Crescent Nebula

Emission nebula in Cygnus formed by the fast stellar wind from the central massive Wolf-Rayet star colliding with and energizing the slower moving wind ejected by the same star from an earlier phase of its life.

 

Bit late for a summer target but it was nice to get this one in on the run of clear nights we had towards end Sept, early Oct 2011. Although it was a pretty good run of nights the transparency wasn't great overall and there was a fair bit of moisture in the air. Not a great time for my dew controller to break down - the hairdryer had to be deployed to keep it under control !

 

Might frame this to get the soap bubble (at mid top of frame) more in next year, but only found out about that object after I'd shot it!

 

Tech details below:

 

TMB 92ss + Borg DG-L .85x reducer @ F4.7

Mount - EQ6

Starlight Xpress SXVR-H18 @ -20 degs

QHY5 PHD guiding, guidesope Meade 127

 

Ha - Baader 7nm

- 15x12min

OIII - Baader 8nm

- 15x12min

SII - Baader 8nm

- 15x12min

 

 

9 hours total

 

HST mapping

Red - SII

Green - Ha

Blue - OIII

 

Captured in Nebulosity 2

Calibration, stack and DDP in Images Plus

Curves + all other processing PS CS3

 

Done