M57 – The Ring Nebula in Lyra

Telescope: Celestron C9.25 @ f/10, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: QHY 168c, -10C

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, ASI290MM Mini, PHD2

Exposure: 15x120sec saved as FITS

Darks: 32x120sec saved as FITS

Flats: 32x10sec, LED tracing tablet

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.5 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

Visually, the Ring appears as a 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 currently well placed rising in the northeast as twilight darkens and is visible for most of the night.