The Propeller Nebula - Simeis 57

DWB 111 or Simeis 57, also known as the Propeller nebula is an emission nebula in the Cygnus constellation. The distance from Earth is unknown but it is only a small part of a larger emission nebula.

Technical details:

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)

Guiding: ST-237 guide chip of SBIG ST2000XM

Camera: SBIG ST2000XM

Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9

Filters: Ha,L,R,G,B

CCD Temperature: 0 degrees Celsius

Constellation: Cygnus

Date: August 4-6, 2021

Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1

Exposure:

L=12x600 min bin 1x1

R=12x300 min bin 1x1

G=12x300 min bin 1x1

B=12x300 min bin 1x1

Ha=18x1200 min bin 1x1

Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

The Muscleman Cluster: Stock 2 Open Cluster in Cassiopeia

 

Stock 2 (OCL 348, Lund 71 and the Muscleman Cluster) is a class I 2 m open cluster of 54 stars in Cassiopeia. This is one of 24 open clusters compiled by Jurgen Stock in the 1950s. A full list can be found here - http://www.deepskypedia.com/wiki/List:Stock.

Technical details:

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)

Guiding: ST-237 guide chip of SBIG ST2000XM

Camera: SBIG ST2000XM

Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9

Filters: Ha,L,R,G,B

CCD Temperature: 0 degrees Celsius

Constellation: Cassiopeia

Date: August 3-4, 2021

Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1

Exposure:

L=12x600 min bin 1x1

R=12x300 min bin 1x1

G=12x300 min bin 1x1

B=12x300 min bin 1x1

Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

NGC 6960 Western Veil Nebula: The Witch's Broom

 

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. 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.

Technical details:

Optics: Vixen ED81s @ f/5.2

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)

Guiding: ST-237 guide chip of SBIG ST2000XM

Camera: SBIG ST2000XM

Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9

Filters: Ha,L,R,G,B

CCD Temperature: 0 degrees Celsius

Constellation: Cygnus

Date: August 14-15, 2021

Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1

Exposure:

L=12x600 min bin 1x1

R=12x300 min bin 1x1

G=12x300 min bin 1x1

B=12x300 min bin 1x1

Ha=18x1200 min bin 1x1

Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

Ngc 6826 - Blinking Planetary Nebula

 

W. HERSCHEL: [Observed 6 September 1793] A bright point, a little extended, like two points close to one another; as bright as a star of the 8.9 magnitude, surrounded by a very bright milky nebulosity suddenly terminated, having the appearance of a planetary nebula with a lucid center; the border however is not very well defined. It is perfectly round, and I suppose about half a minute in diameter. It is of a middle species, between the planetary nebulae and nebulous stars, and is a beautiful phenomenon. (Η IV-73)

~ The Caldwell Objects, Stephen James O''Meara

Technical details:

Optics: Vixen VC200L @ f/6.4

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)

Guiding: ST-237 guide chip of SBIG ST2000XM

Camera: SBIG ST2000XM

Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9

Filters: L

CCD Temperature: 0 degrees Celsius

Constellation: Cygnus

Date: Jul 18, 2021

Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1

Exposure:

L=12x300 sec bin 1x1

Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias

Software:

Capturing/Calibration/Stacking: MaximDL

Processing: Pixinsight 

NGC 6946 (LRGB)

 

NGC 6946 is a spiral galaxy with a pair of branching arms that have a puzzling propensity for supernova explosions. In the 20th century terrestrial astronomers witnessed nine supernovae blazing forth in that galaxy (SN 1917A, SN 1939C, SN 1948B, SN 1968D, SN 1969P, SN 1980K, SN 2002hh, SN 2004et, and SN 2008S). The longest duration between these events was 60 years, suggesting that, as of this writing, another seems about due.

Technical details:

Optics: Vixen VC200L @ f/6.4
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)
Guiding: ST-237 guide chip of SBIG ST2000XM
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: L
CCD Temperature: 0 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cepheus
Date: Jul 17-18, 2021
Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1
Exposure:
L=12x600 sec bin 1x1

R=12x600 sec bin 1x1

G=12x600 sec bin 1x1

B=12x600 sec bin 1x1
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias 

Venus & Mars Conjunction & The Crescent Moon July 2021

Big, macho Venus, Goddess of Love, and wimpy little Mars, God of War, are at their closest together, about ½° apart, low in the west-northwest in twilight. This evening the crescent Moon shines upper left of them, as shown above.

Optics: Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L USM lens

Mount: Digipod A 2541P Tripod, Manfrotto 496 RC2 Ball Head

Camera: Canon EOS 450d

Date: July 12, 2021

Location: Kifisia - Greece

Exposure: 1 sec, ISO 800

NGC 6946

NGC 6946 is a spiral galaxy with a pair of branching arms that have a puzzling propensity for supernova explosions. In the 20th century terrestrial astronomers witnessed nine supernovae blazing forth in that galaxy (SN 1917A, SN 1939C, SN 1948B, SN 1968D, SN 1969P, SN 1980K, SN 2002hh, SN 2004et, and SN 2008S). The longest duration between these events was 60 years, suggesting that, as of this writing, another seems about due.

Technical details:

Optics: Vixen VC200L @ f/6.4
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)
Guiding: ST-237 guide chip of SBIG ST2000XM
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filter Wheel: SBIG CFW9
Filters: L
CCD Temperature: 0 degrees Celsius
Constellation: Cepheus
Date: Jul 3, 2021
Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1
Exposure:
L=12x600 sec bin 1x1
Calibration: Darks, Flats, Bias