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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

A detail photo of the dark filaments in Pelican nebula



I have shot lights for this image back in October 5 but found time to process them just now.
The complex cloud of dust and gas locates in front of the ionized gas clouds. Ionized gas, mainly oxygen in this photo, is emitting light and due to that we are able to see the dark formation,


Dark clouds in Cygnus
Click for a large image

Image is in mapped colours, from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulphur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen.



An experimental starless version
Please, click for a large image

The actual gas formations stand out well in this starless version.



Orientation
Please, click for a large image

Area of interest is marked as a white rectangle 
This wide field photo of the North America and Pelican Nebulae was shot with Canon EF 200 mm f1.8 camera lens, QHY9 astrocam and Baader narrowband filters.


Technical details

Processing work flow

Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 33 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
Celestron Edge HD 1100 @ f10 with 0,7 focal reducer for Edge HD 1100 telescope

Mount
10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL
Astrodon filter, 5nm H-alpha
Astrodon filter, 3nm O-III
Astrodon filter, 3nm S-II

Exposure times for all three panels
H-alpha, 6 x 1200 s = 2 h
S-II,  6 x 1200 s binned 2x2 = 2 h
O-III information is taken from an older the wide field shot seen above, ~2 h 
Total 6 h



Tuesday, November 29, 2016

A little different view to the North America nebula, part III


This photo is result from my mosaic project for this Autumn season. My purpose was to image the North America Nebula, NGC 7000, and show it little differently, than usually. This object is a popular target among astro photographers, I found some rarely imaged areas and made my composition out of them. There are three panels used for this mosaic, total exposure time for all three emission line is around 16 hours.


A detail from the North America nebula as a three panel mosaic
Please, click for a large image

Image is in mapped colours, from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulphur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen.



An experimental starless version
Please, click for a large image

The actual gas formations stand out well in this starless version.



Image in natural colors
Please, click for a large image

Image is in Natural colour palette from the emission of ionized elements, 
R=Hydrogen + Sulphur, G=Oxygen and B=Oxygen + ~10% Hydrogen.




Couple of individual image panels
Please, click for a large image









Orientation
Please, click for a large image

Area of interest is marked as a white rectangle 
This wide field photo of the North America and Pelican Nebulae was shot with Canon EF 200 mm f1.8 camera lens, QHY9 astrocam and Baader narrowband filters.

Technical details

Processing work flow

Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 33 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
Celestron Edge HD 1100 @ f10 with 0,7 focal reducer for Edge HD 1100 telescope

Mount
10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL
Astrodon filter, 5nm H-alpha
Astrodon filter, 3nm O-III
Astrodon filter, 3nm S-II

Exposure times for all three panels
H-alpha, 18 x 1200 s = 6 h
O-III, 18 x 1200 s binned 2x2 = 5 h 
S-II,  18 x 1200 s binned 2x2 = 5 h 
Total 16 h


Thursday, November 24, 2016

Filaments of the Veil Nebula in natural colors



This is a new version of the Filaments of Veil photo. It shows the nebula complex in visual spectrum. Most strong emission line is hydrogen alpha, H-a, it can be seen as a red color. Blue hues are from an ionized oxygen, O-III.

My latest image is a composition of  exposures from several nights, months and years. Couple of weeks ago, when we had some clear night last time, I took couple of shots from Veil Nebula. This time my purpose was to show some rarely imaged details and structures in this complex ball of expanding gas, leftovers from a massive explosion, the supernova.
I combined this new material to my older images of the area. Total exposure time for this five panel mosaic is around 37 h.

Filaments of the Veil in natural colors
Please, click for a full size image


Image is in Natural color palette from the emission of ionized elements, 
R=Hydrogen + Sulfur, G=Oxygen and B=Oxygen + Hydrogen.


Technical details

Processing work flow

Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 21 iterations, added at 25% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
Celestron Edge HD 1100 @ f7 with 0,7 focal reducer for Edge HD 1100 telescope

Mount
10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL

Astrodon filter, 5nm H-alpha
Astrodon filter, 3nm O-III
Astrodon filter, 3nm S-II

Exposure times

New material from this Autumn season, total exposure time 15 h

H-alpha, 15 x 1200s = 5h
O-III, 15 x 1200s binned = 5h
S-II, 15 x 1200s binned = 5h

Older material used for this mosaic image




Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Filaments of the Veil Nebula, Part II


This is a new version of the Filaments of Veil photo. Composition is much better now, I think. I added one more panel to the mosaic image and now I have a vertical composition. It's somehow more dynamic and complexity of gas filaments stands out well.

My latest image is a composition of  exposures from several nights, months and years. Couple of weeks ago, when we had some clear night last time, I took couple of shots from Veil Nebula. This time my purpose was to show some rarely imaged details and structures in this complex ball of expanding gas, leftovers from a massive explosion, the supernova.
I combined this new material to my older images of the area. Total exposure time for this five panel mosaic is around 37 h.


Filaments of the Veil Nebula
Please, click for a full size image

Colors are from the ionized elements, Hydrogen, Sulphur and Oxygen.
S-II = Red, H-alpha = Green and O-III = Blue.


