NGC 1435 - Merope Nebula

 

The beautiful Merope Nebula in M45, the Pleiades star cluster. The nebula reflects the blue light from the 4th magnitude star, Merope, embedded within it. It consists mostly of hydrogen gas and carbon dust particles. It is only one section of the much larger nebula encasing the entire Pleiades star cluster. Once thought to be the birth cloud of the stars within the cluster, studies of the velocities of the stars compared to the nebula reveal that we are seeing a lucky coincidence of the star cluster simply passing through the cloud at the present time. 

Imaging Telescope: Vixen VC200L f/6.4

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)

Camera: QHY 533M

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Filters: LRGB

Constellation: Taurus

Date: October 26, 2024

Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1

Exposure Time:

L: 30x120 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

R: 20x120 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

G: 20x120 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

B: 40x120 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Calibration Frames: Darks, Flats, Bias, Dark Flats

Acquisition: N.I.N.A

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)

 

The Oort Cloud comet, called C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, was discovered in 2023, approaching the inner solar system on its highly elliptical orbit for the first time in documented human history. It was identified by observers at China’s Tsuchinshan – or “Purple Mountain” – Observatory and an ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) telescope in South Africa. The comet was officially named in honor of both observatories. New photos of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS appear to show a faint "anti-tail" pointing away in the wrong direction. The puzzling extra limb is the result of a rare illusion that is only possible when our planet is in a certain position.

Imaging Lens: Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L 

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

Camera: Canon EOS 450d

Date: 15 Oct 2024 

Location: Agios Stefanos, Attiki, Greece

Exposure Time: 

6x4 sec ISO 400 

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

Imaging Telescope: Vixen VC200L f/6.4

Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Synscan Pro (belt mod)

Camera: QHY 533M

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini (mono)

Guidescope: SkyWatcher EvoGuide 50ED

Filters: LRGB

Date: October 25, 2024

Location: Korinthos - Greece - Albireo Observatory 1

Exposure Time:

L: 6x30 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

R: 6x30 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

G: 6x30 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

B: 6x30 sec (gain: 50.00, offset: 60.00) 0°C bin 1×1 

Calibration Frames: Darks, Flats, Dark Flats

Acquisition: N.I.N.A

Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop

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