Crescent Nebula and Surroundings

This is another interesting region in the constellation of Cygnus. The prominent element of this image, the Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888), is a very particular and complex object, about 5000 lightyears distant and 25 lightyears across. The blue-green tint originates from oxygen atoms. It's a bubble blown by winds from its central, massive star, most likely created by two different phases of the star's life cycle. For this image, I recorded about 3 hours of light with narrowband filters (Ha, SII and OIII wavelengths). It has been processed with PixInsight and Photoshop, using the “Forax” color palette.

Wild Cygnus (annotated)

For this image I tried a different approach: hooking up my D-SLR 24-70mm f/2.8 lens to the astro camera. My sensor is small, but it still yields a nice wide view with the lens set at about 35mm focal length. You can see one of the most exiting parts of the Milky Way in the constellation of Cygnus: North America and Pelican Nebulae, The Sadr Region with the Butterfly and Crescent Nebulae as well as the Cygnus Loop (Eastern Veil, Witches Broom, Pickering’s Triangle). See the next image for an annotated version of this. Again, this is a narrowband image based on 1hr and 50 minutes of data in Ha, Sri and Oiii channels. Processing has been done with PixInsight ("Forax" color palette) and Photoshop.

Wild Cygnus

For this image I tried a different approach: hooking up my D-SLR 24-70mm f/2.8 lens to the astro camera. My sensor is small, but it still yields a nice wide view with the lens set at about 35mm focal length. You can see one of the most exiting parts of the Milky Way in the constellation of Cygnus: North America and Pelican Nebulae, The Sadr Region with the Butterfly and Crescent Nebulae as well as the Cygnus Loop (Eastern Veil, Witches Broom, Pickering’s Triangle). See the next image for an annotated version of this. Again, this is a narrowband image based on 1hr and 50 minutes of data in Ha, Sri and Oiii channels. Processing has been done with PixInsight ("Forax" color palette) and Photoshop.

Eagle Nebula

The Eagle Nebula (M16) sits in the constellation of Sagittarius, at a distance of a bit over 5000 lightyears. It is a region of active star creation. Besides the diffuse emission nebula, there is an open cluster of stars, about 8100 of them. The most prominent feature is the dark silhouette near the center, known as “Pillars of Creation” from a famous Hubble image. My version is shot at less than 350mm focal length. I will have to get back to that area with a larger scope in the future to reveal more details. This image is a result of narrowband recording (Ha, SII and OIII wavelengths) with a total of 2hrs and 40 minutes exposure time. It was processed with PixInsight and Photoshop, using the “Forax” color palette.

Eastern Veil Nebula

The Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC 6992) in the constellation of Cygnus - part of the “Cygnus Loop” - is a supernova remnant, i.e. an expanding cloud caused by the explosion of a massive star some 1500 light years away. The explosion was seen on Earth about 5000 years ago, but the remnants are too dim to make out with the naked eye nowadays. The whole Cygnus Loop is several times the size of the Moon! My imaging session was cut short by fog, so the result is only suboptimal (less than 90 minutes of usable data only). I will have to return to this area of the sky with better viewing conditions. I used my William Optics GT71 Scope for this with the usual components (0.8x reducer, ZWO ASI294MM main camera, ASI120mm guide camera on WO 50mm guide scope, SkyWatcher HEQ5 Pro Mount, ZWO ASIAir, EAF and EFW) This is my second processing go-around for this object with a different (Forax) color palette in PixInsight, enhanced with some final Photoshop add-ons.

Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae

The Lagoon Nebula (M8) is a huge interstellar cloud located in the constellation of Sagittarius. Its a star-forming region and has a distance from Earth of about 5000 lightyears. The smaller, quite peculiar object next to it in this image is the Trifid Nebula (M20), another star-forming region of our Milky Way. It sits only slightly closer to Earth at around 4100 lightyears. This image is a result of narrowband recording (Ha, SII and OIII wavelengths) with a total of 2hrs and 40 minutes exposure time. It was processed with PixInsight and Photoshop, using the “Forax” color palette.

