Messier 101 (The Pinwheel Galaxy)

The Pinwheel Galaxy, also known as M101, is a spiral galaxy that measures 170,000 lightyears across and is located 25 million lightyears away from Earth in the Ursa Major constellation. The galaxy is about twice the diameter of our own galaxy the Milky Way and is thought to contain about 1 trillion stars.

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Ursa Major

Date: 19 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 3, Achaia, Greece

Sky brightness: B2

Exposure Time: 

L: 6x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

R: 6x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

G: 6x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

B: 6x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

The Bubble Nebula

 

The Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) is an HII region in the constellation Cassiopeia. Its iconic “bubble” shape was created from the stellar wind created by the intensely hot central star (SAO 20575). Also designated Sharpless 162, and Caldwell 11, this unmistakable emission nebula sits within a giant, glowing molecular cloud. The Bubble itself is about 10 light-years in diameter.

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Cassiopeia

Date: 17-18 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 2, Ileia, Greece

Sky brightness: B2

Exposure Time: 

L: 50x300 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

R: 30x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

G: 30x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

B: 30x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Ha: 20x900 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

The Veil Nebula Complex

 

The Veil Nebula is a supernova remnant located 2,100 lightyears away in the Cygnus constellation that spans 110 lightyears across. A supernova remnant is the remains of a star that has ended its life in an explosion known as a supernova. In the case of the Veil Nebula, the star in question was 20 times the mass of the Sun and exploded about 8,000 years ago. A blast wave from the stellar explosion is hitting cooler, more dense interstellar gas and emitting light in the process. The Veil Nebula is part of the larger Cygnus Loop structure, and the delicate filaments and almost fragile-looking structure are what give the Veil Nebula its nickname. Because the Veil Nebula is so expansive, astrophotographers love to capture separate sections of the nebula, which have been allocated different names.

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Cygnus

Date: 15-16 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 2, Ileia, Greece

Sky brightness: B2

Exposure Time: 

25-pannel mosaic

Ha: 25x600 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

Barnard 148

 

B148 is a dark nebula located in the Cepheus constellation 1200 light years away from Earth. It is also known as the Seahorse Nebula or the Dark Seahorse Nebula due to its shape. The nebula is about 1° long and it is formed by three dense gas cores labeled L1082 A, B and C. These dense gas cores are star formation regions. 

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Cepheus

Date: 12 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 2, Ileia, Greece

Sky brightness: B2

Exposure Time: 

L: 20x300 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888)

The Crescent Nebula, or NGC 6888 as it is formally known, is a distinctive emission nebula that stretches about 25 lightyears across and is located about 5,000 lightyears away from Earth in the Cygnus constellation. Discovered by William Herschel in 1792, the Crescent Nebula is produced by a type of star known as a Wolf-Rayet.

 

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Cygnus

Date: 10-11 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 2, Ileia, Greece

Sky brightness: B2

Exposure Time: 

L: 50x300 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

R: 30x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

G: 30x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

B: 30x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Ha: 20x900 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

The Pelican Nebula (IC 5070)

This is a 2x2 mosaic of Pelican Nebula. The Pelican Nebula is a star-forming region about 30 light years wide located 1,800 lightyears from Earth. It is also known as IC 5070 and IC 5067, and is found near bright star Deneb in the Cygnus constellation.

 

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Cygnus

Date: 3-4 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 2, Ileia, Greece

Sky brightness: B2

Exposure Time: 

4-pannel mosaic

Ha: 36x600 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

Messier 17

                                    

M17, also known as the Omega Nebula or Swan Nebula, is one of the largest star-forming regions in the Milky Way galaxy. The Omega Nebula was discovered in 1745 by the Swiss astronomer Jean-Philippe Loys de Chéseaux. It is located 5,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius. The nebula has an apparent magnitude of 6 and can be seen with a pair of binoculars. M17, which appears near M16 and M18 in the sky, is best viewed on clear nights in August.

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Filters: L,R,G,B

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Sagittarius

Date: 13-14 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 3, Achaia, Greece

Sky brightness: B2

Exposure Time: 

L: 20x300 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

R: 20x60 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

G: 20x60 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

B: 20x60 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

Messier 31 (The Andromeda Galaxy) 9 Panel Mosaic

                                         

This 3x3 mosaic of M31 is my largest project so far. The 9 panels total 6 hours of exposure, using my QHY533M and a luminance filter. 36 files where stacked using Pixinsight into the nine raw panels. The mosaic assembly was done using Pixinsight (image solver, mosaic by coordinates, and gradientmerge mosaic). Further processing was also done in Pixinsight and Photoshop. 

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Andromeda

Date: 8-9 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 3, Achaia, Greece

Sky brightness: B2

Exposure Time: 

8-pannel mosaic

L: 36x600 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

This is a LRGB composite of the central part of the galaxy

Barnard 147 area in Cygnus

This narrowband image presents a series of objects, highlight by Barnard 147 at top left, located in the constellation of Cygnus at a declination of +35 degrees.  Barnard 147 is located about 1.5 degrees east of Sh2-101 (Tulip Nebula). The image is filled with several LDN nebulae including LDN 856, 852, 849 and 848.

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Filters: Ha

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Cygnus

Date: 09-10 Aug 2024 

Location: Albireo Observatory 2, Ileia, Greece

Sky brightness: B3

Exposure Time: 

4-pannel mosaic

Ha: 27x600 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

 

Barnard 104

 

Barnard 104 is a dark nebula in the constellation Scutum , just north of the star Beta Scuti. It is commonly called the Fishhook Nebula, the Checkmark Nebula, and the "L" Nebula. Dark nebulae – or absorption nebulae – are clouds of gas and dust in space dense enough to obscure and block light from background stars. These vast clouds are mostly composed of molecular hydrogen. Often, they are locations where material is coalescing to form new stars.

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Filters: L

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Scutum

Date: 13 July 2024 

Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1

Sky brightness: B6

Exposure Time: 

L: 20x120 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

M100 Spiral Galaxy

 

Imaging Telescope: Vixen VC200L f/6.4

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)

Camera: QHY 533M

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR

Guiding: DMK21AU04 + 9x50 Skywatcher finder

Filters: L,R,G,B

Constellation: Coma Berenices

Date: May 18-19, 2024

Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1

Exposure Time:

L,R,G,B: 15x120 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1

Calibration Frames: Darks, Flats, Bias, Dark Flats

Acquisition: N.I.N.A, phd2

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

Messier 35 and NGC 2158

 

Messier 35 or M35, also known as NGC 2168, is an open cluster of stars in the northern constellation of Gemini. It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux around 1745 and independently discovered by John Bevis before 1750. The cluster is scattered over an area of the sky almost the size of the full moon and is located 3,870 light-years (1,186 parsecs) from Earth. The compact open cluster NGC 2158 lies directly southwest of M35. 

Imaging Telescope: Vixen ED81s f/7.7 

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod) 

Camera: QHY 533M 

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3S-SR 

Filters: L,R,G,B

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Constellation: Gemini

Date: 27-28 April 2024 

Location: Kifisia - Athens, Greece

Sky brightness: B7

Exposure Time: 

L: 40x60 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

R: 40x60 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

G: 40x60 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1  

B: 40x60 sec (gain: 56.00, offset: 12.00) 0°C bin 1×1

Acquisition: N.I.N.A v3 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop