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M42/43 – Reflection/Emission Nebula in Orion

January 16, 2023 by
M42/43 – Reflection/Emission Nebula in Orion

Telescope: 8” Meade Wide Field LX200GPS @ f/4, Altaz mode

Camera: ZWO ASI 294MC (uncooled)

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

Guide scope: None

Exposure: 32x15sec, Gain 120, binned 2×2, saved as TIFF

Darks: None

Flats: Synthetic

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.4

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: ASI Air Plus, Deepsky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

This field shows M42/43, the Great Nebula in Orion. This is a wonderful region to explore with binoculars or a small telescope. Visually the nebula shows a soft gray and displays a wealth of fine detail. This is also a very rewarding region to photograph and even short exposures show a range of beautiful colors. The red of the Great Nebula is the emission of hydrogen set aglow by hot young stars within the nebula while the smoky blue/gray is starlight reflecting off of interstellar dust. The dark lanes are veils of dust in the foreground.

This is the first of 14 images taken with my ASI Air Plus while using it along with my wide field 8” LX200GPS for remote, camera-assisted observing. The scope was fitted with a Celestron 0.63x focal reducer/field flattener, giving a focal ratio of f/4. The camera was an uncooled ASI 294MC fitted with a 2” nosepiece giving the 105mm backspacing from the focal reducer and holding an Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter that was serving as an IR cut filter. This system was configured primarily for wireless remote observing using Sky Safari via SkyFi to control the telescope and the preview mode of the ASI Air Plus to observe through the scope. The Live Stacking mode was also very effective, but for my purposes the Preview mode worked well. To make a record of interesting objects I used the ASI Air Plus to grab 32x15sec subs for later processing.

The Sword of Orion is currently well-placed rising in the east as the sky darkens.

Filed Under: Beginner Imaging, Deepsky Imaging

Jupiter – 12/20/2022 18h27m EST

December 24, 2022 by
Jupiter – 12/20/2022 18h27m EST

Telescope: Celestron C11 @ f/25, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: ZWO ASI462MC, 2.5x Powermate

Filter: Meade IR cut filter

Seeing: fair, 3-4/5

Exposure 1x(3min x 10ms, 25%), gain 300, saved as Raw8/SER

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: SharpCap Pro, AutoStakkert, Registax, Nebulosity, Photoshop

While setting up to image Mars I has just enough time to grab one quick image set of Jupiter. Since I am pretty much limited to imaging on the east side of the meridian this may be my last chance to photograph Jupiter this season. Not a bad way to finish!

Filed Under: Solar System Imaging

Mars – 12/20/2022 22h38m EST

December 23, 2022 by
Mars – 12/20/2022 22h38m EST

Telescope: Celestron C11 @ f/25, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: ZWO ASI462MC, 2.5x Powermate

Filter: Meade IR cut filter

Seeing: fair, 3/5 with brief periods of 4/5

Exposure 5x(5min x 3ms, 25%), gain 300, saved as Raw8/SER

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: SharpCap Pro, AutoStakkert, Registax, WinJUPOS, Nebulosity, Photoshop

We had a rare evening of good seeing and I hoped to take advantage of it to get a decent image of Mars while it was still relatively close to the Earth and I am very happy with the result. This image is from the last of 5 sets of images taken as Mars rose higher in the sky into clearer air and shortly before it reached the meridian. The northern limb shows the north polar hood and below that is the broad expanse of the Tharsis Plateau. The soft circular feature to the upper left of Tharsis is the giant shield volcanoe Olympus Mons. The dark feature covering the southern hemisphere includes, from left to right, Mare Sirenum, Aonius Sinus, Solis Lacus, Mare Erythraeum, and Aurae Sinus. Just to the right of center is the giant canyon system the Mariner Valley. To the upper right is Lunae Palus.

Filed Under: Solar System Imaging

M31, 32, & 110 – Galaxy Group in Andromeda

November 24, 2022 by
M31, 32, & 110 – Galaxy Group in Andromeda

Telescope: Meade SN6 Comet Tracker at f/3.6, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: QHY 268c, Mode 0, Gain 30, Offset 30, –20C

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Orion 50mm, ZWO ASI120MM mini

Exposure: 37x180sec, saved as RAW16/FITS

Darks: 32×180 sec

Flats: 64×1/0.250sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

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

M31 is an iconic spiral in the constellation of Andromeda. Under dark skies it is easily visible to the naked eye and from urban skies it is an easy object for binoculars and small telescopes. At a distance of some 2 million light years, it is the farthest object visible to the naked eye. M31 also has several satellite galaxies, two of which are visible here. M32 is about as bright as the core of M31 and is located at the bottom center of this field. To the upper right is the much fainter M110. It is easy to be disappointed with the visual appearance of M31 since it is often shown in highly processed images such as the one I give here. However, the true appearance is quite beautiful in its own way. The core is relatively bright and almost stellar, surrounded by a soft luminous glow that I always think of as pearl.

M31 is currently well place high in the east at sunset.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

M1 – Supernova Remnant in Taurus

November 15, 2022 by
M1 – Supernova Remnant in Taurus

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

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

Filter: 2” Radian Triad Ultra Hb, OIII, Ha, SII filter

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

Exposure: 41x300sec, saved as RAW16/FITS

Darks: 32×300 sec

Flats: 64×2 sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

This is M1, the Crab Nebula in Taurus (the Bull). M1 is a supernova remnant; the remains of a star that ended its life in one of the most violent events in nature. This particular supernova erupted in 1054 and the star became so bright that it was visible in broad daylight for 23 days. The resulting nebula is expanding so fast that the motion can be detected in images taken a few years apart. At the heart of the nebula is a pulsar; a neutron star spinning at over 30 revolutions per second!

