Crescent Nebula Region

I absolutely love the milky way region in Cygnus! It is rich in open clusters and spectacular nebulae.

Since my last post I've acquired a wide field refractor to be able to capture a wider field of view. It brings me the most joy to see the astronomic diversity in seeing so many different things going on in one picture.

About the Crescent Nebula

The Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888) is a 25-light year wide emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus. This “cosmic bubble” in space owes it's striking appearance to a central Wolf-Rayet star that pushes the hydrogen and oxygen atoms outward. 

-  https://astrobackyard.com/ngc-6888-crescent-nebula/ 

The star is shedding its outer envelope in a strong stellar wind, ejecting the equivalent of the Sun's mass every 10,000 years. 

- https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160610.html

Constellation: Cygnus

Image Center RA = '20 14 14.527'

Image Center DEC = '+38 44 19.335' 

Distance: ~ 5,000  lys

Magnitude: 7.4

Hubble Palette

RGB with Ha added

RGB

Ha

CAPTURE INFO

-------------------

Scope Centering:

Image Center RA = '20 14 14.527'

Image Center DEC = '+38 44 19.335' 

Bandwidths:

R, G, B, Ha

Bias: Yes

Darks: Yes

Flats: Yes

Flat Darks: Yes

Dates Captured:

August 4, 2021

August 13, 2021

August 14, 2021

August 15, 2021

August 16, 2021

GUIDING NOTES:

excellent, averaging ~0.7 RMS

EQUIPMENT

Optics: 

William Optics ZenithStar 61ii Doublet Refractor @ 360mm FL

William Optics Adjustable Field Flattener 61A for Z61

Camera: ZWO 294mm Pro (mono)

Filter Wheel: ZWO 8 position, .36" filters

Filters: 

 - L (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

 - R (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

 - G (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

 - B (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

 - Ha (ZWO 36 mm Round @ 7nm wavelength)

 - Sii (ZWO 36 mm Round @ 7nm wavelength)

 - Oiii (ZWO 36 mm Round @ 7nm wavelength)

Mount: 

- Losmandy GM811

- RAEXT EXTENSION DOVETAIL

- Losmandy 12" Tripod Extension

- Losmandy SADDLE PLATE FOR G-11 MOUNT

- Losmandy LW Tripod

- Alt-AZ/Elevation Tensioning bolts and washers (Michael Herman's)

Guiding: 

- ZWO 120mm mini (red filter)

- William Optics 32mm f/3.75 UniGuide Guidescope

- PHD2 Software (2.6.9 Dev 5)

  - Multistar option

  - RA algorithm:  Predictive PEC

  - Dec algorithm: Resist Switch

- Used previous calibration

- Dither: Small, every 2 frames

  

Acquisition: 

- ASI Air Polar Alignment

- Mini PC Beelink T4 @ scope

- MS Windows Remote Desktop to mini PC

- Sequence Generator Pro 3.2.660

- Flats & FlatDarks using NINA Flat Wizard

Starting up the Eastern Veil Nebula

 Since I've gotten my monochrome astronomy camera (294mm) I find myself going back to take images again that I've done in One Shot Color (OSC.) One of the targets is the amazing supernova remnant known as the Eastern Veil complex covering six full moons on the sky as seen from Earth, and resides about 2,100 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus

This complex is a leftover from a supernova that exploded nearly 8,000 years ago. It gets it name from the seemingly delicate, draped filaments that entwine through the entire Eastern and Western parts of it. There is also another part of it known as Pickering's Triangle.

So, my first reimage is with Hydrogen Alpha and Oxygen iii combined in the HOO palette. H to red; O to green; O to blue.

Eastern Veil in HOO palette

Eastern Veil in Oiii

Eastern Veil in Ha

I'm collecting Sulfur 2 currently to make it a true Hubble Palette.

Bubble Nebula and M52 in SHO palette... two ways

Bubble Nebula and M52 in SHO palette... two ways

First up is the Standard Bubble Palette with 2 hours each of Ha, Oiii, and S2 into G, R, B, respectively and adding in RGB stars.

Next is the Standard Bubble Palette with 2 hours each of Ha, Oiii, and S2 into R, B, G, respectively and adding in RGB stars.

