NGC 278 galaxy

This image shows a spiral galaxy named NGC 278. This cosmic beauty lies some 38 million light-years away in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia (The Seated Queen).

While NGC 278 may look serene, it is anything but. The galaxy is currently undergoing an immense burst of star formation. 

However, NGC 278’s star formation is somewhat unusual; it does not extend to the galaxy’s outer edges, but is only taking place within an inner ring some 6500 light-years across. This two-tiered structure is visible in this image — while the galaxy’s centre is bright, its extremities are much darker. This odd configuration is thought to have been caused by a merger with a smaller, gas-rich galaxy — while the turbulent event ignited the centre of NGC 278, the dusty remains of the small snack then dispersed into the galaxy’s outer regions. Whatever the cause, such a ring of star formation, called a nuclear ring, is extremely unusual in galaxies without a bar at their centre, making NGC 278 a very intriguing sight.

Optics: Vixen VC200L @ f/6.4
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Astronomik L,R,G,B
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cassiopeia
Date: Sep 22, 2018
Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory
Exposure
L: 60 min bin 1x1
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

NGC 891 galaxy

Large spiral galaxy NGC 891 spans about 100 thousand light-years and is seen almost exactly edge-on from our perspective. In fact, about 30 million light-years distant in the constellation Andromeda, NGC 891 looks a lot like our Milky Way. At first glance, it has a flat, thin, galactic disk of stars and a central bulge cut along the middle by regions of dark obscuring dust. But remarkably apparent in NGC 891's edge-on presentation are filaments of dust that extend hundreds of light-years above and below the center line. The dust has likely been blown out of the disk by supernova explosions or intense star formation activity. Fainter galaxies can also be seen near the edge-on disk in this deep portrait of NGC 891.

Optics: Vixen VC200L @ f/6.4
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Astronomik L,R,G,B
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Andromeda
Date: Sep 21, 2018
Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory
Exposure
L:R:G:B: 60:60:60:60 min bin 1x1
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

IC 1805 Heart Nebula

Sprawling across almost 200 light-years, emission nebula IC 1805 is a mix of glowing interstellar gas and dark dust clouds. Derived from its Valentine's-Day-approved shape, its nickname is the Heart Nebula. About 7,500 light-years away in the Perseus spiral arm of our galaxy, stars were born in IC 1805. In fact, near the cosmic heart's center are the massive hot stars of a newborn star cluster also known as Melotte 15, about 1.5 million years young. A little ironically, the Heart Nebula is located in the constellation Cassiopeia. From Greek mythology, the northern constellation is named for a vain and boastful queen. This deep view of the region around the Heart Nebula, cropped from a larger mosaic, spans about 2.5 degrees on the sky or about 5 times the diameter of the Full Moon.

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Baader Ha
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cassiopeia
Date: Sep 06, 2018
Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory
Exposure
Ha: 60 min bin 1x1
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

The Eagle Nebula M16

The Eagle Nebula (M 16) imaged in a wide field frame. Is an active region in star formation, is about 7000 light-years distance in the constellation Serpens into one of the most dense zones Milky Way. Was discovered by Swiss astronomer Jean-Philippe de Chéseaux in 1746. Inside, a cluster of young stars shine strongly, the brightest star near center with a luminosity of an absolute magnitude up to one million times that our Sun. Below these stars, a dark silhouette stands out against the emission nebula: the "Pillars of Creation" are several columns composed of gas and dust which act as incubators for new stars and became famous after be imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995.

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Baader Ha
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Serpens
Date: Sep 01, 2018
Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory
Exposure
Ha: 5x20 min bin 1x1
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

Cocoon Nebula Wide Field

In this crowded starfield covering over 2 degrees within the high flying constellation Cygnus, the eye is drawn to the Cocoon Nebula. A compact star forming region, the cosmic Cocoon punctuates a long trail of obscuring interstellar dust clouds. Cataloged as IC 5146, the nebula is nearly 15 light-years wide, located some 4,000 light years away. Like other star forming regions, it stands out in red, glowing, hydrogen gas excited by the young, hot stars and blue, dust-reflected starlight at the edge of an otherwise invisible molecular cloud. In fact, the bright star near the center of this nebula is likely only a few hundred thousand years old, powering the nebular glow as it clears out a cavity in the molecular cloud's star forming dust and gas. But the long dusty filaments that appear dark in this visible light image are themselves hiding stars in the process of formation that can be seen seen at infrared wavelengths.

