Messier 1 - Crab Nebula

Messier 1 - Crab Nebula Supernova Remnant

 

Photographed from my home in Bortle 6 North West England

18/3/22 and 20/3/22

 

My first deep sky image from home for a while and I am really pleased with it!

 

Nearly 1000 years ago in 1054 AD, Chinese astronomers witnessed the sudden appearance of a bright "guest" star in the constellation of Taurus. The star was about 4 times brighter than Venus and was visible in daylight for 23 days.

 

We now know that this “guest star” was actually a supernova explosion 6,500 light-years distant, which gave rise to the Crab Nebula, an expanding six-light-year-wide remnant of this incredible event.

 

At the centre of the Crab Nebula is a rapidly rotating neutron star, or pulsar. The neutron star, like a lighthouse, ejects twin beams of radiation that make it appear to pulse 30 times per second as it rotates.

 

Equipment:

- Skywatcher EQ6-R pro

- Skywatcher 10 inch f4 Quattro

- Skywatcher Aplanatic coma corrector

- Skywatcher Evoguide 50ED + ZWO ASI 120MM-mini

- ZWO ASI 294MC pro

- ZWO EAF

- Optolong L-eXtreme

- Pegasus Powerbox advance

 

Acquisition:

- Lights: 55 x 240s at gain 125, offset 30, cooled to -15c

- Darks: 30

- Flats: 30 + 30

- Darkflats: 30+30

 

Processing:

- APP, PS, StarXterminator, Topaz

Done