 

Wild Duck Cluster (M11)

Wild Duck Cluster (M11)

Captured the Wild Duck cluster after our Public Star Party and Peck Farm Park,

CAPTURE INFO

Bandwidths:

R, G, B, L

Date Captured:
June 6 & June 10, 2021, Batavia, IL (Bortle 7/8)

GUIDING NOTES:

Good, averaging ~0.7 RMS

IMAGE CALIBRATION (PixInsight)

Weighted Batch Preprocessing
- Lights, Darks, Flat Darks, Bias
- Cosmetic Correction
- Stats
  - L (30) 15 second subs
  - R (20) 60 second subs
  - G (20) 60 second subs
  - B (20) 60 second subs

Normalize Scale Gradient > Star Alignment of each channel

NON LINEAR PROCESSING (PixInsight)

1. Dynamic Crop of each channel
2. Automatic Background Extraction
3. Linear Noise Reduction to each channel using MultiscaleLinearTransform
4. Another Linear Noise Reduction using MultiscaleLinearTransform
5. Linear fit RGB to L

LINEAR PROCESSING (PixInsight)

1. Easy Soft Stretch script on each channel
2. RGB Combine
2. SCNR
4. Blurred RGB stars using Convolution
3. Starnet++ to remove the stars and create a image of the stars
4. (Starless Image) Used Curves to reduce the background skyglow/light pollution.
10. (Stars Image) Decreased star brightness by 10%
11. (Stars Image) Increased saturation of the stars using ColorSaturation
12. Added stars to the background using PixelMath
13. Made image ready for the web using ICCProfileTransformation

EQUIPMENT

Optics: SGO 6" f/4 Imaging Newtonian @ 610mm FL
        Baader 2" Coma Corrector

Camera: ZWO 294mm Pro (mono)

Filter Wheel: ZWO 8 position, .36" filters

Filters: 
 - L (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )
 - R (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )
 - G (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )
 - B (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

Mount: 
- Losmandy GM811
- RAEXT EXTENSION DOVETAIL
- Losmandy 12" Tripod Extension
- Losmandy SADDLE PLATE FOR G-11 MOUNT
- Losmandy 16" UNIVERSAL DOVETAIL PLATE
- Losmandy LW Tripod
- Alt-AZ/Elevation Tensioning bolts and washers (Michael Herman's)

Guiding: 

- ZWO 120mm mini (red filter)
- Agena 60mm f/4 (240mm FL) Guide Scope with Helical Focuser
- PHD2 Software (2.6.9 Dev 5)
  - Multistar option
  - RA algorithm:  Predictive PEC
  - Dec algorithm: Resist Switch
  - Used previous calibration
  - Dither: Small, every 3 frames

Acquisition: 

- ASI Air Pro

Starting up the Bubble Nebula with M52 (RGB)

Why this target?

I was going to head to some more obscure objects but I wanted to capture the Nova in Casseiopia, V1405 Cassiopeiae. It really is amazingly bright compared to last year. 

About the Targets

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110914.html

 Embedded in a complex of interstellar dust and gas and blown by the winds from a single, massive O-type star, the Bubble Nebula, also known as NGC 7635, is a mere 10 light-years wide. On the other hand, M52 is a rich open cluster of around a thousand stars. The cluster is about 25 light-years across. Seen toward the northern boundary of Cassiopeia, distance estimates for the Bubble Nebula and associated cloud complex are around 11,000 light-years, while star cluster M52 lies nearly 5,000 light-years away. The wide telescopic field of view spans about 1.5 degrees on the sky or three times the apparent size of the Full Moon.

CAPTURE INFO

Bandwidths:

R, G, B, L

Date Captured:
June 6 & June 10, 2021, Batavia, IL (Bortle 7/8)

GUIDING NOTES:

Good, averaging ~0.7 RMS

IMAGE CALIBRATION (PixInsight)

Weighted Batch Preprocessing
- Lights, Darks, Flat Darks, Bias
- Cosmetic Correction
- Drizzle Generation 
- Stats
  - R (20) 60 second subs
  - G (20) 60 second subs
  - B (20) 60 second subs
- Drizzle Integration @ 2x

NON LINEAR PROCESSING (PixInsight)

1. Dynamic Crop
2. Automatic Background Extraction
3. Dynamic Background Extraction
4. Linear Noise Reduction to each channel using MultiscaleLinearTransform
5. Another Linear Noise Reduction using MultiscaleLinearTransform
7. Channels were combined with ChannelCombination

LINEAR PROCESSING (PixInsight)

