Sunday, October 26, 2025
ICARUS, a two frame vertical panorama
In this image, I have combined my new shot of the Witch’s Broom Nebula with my recent photo “ICARUS, the Final Flight” to form a two-frame mosaic. I love discovering fresh compositions from well-known targets — in this case, the beautiful Veil Nebula supernova remnant.
A dramatic view to the Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant
Click for a large image, 1500 x 3600 pixels
Click for a large image, 1500 x 3600 pixels
Original photo has dimensions of 5500x12000 pixels.
Orientation in the Veil Nebula
Click for a large image, 2000 x 2500 pixels
Click for a large image, 2000 x 2500 pixels
The area of interest is marked as a white rectangle
Technical details
Processing workflow
Image acquisition, MaximDL v6.5
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS
Levels and curves in PS
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 43h
H-alpha, 9 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 16 h
O-III, 9x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 16h
O-III, 9x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 16h
S-II, 9x 1200 s. binned 1x1 = 11h
Friday, October 24, 2025
ICARUS, the final flight
My latest photo shows a small portion of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant in Cygnus. I have wanted to photograph this tiny, knot-like object for a long time, making it the main character of the composition. I couldn’t find any catalog number for this object — if someone knows it, please drop a comment and I’ll add it here.
After I stacked all the data and saw the full-resolution image for the first time, I had the strange feeling that I had seen this composition before. A moment later I realised what it reminded me of — an old painting of Icarus from Greek mythology.
ICARUS
Click for a large image, 1600 x 2000 pixels
This is how I saw it in my head
ICARUS, orientation in the Veil Nebula
Click for a large image, 2000 x 2500 pixels
The Veil Nebula supernova remnant in constellation Cygnus.
The area of interest is marked as a white rectangle
Click for a large image, 1600 x 2000 pixels
A mapped color image from a light emitted by an ionized elements, sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue. The resolution of the photo is reduced for the web usage.
This is how I saw it in my head
ICARUS, a full scale closeup
Click for a large image, 1600 x 2000 pixels
Click for a large image, 1600 x 2000 pixels
Click for a large image, 2000 x 2500 pixels
The area of interest is marked as a white rectangle
Technical details
Processing workflow
Image acquisition, MaximDL v6.5
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS
Levels and curves in PS
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, 9 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 3 h
O-III, 9x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 3h
O-III, 9x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 3h
S-II, 9x 1200 s. binned 1x1 = 3h
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Western Veil nebula, the Witch's Broom
This is my first-light image for the autumn season 2025.
I collected a total of 34 hours of exposure time over a period of about two months for this two-frame mosaic. The seeing conditions were relatively good for my location, with FWHM values ranging between 1.6 and 2.5 throughout the sessions.
Witch's Broom Nebula
Click for a large image, 3500 x 1800 pixels
A mapped color image from a light emitted by an ionized elements, sulfur=red, hydrogen=green and oxygen=blue. The resolution of the photo is reduced for the web usage.A full resolution closeup
Click for a large image, 3500 x 1800 pixels
Witch's Broom Nebula, O-III emission alone
Click for a large image, 3500 x 1800 pixels
Witch's Broom Nebula, visual palette
Click for a large image, 3500 x 1800 pixels
The emission from H-alpha and S-II are seen as red, blueish tones are from an emission of ionized oxygen, O-III. This combination is very close to a visual colors of the nebula.
Orientation
The area of interest is marked as a white rectangle
Technical details
Processing workflow
Image acquisition, MaximDL v6.5
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS
Levels and curves in PS
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 34h
H-alpha, 72 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 13 h
O-III, 6x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 13
O-III, 6x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 13
S-II, 6 x 1200 s. binned 1x1 = 8h
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