Messier 17 - Omega Nebula

This was the first target I shot data for on a recent dark-sky trip with my scope.

 

M17 is also known as the Swan, Lobster, Horseshoe, and Checkmark Nebula -- maybe more, take your pick. It is a bright HII region in Sagittarius, easy photographed and seen in even small telescopes.

 

Image details:

20x300s ISO800

Calibrated with dark, flat, and bias frames

 

Equipment:

Vixen ED80sf 80mm APO refractor

Celestron CG-5 ASGT mount

Orion SSAG autoguider + 50mm guide scope

Canon T2i 550D DSLR (Baader IR modded)

Orion Field Flattener

 

Software:

Image acquisition with BackyardEOS

Guiding with PHD

Calibration/alignment/integration and post-processing with PixInsight

Done