Monday, February 6, 2017
A new photo, Sharpless 188 (Sh2-188) in Cassiopeia
Kind of difficult target due to dim outer parts at left in my photo. I collected lights for this object couple of nights between. and 21. January 2017. This photo is also a good sample of my new imaging method VARES (Variable Resolution imaging). More info in technical details bellow.
Sharpless 188, a Planetary Nebula in Cassiopeia
Please, click for a large image
Image is in mapped colours, from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulphur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen.
Sh2-188 in visual 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.
Sh2-188, H-alpha emission alone
Please, click for a large image
INFO
Sh2-188 (Sharpless2 188) a planetary nebula that is moving through the Inter Stellar Medium. The nebula is considered to be one of the most extreme examples of planetary nebula and ISM interaction. The bright parts of the filamentary rim is the shock front with a faint tail of material stretching away at opposite direction. (Source, http://www.imagingdeepsky.com/Nebulae/SH188/Sh2-188.htm)
Technical details
NOTE!
A new immaging technique of mine was used for this photo. I call it VARES (Variable Resolution imaging). The data is collected by using different binning levels from 1x1 down to 6x6. High signal/noise elements, like brighter stars and more luminous parts of the nebula, are from less binned exposures. Low signal/noise elements, like very dim and featureless outer parts, are from more binned exposures, this time all the way down to bin 6x6. (Apogee Alta U16 has a 4096 x 4096 pixels CCD. At bin 6 x 6, the output image has still 682 x 682 pixels in it)
Total exposure time for H-alpha is 12h but if the effects of binning is calculated in, the signal is practically the same as from 140 hours of exposures, if all are binned 1x1!
With this method, I can have high resolution details and good S/N for dimmer, less detailed, parts of the nebula with minimal exposure time.
In near future, I will write a tutorial about the VARES method. It might take some time though.
Total exposure time for H-alpha is 12h but if the effects of binning is calculated in, the signal is practically the same as from 140 hours of exposures, if all are binned 1x1!
With this method, I can have high resolution details and good S/N for dimmer, less detailed, parts of the nebula with minimal exposure time.
In near future, I will write a tutorial about the VARES method. It might take some time though.
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 x 2 and SXV-AOL
Astrodon filter, 5nm H-alpha
Astrodon filter, 3nm O-III
Astrodon filter, 3nm S-II
Exposure times
H-alpha, 6x 1200s, binned 1x1 = 2h
H-alpha, 21x 1200s, binned 2x2 = 7h
H-alpha, 9x 1200s, binned 6x6 = 3h
H-alpha, 21x 1200s, binned 2x2 = 7h
H-alpha, 9x 1200s, binned 6x6 = 3h
O-III, 3 x 1200s binned 6x6 = 1h
S-II, 3 x 1200s binned 6x6 = 1h
Total 14h
Friday, January 27, 2017
B&W universe, part II
As I'm using a cooled Gray scale astronomical CCD camera, I have a Black and White images from all of my photos. (For a color image, colors are made by shooting each color channel trough a filter, in my case mostly a narrow band filters.)
I will publish few posts out of my B&W images. Sometimes I like them better as a color ones.
B&W universe part I can be found HERE
B&W universe part I can be found HERE
Veil nebula, a supernova remnant in Cygnus
Please, click for a large image
Eastern Veil, as a two panel mosaic
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Eastern Veil, as a two panel mosaic, ionized oxygen alone
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Filaments of Veil
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Filaments of Veil as a two frame mosaic
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A large mosaic of the central Veil nebula
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A four panel mosaic of the central Veil nebula, a color version can be seen HERE
The whole Veil nebula supernova remnant
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This older wide field photos shows the whole nebula.
The whole Veil nebula supernova remnant
Please, click for a large image
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
A quick one, Sharpless 140 in Cepheus
I have worked with an imaging project and the target is kind of dim. Many nights are needed for final photo. Every night I need to wait couple of hours to have this dim target in good position.
This new image is shot during couple of mandatory waiting periods. Nothing spectacular but I kind of like the result.
This new image is shot during couple of mandatory waiting periods. Nothing spectacular but I kind of like the result.
Sharpless 140, (Sh2-140)
Please, click for a large image
H-alpha emission alone
Please, click for a large image
Sh2-140 is an HII emission nebula on the southwest edge of the Lynds 1204 darn nebula. It is also on the edge the Cephus Ring, a ring of molecular gas and dust. Invisible in this image, there are about fifty young stars deeply embedded in the dark gas in the lower-left corner of the image.
Source, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, NOAO
Orientation in Cepheus
Please, click for a large image (2900 x 1700 pixels)
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
Astrodon filter, 3 nm O-III
Exposure times
H-alpha, 6 x 1200 s binned 2x2
O-III, 2 x 1200 s binned 4x4 =
Thursday, January 19, 2017
B&W universe, part I
As I'm using a cooled Gray scale astronomical CCD camera, I have a Black and White images from all of my photos. (For a color image, colors are made by shooting each color channel trough a filter, in my case mostly a narrow band filters.)
I will publish few posts out of my B&W images. Sometimes I like them better as a color ones.
North America Nebula, a detail
Please, click for a large image
A two frame mosaic
Please, click for a large image
Three frames stitched together
Please, click for a large image
For technical details and a color versions, please, use a link under the images above.
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