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Object: The Cygnus Wall in NGC7000 (SHO Palette) (Aug. 2025)
The Cygnus Wall or The Great Wall in Cygnus is the term for a structure in the North American Nebula (NGC7000) that comprise of prominent, bright ridge within the larger nebula. This area of the nebula exhibits the most concentrated star formation area in the complex of ionized gas and is located about 1600 to 1800 light-years away from Earth. The structure is a shock front surrounded by dark gas and dust in the constellation of Cygnus the Swan.
Details:
- Acquisition Date: 08/27/2025 to 08/31/2025
- Location: Western Massachusetts, USA
- Imaging Camera: QHY600PH-M -10°C - Mode 1(High Gain) Offset:15 Gain:56
- Telescope: Askar 185 APO 185mm f/7 Triplet Refractor 1295mm f/l
- Flattener: Askar 1x Full Frame Flattener for 185APO
- Mount: Astro-Physics AP1100 w/GTO4
- Guide scope: Celestron Off Axis Guider
- Guide Camera: ASI174m mini
- Software: Sequence Generator Pro, PixInsight 1.9 Lockhart, Aries Astro Pixel Processor, Adobe Photoshop CS5
Filters:
- Chroma Ha 3nm 50mm
- Chroma OIII 3nm 50mm
- Astrodon SII 3nm 50mm
Exposure Times:
- Hydrogen Alpha (Ha): 27 x 10min. (270min) bin 1x1
- Oxygen III (OIII):31x 10min. (310min) bin 1x1
- Sulfur II (SII):30 x 10min. (300min) bin 1x1
Total Exposure/Integration:880min. (14.7hr)
Sky Quality:
-Magnitude: 19.71
-Bortle Class 5
-1.41 mcd/m^2 Brightness
-1234.6 ucd/m^2 Artificial Brightness
...through some moderate overcast, 5 second single exposure... note the star trails! It will be closest on 7/29/20. Next visit in 6700 years. The green color is from ionized cyanogen. Little Compton, RI, USA
Second pass. Updated the previous image by blending in a significant amount of natural light collected with LRGB filters. Also added more Oiii as that data was the most noisy.
Like the lobster claw nebula this was surprisingly hard to process for me. Each narrowband channel has a lot going on but it's hard to blend them together in a pleasing way. The details don't seem to coalesce into any mid-level structures even though individually it looks like they might. However blending and multiplying this with a natural light image brings out interesting colors and mid level structures. I will be experimenting more with this process now, most of my earlier targets are easily processed with either pure emission filters or natural light.
Data collection
Total integration time: 26.7 hours
2x Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4
1x Canon 200mm f/2.8
3x ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -20C
Guided on ZWO AM5, Chroma filters:
251x Luminance @1m
112x Red, Green, Blue @1m
48xHa, 54xSii, 101xOiii @5m
Captured with N.I.N.A. processed with PixInsight, Ps
Overview
The Sadr Region—centered on the bright supergiant Sadr (γ Cygni) in the heart of the Northern Cross of Cygnus—is one of the richest wide-field nebular fields in the Milky Way. This picture with an apparent span of about ≈3°, the area presents an immense tapestry of emission nebulae, dark dust lanes, and star clouds belonging to the Cygnus X complex roughly 4,500–6,000 light-years away.
Central Star and Surrounding Emission
Sadr (Gamma Cygni) is an F-type supergiant (visual magnitude ≈2.2) that dominates the view but is not the primary source of the surrounding nebular excitation.
Around it lies a vast H II region catalogued as IC 1318, popularly called the Butterfly Nebula (not to be confused with the planetary nebula of the same nickname in Sagittarius). IC 1318’s two broad wings of hydrogen-alpha emission frame Sadr and give the region its butterfly-like appearance.
Major Nebular Structures in this image°
IC 1318 A, B, and C – The three principal emission “wings” of the Butterfly Nebula, glowing in hydrogen-alpha with intricate dark dust lanes dividing them.
LBN 251 and LBN 249 – Prominent Lynds Bright Nebula segments forming the brightest H α filaments and helping define the Butterfly’s structure.
Dark Nebulae (Barnard 343, 344 and others) – Complex networks of obscuring dust that carve the dramatic dark rifts through the glowing gas.
Open cluster NGC 6910 – A compact group of hot young stars just northeast of Sadr, whose ultraviolet radiation helps ionize parts of the surrounding gas.
Structure & Appearance
This region is a prime part of the Cygnus X star-forming complex, where massive stars and supernova remnants energize the interstellar medium. Bright hydrogen filaments intertwine with lanes of cold molecular dust, while young clusters such as NGC 6910 signal ongoing star formation.
Sources of Text
Sharpless, S. (1959) – A Catalogue of H II Regions listing IC 1318 and other Cygnus H II complexes.
Lynds, B. T. (1965) – Catalogue of Bright and Dark Nebulae for LBN and Barnard objects.
Goss & Shaver (1970s) – Radio surveys of the Cygnus X H II complex.
Gaia EDR3 (2020) – Distances and stellar parameters for Sadr and NGC 6910.
IPHAS H α Survey and deep narrowband imaging projects documenting the Crescent Nebula, the Soap Bubble planetary nebula, and the detailed filamentary structures of IC 1318.
Sh2-185 is an emission and reflection nebula, visible in the constellation Cassiopeia; it consists of two distinct nebulous regions with different characteristics. Its position is easily identified thanks to the fact that it surrounds the brilliant star γ Cassiopeiae, a Be star well known for being the prototype of the variable γ Cassiopeiae, belonging to a class of young and very hot stars; the bright nebula part can be identified in particular in a north-east direction with respect to the star, where there are two nebulous gatherings known as IC 59 and IC 63. In the photographs the reddish color of the ionized gas is clearly evident mixed with the bluish color of the dust which shines by reflection of the blue star light. Its observation is possible especially from the regions of the northern hemisphere, due to the high northern declination; in the evening sky it reaches its peak in the autumn months, between October and December. From the southern hemisphere it is possible to observe it only starting from the subtropical regions, up to the equator. Sh2-185 consists of a partly well-lit cloud system, located at the same distance as γ Cassiopeiae; the brightest sections are made up of the two nebulae cataloged in the Index Catalogue: IC 63, the southernmost, shows an evident structure of gas filaments, with optical emissions dominated by the red color, while IC 59, to the north, appears as a cloud with a partly bluish color and no organized structure. In particular, IC 63 consists of a region of ionized hydrogen and shows evident signs of photolysis. This phenomenon is very evident especially in IC 59, while in IC 63 the presence of strong ultraviolet radiation suggests the formation of a neutral hydrogen zone through the dissociation of molecular hydrogen.
Optolong Blue 2": 29×240″(1h 56′)
Optolong Green 2": 29×240″(1h 56′)
Optolong H-Alpha 3nm 2": 17×900″(4h 15′)
Optolong Luminance 2": 15×300″(1h 15′)
Optolong OIII 3nm 2": 19×900″(4h 45′)
Optolong Red 2": 29×240″(1h 56′)
M78 is is the blue reflection nebula upper left of the frame, Barnards loop is the red area running through the centre of the frame and LDN1622 is bottom right.
The nebula Messier 78 (also known as M78 or NGC 2068) is a reflection nebula in the constellation Orion. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780.
M78 is the brightest diffuse reflection nebula of a group of nebulae that include NGC 2064, NGC 2067 and NGC 2071. This group belongs to the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex and is about 1,600 light years distant from Earth.
