Wednesday, January 29, 2025
A Cosmic genesis, IC 410 in Auriga
UPDATE
My photo of IC410 ended up to the PetaPixel, world's leading independent photography publication.
This must be one of my best photos of IC410 so far, and I'm very pleased with the result.
I’ve been shooting this target over and over again for decades, and every time it has shown me something new. (There are links to older versions of IC410 at the end of this blog post.)
This has been a fascinating object for me, as it holds great symbolism. Overall, this nebula resembles a microscopic photo of human fertilization, where new life is about to be born, and the germ cells are meeting each other.
New things are being born in this photo as well, but not life as we know it. At the tips of those tadpole-like formations, the gas is collapsing, and new stars are beginning to form. For scale, those tadpoles are about ten light-years long and located about 10.000 light-years away from us.
In fact, they are the second generation of stars in this nebula. The first group was the open cluster of stars at the center of the image, NGC 1893. This group of stars is also responsible for the appearance of the entire nebula complex. The radiation pressure from the stars shapes the gas and causes it to glow by ionizing the elements within it. This same radiation pressure also causes the gas to collapse, starting the process of second-generation star formation in the nebula.
The seeing was very good in my conditions, with an FWHM of 1.6 (typically it's between 2.2 - 3.0). The total exposure time is around 30 hours, collected over several nights during a three-month period between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025
A Cosmic Genesis, IC 410
Click for a full size, 2700x2400 pixels
A mapped color image from a light emitted by an ionized elements,
sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue
sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue
A Full Resolution Detail
Click for a full size, 2100x2100 pixels
Click for a full size, 2100x2100 pixels
Tadpole like formations are ten light years long and locates 10.000 light years from us.
New stars are forming in the tips of them since the gravity gets the gas and dust collapsing. When the pressure and heat are high enough, nuclear fusion of lighter elements is able start , the new star is born.
IC 410 in Visual Colors
Click for a full size, 2400x2400 pixels
sulfur=red, hydrogen=red and oxygen=blue, this combination is very close to a natural color palette
IC 410 in a Large Context
A massive mosaic Photo of Auriga
The area of the new photo is marked as a white rectangle
Click for a full size, 2900x1600 pixels
Click for a full size, 2900x1600 pixels
Info about this massive photo can be seen in this Blog post:
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-grande-mosaic-of-auriga.html
A little Closer
Click for a full size, 2400x2400 pixels
Info about this massive photo can be seen in this Blog post:
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/new-photo-deep-in-to-darkness.html
INFO
This cosmic view shows off an otherwise faint emission nebula IC 410, captured with 14" telescope and narrowband filters. Above and right of center you can spot two remarkable inhabitants of the interstellar pond of gas and dust, known as the tadpoles of IC 410. Partly obscured by foreground dust, the nebula itself surrounds NGC 1893, a young galactic cluster of stars. Formed in the interstellar cloud a mere 4 million years ago, the intensely hot, bright cluster stars energize the glowing gas. Globules composed of denser cooler gas and dust, the tadpoles are around 10 light-years long and are likely sites of ongoing star formation. Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation their heads are outlined by bright ridges of ionized gas while their tails trail away from the cluster's central young stars. IC 410 and embedded NGC 1893 lie some 10,000 light-years away, toward the nebula-rich constellation Auriga.
Source; NASA APOD
My older photos of the IC 410 in Chronological Order
2008, my first photo of IC 410, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2008/03/ic-405-410-with-color.html
2008, my second tryout with IC 410, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2008/11/ic405-ic410-in-hst-hubble-space.html
2010, version, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2010/01/ic-410-cosmic-fertilization.html
2012, version, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-cosmic-fertilization.html
2015 version, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2015/02/new-photo-ic-410-in-auriga.html
2015, 3D studies of IC410, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2015/07/an-experimental-3d-study-of-emission_28.html
2020, a wide field mosaic, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/new-photo-deep-in-to-darkness.html
2020, IC 410 as apart of an interesting mosaic version, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-birth-of-venus.html
IC 410, a Photo from 2012 vs 2025 Version of it
Click for a full size, 1500x1500 pixels
I noticed some movement in a one star, it's marked at upper right
There are other small movement at stars but it's just due to a different optical curvatures between two optical configurations.
The details in the tadpoles are much clearer in the new version, the dark nebulae now show fine structures, and the gas complex at the lower left—barely visible in the 2012 photo—now reveals beautiful details. The amount and clarity of the stars are amazing in the new version, along with many other small features that have now been captured.
About processing this Photo
I processed the image extra carefully to avoid losing any delicate details in both the bright and dark areas of the nebula complex. For example, I hadn't noticed the gas formations in the lower left end of the large crescent-shaped arch in my previous photos.
