Iris (NGC 7023) to UGC 11678 (September 2015)

Here is the Iris Nebula again, this time with better data.  My last attempt at this, here, used data acquired in 2012 at the Comanche Springs astronomy campus in north Texas.  This new data comes from Deep Sky West, a remote observatory in north central New Mexico.  It's amazing data, and it comes nicely packaged in a form I can easily use.

This image is interesting for several reasons.  First, it shows much more of the cloud of dust in which the Iris shines.  The Iris Nebula and all the dust around it shine primarily by reflection.  The white-ish star at the center of the flower, called HD 200775, type BV3, shines light on the surrounding dust, and that light is reflected back in blue.  The dust around the flower reflects the light of other stars, too.  HD 200775 is also a double star, but the dimmer companion is too dim and too close to show up in a photo with this telescope and camera.

The Iris Nebula itself is not all blue, though blue reflection predominates.  The Hubble telescope reports red emission nebulosity here, too.  I could easily detect red glow in this data, but it was overwhelmed by the blue, and I did not try to show it.

Another neat thing about this data is that it stretches all the way from the Iris on the right to the galaxy UGC 11678 on the left.  On the basis of redshift (z= 0.008346), one can calculate that the galaxy is about 115 million light years away.  It would probably be much brighter if we could look at it without all the dust in the way!

Is imaging a different experience because I did not take the data myself?  A bit, but I'm at a point where my data does not depend on me; I take good data.  Data now depends primarily on my location.  Give me a dark sky, and I can take this data, too.  I don't have a dark sky; I live too near Houston.  So this remote observatory gives me the chance to observe digitally in the deep way I enjoy, and I get to learn something new, and I don't have to travel or stay up late.  Cool.

Telescope: Takahashi FSQEDXiii
Camera and Exposure: QSI683wsg (L: 37x900" + RGB 16±1x900")
Shrinkage: This image 70% of full.
Mount: SB MyT
Software: Nebulosity, SkySafari, Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3, Registar
Location: Deep Sky West Observatory

Iris Nebula, NGC 7023 (July 19 & 20, 2012)

Full resolution image here.

This is the Iris Nebula.  The image was taken from the campus of the Three Rivers Foundation Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus near Crowell, TX.  I was planning on taking a trip to west Texas for four nights of imaging.  The weather would not allow it, though; it is monsoon season there, and little or no imaging with the portable kind of rig I use would have occurred, so that trip had to be postponed.  But I had a week available during a new moon.  An inquiry to the Three Rivers Foundation (3RF) proved helpful.  They offered to let me tent camp for free during open campus week, and asked only a small fee for use of the electricity.  I took my two sons.  Only the first night was great for imaging, but it was a great night.

In fact, that first night was fabulous.  The air was as still as I've ever seen it for imaging, and the night was very dark.  The Milky Way stretched from horizon to horizon.  Wow.  My boys had never seen it, but they won't forget it now.

The Iris Nebula is a reflection nebula, meaning that it reflects the light of the stars next to it.  The stars are blue-white, so the nebula shines in blue-white.  Reflection nebulae are much harder to see (or image) from the suburbs, so the Iris was a prime target from a dark sky site.  The bright star in the middle of the nebula provides much of the illumination.  It has just a number (SAO 19158), not a proper name, and is not a bright star to our eyes (just magnitude 6.8).

I obtained color data the second night.  The night was somewhat cloudy, and eventually I had to stop imaging.  The color data for this image is not the best, but it is just usable, and will suffice.

It would be hard to say enough good things about the 3RF campus.  There are scopes aplenty and accommodations for volunteers and visiting amateurs.  The folks in charge were welcoming and very helpful.  I met several serious amateurs there who were friendly and knowledgeable.  I hope to go back again soon.

Telescope: Orion 6" f/5 Imaging Newtonian and Astro-Tech Coma Corrector (eff. at f/5.5)
Camera and Exposure: SXVF-H9 (17x900'), SXVF-H9C (6x1200'), Alnitak Flat-man flats
Filter: Astronomik Lum
Guiding: SX Lodestar and SX OAG
Mount: Takahashi NJP
Software: Nebulosity, Maxim DL, Registar, Photoshop CS3
Location: 3RF's Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus, Crowell, TX

Iris Nebula & M1: Promising But Need More Time (September 24, 2011)

These two images are beginnings.  At the observatory last week, one friend suggested I image the Iris.  I took several frames.  The air was turbulent and guiding was difficult.  I decided to switch over to the Helix Nebula.  After the Helix set, another friend suggested M1, which was rising above Orion in the constellation Taurus.  Both of these objects, the Iris and M1, could use several more hours exposure, but these images are promising.  This is my first observation of the Iris and my second of M1.  I would have taken more subs of M1 but my light-pollution filter dewed up (just about my only optical surface in danger from dew).

The Iris Nebula:

Telescope: Orion 10" f/4.7 Newtonian and Baader RCC1
Camera and Exposure: SXVF-H9C, 5x10'
Filter: IDAS-LPS2
Guiding: SX Lodestar and SX OAG
Mount: Takahashi NJP
Software: Nebulosity, Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3
Location: SHSU Observatory, Huntsville, TX

And M1, sometimes called the Crab Nebula:

Telescope: Orion 10" f/4.7 Newtonian and Baader RCC1
Camera and Exposure: SXVF-H9C, 2x10'
Filter: IDAS-LPS2
Guiding: SX Lodestar and SX OAG
Mount: Takahashi NJP
Software: Nebulosity, Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3
Location: SHSU Observatory, Huntsville, TX