Barnard's Loop (Sh2-276) is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion.The loop takes the form of a large arc centered approximately on the Orion Nebula. The stars within the Orion Nebula are believed to be responsible for ionizing the loop. Recent estimates place it at a distance of between 518 light years and 1434 light years giving it dimensions of either about 100 or 300 light years across respectively. It is thought to have originated in a supernova explosion about 2 million years ago, which may have also created several known runaway stars
LDN 1622 is located near the galaxy plane in the constellation of Orion. It is close to Barnards loop, a huge cloud that surrounds the emission nebulas found in the Belt and Sword of Orion.
LDN 1622 is thought to be much closer to the more famous Orion Nebula, perhaps only 500 light years away.
This is a two pane mosaic taken with the data below to cover M78 and part of Barnards loop and then the other side of the mosaic included LDN1622 (the Bogeyman nebula) that was also enhanced by the mosaic from the larger focal length TMB.
The data involved in this image then is quite significant and from two very different focal lengths...... I have plans for more of this next year!!
Data from 2017 with the dual Taks
M: Mesu 200
T: Takahashi FSQ85 0.73x
C: QSI683 and Moravian G2-8300 with Baader RGB filters, 3nm Ha Astrodon filters and Hutech IDAS.
70x300s RGB
30x1800s Ha
45x1200s Luminance
Data from 2018 with the dual Taks
M: Skywatcher EQ8
T: Takahashi FSQ85 0.73x
C: QSI683 and Moravian G2-8300 with Baader RGB filters, 3nm Ha Astrodon filters and Hutech IDAS.
11x1800s Ha
72x900s Luminance
75x300s RGB
Data from 2018 specifically in LDN1622 with the TMB
M: Mesu 200
T: TMB 152/1200
C: QSI690 3nm Chroma Ha filters
This is a TOTAL exposure now of 104.45 hours of data
A nebula created in May 2019 as seen from Dumbarton, Scotland.
A nebula (Latin for 'cloud' or 'fog'; pl. nebulae, nebulæ, or nebulas) is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium and other ionized gases. Originally, the term was used to describe any diffuse astronomical object, including galaxies beyond the Milky Way. The Andromeda Galaxy, for instance, was once referred to as the Andromeda Nebula
Wiki
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An aurora (pl. aurorae or auroras), also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of brilliant lights that appear as curtains, rays, spirals, or dynamic flickers covering the entire sky.
Auroras are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. Major disturbances result from enhancements in the speed of the solar wind from coronal holes and coronal mass ejections. These disturbances alter the trajectories of charged particles in the magnetospheric plasma. These particles, mainly electrons and protons, precipitate into the upper atmosphere (thermosphere/exosphere). The resulting ionization and excitation of atmospheric constituents emit light of varying colour and complexity. The form of the aurora, occurring within bands around both polar regions, is also dependent on the amount of acceleration imparted to the precipitating particles.
Most of the planets in the Solar System, some natural satellites, brown dwarfs, and even comets also host auroras.
KP9 Geomagnetic Storm from AR 3664: Giant Sunspot Group.
The Heart Nebula (IC 1805, Sharpless 2-190) is an emission nebula, about 7,500 light years away from Earth, located in the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way, in the constellation Cassiopeia. It was discovered by William Herschel in November 1787. It is a glowing hydrogen gas nebula, with dark dust lanes dividing it.
The loose open star cluster Melotte 15 lies at the center of IC 1805, comprised of young (millions year old), energetic stars that emit radiation, ionizing the hydrogen gas in the cloud, which in turn emits its characteristic red glow.
The brightest part of the nebula at bottom right is NGC 896 (IC 1795), known as the Fish Head Nebula, a star forming region close to the Heart Nebula.
My deepest thanks to all of you, for your continuous support and kind comments! I wish to all my Flickr friends Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday season and a Happy and prosperous New year! May there always be starlight on your way!
Technical Info:
Telescope: Orion EON 80ED refractor, F = 500 mm, f/6.25
Camera: Canon EOS 600Da
Mount: Vixen Sphinx Equatorial
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Guiding: 80/400 Skywatcher refractor with SkyWatcher SynGuider
Light frames: 36 x 5 mins (total: 3 hours), ISO 1600, Custom WB
Support Frames: Darks
Date: 29 -30 September 2022
Location: Chalkidiki, Greece (Bortle 4)
Software: PixInsight 1.8.9-1 (Calibration, Registration, Integration, Gradient Correction, PCC, GHS, NXT, StarNet2, MLT, HDRMT, CT, DSE), Adobe Photoshop CC 2023 with Astronomy Tools Actions for final edits and export.
Bolt of the Day (2)
Most of the time we see negative lightning, which originated both on the ground and in the lower, and more negatively charged, portion of the cloud.
Once the ionization process begins and plasma forms, a path is not created instantaneously. In fact, there are usually many separate paths of ionized air stemming from the cloud. These paths are typically referred to as stepped leaders.
The stepped leaders are mostly invisible, except to incredibly high speed cameras — they branch towards the ground unbelievably quickly — about 164 feet (50 meters) per microsecond!
ref: science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/lightn...
A moment after this composite image occurred, this is what followed (after lightning contact with ground): www.flickr.com/photos/79387036@N07/52257025974/in/photost.... This post ground discharge was easily 1000x brighter than the pre-discharge above.
At least 100 frames were stacked and lightened in Photoshop. GoPro 10 at 240 fps in wide field (130 degs) was used.
IC63 & IC59 Cas Gamma Nebula (September 2024)
Object: Cas Gamma Nebula (IC63 & IC59) in HaRGB -The Ghosts of Cassiopeia or Ghosts Nebula. This weak emission nebula is being ionized by the giant, eruptive, variable, double star gamma-Cassiopeia (Navi). Distance from earth is about 600 light years.
- Acquisition Date: 09/02/2024 to 09/04/2024
- Location: Western Massachusetts, USA
- Imaging Camera: QHY600PH-M -10°C - Mode 1(High Gain) Offset:15 Gain:56
- Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 11 Celestron 11" Edge HD @f/7
- Focal reducer: Celestron .7x Focal Reducer, for 11 HD
- Mount: Astro-Physics AP1100 w/GTO4
- Guide scope: Celestron Off Axis Guider
- Guide Camera: ASI174m mini
- Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5, Sequence Generator Pro, PixInsight 1.8 Ripley, Aries Astro Pixel Processor
Filters:
- Chroma Hydrogen Alpha 50mm filter
- Astrodon Gen II E 50mm RGB Filters
Exposure Times:
- Hydrogen Alpha (Ha): 37 x 600 sec bin 1x1 (370 min)
- Red: 36 x 300 sec bin 1x1 (180 min)
- Green: 40 x 300 sec bin 1x1 (200 min)
- Blue: 36 x 300 sec bin 1x1 (180 min)
Total Exposure:930min. (15.5hrs)
Sky Quality:
-Magnitude: 19.71
-Bortle Class 5
-1.41 mcd/m^2 Brightness
-1234.6 ucd/m^2 Artificial Brightness
IC1396, better known as the Elephant Trunk Nebula is a combination of dust and ionized interstellar gases located about 2400 light years from Earth in the constellation of Cepheus. The image shown here is using a modified version of the Hubble Palette. The redder regions having higher concentrations of SII gas, the cyan regions being made up of primarily OIII gas while the overall green/gold and representing much of the detail is Ha gas. The star color is from RGB broadband at 60 second exposures, and the narrowband nebula detail are 900 second captures for a total of 48 hours of acquisition time.
The Heart Nebula, IC 1805 lies some 7500 light years away from Earth and is located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia. It was discovered by William Herschel on November 3, 1787. This is an emission nebula showing glowing ionized hydrogen gas and darker dust lanes.
The very brightest part of this nebula (the knot at the western edge) is separately classified as NGC 896, because it was the first part of this nebula to be discovered.