The total exposure time for this photo is 32 hours. Out of the 20 hours used for hydrogen-alpha (H-α) light, only about five had good seeing conditions. I created two separate stacks for H-α data—one from exposures taken under good seeing conditions and another from exposures taken under less favorable conditions. I processed both stacks separately using the exact same method. In the final step, I merged them into a single long-exposure image.
The method I used was somewhat unorthodox. In Photoshop, I applied the exact same procedure to both images to remove the brighter high-signal noise elements in photo. As a result, I ended up with two relatively featureless images of hydrogen-alpha emission.
In the next step, I reconstructed an image containing only the removed details from the photo taken under good seeing conditions. I did this by layering the featureless image with the original image containing all the details. Then, I changed the layer mode to "Difference" and merged the layers. I simply tossed away the brighter parts from the image taken under poor seeing conditions.
Next, I stacked these two featureless images using CCDStack2. Finally, I reintroduced the brighter details from the good-seeing image into the newly stacked featureless image using the linear add mode in Photoshop layers.
As a result, I achieved strong signal for the dimmer parts of the image while maintaining excellent detail in the brighter areas. When I added the brighter details back into the final image, the noise level remained extremely low due to the strong background signal.
Technical details
Processing workflow
Image acquisition, MaximDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.
Imaging optics,
Celestron EDGE 14" with 0.7 Focal reducer
Mount,
MesuMount Mark II
Cameras,
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U9000M and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and SXV-AO Active Optics @ 5hz
filters,
Astrodon 5nm H-alpha, 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III
Total exposure time 30h
H-alpha, 60 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 20 h
O-III,21x 1200 s, binned 2x2 = 7h
O-III,21x 1200 s, binned 2x2 = 7h
S-II, 15 x 1200 s. binned 2x2 = 5h
A single calibrated 20 min exposure of H-alpha, Bin 1x1
Click for a full size image.
It does look like a human germ cells
Friday, January 24, 2025
Star Pointers
I have made an alternative composition out of my photo of Cederblad 214. There are several pillar like structures in the nebula and they all are pointing to the open cluster NGC 7822 due to solar wind, a radiation pressure. Original photo can be seen here with technical details: https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2025/01/cederbald-214.html
CEDERBLAD 214 AND THE STAR POINTERS
Click for a large image, 1600 x 2300 pixels
Cosmic fingers are pointing up to the stars
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
My photos and the Culture capital of Europe 2026
My hometown Oulu, Finland will be the Cultural Capital of Europe at 2026, I'll be one of the artists selected to the program
Info about the happening
Friday, January 17, 2025
Cederbald 214
This winter season I have shot some of my old targets again with my new imaging system. It takes some time to get familiar with a new system and get everything out of them technically.
I have been really happy with the optical quality of my 142 Celestron EDGE telescope, specially with the secondary mirror focuser does the trick, no more mirror flops since main mirror is locked down all the time. Mesu mount Mark II has served well as a very solid imaging platform.
CEDERBLAD 214 AND THE STAR POINTERS
Click for a large image, 1400 x 2000 pixels
Cosmic fingers are pointing up to the stars
A FULL FRAME PHOTO OF CEDERBLAD 214
Click for a full size, 2000x2000 pixels
Click for a full size, 2000x2000 pixels
A mapped color image from a light emitted by an ionized elements,
sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue
sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue
Structure Study of the Cederblad 214
All pillar like formations are pointing to a source of ionization, the open cluster NGC 7822. There are some dense areas in a gas able to resist the radiation pressure from young star cluster. Those dense areas, at a tip of the pillars, are also potential places for the formations of the new stars.
INFO
Source: NASA APOD
Towering pillars of cold gas and dark dust adorn the center star forming region of Sharpless 171. An open cluster of stars is forming there from the gas in cold molecular clouds. As energetic light emitted by young massive stars boils away the opaque dust, the region fragments and picturesque pillars of the remnant gas and dust form and slowly evaporate. The energetic light also illuminates the surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to glow as an emission nebula. Pictured above is the active central region of the Sharpless 171 greater emission nebula. Sharpless 171 incorporates NGC 7822 and the active region Cederblad 214, much of which is imaged above. The area above spans about 20 light years, lies about 3,000 light years away, and can be seen with a telescope toward the northern constellation of the King of Ethiopia (Cepheus).
Cederblad 214 in a large context
Technical details
Processing workflow
Image acquisition, MaximDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.
Imaging optics,
Celestron EDGE 14" with 0.7 Focal reducer
Mount,
MesuMount Mark II
Cameras,
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U9000M and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and SXV-AO Active Optics @ 5hz
filters,
Astrodon 5nm H-alpha, 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III
Total exposure time 9h
H-alpha, 15 x 1200 x, binned 1x1 = 5h
O-III,9x 1200 s, binned 2x2 = 2h
S-II, 9 x 1200 s. binned 2x2 = 2h
A single calibrated 20 min exposure of H-alpha, Bin 1x1
Click for a full size image.