Technical details

Processing work flow

Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 21 iterations, added at 25% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
Celestron Edge HD 1100 @ f7 with 0,7 focal reducer for Edge HD 1100 telescope

Mount
10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL

Astrodon filter, 5nm H-alpha
Astrodon filter, 3nm O-III
Astrodon filter, 3nm S-II

Exposure times

New material from this Autumn season, total exposure time 15 h

H-alpha, 15 x 1200s = 5h
O-III, 15 x 1200s binned = 5h
S-II, 15 x 1200s binned = 5h

Older material used for this mosaic image




Monday, November 21, 2016

Filaments of the the Veil Nebula supernova remnant



My latest image is a composition of  exposures from several nights, months and years. Couple of weeks ago, when we had some clear night last time, I took couple of shots from Veil Nebula. This time my purpose was to show some rarely imaged details and structures in this complex ball of expanding gas, leftovers from a massive explosion, the supernova.
I combined this new material to my older images of the area. Total exposure time for this five panel mosaic is around 37 h.


Filaments of the Veil Nebula
Please, click for a full size image

Colors are from the ionized elements, Hydrogen, Sulphur and Oxygen.
S-II = Red, H-alpha = Green and O-III = Blue.


A closeup

Image is full of gas filaments, they are shock fronts from the supernova explosion.


Orientation

Area of  interest is marked as a white rectangle

Technical details

Processing work flow

Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 21 iterations, added at 25% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
Celestron Edge HD 1100 @ f7 with 0,7 focal reducer for Edge HD 1100 telescope

Mount
10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL

Astrodon filter, 5nm H-alpha
Astrodon filter, 3nm O-III
Astrodon filter, 3nm S-II

Exposure times

New material from this Autumn season, total exposure time 15 h

H-alpha, 15 x 1200s = 5h
O-III, 15 x 1200s binned = 5h
S-II, 15 x 1200s binned = 5h

Older material used for this mosaic image

Pickering's Triangle mosaic, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.fi/2015/09/pickerings-triangle-my-first-light-for.html
Witch's Broom Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.fi/2015/10/a-new-image-witchs-broom-nebula.html



Wednesday, November 9, 2016

A rare image out of the planetary nebula in Cassiopeia, KjPn8 (PN G112.5-00.1)


Few year back I added this small target in Cassiopeia to my imaging plan. Now we had few clear nights and I was able to finalised a new photo out of it. This is a very dim target and it located just next to famous Bubble Nebula. Total exposure time was around 11 hours for Ha and O-III.


PN G112.5-00.1
Click for a full size photo

Image is in natural colours from the emission of ionized elements, H-alpha and O-III.


An experimental starless version to show the actual PN better

A bright spot at the centre of the planetary nebula KjPn8 is the central disk (Diameter 4 arc seconds).


A two frame mosaic with the Bubble Nebula
Click for a full size photo


I shot the Bubble Nebula part of the mosaic back in 2012

INFO


KjPn 8 (PLN 112-0.1) is an unusually-shaped (14' x 4') planetary (PN) nebula located in the Constellation of Cassiopeia at RA 23h 24m 10s and DEC +60d 57m 30s. It is partially embedded in hydrogen nebulosity from the often-imaged Bubble Nebula complex (NGC 7635, Caldwell 11) and the open cluster, M52, located off the upper right side of this image. North is up and the field is ~ 35' x 35'. Lopez et al. (Astrophys. J, v538, 233-240, 2000) describes KjPn 8 as an "extreme polypolar planetary nebula with a large scale structure characterized by a giant biconical envelope". Steffen and Lopez (Astrophys. J. v508, 696-706, 1998) suggest that the strange tubular structure results from the action of a bipolar, rotating episodic jet whose direction has changed with time. The radial velocity measurements suggest a distance of ~5,200 light years. They suggest that it formed from two distinct and consecutive PN-like events starting with a binary core have stars of similar mass. One event led to the very long structure (NW-SE). The other (NE-SW) extends between the bright pinkish lobes that are enriched in OIII. They further suggest that KjPn 8 may be a rare object in the Milky Way Galaxy. (Source, http://astrodonimaging.com/gallery/kjpn-8-tubular-planetary-nebula/ )


Orientation


The location of PN G112.5-00.1 is marked with a white circle to this mapped colour image of the area. This is my older wide field photo, more info about it can be seen HERE


Technical details

Processing work flow

Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 33 iterations, added at 25% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
Celestron Edge HD 1100 @ f10 with 0,7 focal reducer for Edge HD 1100 telescope

Mount
10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL

Astrodon filter, 5nm H-alpha
Astrodon filter, 3nm O-III
Astrodon filter, 3nm S-II

Exposure times
H-alpha, 21x 1200s = 7h
O-III, 12 x 1200s binned = 4h 
Total 11 h

A single uncropped, calibrated and stretched 20 min H-alpha frame





Monday, November 7, 2016

Eastern Veil in light of an ionized oxygen



A two frame mosaic of the Eastern Veil Nebula was my first imaging project for the Autumn season 2016. For the colour image, I shot three emission lines, hydrogen alpha, Sulphur II and oxygen III. This new image shows the emission of the ionized oxygen alone. 

Eastern part of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant in O-III light alone
Please, click for the full size photo

Oxygen III emission can be seen as a blue colour
The full colour image and technical details can be seen HERE