The nebula's intense red output and its configuration are driven by the radiation emanating from a small group of stars near the nebula's center. This open cluster of stars known as Melotte 15 contains a few bright stars nearly 50 times the mass of our Sun, and many more dim stars that are only a fraction of our Sun's mass.
Equipment:
Astro-Tech AT80EDT f/6 ED Triple Refractor Telescope
Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Orion 50mm Helical Guide Scope & StarShoot AutoGuider
Orion 38mm clear-aperture Field Flattener
PHD2 Guiding Software
Astronomy Tool Actions
Thank you for your comments,
Gemma
The Heart Nebula, IC 1805 or Sharpless 2-190, is an emission nebula showing glowing ionized hydrogen gas and darker dust lanes. It lies some 7500 light years distant and is located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy in the constellation of Cassiopeia. Imaged over 2 nights, the 27th and 31st of August 2019.
NEQ6 PRO
TSAPO130Q @ f/5
QHY163M Gain 200 Offset 70 -20C
Baader 2" Narrowband filter set
Guided using QHY5 III 178C
Ha 11 x 600sec sub
OIII 15 x 600sec sub
SII 17 x 600sec sub
Stacked and processed using Pixinsight and Photoshop.
Shot with 70 mins each of R G and B plus 55mins Oiii and 135 mins Ha. 6hrs 40mins total exposure. Skywatcher 200PDS on EQ6-R mount. ASI1600MM-Pro camera.
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula is a concentration of interstellar gas and dust within the much larger ionized gas region IC 1396 located in the constellation Cepheus about 2,400 light years away from Earth. The piece of the nebula shown here is the dark, dense globule IC 1396A; it is commonly called the Elephant's Trunk nebula because of its appearance at visible light wavelengths, where there is a dark patch with a bright, sinuous rim. The bright rim is the surface of the dense cloud that is being illuminated and ionized by a very bright, massive starThe entire IC 1396 region is ionized by the massive star, except for dense globules that can protect themselves from the star's harsh ultraviolet rays.
Object: Cas Gamma Nebula (IC63, IC59, SH2-158, LBN 623, CED 4B) in Hydrogen Alpha (HA) -The ghosts of Cassiopeia or Ghosts Nebula. This weak emission nebula is being ionized by the eruptive, variable, double star gamma-Cassiopeia. Distance from earth is about 600 light years.
I hope to add SII and OIII data when the clouds permit.
Acquisition Date: October 24, 2017
Location: Western Massachusetts
Camera: SBIG STF8300M @ -15°C
Telescope: Telescope: Takahashi FSQ106EDX-III @f/5
Mount: Astro-Physics AP1100
Guide scope: Off Axis Guiding
Guide Camera: Starlight Express Lodestar 2
Filters:
-HA 10 x 30 min. (300 min.)
Total Exposure: 300min. (6hr)
Limiting Magnitude: 5.1
Comments:
-Captured with Sequence Generator Pro
-Processed in Pixinsight 1.8 and Photoshop CS5
NGC6965 a.k.a. Bat Nebula
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Bat Nebula, at about 1500 light-years from us, is part of the Veil Nebula, a supernova remnant located in the constellation Cygnus. In other words, about 15,000 years ago, a star larger than the Sun at least 20 times reached the end of life and exploded, the shock wave created throwing ionized and heated gas and dust into space. According to the measurements made by specialists, the Veil Nebula continues to increase its volume with a speed of… 1million miles / hour.
From the point of view of visual observations, the Veil Nebula can be seen through a medium telescope, but using a contrast filter is mandatory for details to be seen.
The resemblance of this nebula to a flying bat is at the origin of the name under which NGC6965 is known. I admit that I can't see the bat or anything like that 😊, but that doesn't make this supernova remnant less spectacular.
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Equipment and settings:
Mount: SW EQ6R
Telescope: Orion UK VX6
Camera: ASI 533MC Pro
Filter: Optolong Lextreme
Integration: 5 hrs
75 light frames x 4 min + calibration frames
Stacking with DSS. Edit in Pixinsight si Lightroom.
Location: my Bortle 6+ backyard
My new rig using three 200mm lenses simultaneously is finally able to produce some images! Still working out several kinks in the process.
Spent 1.5 hours and gathered about 4.5 hours of light. The seeing was not very good, clouds rolled in but this is a large object and very happy to see this starting to come to life.
"The California Nebula is an emission nebula located in the constellation Perseus. It is named for its resemblance to the shape of the state of California in the United States. Here is an overview of its key characteristics:
Distance and Size: The California Nebula is approximately 1,000 light-years away from Earth and spans around 100 light-years in length. It appears large in the sky, with an angular size of around 2.5 degrees, which is about five times the width of the full moon.
Composition and Color: The nebula is predominantly composed of hydrogen gas, and its striking red color is due to the ionization of hydrogen atoms. This ionization occurs when ultraviolet light from nearby stars excites the hydrogen gas, causing it to emit a characteristic red glow.
Exciting Star: The main source of ionization for the California Nebula is the bright, hot star Xi Persei (or Menkib), a massive O-type star. The ultraviolet radiation from this star plays a significant role in energizing the surrounding gas.
Visibility: Despite its large size, the California Nebula is relatively faint and difficult to observe with the naked eye. It is best viewed with long-exposure astrophotography or through wide-field telescopes equipped with hydrogen-alpha filters, which enhance the nebula's emission."
Nikon 70-200mm 200mm f/2.8
ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -10C
58x60s lum
7x300s oiii
Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4
ZWO ASI533MC Color Camera at -10C
90x60s rgb
Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4
ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -10C
11x300s sii, 9x300s ha
Guided on ZWO AM5
Captured with N.I.N.A. processed with PixInsight, Ps
Most of this was shot before and during a near full moon. The only filter that really works effectively then is the Ha filter. The moon emits far less light in Ha and nebula in general are quite bright in Ha. The other filters, specifically the Oxygen filter are completely washed out by the moon light. But I was able to catch some Oiii in the early morning hours of the first session
"The Cosmic Question mark or NGC 7822 is a striking emission nebula located in the northern constellation of Cepheus, approximately 3,000 light-years away from Earth. This region is notable for its young stellar populations and the impressive pillars of dense gas and dust sculpted by intense stellar winds and radiation from newborn stars.
Key Features:
Distance and Size: NGC 7822 is about 3,000 light years away from Earth. The entire complex spans several light years and is part of a massive molecular cloud.
Star Formation: This nebula is known for its vigorous star formation activity, including some of the youngest and most massive stars observed in our galaxy. These stars are typically less than a few million years old.
Structure and Composition: The nebula is comprised of ionized hydrogen gas which glows brightly due to ultraviolet radiation from the massive stars. The complex also features dark dust lanes and bright rimmed clouds, where new stars are currently forming.
Emission Features: NGC 7822 is characterized by its bright emission lines, particularly in hydrogen alpha, which makes it a popular target for astrophotographers and astronomers.
Scientific Interest: The high energy environment of NGC 7822 provides an excellent laboratory for studying the processes of star formation and the effects of massive stars on their surrounding nebulae. Astronomers are particularly interested in the dynamics of the stellar winds and their interaction with the interstellar medium, which can give insights into the life cycle of stars and the evolution of galaxies.
Observation: NGC 7822 can be observed with a range of telescopes, and its prominent features are accessible to both amateur and professional astronomers. The best time to view this nebula is during the fall months when Cepheus is well-placed in the night sky for observers in the Northern Hemisphere.
This nebula, with its active star-forming regions and dynamic structures, represents a fascinating subject for study and observation, illustrating many of the fundamental processes occurring in our galaxy." --synthesized from various sources
Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4
Nikon 70-200mm 200mm f/2.8
2x ZWO ASI533MC Color Camera at -10C
Guided together on a ZWO AM5
41xHa, 19xOiii, 12xSii @600s : 12 hours total integration time
Processed with PixInsight, Ps
This is a picture of the pelican nebula. Its shape is in active change as a result of the interaction of the cold gas and the gas heated by the prescence of neraby stars. The front can be seen in the lower part (cataloged as IC5067), which is a star formation region. With some imagination, it can look as a couple of mountains being showered by the cloud of ionized gas above :).