M1 currently rises in the northeast around 7:30 and is high overhead during the early morning.

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging

NGC 2392 – The Eskimo Nebula in Gemini

November 13, 2022 by
NGC 2392 – The Eskimo Nebula in Gemini

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

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

Filter: 2” Radian Triad Ultra Hb, OIII, Ha, SII filter

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

Exposure: 14x300sec, saved as RAW16/FITS

Darks: 32×300 sec

Flats: 64×2 sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

NGC 2392, Eskimo Nebula, is a wonderful little planetary nebula Gemini. Visually this nebula looks much like its nickname, even in a small telescope. Planetary nebula are formed when a star sheds its outer shell as it nears the end of its life. The core collapses into a fiercely bright white dwarf whose intense radiation sets the expanding shell of gas aglow, often with a beautiful blue/green color. The structure of NGC 2392 shows that it experienced several shedding events.

The Eskimo Nebula currently rises in the northeast around 9:30 and is high overhead before dawn.

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging, Uncategorized

IC 434 & Barnard 33 – The Horsehead Nebula in Orion

October 30, 2022 by
IC 434 & Barnard 33 – The Horsehead Nebula in Orion

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

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

Filter: 2” Radian Triad Ultra Hb, OIII, Ha, SII filter

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

Exposure: 32x300sec, saved as RAW16/FITS

Darks: 40×300 sec

Flats: 64×2 sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency, moonlight

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

This is the iconic Horsehead Nebula in Orion. The Horsehead itself is the dark nebula, Barnard 33, silhouetted against the red emission nebula, IC 434. To the left is the blue reflection nebula NGC 2023. To the lower right is the beautiful Sigma Orionis multiple star system. It is interesting to note how the right side of this image shows an abundance of faint background stars while the left does not. This is due to an expanse of interstellar dust forming a veil blocking the light from the distant stars on the left side of this field. This is another excellent example of how well the Radian Triad Ultra cuts through challenging sky conditions. I have never seen the horsehead nebula visually from my backyard even with my 16.5” and I have only glimpsed it from our dark sky site.

IC 434 is located just south of the bright star Alnitak, the easternmost star in Orion’s belt, and rises due east around 11pm and is high in the south during the early morning.

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging

NGC 7293 – The Helix Nebula in Aquarius

October 26, 2022 by
NGC 7293 – The Helix Nebula in Aquarius

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

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

Filter: 2” Radian Triad Ultra Hb, OIII, Ha, SII filter

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

Exposure: 19x300sec, saved as RAW16/FITS

Darks: 32×300 sec

Flats: 64×2 sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.3 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

NGC 7293 is one of those wonderful objects that hides in plain sight. It is so large (about half the size of the full moon) that its light is spread out over a large area, making it very difficult to see and all but invisible from my red-zone backyard. This is a good example of how a modern multiband narrowband filter can punch through challenging sky conditions. The Helix appears so large as it is one of the closest planetary nebula with a distant of only 650 light years. It spans a diameter of about 2.5 light years and is relatively young with an age estimated to be about 10,600 years.

NGC 7293 is currently rising in the southwest at dusk.

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging

M33 – Spiral Galaxy in Triangulum Narrowband

October 24, 2022 by
M33 – Spiral Galaxy in Triangulum Narrowband

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

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

Filter: 2” Radian Triad Ultra Hb, OIII, Ha, SII filter

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

Exposure: 32x300sec, saved as RAW16/FITS

Darks: 32×300 sec

Flats: 64×2 sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency, moonlight

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

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

This image shows the giant spiral galaxy M33 as viewed through a Triad Ultra narrowband filter. This filter suppresses the light from broadband sources like stars and reflection nebula while passing the light from narrowband sources such as planetary and emission nebula. In this image the stars of M33 are dimmed while the soft glow of emission nebula are highlighted. These are principally star formation regions sprinkled along the spiral arms. Several of the larger and brighter regions can be seen visually and even have their own NGC and IC numbers such as NGC 604 to the upper left. It’s sooo neat observing deepsky objects within a nearby galaxy!

M33 is currently rising in the southeast at dusk. (Photo credit: John Graham, 10-4-2022)

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging

NGC 7635 – The Bubble Nebula in Cassiopeia

October 18, 2022 by
NGC 7635 – The Bubble Nebula in Cassiopeia

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

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

Filter: 2” Radian Triad Ultra Hb, OIII, Ha, SII filter

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

Exposure: 16x300sec, saved as RAW16/FITS

Darks: 32×300 sec

Flats: 64×2 sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency, moonlight

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

This is NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula in Cassiopeia, with just a bit of the open cluster M52 in the upper left corner. The Bubble is almost the inverse of a planetary nebula; rather than an expanding shell of gas shed from a dying star, the Bubble is formed from the intense radiation of a hot blue star pushing out a sphere in the surrounding gas, making an empty bubble and setting the hydrogen aglow with a beautiful red color.

NGC 7635 is currently high in the southeast at dusk.

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging
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