2016 September 2 ~ The Trifid & Lagoon Nebulae in Sagittarius

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Photographed at Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, between 21.31 and 21.50 EDT

(285 km by road north of Toronto)

* Altitude of these objects at times when subframes were made: 18°-20°

* Temperature 12° C.

 

* Total exposure time: 9 minutes

* 540 mm focal length telescope

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Description:

 

These are without a doubt two of the most popular targets for amateur astronomers with modest telescopes. Unfortunately for northern hemisphere observers, they are located far south in the constellation Sagittarius, so they are very low in the sky, especially for us in Canada.

 

M20, the Trifid Nebula (left of centre) is a combination blue reflection nebula and red emission nebula. For more information, click here:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifid_Nebula

 

The much larger M8, the Lagoon Nebula, is a huge interstellar cloud that is faintly visible to the unaided eye, but only long exposures with the camera can reveal the characteristic red glow of ionized hydrogen gas. For more information, click here:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagoon_Nebula

 

For a version of this photo WITH LABELS, click on your screen to the RIGHT of the photo, or click here:

www.flickr.com/photos/97587627@N06/29207804310

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Technical information:

 

Nikon D810a camera body on Teleview 101is apochromatic refracting telescope, mounted on Astrophysics 1100GTO equatorial mount with a Kirk Enterprises ball head

 

Nine stacked frames; each frame:

540 mm focal length

ISO 3200; 1 minute exposure at f/5.4; unguided

(with LENR - long exposure noise reduction)

 

Subframes registered in RegiStar;

Stacked and processed in Photoshop CS6 (brightness, contrast, levels, sharpening)

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Done