-Omegon 600/154 pro astrograph
-ZWO ASI183MM pro camera
-iOptron GEM28 mount
-Guided with the ASI120MM mini
- 20 hrs total of narrowband data with the astronomik SHO filter set at Gain 111
120x30s Luminance filter (ASI183MC pro) for star colors
Processing was done in Siril and Affinity photo using the RC astro star removal and noise reduction plugins.
It's been a long haul and my computer feels much better but I had better keep my fingers crossed.
Hope your week end is going great.
This is the enormous (and close) Andromeda galaxy shot only through narrow band filters. (I really should put a little picture of the moon in these just to give a sense of the scale, the moon would only be as big as the bright core, if our eyes were sensitive enough and the skies dark enough this would be a huge object in the sky)
I spent a a long time figuring out how to process this. I could see some faint structures outside the galaxy that I hadn't expected I would be able to reach, but every attempt to bring those out resulted in a mess. Typically narrow band images are only lightly used when shooting galaxies. They are more for getting details on faint nebula close by in our own Milky Way. I had never attempted to process an entire galaxy this way. The immediate problem is that the normal light still contributes to most of the narrow band light somehow. I don't understand why yet. After several failed attempts it occurred to me to normalize the narrowband data with the regular color channels and then subtract the regular color from the narrowband. After searching for this technique it turns out this indeed is how some people do it. So subtract natural green from Oiii and natural red from Sii and Ha.
First surprise was what looks to be a surrounding slip stream in Ha. And then the detail in the core... and the off center spike coming out of the core. Finally also just at the edge of the dynamic range is a hint of the blue arc to the top left, this blue arc was only discovered in 2023. All this is low resolution as it's barely in the data.... but I was not expecting any of it to show up yet.
The plan now is to quadruple the amount of light in Oiii and Ha to see if I can get some more detail above the noise level. Unfortunately the moon will be in the way for the next two weeks... and these uncommon clear nights likely won't go on indefinitely ;)
Overview
This energized-gas image of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) filters out the overwhelming starlight and focuses only on the faint emission from ionized gas. In this view, Andromeda’s sprawling spiral structure is largely invisible, replaced by wisps, arcs, and filaments of glowing hydrogen and oxygen. These emission features reveal the energetic processes shaping Andromeda’s interstellar medium and halo.
General Emission Structures Visible in Narrowband
H II Regions: Patches of star-forming activity across the spiral arms, lit by clusters of hot O- and B-type stars. In an energized-gas image these appear as knots and filaments scattered through the disk.
Filamentary Halo Gas: Long, faint filaments of both Hα and O III are visible surrounding the galaxy, showing that Andromeda’s halo is not empty but threaded with ionized material.
Superbubbles and Shells: Several circular or arc-like shells can be traced, likely inflated by clustered supernovae and massive-star winds within the disk.
Major Narrowband Features
O III Arc
A vast, low-surface-brightness arc of doubly ionized oxygen stretches well beyond the stellar disk. Deep imaging suggests this could be part of a large superbubble or a remnant of past starburst-driven winds, marking the interaction between Andromeda’s disk and its extended gaseous halo.
Andromeda Spike
A striking linear feature of energized gas, nicknamed the Andromeda Spike, emerges from near the galaxy’s core but is slightly off-center from the nucleus. Its origin is debated: some models link it to a jet-like outflow from central activity, while others interpret it as shock-excited gas along a structural filament in the disk.
Hα Slipstream
Along the outer regions of the disk lies a diffuse hydrogen-alpha slipstream, a channel-like streak of ionized hydrogen. This may be evidence of galactic winds carrying gas outward, or the signature of tidal interaction between M31 and its companions (notably M32 or M110).
Astrophysical Context
These narrowband features show that Andromeda is not a quiescent spiral but an active environment where stellar winds, supernovae, and possibly nuclear outflows inject energy into the surrounding medium. The O III arc points to large-scale halo interaction, while the Spike may represent nuclear feedback on a galactic scale. The Hα slipstream demonstrates the continuing role of feedback and tidal dynamics in redistributing gas. Together, they hint at how galaxies recycle material between their disks and halos over cosmic time.
Sources of Text
Jenniskens & Désert (1994) – Early detections of extended diffuse ionized gas around M31.
Keel et al. (2012) – Narrowband imaging and analysis of the linear Andromeda Spike structure.
Ferguson et al. (1996, 2005) – Studies of ionized gas in M31’s extended halo.
Modern deep amateur narrowband imaging (2010s–2020s) – Documentation of the O III arc, Hα slipstream, and faint halo filaments in long-exposure mosaics.
Acquisition
25 hours total integration:
1x Canon 200mm f/2.8
2x Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4
3x ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -20C
Guided on ZWO AM5
3nm Chroma filters:
sii 44x5m, 11x10m @f4
ha 104X5m, 13x10m @f4
oiii 105X5m @f2.8
Captured with N.I.N.A. processed with PixInsight, Ps
Sandqvist 111 is a dark nebula in the Vela constellation, around 1500 light years from earth.
The object is part of the lesser known Sandqvist catalogue, a collection of 95 southern hemisphere dark clouds that was published in 1977 by the Swedish astronomer Aage Sandqvist. You’re essentially looking at dark, compressed dust clouds surrounded by ionized (glowing) hydrogen. The brighter patches that can be seen here and there are regions where new star formation is underway (and hence said new stars are illuminating their surroundings).
Setup:
Planewave CDK24
Moravian C3-61000 Pro
Planewave L-600
Image acquisition details:
30x1200” HA
18x900” Luminance
20x900” Red
26x900” Green
20x900” Blue
No edit except for the watermark
www.primaria-govora.ro/parcul-balnear-baile-govora/
The resort park is the most spiritualized area of the resort, where most of the architectural and commemorative monuments are located, living in perfect symbiosis with those of nature. The most representative sculptural monuments are those of doctors Nicolae Popescu-Zorileanu and Haralambie Botescu, as well as the bust of IC Brătianu - former Prime Minister of Romania.
The spa park covers an area of 20.5 hectares, land that was purchased from the locals of Păuşeşti Otăsău commune by paying sums of money or through exchanges.
This perimeter was the cradle of the Govora spa resort, because here, between 1882 and 1894, the first bathhouse and the first spaces for accommodating patients were built, consisting of three hotels numbered from 1 to 3: "State Hotel No. 1", "State Hotel No. 2", "State Hotel No. 3", of which two still exist today, "State Hotel No. 1", which is preserved in its original appearance, and "State Hotel No. 2" (Villa No. 9 or "Dr. Zorileanu"). In the park area, a "rural military ambulance" was located by military doctor Nicolae Popescu-Zorileanu, consisting of a company of veterans of the 1877 War of Independence, who underwent treatments with the mineral waters of Govora. The forest vegetation in the perimeter was cleared and works were carried out to capture and store mineral waters, works led by the mining engineer Hiranlic Bochet, of French origin, with CM Mironescu as chief engineer.
Near these springs, a first bathhouse was built, along with reservoirs for the extracted mineral waters. At the same time, the three state hotels were built.
At first, the park's layout was brief, with only a few alleys connecting the hotels, the spa and the road to the Păuşeşti commune. The alleys were covered with small river stones and white birch benches were planted here and there. The entrance to the park was through a portal made of the same material on which the words "Băile Govora" were inscribed. This portal was maintained for almost 30 years and was replaced with another one made of iron. The same birch wood was used to make pergolas, ornamental structures placed here and there. In 1923, the birch wood fences were replaced with others made of oak and beech, over a length of 530 m.
