sec exposures all at ISO400 with 49 flat frames and 20 bias frames. The calibration and stacking has been done in DSS and processing in Photoshop and Lightroom.
Eq6 hypertune gen2 by DarkFrame Ltd
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
QHYCCD QHY183M Coldmos, cooled at -20°C
7x1.25" StarlightXpress USB filterwheel
Baader 1.25" filters, Ultra-narrowband 3.5nm Ha and 8.5nm Oiii
QHYCCD QHY5L-IIM guide camera
TS09OAG off axis guider
QHYCCD Polemaster
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with StellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment.
Date: 15 Dec 2019 to 03 March 2020
114x300sec Gain 11 Oiii
Processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop CC 2019
The layers of dust and gas ejected, are forming nebulae of different shapes and sizes that expand light years into space. William Herschel called them planetary nebulae because they sometimes take the shapes of planets but in fact they have nothing to do with them.
At the center of each planetary nebula lays the star that finished burning its hydrogen and ejected its outer layers. They can sometimes be captured with the help of a telescope and a camera.
AstroTech 106LE with upgraded Moonlite focuser
TSFlat 2" field flattener
Qhyccd QHY183M Coldmos, cooled at - 20°C
7x1.25" Starlight Xpress USB filterwheel
Baader 1.25" filters, 3.5nm Ha Ultra-narrowband, 7nm Ha, 8.5nm Oiii and 8nm Sii
Qhyccd QHY5L-IIM guide camera
TS09OAG off axis guider
Qhyccd Polemaster
Eqmod, SGP - Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, Stellarium with stellariumScope, SharpCap for polar alignment
Eq6 Hypertuned gen2
Skywatcher 200p
Upgraded Carbon fibre Skywatcher 10" quattro
Astromodified Canon 450D
QHY10 osc cooled CCD
Skywatcher 0.9x coma corrector
Baader mpcc iii coma corrector
IDAS LPS-D1
Lacerta mgen standalone autoguider
9x50 finder-guider
Eqmod, APT, Stellarium with StellariumScope, Astrotortilla, Lacerta mgen software.
Date: 02, 03, 11, 16.08.2018 and 08.09.2018
