Archives for June 2023

Telescope: Meade SN10 at f/4, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: QHY 268c, Mode 0, Gain 30, Offset 30, -10C

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 52x120sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 26×300 sec

Flats: 64×0.1 sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, poor transparency, haze

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.4 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: SharpCap Pro, Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

The Ring Nebula is an example of a planetary nebula; shells of gas thrown off from a star late in its light forming an expanding bubble set aglow by the core of the dying star at its center. Visually, The Ring appears as a tiny ghostly smoke ring about the size of Jupiter. The nebula itself is not actually a ring, but more likely a torus or a short hour-glass, we just happen to the looking down the long axis, giving the nebula its characteristic shape.

M57 is well placed throughout the summer months and is currently rising in the northeast as the sky darkens.

Telescope: Unitron 155 4” f/15 refractor, Atlas EQ-G

Camera: QHY 367c Pro, –20C, GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Orion 50mm Guidescope, ASI120MM, PHD

Exposure: 12x300sec, gain 2800, offset 50, saved as FITS, dithered every 2 images

Darks: 32, -20C, gain 2800, offset 50, saved as FITS

Flats: 64×0.5sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, Bortle 8, poor transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.2

Stacking: Average, 1 sigma clip

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: SharpCap Pro, Deep Sky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

M53 is a moderately bright and rich globular cluster located just to the northeast of Alpha Comae Berenices (Diadem). Located approximately 60,000 light years from the galactic center and 58,000 light years from the sun, M53 is one of the more distant globular clusters.

M53 is currently well-placed high overhead at sunset.