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Baader Ha, Astronomik LRGB
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cygnus
Date: Aug 19, 2018
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece - Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
L: 10x10 min bin 1x1
R:G:B: 10x5 min bin 2x2
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

M33 Triangulum Galaxy

The small, northern constellation Triangulum harbors this magnificent face-on spiral galaxy, M33. Its popular names include the Pinwheel Galaxy or just the Triangulum Galaxy. M33 is over 50,000 light-years in diameter, third largest in the Local Group of galaxies after the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), and our own Milky Way. About 3 million light-years from the Milky Way, M33 is itself thought to be a satellite of the Andromeda Galaxy and astronomers in these two galaxies would likely have spectacular views of each other's grand spiral star systems. As for the view from planet Earth, this sharp composite image nicely shows off M33's star forming regions along the galaxy's loosely wound spiral arms. In fact, the cavernous NGC 604 is the brightest star forming region, seen here at about the 1 o'clock position from the galaxy center. Like M31, M33's population of well-measured variable stars have helped make this nearby spiral a cosmic yardstick for establishing the distance scale of the Universe.

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Baader Ha
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Triangulum
Date: Aug 17, 2018
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece - Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
Ha : 20 min (1x20 min)
Binning: 1x1(Ha)
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

Cygnus region around M29

M29 is an open cluster in the constellation of Cygnus. This region of our Milky Way galaxy contains a fair amount of interstellar matter including hydrogen. This gas has been stimulated to emission accounting for the faint red glow. This glow is capture in the extended H-Alpha filter exposures.M29 is approximately 4,000 to 7,000 light years distant from Earth. 

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Baader Ha
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cygnus
Date: Aug 17, 2018
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece - Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
Ha : 80 min (4x20 min)
Binning: 1x1(Ha)
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

The Western Veil Nebula

Ten thousand years ago, before the dawn of recorded human history, a new light would have suddenly have appeared in the night sky and faded after a few weeks. Today we know this light was from a supernova, or exploding star, and record the expanding debris cloud as the Veil Nebula, a supernova remnant. This sharp telescopic view is centered on a western segment of the Veil Nebula cataloged as NGC 6960 but less formally known as the Witch's Broom Nebula. Blasted out in the cataclysmic explosion, the interstellar shock wave plows through space sweeping up and exciting interstellar material. Imaged with narrow band filters, the glowing filaments are like long ripples in a sheet seen almost edge on, remarkably well separated into atomic hydrogen gas. The complete supernova remnant lies about 1400 light-years away towards the constellation Cygnus. This Witch's Broom actually spans about 35 light-years. The bright star in the frame is 52 Cygni, visible with the unaided eye from a dark location but unrelated to the ancient supernova remnant.

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Baader Ha
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cygnus
Date: Aug 18, 2018
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece - Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
Ha : 60 min (3x20 min)
Binning: 1x1(Ha)
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

Around Gamma Cygni

Supergiant star Gamma Cygni lies at the center of the Northern Cross, famous asterism in the constellation Cygnus the Swan. Known by its proper name, Sadr, the bright star lies at the bottom of this gorgeous skyscape, featuring a complex of stars, dust clouds, and glowing nebulae along the plane of our Milky Way galaxy. The field of view spans almost 4 degrees (eight Full Moons) on the sky and includes emission nebula IC 1318 and open star cluster NGC 6910. Left of Gamma Cygni and shaped like two glowing cosmic wings divided by a long dark dust lane, IC 1318's popular name is understandably the Butterfly Nebula. Above and left of Gamma Cygni, are the young, still tightly grouped stars of NGC 6910. Some distance estimates for Gamma Cygni place it at around 1,800 light-years while estimates for IC 1318 and NGC 6910 range from 2,000 to 5,000 light-years.

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Baader Ha
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cygnus
Date: Aug 18, 2018
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece - Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
Ha : 60 min (3x20 min)
Binning: 1x1(Ha)
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

NGC 281 Pacman Nebula

NGC 281 is a busy workshop of star formation. Prominent features include a small open cluster of stars, a diffuse red-glowing emission nebula, large lanes of obscuring gas and dust, and dense knots of dust and gas in which stars may still be forming. The open cluster of stars IC 1590 visible around the center has formed only in the last few million years. The brightest member of this cluster is actually a multiple-star system shining light that helps ionize the nebula's gas, causing the red glow visible throughout. The lanes of dust visible left of center are likely homes of future star formation. Particularly striking in the above photograph are the dark Bok globules visible against the bright nebula. The NGC 281 system, dubbed the Pacman nebula for its overall shape, lies about 10 thousand light years distant.

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Baader Ha
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cassiopeia
Date: Aug 22, 2018
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece- Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
Ha : 100 min (5x20 min)
Binning: 1x1(Ha)
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

NGC 6871

NGC 6871 is a small, young open cluster in the constellation of Cygnus. The cluster has less than 50 members, most of which are blue and white stars. It is located 5135 light-years from Earth.

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Astronomik LRGB
CCD Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cygnus
Date: Aug 17, 2018
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece - Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
L: 10x10 min bin 1x1
R:G:B: 10x5 min bin 2x2
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias