NGC 7331

Big, beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 7331 is often touted as an analog to our own Milky Way. About 50 million light-years distant in the northern constellation Pegasus, NGC 7331 was recognized early on as a spiral nebula and is actually one of the brighter galaxies not included in Charles Messier's famous 18th century catalog. Since the galaxy's disk is inclined to our line-of-sight, long telescopic exposures often result in an image that evokes a strong sense of depth. The effect is further enhanced in this sharp image by galaxies that lie beyond the gorgeous island universe. The background galaxies are about one tenth the apparent size of NGC 7331 and so lie roughly ten times farther away. Their close alignment on the sky with NGC 7331 occurs just by chance. Seen here through faint foreground dust clouds lingering above the plane of Milky Way, this visual grouping of galaxies is also known as the Deer Lick Group.

Optics: Vixen VC200L @ f/6.4
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro
Guiding: SBIG ST2000XM ST4
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: Astronomik LRGB
CCD Temperature: 0 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Pegasus
Date: Aug 31, 2019
Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory I
Exposure:
Lum: 22x5 min bin 1x1
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

LBN 270

LBN 270 is a dim nebula located in Cygnus. This image is centered on the nebula but the exact location is elusive. LBN 273, 274 and 292 comprise the brightest nebula in the image. Most of the nebulosity in this image has also been cataloged by Dickel, Wendker and Boeritz (DWB). The catalog of various Ha regions located in the Cygnus X Region was published in 1969. The two blue reflection nebulae are cataloged as NGC 6194 as well as vdB 131 and 132.

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: 0 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cygnus
Date: Aug 25, 2019
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece - Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
L: 10x10 min bin 1x1
R:G:B: 10x5 min bin 1x1

Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

NGC 6946 The 'Fireworks' Galaxy LRGB

NGC 6946 is a spiral galaxy separated by less than 1 degree from the beautiful open cluster NGC 6939. Often referred to as the "firecracker" galaxy because of the large number of supernova (9) that have occurred in this galaxy since 1917. 

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: 0 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cygnus
Date: Aug 24, 2019
Location: Sekoulas - Ileia - Greece - Albireo Observatory 2
Exposure
L: 10x10 min bin 1x1
R:G:B: 10x5 min bin 1x1
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias