Tuesday, January 10, 2017
The ghost of Christmas past, IC 63
I have shot this target many times at this time of year. Every time I have a different result due to seeing conditions, exposure times used and different optical configurations. Naturally I am more experienced to process astronomical images now, that few years back.
IC 59 and IC 63
Please, click for a large image!
The blue color in the photo is not a reflection component but weak O-III emission.
Hydrogen emission only (H-alpha)
Please, click for a large image!
INFO
IC 59 and IC 63 at the distance of about 600 light years in the constellation Cassiopeia.
Image spans about 0,8 degrees vertically, that's about ten light years at its estimated distance.
Image spans about 0,8 degrees vertically, that's about ten light years at its estimated distance.
IC 59 is at left edge of the image and IC 63 at middle. Nebulae are ionized from the ultraviolet radiation of hot, luminous star gamma Cas at upper right it locates only three to four light years from the nebulae.
C 63 is a combination of emission and reflection nebulae. Since this is a narrow band image, reflection component is not get captured due to a broad band nature of it. Instead there is an ionized Oxygen, O-III, in this image and it can be seen as a Blue.
Nebula is next to the Gamma Cassiopeiae, a bright, mag. 2.47, star in middle of the "W" asterism in constellation Cassiopeia.
Orientation in Cassiopeia
The area of interest can be seen at the middle of the image. Click for a large image.
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
Canon EF 200mm f1.8 camera optics (For S-II and O-III channels)
Mount
10-micron 1000
Meade LX200 GPS 12" (For S-II and O-III channels)
Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL
QHY9 (For S-II and O-III channels)
QHY9 (For S-II and O-III channels)
Astrodon filter, 5 nm H-alpha
Baader filter, 8,5 nm O-III
Baader filter, 8 nm S-II
Exposure times
H-alpha, 21 x 1200 s binned 2x2
O-III, 6 x 1200 s binned 4x4 =
Variable Star of Mira Cet type, an animation
00 59 34.72 60 43 21.9
A variable star can be seen at center right, it's much brighter at 2010 image.
Click for a large image.
While I was combining data from 2010 to a new data, I noticed a difference between images.
There was a bright star in image from 02.10.2010, the same star in new image set from 24.12.2012 was much dimmer. I did use a Simbad astronomical database and it gave me a report of an variable star.
V* AV Cas -- Variable Star of Mira Cet type
with radius arcmin
Distance to the center arcsec: 6.34
Other object types: Mi* () , V* (V*,AN,AAVSO) , * (CSI,[I81]) , IR (2MASS,MSX5C)
ICRS coord. (ep=J2000) : 00 59 34.00 +60 43 18.4 ( Infrared ) [ 70 60 0 ] B 2003yCat.2246....0C
FK5 coord. (ep=J2000 eq=2000) : 00 59 34.00 +60 43 18.4 ( Infrared ) [ 70 60 0 ] B 2003yCat.2246....0C
FK4 coord. (ep=B1950 eq=1950) : 00 56 30.55 +60 27 08.4 ( Infrared ) [ 70 60 0 ] B 2003yCat.2246....0C
Gal coord. (ep=J2000) : 123.9263 -02.1343 ( Infrared ) [ 70 60 0 ] B 2003yCat.2246....0C
Spectral type: M8 C ~
Fluxes (4) :
B 13.5 [~] E 2003AstL...29..468S
J 7.136 [0.020] C 2003yCat.2246....0C
H 6.170 [0.026] C 2003yCat.2246....0C
K 5.670 [0.020] C 2003yCat.2246....0C
with radius arcmin
Distance to the center arcsec: 6.34
Other object types: Mi* () , V* (V*,AN,AAVSO) , * (CSI,[I81]) , IR (2MASS,MSX5C)
ICRS coord. (ep=J2000) : 00 59 34.00 +60 43 18.4 ( Infrared ) [ 70 60 0 ] B 2003yCat.2246....0C
FK5 coord. (ep=J2000 eq=2000) : 00 59 34.00 +60 43 18.4 ( Infrared ) [ 70 60 0 ] B 2003yCat.2246....0C
FK4 coord. (ep=B1950 eq=1950) : 00 56 30.55 +60 27 08.4 ( Infrared ) [ 70 60 0 ] B 2003yCat.2246....0C
Gal coord. (ep=J2000) : 123.9263 -02.1343 ( Infrared ) [ 70 60 0 ] B 2003yCat.2246....0C
Spectral type: M8 C ~
Fluxes (4) :
B 13.5 [~] E 2003AstL...29..468S
J 7.136 [0.020] C 2003yCat.2246....0C
H 6.170 [0.026] C 2003yCat.2246....0C
K 5.670 [0.020] C 2003yCat.2246....0C
Monday, January 9, 2017
Bright nebulae of the central Cygnus, eleven panel mosaic finalized
My first photo session for the year 2017 was at January fourth. As a result, I was able to finalize my mosaic image of the central Cygnus. It has now eleven panels stitched together seamlessly. I have made two versions, as usually. This one is in mapped colors and another, yet unpublished, in visual spectrum.