Immediately after the entrance, on the left, was well no. 2, one of the first wells dug for the extraction of iodine. It was drilled in the area where the "Johann Klauss & Company" dug wells in search of oil in 1878, wells that were abandoned and handed over to the Govora commune hall.
After 1910, when the "Govora-Călimăneşti Society" was founded, the park experienced a strong revival, being landscaped by the French specialist A. Pinard. The images from the period illustrations show the new appearance of the park with redesigned alleys, floral arrangements in which the word "Govora" could be read, agaves and many species of ornamental shrubs and trees, planted according to scientific criteria. In order to be able to renew the flowers annually and to store sensitive species in the cold season, the "Govora-Călimăneşti Society" arranged a flower greenhouse in the existing location.
In the period after 1955, the park was maintained by a few seasonal workers who were led by the horticultural specialist Constantin Gogâlea. He studied in France and continued the idea of the French precursor. During the period 1930-1950, in collaboration with specialists from the "Forest Progress Society", specially selected floral species of shrubs and trees were planted and acclimatized so that, in addition to the aesthetic aspect, they would contribute to the ionization of the microclimate and the creation of a sanogenic environment, an adjunct to the treatment. The most numerous are the conifer species: spruce, pine (Picea excelsa), larch (Larix deciduas), juniper, planted in the area of the hotels and in abundance chestnut trees (Aescullum hippocastanum) in the area of the former "Bath Facility".
As can be seen from the medical records from 1955-1975, the alleys were marked and numbered, and the doctors indicated the following of certain routes for therapeutic purposes (field cure).
Currently, the spa park has been rehabilitated within a project financed by the Regional Operational Program 2007-2013. The rehabilitation works consisted of: restoring the alleys, public lighting, urban furniture, planting new species of flowers, trees and shrubs. The music kiosk for the brass band, the artesian fountain, the statues were also rehabilitated and an artificial waterfall was arranged in the extension of the artesian fountain as well as a mini-amphitheatre in the open air for various artistic events.
This was the second night in a row (Nov. 10-11) with TLEs (Transient Luminous Events), this time over the thunderstorms at the Aegean Sea. But, before that, I was treated with some close thunderstorms and some beautiful lightning bolts occurred. Observe this one, heading for... Orion!
Notice the corona discharge with its distinct blue/purple color at the edges of the bolt. These purple filaments/streamers are created due to high values of the electric field (high enough to ionize air molecules, mostly nitrogen).
The moon can be seen behind the clouds, on the left side.
For this one, I've used a Sigma Art 20 mm lens, f/1.4 @ f/5.6 for 10'' with iso 500.
Photography and Licensing: doudoulakis.blogspot.com/
My books concerning natural phenomena / Τα βιβλία μου σχετικά με τα φυσικά φαινόμενα: www.facebook.com/TaFisikaFainomena/
Object: SH2-284 in Monoceros in SHO (February 2024)
This is a widefield capture in Monoceros (the Unicorn) showing the primary target: SH2-284 which is a HII star forming region about 15,000 light years distant. The image was shot with narrowband filters and combined in the SHO palette which is also know as the Hubble Space Telescope palette (HST)
Some of the objects in the field:
- SH2-284 – center-left- Sometimes referred to as the Little Rosette
- NGC2282- HII Ionized region in Monoceros – upper center right
- Lynd’s Bright Nebulae- LBN983-LBN984-LBN987
- Acquisition Date: 02/06/2024 to 02/09/2024
- Location: Western Massachusetts, USA
- Imaging Camera: QHY600PH-M -10°C - Mode 1(High Gain) Offset:15 Gain:56
- Telescope: Takahashi FSQ106EDXIII @ f/5 (530mm focal length - 106mm aperture)
- Mount: Astro-Physics AP1100 w/GTO4
- Guide scope: Celestron Off Axis Guider
- Guide Camera: ASI174m mini
- Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5, Sequence Generator Pro, PixInsight 1.8 Ripley, Aries Astro Pixel Processor
Filters:
- Chroma Ha 3nm 50mm
- Chroma OIII 3nm 50mm
- Astrodon SII 3nm 50mm
Exposure Times:
- Hydrogen Alpha (Ha): 27 x 10min. (270min) bin 1x1
- Oxygen III (OIII):34 x 10min. (340min) bin 1x1
- Sulfur II (SII) 29 x 10min. (290min) bin 1x1
Total Exposure:900 min. (15.0hrs)
Sky Quality:
-Magnitude: 19.71
-Bortle Class 5
-1.41 mcd/m^2 Brightness
-1234.6 ucd/m^2 Artificial Brightness
Very clear night last night here. This is a detail from an earlier wider field image "The Misty Clover Cluster". I used my larger telescope to focus on the "Elephant Trunk" part of it.
About the target:
(from cosgrovescosmos.com): "IC 1396 is a large circular region of glowing gas and dust in the constellation of Cepheus and is located about 2400 light-years from Earth. Measuring approximately 100 light-years across, this region is energized by a bluish central multiple star called HD 206267.
The ionized gas glows bright while dark dust concentration in the area can also be seen.
The Elephants Trunk, IC 1396A, is one feature that stands out prominently in images taken of the area. Pressure from bright stars in the core blows dust from that area leaving behind a darker region at the center of the nebula while compressing dust around the edges, which drives new star formation. As a result, up to 250 young stars- all less than 100,000 years old, have been detected in infrared images taken of the Trunk region in 2003. The Trunk itself is about 20 light-years long."
Data Acquisition:
Askar 120APO 840mm f/7
ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -10C
Guided on ZWO AM5
8x600s with 3nm Ha filter
18x600s with 5nm Oiii filter
18x600s with 5nm Sii filter
Processed with PixInsight, Ps
Object: Elephant's Trunk nebula (VdB 142) in IC1396 (October 2025)
The Elephant's Trunk nebula or technically VdB 142 (Van den Berg 142) in the northern constellation of Cepheus, is so named because of its similarity in appearance to an elephant’s trunk. The bright outline around the "trunk" is the surface of the dense cloud that is being illuminated and ionized by a very bright, massive multi-star star to the east of the structure known as HD 206267A. The entire IC1396 region is also ionized by this massive triple star system. Look just above the trunk in the picture to see it.
This was done using the SHO or HST (Hubble Space Telescope Palette) which is accomplished by combining sub frames using three narrowband filters that capture light produced by glowing hydrogen (Ha), oxygen (OIII) and sulfur (SII) present in the nebula. Green is assigned to hydrogen, blue to oxygen and red to the sulfur.
Details:
- Acquisition Date: 10/16/2025 to 10/18/2025
- Location: Western Massachusetts, USA
- Imaging Camera: QHY600PH-M -10°C - Mode 1(High Gain) Offset:15 Gain:56
- Telescope: Askar 185 APO 185mm f/7 Triplet Refractor 1295mm f/l
- Flattener: Askar 1x Full Frame Flattener for 185APO
- Mount: Astro-Physics AP1100 w/GTO4
- Guide scope: Celestron Off Axis Guider
- Guide Camera: ASI174m mini
- Software: Sequence Generator Pro, PixInsight 1.9 Lockhart, Aries Astro Pixel Processor, Adobe Photoshop CS5
Filters:
- Chroma Ha 3nm 50mm
- Chroma OIII 3nm 50mm
- Astrodon SII 3nm 50mm
Exposure Times:
- Hydrogen Alpha (Ha): 28 x 10min. (280min) bin 1x1
- Oxygen III (OIII):28 x 10min. (280min) bin 1x1
- Sulfur II (SII):28 x 10min. (280min) bin 1x1
Total Exposure/Integration:840min. (14.0hr)
Sky Quality:
-Magnitude: 19.71
-Bortle Class 5
-1.41 mcd/m^2 Brightness
-1234.6 ucd/m^2 Artificial Brightness
The Heart Nebula, IC 1805, Sharpless 2-190, lies some 7500 light years away from Earth and is located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia. This is an emission nebula showing glowing gas and darker dust lanes. The nebula is formed by plasma of ionized hydrogen and free electrons.
