IC 410 & NGC 1893 in Ha (11-25-09)

This is the most dramatic part of a nebulous area (IC 410) in central Auriga. Here as in the Pacman Nebula, the brilliant stars in the central cluster (NGC 1893) excite the surrounding hydrogen gas. The stellar winds from these bright stars are also pushing away the gas from around other stars, including those stars in the two tadpoles just down and to the left of the cluster.

Imaging Scope: Orion 80ED & WO 0.8x II (f/6)
Imager: Atik 16
Exposure: 45x5' in Ha
Filter(s): Astronomik Ha (+NII)
Capture Software: Nebulosity 2
Mount: Takahashi EM-10
Guiding Camera: DSI Pro
Guiding Software: PHD
Guiding Scope: 60mm f/4 hybrid
Date: November 25, 2009
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Processed with Nebulosity 2 & Photoshop Elements 7 (with a Carboni action for the red)

M33 in Ha (11-25-09)

This is how the young galaxy looks in Ha. I wondered whether in Ha I could resolve individual stars with my ED80. I'm still not sure whether the stars I see are here or there (and the seeing was not so great last night before midnight), but it's kind of fun to see the ionized hydrogen lit up so far away. I'm guessing the general glow of red that is brightest at the core is M33's stars, for the most part.

Imaging Scope: Orion 80ED & WO 0.8x II (f/6)
Imager: Atik 16
Exposure: 38x5' in Ha
Filter(s): Astronomik Ha (+NII)
Capture Software: Nebulosity 2
Mount: Takahashi EM-10
Guiding Camera: DSI Pro
Guiding Software: PHD
Guiding Scope: 60mm f/4 hybrid
Date: November 25, 2009
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Processed with Nebulosity 2 & Photoshop Elements 7 (with a Carboni action for the red)

Bubble Nebula in Narrowband (Posted 11-22-09)

I like this version the best, I think. This image was processed last. I am experimenting with Maxim DL and did an LRGB combines using the same data as the others below. Better?This is the finished narrowband Bubble Nebula, NGC 7635. The brightest star in the bubble has cleared the space around it with its strong stellar wind. The colors are mapped variously. The first image above has Ha as Green, OIII as Blue, and SII as Red.

Imaging Scope: Orion 80ED & WO 0.8x II (f/6)
Imager: Atik 16
Exposure: 45x5' in Ha; 37x5' in OIII; 47x5' in SII (10 hours, 45 minutes total)
Filter(s): Astronomik Ha (+NII), OIII, and SII
Capture Software: Nebulosity 2
Mount: Takahashi EM-10
Guiding Camera: DSI Pro
Guiding Software: PHD
Guiding Scope: 60mm f/4 hybrid
Date: October & November 2009
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Processed with Nebulosity 2, Registar, & Photoshop Elements 7

NGC281 in Ha, OIII, and Green (Posted 11-21-09)

This is a false color version of the Pacman Nebula, NGC 281. In this version, Ha is green, OIII is blue, and Green is red. I know that is odd, because OIII lies within the Green band, and that is why there is very little yellow in the image, unlike some narrowband versions posted around the web (which also record sulphur emission as red). I don't mind the effect at all, though.

The Pacman Nebula is about 10,000 light years away and over 80 lights years wide. It lies in the constellation Cassiopeia. The cluster of stars at its center excites the cloud of gas so that the gas glows. The energy and particles streaming from the stars in the cluster are slowly pushing the gas away. Where denser gas exists, the wind stream sculpts out the gas surrounding it to leave pillars and peaks (along the bottom edge of the nebula) that will itself eventually wear away. Unexcited gas that remains densely clumped looks black.

My favorite image of this nebula is at http://www.astrofotografia.com.pl/photogallery/ngc281_rc/ngc281.htm That one really is an awesome image, taken with a much bigger scope and a camera that can fit the whole nebula in even at a much longer focal length. I also like this one from Ken Crawford.

Imaging Scope: Orion 80ED & WO 0.8x II (f/6)
Imager: Atik 16
Exposure: 38x5' in Ha; 21x5' in Green; 41x5' in OIII (8 hours, 20 minutes total)
Filter(s): Astronomik Ha (+NII); Meade Green; Astronomik OIII
Capture Software: Nebulosity 2
Mount: Takahashi EM-10
Guiding Camera: DSI Pro
Guiding Software: PHD
Guiding Scope: 60mm f/4 hybrid
Date: October & November 2009
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Processed with Nebulosity 2, Registar, & Photoshop Elements 7

NGC 281 in OIII (11-18-09)

Imaging Scope: Orion 80ED & WO 0.8x II (f/6)
Imager: Atik 16
Exposure: 41x5'
Filter: Astronomik OIII
Capture Software: Nebulosity 2
Mount: Takahashi EM-10
Guiding Camera: DSI Pro
Guiding Software: PHD
Guiding Scope: 60mm f/4 hybrid
Date: Night of 11-4-09
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Processed with Nebulosity 2 & Photoshop Elements 7 (and a Carboni action for the false green)

NGC 1491 in Ha (11-17-09) & OIII (11-18-09)

Imaging Scope: Orion 80ED & WO 0.8x II (f/6)
Imager: Atik 16
Exposure: 33x5'
Filter: Astronomik Ha & NII
Capture Software: Nebulosity 2
Mount: Takahashi EM-10
Guiding Camera: DSI Pro
Guiding Software: PHD
Guiding Scope: 60mm f/4 hybrid
Date: Night of 11-17-09
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Processed with Nebulosity 2 & Photoshop Elements 7 (& Carboni action for the Ha as red version)


Imaging Scope: Orion 80ED & WO 0.8x II (f/6)
Imager: Atik 16
Exposure: 27x5'
Filter: Astronomik OIII
Capture Software: Nebulosity 2
Mount: Takahashi EM-10
Guiding Camera: DSI Pro
Guiding Software: PHD
Guiding Scope: 60mm f/4 hybrid
Date: Night of 11-18-09
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Processed with Nebulosity 2 & Photoshop Elements 7 (& Carboni action for the OIII as green version)

The Bubble in Ha (11-4-09)

This is a second shoot of the Ha data for the Bubble. The first attempt, three days ago, was slightly out of focus. It's pretty disappointing to realize that you've set up and collected four hours of out-of-focus data! Anyway, this is much better. The problem was that I purchased a filter wheel and placed it between the camera and the focal reducer along with some spacers. I took the manufacturer's word about how much spaced the wheel would add, and did not measure. With added threads and lock rings, I was actually about 10mm over! I'm surprised the earlier image came close enough to focus to fool me. Now this image is better. I am back to about 40mm between reducer and camera, just about right. The moon was over 90% full, and waning. (Thanks to Don Taylor for helpful comments on this image.)

Imaging Scope: Orion 80ED & WO 0.8x II (f/6)
Imager: Atik 16
Exposure: 45x5'
Filter: Astronomik Ha & NII
Capture Software: Nebulosity 2
Mount: Takahashi EM-10
Guiding Camera: DSI Pro
Guiding Software: PHD
Guiding Scope: 60mm f/4 hybrid
Date: Night of 11-4-09
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Processed with Nebulosity 2 & Photoshop Elements 7 (and a Carboni action for the false red)