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Sharpless 132 as four panel mosaic
I have originally published this four panel mosaic photo back in February 2019. I have added new data to it and generally reprocessed the whole thing, it's funny how much an old guy can learn in few years.
You can see the old version here: https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2019/02/sharpless-132-sh2-132.html
It's not bad by any means but new version reveals so much more. The central part of the mosaic is new data from autumn season 2024, it's better processed and has a better overall resolution due to new imaging setup.
High res mosaic image of Sharpless 132
Click for a full size, 2700x2400 pixels
Click for a full size, 2700x2400 pixels
A mapped color image from a light emitted by an ionized elements,
sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue
sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue
Sh2-132 in a large context
Please, click for a large image
Technical details
Info about the 2019 version of the four panel mosaic here:
Info about the new 2024 central area image here:
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2024/12/sharpless-132-furious-cosmic-horse-gets.html
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2024/12/sharpless-132-furious-cosmic-horse-gets.html
Total exposure time 27 hours
Saturday, January 4, 2025
New photo of NGC 281
This photo is made by combining 10 h of new H-alpha exposures to a 10 h of exposures with my older long focal length telescope from 2015. Beside that, there are 5 hours of data taken with Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lens back in 2020. Very dim background mist comes mainly from camera lens data.
With 3 h S-II and O-III exposures the total exposure time was 31 hours.
Deep view to the NGC 281
Click for a full size, 2700x2500 pixels
A mapped color image from a light emitted by an ionized elements,
sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue
A Portion of the Full Resolution Photo
The seeing wasn't very good so I couldn't quite split the two of the stars but it can be seen, that there are two stars very close to each other visually.
NGC 281 in visual palette
Click for a full size, 2700x2500 pixels
sulfur=red, hydrogen=red and oxygen=blue, this combination is very close to a natural color palette.
SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH NEBULA
INFO
NGC 281 is a busy workshop of star formation. Prominent features include a small open cluster of stars, a diffuse red-glowing emission nebula, large lanes of obscuring gas and dust, and dense knots of dust and gas in which stars may still be forming. The open cluster of stars IC 1590 visible around the center has formed only in the last few million years. The brightest member of this cluster is actually a multiple-star system shining light that helps ionize the nebula's gas, causing the red glow visible throughout. The lanes of dust visible below the center are likely homes of future star formation. Particularly striking in the above photograph are the dark Bok globules visible against the bright nebula. Stars are surely forming there right now. The entire NGC 281 system lies about 10 thousand light years distant. (Source, NASA APOD)
With my new imaging system I can get deeper with a good resolution, than my old long focal length toolset was able to. The secondary mirror focusing system takes care of focusing and temperature compensation, I can keep the heavy main mirror locked down all the time. Heavy mirror has a tendency to move a bit when the scope moves and that can mess up the collimation.
The current system keeps collimation perfect all the time.
An other great accessory is the Active Optics Unit from Starlight Xpress. It's as easy to use as any OAG, the good update speed to a 11 mag star is around 8Hz. The AO-unit removes all the minor tracking errors very fast. The Mesu Mount Mark II has a periodic error under four arcseconds and that's a very small error, even so, AO unit gives a better image quality since the corrections are made by moving a light weight piece of glass, the heavy load of the scope and accessories doesn't need to move for corrections.
Structure study of the NGC 281
Pillar like formations in the gas cloud are forming when the radiation pressure (Solar Wind) from the open cluster IC 1590 blows the gas and dust away and coursing some parts of the gas collapse.Due to that, they all are pointing to the source of the solar wind, open cluster IC 1590, as I have shown in the image above.NGC 281 in a large context
Please, click for a large image
Please, click for a large image
Technical details
Processing workflow
Image acquisition, MaximDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.
Imaging optics,
Celestron EDGE 14" with 0.7 Focal reducer
Mount,
MesuMount Mark II
Cameras,
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U9000M and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and SXV-AO Active Optics @ 5hz
filters,
Astrodon 5nm H-alpha, 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III
Total exposure time 31h
H-alpha, 30 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 10 h (14" Celestron EDGE)
H-alpha, 30 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 10 h (11" Celestron EDGE, shot at 2015)
H-alpha, 15 x 1200 x, binned 1x1 = 5h (Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8, shot at 2020)
H-alpha, 30 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 10 h (11" Celestron EDGE, shot at 2015)
H-alpha, 15 x 1200 x, binned 1x1 = 5h (Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8, shot at 2020)
O-III,9x 1200 s, binned 2x2 = 3h (11" Celestron EDGE, shot at 2015)
S-II, 9 x 1200 s. binned 2x2 = 3h (11" Celestron EDGE, shot at 2015)
A single calibrated 20 min exposure of H-alpha, Bin 1x1
Click for a full size image.
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