This image was shot with a:
-Starlight Xpress SVXR-H18 Mono CCD
-TMB 92SS Refractor Telescope
-Baader Ha Filter
-Baader OIII
-WO Flat 6a Reducer/Flattener
-Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 Mount.
The shot consists of:
30 x 20 min sub-exposures in Ha
12 x 15 min in OIII
The Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) is a dark nebula in the constellation Orion. It is approximately 1500 light years away. Bright emission nebula IC 434 is seen behind the Horsehead Nebula. IC 434 glows red with ionized hydrogen gas, which is heated from nearby stars.
This is a common target for amateur astrophotographers. This is the first time I've shot it at this focal length. I was hoping for a bit more detail, but it's a little challenging from my location at 36 deg N latitude.
Image acquired with SBIG ST-8300 monochrome CCD camera through TPO 8" Ritchey-Chretien telescope at 1600mm focal length. Total of exposure time of 7 hours, 20 min. Image is a blend of hydrogen alpha (Ha) and RGB filtered exposures. Shot from bright suburban location in Jamestown, NC.
The Horsehead Nebula, also known as Barnard 33, is a dark Nebula in the constellation Orion. The Nebula is located just to the south of Alnitak, the easternmost star of Orion's Belt and is part to the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex.
The Nebula was first recorded in 1888 by Scottish astronomer William Fleming on a photographic plate taken at the Harvard College Observatory. The Horsead Nebula is approximately 1500 light years from Earth. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae because of its resemblance to a horse's head.
Due to its recognizable shape the Horsehead Nebula is one of the most famous celestial objects.
The Flame Nebula, designated as NGC 2024 and SH2-277, is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion. It's about 900 to 1,500 light-years away
The bright star Alnitak, the easternmost star in the Belt of Orion, shines energetic ultraviolet light into the Flame and this knocks electron away from the great clouds of hydrogen gas that reside there. Much of the glow results when the electron and ionized hydrogen recombine
Equipment:
Astro-Tech AT80EDT f/6 ED Triple Refractor Telescope
Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Orion 50mm Helical Guide Scope & StarShoot AutoGuider
Orion 38mm clear-aperture Field Flattener
PHD2 Guiding Software
Astronomy Tool Actions
Thank you for your comments,
Gemma
This image is the combination of different datasources.
The Luminance comes from Eric.
He recorded in Tenerife, with his 350mm F3.3 and FLI16803, the following data:
L: 15x300s 5x120s 5x10s
RGB: (5, 5, 5)x120s / (5, 5, 5)x60s / (5, 5, 5)x10s
The color data for M42, M43 and the Running Man come from his filters.
For the surrounding areas I have used the colors I did in a previous image (www.astrobin.com/156241/B/) which basically came out from
a combination of my APO data and iTelescope:
APO 80mm/480mm + SBIG8300:
L: 33x360s
Ha: 21x600s
iTelescope FSQ106 + SBIG11000:
RBG: (1, 1, 1)x300s binning 2
Addional Ha data have been partially (the field of view was not exactly the same) used from DeepSkyWest:
Ha: 13x1800s / 8x900s
Copyright: R. Colombari / E. Recurt
____________________________
The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula situated in the Milky Way, being south of Orion's Belt in the constellation of Orion.[b] It is one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. M42 is located at a distance of 1,344 ± 20 light years[3][6] and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light years across. It has a mass of about 2000 times the mass of the Sun. Older texts frequently refer to the Orion Nebula as the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula.[7]
The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky, and is among the most intensely studied celestial features.[8] The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have directly observed protoplanetary disks, brown dwarfs, intense and turbulent motions of the gas, and the photo-ionizing effects of massive nearby stars in the nebula.
Source: Wikipedia
C'est la nébuleuse la plus époustouflante que j'aie jamais vue !!!
Le rémanent de supernova des Voiles est une cible incontournable pour tout astrophotographe. Une mosaïque de quatre panneaux recouvre les principaux signaux d'émission de la nébuleuse. L'enveloppe externe OIII enveloppe les couches ionisées Ha et SII, formant une structure complexe et stratifiée indescriptible !
L'astrophotographe a exposé pendant 109 heures au total pour capturer cette brillante scène de l'espace lointain 🤔
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
This is the most breathtaking nebula I've ever seen!!!
The Sails supernova remnant is an unmissable target for any astrophotographer. A mosaic of four panels covers the nebula's main emission signals. The outer layer OIII envelops the ionized layers Ha and SII, forming an indescribably complex and layered structure!
The astrophotographer exposed for a total of 109 hours to capture this brilliant deep space scene 🤔
Credit : Alpha Zhang
Evening of October 6, 2024 we had about a one hour display of red aurora. We seldom see a brilliant red aurora like this which is formed when when solar particles react with Oxygen at higher altitudes, generally above 150 miles.most times the solar particles interact with the atmosphere between 50 and 150 miles, where there are high concentrations of oxygen resulting in green aurora. More rare than a red aurora is a blue / purple aurora, which is the result of ionized nitrogen at even lower altitudes interacting with solar particles.
The North America Nebula is a large and colorful emission nebula, immense clouds of ionized gases throwing off their own light. It is 1,500 light years distant from earth and in the night sky it appears as large as 4 full moons. While it is large and bright for a nebula, it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye. But I use a "go to" tripod and mount that can guide a telescope to thousands of galaxies, nebulae and stars. It can not only point the camera precisely to the object, it also tracks the target's movement across the night sky so that the stars remain points of light even with exposure times (the time the shutter is open) of 5 minutes.
This composite photo is a stack of 35 photos, each 5 minutes long, so light was collected for close to 3 hours. I lounged in my sleeping bag nearby, keeping track of the progress of collecting photos with an iPad mini. On each of the nights I turned off the mount and camera at about 4 am, as light began to appear on the eastern horizon.
Best seen on a bright screen in a dark room
"The Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76), also known as Messier 76, NGC 650/651, or the Barbell Nebula, is a small planetary nebula located in the constellation Perseus. It is named for its resemblance to the larger and more famous Dumbbell Nebula (M27), though the Little Dumbbell is much fainter and smaller in size. It represents the final stages of stellar evolution for a star much like our Sun, and its glowing gas offers a glimpse into the eventual fate of many stars in the universe. It also showcases the complex and asymmetric structures that planetary nebulae can form due to factors like stellar rotation, magnetic fields, and interactions with surrounding material.
M76 is located in the northern constellation Perseus, making it visible primarily to observers in the Northern Hemisphere.
It is approximately 2,500–3,400 light-years away from Earth, though the exact distance remains a subject of debate due to uncertainties in measuring distances to planetary nebulae.
The central star of M76, a white dwarf, is what remains after the star has shed its outer layers. It has a surface temperature of around 60,000 K, and it is this intense heat that ionizes the surrounding gas, causing the nebula to glow.
This star will eventually cool and fade over time, leaving behind a dense remnant core.
The Little Dumbbell Nebula is a late stage in the life cycle of a low- to intermediate-mass star. After the star exhausted the nuclear fuel in its core, it expelled its outer layers into space, forming the nebula.
Planetary nebulae like M76 are short-lived in astronomical terms, typically lasting only 10,000 to 20,000 years before the gas disperses into the interstellar medium, leaving behind just the cooling white dwarf."