Mosaic images can be highly work intensive but the final resolution is great. They are very suitable for extreme large prints. Original resolution is around 20.000 x 9000 pixels.
Please, click for a large image, 2100 x 1000 pixels
red=sulphur, green=hydrogen and blue=oxygen. A mosaic image with seven panels. Original image has a resolution of about 20.000 x 9000 pixels. Image spans about five degrees of sky horizontally.
Sub images taken for the mosaic in chronological orderPlease, click for a large images
Three panels, January 7. 2016
One panel, December 27 2016
Four panels combined, December 27 2016
Five panels, January 1. 2017
Eight panels, January 1. 2017
The final four panels, January 4. 2017
Orientation
Please, click for a large image
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
Canon EF 200mm f1.8 camera optics (For S-II and O-III channels)
Mount
10-micron 1000
Meade LX200 GPS 12" (For S-II and O-III channels)
Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL
QHY9 (For S-II and O-III channels)
QHY9 (For S-II and O-III channels)
Astrodon filter, 5 nm H-alpha
Baader filter, 8,5 nm O-III
Baader filter, 8 nm S-II
Exposure times for all seven panels
H-alpha, 39 x 1200 s binned 2x2
O-III, 22 x 1200 s binned 4x4 =
S-II, 22 x 1200 s binned 4x4 =
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
The Sky on Fire, Mosaic of the central Cygnus
A three panel mosaic in visual palette, combined from narrowband channels, shows a three degrees patch of the central Cygnus gas formations. I have published a mapped color version few days ago, it can be seen HERE.
The Sky on Fire
Please, click for a large image, ~2200 x 1030 pixels
Image is in Natural colour palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Hydrogen + Sulphur, G=Oxygen and B=Oxygen + 10% Hydrogen to compensate the missing H-beta emission..Orientation in Cygnus
Please, click for a full size photo
An older wide field photo with the Canon EF 200mm f1.8 camera lens and Baader narrowband filters. 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, 5 nm H-alpha
Baader filter, 8,5 nm O-III
Baader filter, 8 nm S-II
Exposure times for all seven panels
H-alpha, 21 x 1200 s binned 2x2
O-III, 18 x 1200 s binned 4x4
S-II, 18 x 1200 s binned 4x4
Monday, January 2, 2017
Astro Anarchy, the year 2016
HAPPY NEW YEAR
This post is about all of my astronomical photos from the Autumn season of the year 2016
All my photos from the Spring and Autumn seasons of 2016 are taken with my new imaging setup. Celestron Edge HD 1100 with 0.7 reducer at 10-micron mount. Apogee Alta U16 camera with Astrodon filters and an active optics unit, SXV AO LF, from Starlight Xpress.
My humble thanks to the supporters, they made my work possible!
All companies are offering the first class products and service!
All companies are offering the first class products and service!
The Autumn season of the year 2016 as an image poster
Please, click for a large image, 1920 x 3000 pixels, ~5MB
Links to an individual photos, with the technical data and additional images
Please, click to image to see the information
Eastern part of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant
A detail from the North America nebula, part I
A detail from the North America nebula, part II
A detail from the North America nebula, part II
KjPn8 (PN G112.5-00.1)
Filaments of the Veil Nebula, part I
Filaments of the Veil Nebula, part II
Filaments of the Veil Nebula, part III
Dark clouds in Cygnus, part I
Dark clouds in Cygnus, part II
Dark filaments of Cygnus, part I
Dark filaments of Cygnus, part II
The Great Wall of Cygnus
Sharpless 224
Bright nebulae of the central Cygnus, part I
Bright nebulae of the central Cygnus, part II
Bright nebulae of the central Cygnus, part III
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