Pelican Nebula with Optolong L-Enhance Filter

The Pelican Nebula has been on my bucket list since I've been in my 20s. I'm delighted to have finally captured it! 

The Pelican is an emission nebula close to the bright star Deneb in Cygnus, the Swan. Named for its resemblance to a pelican, (although my wife says it looks like a pterodactyl!) the nebula is associated with the neighboring North America Nebula.  It is a particularly active mix of star formation and evolving gas clouds. 

https://www.constellation-guide.com/pelican-nebula/

#pelicannebula #Sh2-117 #IC5070 

#astrophotography #astroeverywhere #astrobackyard #losmandy #losmandygm8 #zwo #asi533mcpro #optolong #l-enhance 

Technical Info:

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

Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro

Filter: 2" Optolong L-Enhance

Mount: Losmandy GM8

Guiding: QHY Mini Guide Scope + PHD2 Software

Acquisition: Sequence Generator Pro 

Exposure: Light (Gain 300) - 33 subs @ 180 Seconds

Calibration: 50 Bias, 30 Darks, 50 Flats

​Processing: Deep Sky Stacker, Adobe Photoshop, Topaz Denoise AI, Astronomy Action Set plug in for PS

M52 and the Bubble Nebula

Open Cluster M52 and the Bubble Nebula.

"To the eye, this cosmic composition nicely balances the Bubble Nebula at the upper right with open star cluster M52. The pair would be lopsided on other scales, though. Embedded in a complex of interstellar dust and gas and blown by the winds from a single, massive O-type star, the Bubble Nebula (aka 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."

- https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091030.html

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Likely the best I can do with the L-Pro filter.

Technical Info:

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

Explore Scientific 2" HR Coma Corrector

Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro

Filter: 2" Optolong L-Pro

Mount: Losmandy GM8

Guiding: QHY Mini Guide Scope + PHD2 Software

Acquisition: Sequence Generator Pro

Exposure: Light (Gain 200) - 130 subs @ 120 Seconds

Calibration: 50 Bias, 30 Darks, 50 Flats

Temperature: 17 C

Camera Temperature: -10 C

Bortle: 7/8

​Processing:

• Deep Sky Stacker
• Adobe Photoshop
• Topaz Denoise AI
• Astronomy Action Set plug in for PS
• Astro Flat Pro plug in for PS

Limits of One Shot camera with a Light Pollution filter

So I've tested to see just how much detail one can capture before there are diminishing returns on my equipment.

So for me, that includes:

• Bortle 7/8 Skies
• SGO 6" f/4 Imaging Newtonian
  
• ZWO ASI 533MC Pro camera (3.76 x 3.76 micron sensor)
  
• Optolong L-Pro filter

I can't seem to improve details beyond 2 hours on small galaxies or 3 hours on nebula

Here are the results:

Draco Trio of Galaxies

Bubble Nebula

For nebulas, I'm receiving on Optolong L-Enhance tomorrow which will allow the Ha, Hb, and Oiii through.

The Apple Core Nebula

Messier 27 (M27) as known as the Apple Core Nebula, is a planetary nebula in Vulpecula. M27 is approximately 1,360 light years away. Discovered by Charles Messier in 1764 who added it to his now famous catalog used by amateur astronomers around the world. A planetary nebula has nothing to do with planets but is created when a star blows off its outer layers after it has run out of fuel to burn. Our own sun will suffer this fate without some external intervention in some 5 billion years.

M27; Apple Core Nebula

Technical Info:

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

             Explore Scientific 2" HR Coma Corrector

Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro

Filter: 2" Optolong L-Pro

Mount: Losmandy GM8

Guiding: QHY Mini Guide Scope + PHD2 Software

Acquisition: Sequence Generator Pro 

Exposure: Light (Gain 100) - 15 subs @ 120 Seconds

Calibration: 50 Bias, 30 Darks, 0 Flats

​Processing: Deep Sky Stacker, Adobe Photoshop, Topax Denoise AI, Astronomy Action Set plug in for PS, Astro Flat Pro plug in for PS

Whale and Crowbar Galaxies

Whale and the Crowbar or Hockey Stick Galaxies.

NGC 4631 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. The galaxy's shape gives it the appearance of a whale. It is located 30 million light years from Earth. NGC 4656/57 is a warped barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Canes Venatici and is nicknamed the Crowbar Galaxy.

Last frame is a single frame with a satellite running through it.

191, 60 second exposures stacked in Deep Sky Stacker and processed in Photoshop.

Capture Information:

Optics: SGO 6" f/4 Imaging Newtonian @ 610mm FL
Explore Scientific 2" HR Coma Corrector
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro
Filter: 2" Optolong L-Pro
Mount: Losmandy GM8
Guiding: QHY Mini Guide Scope + PHD 2
Acquisition: Sequence Generator Pro
Exposure: Light (Gain 100) - 191 subs @ 60 Seconds
Calibration: 50 Bias, 50 Darks, 50 Flats
​Processing : Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker, Adobe Photoshop