Askar 120APO: 840mm f/7
ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -10C
Guided on ZWO AM5
9xHa, 15xOiii, 7xSii @10m
Processed with PixInsight, Ps
Decided to reprocess the same 3.5 hours of this data one more time. I like this color balance better and was more successful bringing out more of the structure in the fainter areas.
A bit late in the season to be chasing this beautiful object, but managed to get a few hours in between the trees.
"The Rosette Nebula (Caldwell 49) is a large, circular emission nebula located in the constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn. It is a stellar nursery rich with gas, dust, and young stars, and is one of the most striking deep-sky objects in the winter night sky.
General Characteristics
Type: Emission Nebula
Distance: ~5,200 light-years
Diameter: ~130 light-years
Apparent Size: ~1.3 degrees (about 2.5 times the diameter of the full Moon)
Constellation: Monoceros
Catalog Names: Caldwell 49 (nebula), Caldwell 50 (open cluster at the center), NGC 2237–2246 (multiple designations)
Key Features
Central Star Cluster (Caldwell 50)
The nebula is powered by an open cluster of young, hot O-type stars known as NGC 2244, located at its center.
These stars emit intense ultraviolet radiation that ionizes the surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to glow.
Star Formation
The Rosette Nebula is an active stellar nursery, where new stars are continuously forming from dense regions of dust and gas.
Observations in infrared and radio wavelengths reveal young protostars still embedded within the molecular cloud.
Structure and Composition
The nebula is composed primarily of ionized hydrogen (H II region), with complex filaments and dark dust lanes sculpted by stellar winds.
Its circular shape and petal-like appearance give it the name "Rosette.""
Nikon 70-200mm @200mm f/2.8
Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4
ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -20C
ZWO ASI533MC Color Camera at -20C
11xHa, 24xOiii, 14xSii, 5xrgb @5m
Guided on ZWO AM5
Captured with N.I.N.A. processed with PixInsight, Ps
Captured some more data a few nights ago and tried to get some finer detail to come out.
"The Flaming Star Nebula and the Tadpole Nebula offer a unique glimpse into the processes of star formation and the dynamics of interstellar matter.
Flaming Star Nebula (IC 405)
General Overview The Flaming Star Nebula, also known as IC 405, is an emission/reflection nebula located in the constellation Auriga. It is about 1,500 light years away from Earth. This nebula is illuminated by the bright star AE Aurigae, which is a runaway star, believed to have been ejected from the Trapezium Cluster in the Orion Nebula after a close encounter with other stars.
Key Features
Star AE Aurigae: Central to the nebula’s visibility, AE Aurigae is a massive, young, and hot O-type star whose high-energy light excites the surrounding gas, causing it to glow with a characteristic blue hue in photographs.
Emission and Reflection Regions: The Flaming Star Nebula exhibits both emission and reflection characteristics. The red areas signify emission from hydrogen gas excited by the star's ultraviolet radiation, while the blue regions show light from AE Aurigae reflected off dust particles.
Molecular Clouds: Surrounding the nebula are dense molecular clouds, rich in material that may eventually form new stars, indicating ongoing stellar formation activity.
Tadpole Nebula (IC 410)
General Overview The Tadpole Nebula, known as IC 410, is an emission nebula located about 12,000 light years away in the constellation Auriga. It is notably near the Flaming Star Nebula but is distinguished by its larger and more diffuse appearance, as well as its intriguing internal structures shaped like tadpoles.
Key Features
The Tadpoles: Inside the nebula are two large, elongated structures that resemble tadpoles. These are thought to be formed by the wind from the young massive stars in the region sculpting the denser parts of the surrounding molecular cloud.
Star Cluster NGC 1893: At the heart of IC 410 is the young cluster NGC 1893, which is responsible for ionizing the gas of the nebula. This cluster contains several hot, young stars whose intense radiation shapes and illuminates the nebula.
Emission Characteristics: Like the Flaming Star Nebula, IC 410 primarily emits light due to the excitation of hydrogen gas by the ultraviolet radiation from its young stars.
Scientific Significance Both nebulae are subjects of ongoing astrophysical research. They are especially valuable for studying the effects of high-energy stars on their environments, the processes of star formation, and the dynamics within active stellar nurseries. Observations and studies of these nebulae help astronomers understand more about the lifecycle of stars and the evolution of galaxies."
Taken with 3 small telescopes simultaneously:
Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4 with ASI533MC @ -20C
80xRgb@5m
Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4 with ASI533MM @ -20C
34xHa, 36xSii @5m
Nikon 70-200mm 200mm f/2.8 with ASI533MM @ -20C
74xOiii @5m
Guided on ZWO AM5
Captured with N.I.N.A. processed with PixInsight, Ps
This was originally going to be a HaRGB but I didn’t like the result so I went for a Ha/Oiii version.
Originally I image the Horsehead Nebula on the 16th December but I got interrupted by the clouds. On the 26th I went to add some more data but ended up replacing 50% of the Ha and all of the Oiii of the original data as the sky was far more transparent. The only down side was that the atmosphere was quite turbulent which made guiding a bit problematic and some subs had to be discarded.
Information:-
IC 434 nebula is located just to the south of the star Alnitak, the eastern one in Orion's Belt. The dark cloud of dust and gas is part of the Molecular Cloud Complex where star formation is taking place. The glowing hydrogen gas is predominantly behind the nebula and ionized by the nearby bright star Sigma Orionis. Magnetic fields channel the gases leaving the nebula into streams. The Horsehead Nebula is estimated to be 1500 light years from Earth.
EQUIPMENT:-
Explore Scientific 102mm F7 APO Carbon
Explore Scientific 0.7 Focal Reducer
Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 GT
ZWO ASI1600mm-Cool cmos camera
Orion Mini Auto Guide
Astronomik 6nm Ha Filter
Astronomik 6nm Oiii Filter
Chip Temp Cooled to -20 degC
IMAGING DETAILS:-
IC 434 Horsehead Nebula (Orion)
NGC 2024 Flame Nebula
Gain 139 (Unit Gain)
Dithering
36 Ha subs@240 (2h 24 min)
30 Oiii subs@240sec (2h min)
Total imaging Time 4h 24min
20 Darks
25 Flats
PROCESSING/GUIDING SOFTWARE:-
APT "Astro Photograph Tools"
StarNet++
DSS
PS CS2
NGC2359 is commonly known as the Thor's Helmet Nebula, and is located in the constellation of Canis Major (The Big Dog). It's an emission nebula rich in ionized hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur gasses.
The Medusa Nebula, also known as Abell 21, is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Gemini, about 1,500 light-years from Earth. It is the remnant of a dying star that shed its outer layers, forming a complex, glowing shell of ionized gas. Its twisted, filamentary appearance and faint greenish hue give it a resemblance to the serpent-haired figure from Greek mythology, inspiring its name.
Colour flashed Orion Nebula (M42)
Today I show you my interpretation from the Orion Nebula. I have here so many version with different colours and I got lost now. Maybe to much colours or wrong colours but I like it this way. Maybe just this morning 😂😂😂
The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula in the Milky Way situated south of Orion's Belt in the constellation of Orion, and is known as the middle "star" in the "sword" of Orion. It is one of the brightest nebulae and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of 4.0. It is 1,344 ± 20 light-years (412.1 ± 6.1 pc) away and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. M42 is estimated to be 25 light-years across (so its apparent size from Earth is approximately 1 degree). It has a mass of about 2,000 times that of the Sun. Older texts frequently refer to the Orion Nebula as the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula.