1. Easy Soft Stretch script
2. SCNR on the G channel
3. Starnet++ to remove the stars and create a image of the stars
4. (Starless Image) Used HistogramTransformation to reduce the background skyglow/light pollution.
5. (Starless Image) TGV Denoise to remove more noise
6. (Starless Image) Ran HDRMultiscaleLinearTransform to smooth background
7. (Starless Image) Ran a slight "S" curve using CurvesTransformation
8. (Starless Image) Ran MultiscaleLinearTransform to sharpen
9. (Starless Image) Ran LocalHistogramEqualization 2 times 25/75 Kernel Radius for Contrast
10. (Stars Image) Decreased star brightness by 10%
11. (Stars Image) Increased saturation of the stars using ColorSaturation
12. Added stars to the background using PixelMath
13. Made image ready for the web using ICCProfileTransformation

EQUIPMENT

Optics: SGO 6" f/4 Imaging Newtonian @ 610mm FL
        Baader 2" Coma Corrector

Camera: ZWO 294mm Pro (mono)

Filter Wheel: ZWO 8 position, .36" filters

Filters: 
 - R (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )
 - G (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )
 - B (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

Mount: 
- Losmandy GM811
- RAEXT EXTENSION DOVETAIL
- Losmandy 12" Tripod Extension
- Losmandy SADDLE PLATE FOR G-11 MOUNT
- Losmandy 16" UNIVERSAL DOVETAIL PLATE
- Losmandy LW Tripod
- Alt-AZ/Elevation Tensioning bolts and washers (Michael Herman's)

Guiding: 

- ZWO 120mm mini (red filter)
- Agena 60mm f/4 (240mm FL) Guide Scope with Helical Focuser
- PHD2 Software (2.6.9 Dev 5)
  - Multistar option
  - RA algorithm:  Predictive PEC
  - Dec algorithm: Resist Switch
  - Used previous calibration
  - Dither: Small, every 3 frames

Acquisition: 

- Mini PC Beelink T4 @ scope
- MS Windows Remote Desktop to mini PC
- Sequence Generator Pro 3.2.660

Globular Cluster M10

 Globular Cluster Messier 10

M10 was discovered by Charles Messier on May 29, 1764. It was not until German-born British astronomer William Herschel observed the cluster with a larger telescope that M10 was resolved into individual stars and recognized as a cluster. 

Constellation: Ophiuchus

Distance: ~ 14,300 lys

Magnitude: 6.4

Age: ~11.39 billion years

Stars: ~100,000

https://www.messier-objects.com/messier-10/

CAPTURE INFO

-------------------

Scope Centering:

- RA:  16h 57m 8.92s

- Dec: −04° 05′ 58.07″

Bandwidths:

R, G, B, L

Date Captured:

June 14, 2021, Club Dark site (Bortle 4)

GUIDING NOTES:

Average, averaging ~1.0 RMS

IMAGE CALIBRATION (PixInsight)

Weighted Batch Preprocessing

- Lights, Darks, Flat Darks, Bias

- Cosmetic Correction

- Stats

  - R (20) 60 second subs

  - G (20) 60 second subs

  - B (20) 60 second subs

  - L (30) 30 second subs

NON LINEAR PROCESSING (PixInsight)

1. Dynamic Crop

2. Automatic Background Extraction

3. Dynamic Background Extraction

4. Linear Noise Reduction to each channel using MultiscaleLinearTransform

5. Another Linear Noise Reduction using MultiscaleLinearTransform

6. Linear Fit was applied to R, G & B using L as base.

7. Channels were combined with ChannelCombination

LINEAR PROCESSING (PixInsight)

1. Histogram Stretch

2. Starnet++ to remove the stars and create a image of the stars

3. Used the Game script to create a gradiant mask for the Globular Cluster; applied mask and inverted.

5. (Starless Image) Used Histogram to reduce the background skyglow/light pollution.

6. (Starless Image) TGV Denoise to remove more noise

7. Removed Red Star bloat from background using Clone Stamp

7. (Stars Image) Increased saturation of the stars using ColorSaturation

8. Added stars to the background using PixelMath

9. Inverted image; ran SCNR red and blue reduction by 50% to reduced halos around stars.

10. Made image ready for the web using ICCProfileTransformation

EQUIPMENT

Optics: SGO 6" f/4 Imaging Newtonian @ 610mm FL

        Baader 2" Coma Corrector

Camera: ZWO 294mm Pro (mono)

Filter Wheel: ZWO 8 position, .36" filters

Filters: 

 - R (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

 - G (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

 - B (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

 - L (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

Mount: 