Sadr Region/Butterfly Nebula

The constellation of Cygnus is a very active and interesting region of the Milky Way. For this image, I focussed on the immediate surroundings of the star Sadr, the center star in the Cygnus “cross”. There is a HII region, known as IC 1318, or Gamma Cygni Nebula, sometimes also called “Butterfly Nebula”. This image is a result of narrowband recording (Ha, SII and OIII wavelengths) with a total of almost 3 hrs exposure time. It was processed with PixInsight and Photoshop, using the “Forax” color palette.

Heart and Fishhead Nebulae

The Heart Nebula (IC1805) finally makes an appearance over my house (which obscures a good part of the eastern sky) around midnight and still leaves enough time for a decent gathering of narrowband light (almost three and a half hours). It sits about 7500 lightyears away from Earth in the constellation of Cassiopeia. The cluster of stars in the center contains a few stars that are 50 times the size of our sun! And this cluster is the power source that ignites the surrounding gas. Adjacent to the “heart” (in the lower right of my image) is the companion Fishhead Nebula (IC1795).

Soul Nebula

The Soul Nebula (IC1848) is another emission nebula in the constellation of Cassiopeia. It is the eastern neighbor of the Heart Nebula (IC1805) and hosts some small open clusters. The distance to Earth is a mere 6500 light years and the complex spans about 100 light years. Special imagery from space telescopes revealed several generations of stars forming and dying in the area. But the beauty of these structures becomes obvious even with the narrowband data collected in my backyard. I only wish I had the chance to collect more data. With the clouds these days, 3 hrs and 5 minutes was all I was given so far.

The TrIfid Nebula - M20

The constellation of Sagittarius holds quite a few interesting Deep Space objects. One of them is the Trifid Nebula (M20, NGC6514), another star-forming region. Besides the main emission nebula, there is a blue-ish reflection nebula (showing only dim in this narrowband image) and a dark nebula that causes the fractured appearance.

The TrIfid Nebula - M20 (starless)

The constellation of Sagittarius holds quite a few interesting Deep Space objects. One of them is the Trifid Nebula (M20, NGC6514), another star-forming region. Besides the main emission nebula, there is a blue-ish reflection nebula (showing only dim in this narrowband image) and a dark nebula that causes the fractured appearance.

Great Orion Nebula and Friends

This wide field view of the Orion Constellation shows the great Orion Nebula (M42), the neighboring Running Man (Sh2-279), the Horsehead (Barnard33) and Flame Nebula (NGC2024). It has been captured with my trusty old Canon EF 70-200mm lens at about 170mm and using a monochrome camera (ASI294MM) with R, G, B, L and Ha filters.

Great Orion Nebula and Friends (annotated)

This wide field view of the Orion Constellation shows the great Orion Nebula (M42), the neighboring Running Man (Sh2-279), the Horsehead (Barnard33) and Flame Nebula (NGC2024). It has been captured with my trusty old Canon EF 70-200mm lens at about 170mm and using a monochrome camera (ASI294MM) with R, G, B, L and Ha filters.

Horsehead and Flame Nebulae

This is a closer view of the Horsehead (Barnard33) and Flame Nebula (NGC2024).

The Great Orion Nebula and Running Man

Here is is a more close-up view of the Orion Nebula (M42) with Mairan's Nebula (M43) and the Running Man on top (NGC1977). This is a visual spectrum (RGBL filters) image, based on less than 2 hours of data.

Rosette Nebula

Here's another narrowband image of the greater Orion region: The Rosette Nebula (C49, NGC2237) in the constellation Monoceros, about 5000 lightyears away and 130 lightyears across. It created and contains an open star cluster (C50, NGC2244).

The Bubble and the Claw

This narrowband image contains several deep space objects: The Lobster Claw Nebula (SH2-157), The Bubble Nebula (NGC7635), the adjacent Salt & Pepper Cluster NGC7654 as well as the Northern Lagoon Nebula (NGC7538).