The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky and is among the most intensely studied celestial features.[8] The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have directly observed protoplanetary disks and brown dwarfs within the nebula, intense and turbulent motions of the gas, and the photo-ionizing effects of massive nearby stars in the nebula. (Wikipedia)
Details:
Device: Dwarf III Smart Telescope
Filter: Dual Band Filter by 100% Lunar
Focus: AF
Tracking: EQ Mode
620 x 30 sec each frame
Gain: 60
Darks: 40 frames
Bortle 5/6
Programs: Siril, PixInsight, BlurX, NoiseX, StarX, Photoshop
The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula situated in the Milky Way, being south of Orion's Belt in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. M42 is located at a distance of 1,344 light years approx and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light years across. It has a mass of about 2000 times the mass of the Sun. Older texts frequently refer to the Orion Nebula as the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky, and is among the most intensely studied celestial features.[8] The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have directly observed protoplanetary disks, brown dwarfs, intense and turbulent motions of the gas, and the photo-ionizing effects of massive nearby stars in the nebula.
Details
M: Avalon Linear Fast Reverse and Mesu 200
T: Takahashi FSQ85 0.73x and AT 8" RC CF
C: QSI690-wsg with 3nm Ha filter and Hutech IDAS filter, QSI683-wsg with Baader red, green and blue filters
14x1800s Ha (FSQ85) 16x45s Ha (FSQ85) 79x40s Ha (2x2 bin AT 8" RC)
31x600s Lum (FSQ85)
Red - 50x300s (FSQ85), 15x10s, 20x60s
Green - 50x300s (FSQ85), 15x10s, 20x60s
Blue - 50x300s (FSQ85), 15x10s, 20x60s
There is a total of 26 hours, 32 minutes and 10 seconds
My latest record this image constitutes a combined total of 29 hours of exposure!
"SH2-129, the "Flying Bat Nebula," (in the left half of the image) is a large emission nebula spanning about 1.5 degrees in the night sky, which is three times the width of the full moon. It lies approximately 1,300 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Cepheus. Within SH2-129 is the Ou4 structure, or "Squid Nebula,". Ou4 is a much fainter, bluish nebula believed to be a bipolar outflow originating from a triple star system embedded within SH2-129. Ou4 is likely at the same distance as SH2-129 from us, creating a stunning composite of glowing hydrogen and ionized oxygen gases. Their juxtaposition in space adds an extraordinary layer of depth and complexity to this region of the sky.
Adjacent is the dark nebula Barnard 150 (B150), the "Seahorse Nebula," It is a dark cloud of interstellar dust that obscures light from the stars behind it. Located roughly 1,200 light-years from Earth, it is at a similar distance to SH2-129 but represents a very different cosmic phenomenon. While SH2-129 and Ou4 are areas of emission and ionized gases, B150 is a cold, dense region where star formation could eventually take place, contributing to the diversity of nebula types seen in the Cepheus region. These nebulae reflect different stages of stellar evolution and interstellar dynamics." --synthesized from various sources
Askar ACL200: 200mm f/4
ZWO ASI533MC Color Camera at -20C
80xrgb @300s
59xrgb @180s
ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -10C
9xHa @600s
Nikon 70-200mm 200mm f/2.8
ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -20C
30xHa, 74xOiii, 27xSii @300s
142xLum@180s
Guided on ZWO AM5
Processed with PixInsight, Ps
The Elephant's Trunk nebula or technically vdB 142 (Van den Berg 142), so named because of its similarity in appearance to a elephant’s trunk. The bright outline around the "trunk" is the surface of the dense cloud that is being illuminated and ionized by a very bright, massive star. The entire IC1396 region is ionized by this massive star, except for dense globules that can protect themselves from the star's harsh ultraviolet rays. The Elephant's Trunk nebula is now thought to be a site of star formation, containing several very young (less than 100,000 yr) stars that were discovered in infrared images in 2003. Two older (but still young, a couple of million years, by the standards of stars, which live for billions of years) stars are present in a small, circular cavity in the head of the globule. Winds from these young stars may have emptied the cavity.
This was done using the HST or Hubble Space Telescope Palette which is accomplished by combining sub frames using three narrowband filters that capture light produced by glowing hydrogen (Ha), oxygen (OIII) and sulfur (SII) present in the nebula. Green is assigned to hydrogen, blue to oxygen and red to the sulfur.
Acquisition Date: 11/08/2015 – 11/09/2015
Location: Western Massachusetts
Camera: SBIG STF8300M @ -15°C
Telescope: Stellarvue SV105T (f/7 – fl 735mm) reduced to f/5.6 (fl 588mm)
Mount: Astro-Physics AP1100
Guidescope: 60mm Stellarvue guide scope
Guide Camera: SBIG STi (mono)
Filters:
-Astrodon 3 nm Hydrogen Alpha (Ha): 11 x 30min. (390min.)
-Astrodon 3nm Oxygen III (OIII):08 x 30min. (240min)
-Astrodon 5nm Sulfur II (SII):07 x 30min. (210min)
Total Exposure:780min. (13.0hr)
Limiting Magnitude: 5.1
Comments: Stellarvue SFFR102 field flattener/reducer (0.8)
CG30 & 31 are cometary globules in the Puppis constellation, around 1000 light years from earth.
Cometary globules are essentially regions of very compact dust, surrounded by hot ionized gas. They’re shaped almost like a comet, hence the name.
While the origins of these structures (why this exact shape?) is not precisely determined yet; the most likely hypothesis suggests that these are your typical molecular clouds that were shaped by the blast wave(s) of nearby supernova(e).
Setup:
Planewave CDK24
Moravian C3-61000 Pro
Planewave L-600
Image acquisition details:
18x1200” HA
20x900” Luminance
16x900” Red
27x900” Green
16x900” Blue
"Observers on the ground had a rare view of the Sun’s active outer atmosphere, or corona. Glowing loops of plasma called solar prominences could also be seen extending into the corona. Plasma is super-hot ionized gas which flows along the tangled and twisted structure of the Sun’s magnetic fields.
“This view of the corona will never happen again, ever,” said Michael Kirk, a research scientist in the Heliophysics Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center during a live broadcast of the eclipse from Dallas, Texas. During the broadcast, Kirk noted that the spiky and asymmetrical nature of the corona was a sign that the Sun’s magnetic field was active and approaching solar maximum."
Thank you for looking at this two panel mosaic in OIII photographed over two nights from my home in Valencia. This is Pickering's Triangle in the Veil.
The Veil Nebula is a cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus. ... Pickering's Triangle is much fainter, and has no NGC number This image depicts the oxygen emission part of Pickering's Triangle revealing the ghostly remnants of a massive high energy event that took place in ancient times. #Astrophotography #Space #narrowband
NGC 134 is a spiral galaxy in the Sculptor constellation, around 60 million light years from earth.
The galaxy still has an abundance of ionized hydrogen present (the reddish areas in my image), meaning that new star formation is still happening at a fairly high rate.
Setup:
Planewave CDK24
Moravian C3-61000 Pro
Planewave L-600
Image acquisition details:
44x900” HA
38x600” Luminance
25x600” Red
25x600” Green
25x600” Blue
Fire in the Sky over Ballintoy The color of shooting stars, or meteors, in this case a perseid is determined by two factors: the chemical composition of the meteoroid and the interaction of the its atoms with the molecules in the atmosphere.
The atoms in the meteoroid emit light because they are heated up by entering the atmosphere, and so they burn and release different wavelengths of light, or different colors, in the same way that putting different compounds into fireworks makes them explode in different colors.
The atoms in the atmosphere are ionized by the hot meteroid, causing them to emit photons of certain specific wavelengths, depending on what elements are present.
The common emissions for metallic atoms in meteors and for atmospheric atoms can be seen below. Combinations of the two kinds of emissions produce the colors you see in the sky.
Spectrum with Ca, Fe, Na etc.