- Losmandy GM811

- RAEXT EXTENSION DOVETAIL

- Losmandy 12" Tripod Extension

- Losmandy SADDLE PLATE FOR G-11 MOUNT

- Losmandy 16" UNIVERSAL DOVETAIL PLATE

- Losmandy LW Tripod

- Alt-AZ/Elevation Tensioning bolts and washers (Michael Herman's)

Guiding: 

- ZWO 120mm mini (red filter)

- Agena 60mm f/4 Guide Scope with Helical Focuser

- PHD2 Software (2.6.9 Dev 5)

  - Multistar option

  - RA algorithm:  Predictive PEC

  - Dec algorithm: Resist Switch

- Used previous calibration done

- Dither: Small, every 3 frames

  

Acquisition: 

- ASI Air Plan Mode

- Flats & FlatDarks using NINA Flat Wizard

Open Cluster NGC 7160

 Open Cluster NGC 7160

Summary:

This was simply a target I could shoot waiting for my main targets to clear my roof.

NGC 7160

NGC 7160 Annotated View

NGC 7160 (RGB Stars Only)

About NGC 7160

"NGC 7160 is an open cluster in the constellation Cepheus. It was discovered by William Herschel on November 9, 1789. The cluster was also observed by John Herschel on October 7, 1829."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_7160

• Constellation: Cepheus 
• RA:    21h 53m 40s
• Dec:    +62° 36′ 12″
  
• Distance:  2,570 ly
  
• Magnitude: ~6.1
  
• Width:     13'

Capturing NGC 7160
-------------------

Light Bandwidths:
R, G, B

Dates Captured:
June 5, 2021
June 9, 2021
June 10, 2021

GUIDING
- excellent, average ~0.7 RMS

IMAGE CALIBRATION (PixInsight)
Weighted Batch Preprocessing
- Lights, Darks, Flat Darks, Bias
- Cosmetic Correction
- Stats
- R (31) 60 second subs
- G (20) 60 second subs
- B (30) 60 second subs

NON LINEAR PROCESSING (PixInsight)
1. Dynamic Crop
2. Dynamic Background Extraction
3. Linear Fit was applied to G & B using R as base.
4. Channels were combined with ChannelCombination
4. Photometric Color Calibration failed to download so used: AutoColor script
5. Linear Noise Reduction using MultiscaleLinearTransform
6. Another Linear Noise Reduction using MultiscaleLinearTransform

LINEAR PROCESSING (PixInsight)
1. Histogram Stretch
2. Automatic Backgtound Extraction
3. Starnet++ to remove the stars and create a image of the stars
4. SCNR
5. (Starless Image) Used Curves to reduce the background skyglow/light pollution.
6. (Starless Image) TGV Denoise to remove more noise
7. (Stars Image) Increased saturation of the stars using ColorSaturation
8. Made image ready for the web using ICCProfileTransformation

EQUIPMENT
Optics: SGO 6" f/4 Imaging Newtonian @ 610mm FL
             Baader 2" Coma Corrector

Camera: ZWO 294mm Pro (mono)

Filter Wheel: ZWO 8 position, .36" filters

Filters:
- R (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )
- G (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )
- B (Baader Planetarium LRGB 36 mm Round CCD Filter )

Mount:
- Losmandy GM811
- RAEXT EXTENSION DOVETAIL
- Losmandy 12" Tripod Extension
- Losmandy SADDLE PLATE FOR G-11 MOUNT
- Losmandy 16" UNIVERSAL DOVETAIL PLATE
- Losmandy LW Tripod
- Alt-AZ/Elevation Tensioning bolts and washers (Michael Herman's)


Guiding:
- ZWO 120mm mini (red filter)
- Agena 60mm f/4 Guide Scope with Helical Focuser
- PHD2 Software (2.6.9 Dev 5)
- Multistar option
- RA algorithm: Predictive PEC
- Dec algorithm: Resist Switch

- Used previous calibration done
- Dither: Small, every 3 frames

Acquisition:

- Sequence Generator Pro 3.2.660
- Flats & FlatDarks using NINA Flat Wizard

Elephant's Trunk Nebula in the HaGO palette

 

Elephant's Trunk Nebula in the HaGO palette

So, this is the last of the Elephant's Trunk Nebula... in the HaGO palette.

Ha into the Red channel
Oiii into the Blue channel
Green into the Green channel (instead of Sii)
Stars are standard RGB

Now, I know this is art... even though it does represent those wavelengths of light. I really am enjoying this result!

