Multiple targets taken with an ASI533MM Pro camera and a SW Esprit 80ED triplet refractor. Data integrated and processed in Pixinsight and Adobe Photoshop 2025:
Click on an image to get a closer view
Witch Head nebula (IC 2118):
On the evening of the 4th Feb I set about capturing a two pane mosaic of the Witch Head nebula (IC 2118) in the constellation of Eridanus. This large reflection nebula lies to the right of the supergiant star Rigel in Orion which provides the light source to illuminate this extremely faint patch of nebulosity which is believed to be the remains of an ancient supernova. Unfortunately due to cloud I was only able to complete one section of the mosaic, but did manage some more data the following night during much better conditions. Due to the target being low in the sky however, I had to cut the capture session short due to my guide camera being located on the lower side of the mount being partially obscured by some bushes. With the imaging camera higher up on the other side of the mount, I was able to continue imaging until the last of the foliage blocked the light from the remining guide star! This only allowed Red and green data to be collected, so a further data capture will therefore be needed to complete the data for that part of the mosaic. I used the data collected thus far to compile the mosaic.
UFO Galaxy (NGC 2683):
The clear conditions of the 5th lasted all night which allowed me to capture data from several more targets; including additional Green, Blue and Ha data on the UFO galaxy that I had started s few nights previously and had taken only Red data. Completing the 3 hour data set allowed me to compile an RGB/Ha composition of this distant galaxy, but due to the objects small size in our skies restricted how much detail was able to be captured..
The Double Cluster (NGC 869):
This bright cluster in Hercules lies just 7.600 LY away and is one of the best sights in the northern sky. As such tis cluster is a favourite of mine and always looks spectacular in a wide angled eyepiece through some of the fine telescopes we use at the observatory at Fairwood. Due to the brightness of this object I reduced my exposure to just 20 seconds per sub frame and collected just over an hour of LRGB and Ha data.
The Spider & Fly nebula (IC417):
I next slewed the scope to the Spider and Fly nebulae located in the constellation of Auriga. The pair are around 7 and 1000 LY away and contain faint areas of emission nebulae that glow weakly in Hydrogen and Oxygen. I took two hour long data sets in RGB and SHO and was surprised at the amount of nebulosity I was able to capture in such short captures; especially in RGB. A longer exposure data set will be needed to improve the signal to noise ratio further.
SHO
The Phantom of the Opera nebula (Sh2 173 ):
Located in Cepheus this unusual nebula does indeed resemble the famous mask from the “Phantom of the Opera” being an emission nebula lying 8,800 light-years from Earth. I took just one hour of SHO data to bring out the ghostly apparition!
The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) and companion NGC5195:
I was able to get 3 ¼ hours of LRGB/Ha data on this spectacular pair of interacting grand-design spiral galaxies that lie in the constellation of Canes Venatici. The pair lie some 31 MLY away. Several other tiny edge on spiral galaxies were also captured in my wider field images which I annotated to show their positions.
The Blaze Star t Corona Borealis (t CrB):
With a small amount of night left I was able to finally slew the scope to the so called “Blaze Star” in Corona Borealis, which seems to be taking its time to cooperate by impressing us with its 80 year outburst which has been expected for the last twelve months or so. This 16 minute set of 60s LRGB exposures shows that the star has still not increased in brightness (but may well do soon!) The annotated image shows the location of this variable nova.
Chris Bowden
No comments:
Post a Comment