Elephant's Trunk Nebula in the HaGO palette

Here are the starless individual channels in order: Ha, G, Oiii along with the RGB stars

Ha

G

Oiii

RGB Stars

 Adding Ha to  RGB Elephant's Trunk Nebula

First attempt at adding Ha to an RGB image. It came out quite nice (IMHO)

Ha = 180 minutes

Elephant's Trunk nebula in HaRGB

Just RGB

Elephant's Trunk Nebula in RGB

 Elephant's Trunk Nebula in RGB

So here is one hour each on Red, Green, Blue of the Elephant's Trunk Nebula:

1 Hour each of RGB

I'll be using the stars from this in my narrowband photos.

Starless Version

Just the Stars

Preview of my first HSO palette with the Elephant's Trunk

 Preview of my first HSO palette with the Elephant's Trunk

So, I thought about holding on posting this photo because I want to capture more sulfur for the Blue channel of (Red/Green/Blue) but it is a good effort so far with what I have.

Elephant's Trunk in HSO: Hydrogen Alpha in Red; Oxygen 3 in Green; Sulfur 2 in Blue.

Fun stuff!

HSO Palette

Ha

Oiii

S2

Starless Version

Elephant's Trunk Nebula in HOO

Elephant's Trunk in HOO

HOO == Hydrogen Alpha to Red Channel; Oiii to Green Channel; Oiii to Blue Channel. 

Equipment:

Capture Device: Beelink Mini PC using Microsoft RDP to control

Optics: SGO 6" f/4 Imaging Newtonian @ 610mm FL
             Baader 2" HR Coma Corrector

Camera: ZWO ASI294mm Pro

Filters: ( ZWO 7nm  Ha & ZWO 7nm Oiii)

Mount: Losmandy GM811

Guiding: ZWO 120mm + PHD2 Software

Acquisition: Sequence Generator Pro 

Exposures: 

• Ha (Gain 200/Offset 21) - 18 exposures @ 180 Seconds (54 Minutes)
• Oiii (Gain 200/Offset 21) - 60 exposures @ 180 Seconds (3 Hours)

Calibration: 50 Bias, 30 Darks, 50 Flats per filter

​Processing: PixInsight

Notes:

• (18) of (41) 180s Ha exposures (Thin clouds washed out the other 23)
• Best guiding I've ever had after tightening up my Dec axis. .55 Total RMS... even with dithering.
• Seeing = Average
• Transparency = Average

Elephant Trunk imaging... Night 2

Elephant Trunk imaging... Night 2

Plan:

Tonight was a surprise clearing sky, so my plan is to take as much Ha and Sulfur and see where we are. Might be able to at least attempt a HOO palette image.

Elephant Trunk imaging... Night 1

Elephant Trunk imaging... Night 1

Plan:

Since the moon is down, I'm go heavy on the Oxygen and even on Ha, and Sulfur.

Seeing if I can catch a couple frames of the ISS at  9:32.... We'll see.

Update 3/30/2021:

3 Hours of unprocessed Oxygen:

Slowing down even more to Enjoy the ride!

 Slowing down even more to Enjoy the ride!

I've decided to stop going for quantity and enjoy the doing less objects but more ways. So for the summer months I'll likely only do a couple of nebulas.

Going to do them 3 ways:

1. Hubble Palette: SHO (Sulfur, Hydrogen Alpha, Oxygen)
2. LRGB (Luminance, Red, Green, Blue)
3. HaGo (Coined by Dylan O'Donnell)

So I'm picking an easy one to started with, the Elephant Trunk Nebula. I shot this last year with my One Shot color camera.

Winter Project that isn't Clouds... Jellyfish Nebula

Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443)

Here in the mid-west of North America, winter nights are longer but the clouds kind of kill the joy of the longer nights. I think I've been out 4 times in January and February.

ANYWAYS, I thought I'd work on a target I've not done up close. I've done a widefield shot with a Star Tracker and DSLR before which I show below. I still love this shot and love widefield shots most of all.

Full capture details, go to my Flickr Page

The Jellyfish nebula is one of those rare, named objects that actually look like it's name! Here is what I have so far on it.

It has the head clearly defined but the beginnings of the tendrils at the bottom.

IC 443 is only about 30,000 years old which is quite young in astronomical terms. The Jellyfish Nebula is about 5,000 light-years away which again, is relatively close in astronomical terms.

The gas in the nebula is typical of the aftermath of a stellar explosion, the ultimate fate of massive stars.

I'm look forward to adding some more data to what I've collected. Here is the plan and progress so far: