Astro Anarchy

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

The Tulip nebula area in cygnus, Sh2-101, in natural colors

In my previous blog post this image can be seen in mapped colors, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-tulip-nebula-in-cygnus-sh2-101.html

Photo is taken with my temporary imaging system, at the moment I'm out of the actual telescope : (
Mor info about this tool set can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-frankenstein-monster-my-current.html

The tulip Nebula area

Please, click for a large image, it's worth it!¨

Image is in Natural color palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Hydrogen + Sulphur, G=Oxygen and B=Oxygen + 10% Hydrogen to compensate the missing H-beta emission

An experimental starless view

click for a large image

Info

I have shot the actual Tulip Nebula with a large 11" telescope, images and info about the Tulip nebula can be seen HERE. An other interesting detail, a blue crescent like shape at center left. It's a Wolf Rayet shell around a star WR 134. I have shot this also with a large telescope, more info and images can be found HERE

A closeup photo of the Wolf Rayet Shell around the star WR 134

This feature can be found from the new wide field photo at center left.

Nebula in light of an ionized hydrogen alone (H-alpha)
click for a large image

Nine twenty minute 5 nm H-alpha exposures are calibrated with bias corrected flats and stacked to this cumulative three hour exposure.

Technical details

Processing workflow

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

Tokina AT-x f2.8 camera lens

Mount

10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters

Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel

Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and an old spotting scope of Meade LX200

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

Total exposure time

H-alpha, 9 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 3 h
O-III, from my older photo of the area
S-II, from my older photo of the area
Older photo can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2011/12/cygnus-mosaic-18-panels-and-22-x-14.html

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

The Tulip nebula in cygnus, Sh2-101

This is my second light photo for the cloudy Autumn season 2020. The area next to well known Tulip Nebula is very beautiful and less imaged due to its large size and relatively low surface brightness. My current toolset is very suitable for this kind of objects, since its kind of heavily undersampled and that's good when I need to capture very dim and large objects.

The tulip Nebula area
Please, click for a large image, it's worth it!

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

A starless view
click for a large image

An experimental starless version shows the actual nebula complex better.

Info

A closeup photo of the Wolf Rayet Shell around the star WR 134

This feature can be found from the new wide field photo at center left.

Nebula in light of an ionized hydrogen alone (H-alpha)
click for a large image

Nine twenty minute 5 nm H-alpha exposures are calibrated with bias corrected flats and stacked to this cumulative three hour exposure.

Technical details

Processing workflow

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

Tokina AT-x f2.8 camera lens

Mount

10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters

Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel

Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and an old spotting scope of Meade LX200

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

Total exposure time

Sunday, September 27, 2020

First light for the Autumn season 2020

First light for the season is always a big thing for me personally. I have had really bad troubles to have a imaging telescope. Lots of promises but nothing happens so i'm out of real tools. I do have a kind of working imaging platform built around an old Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lens, here is some info about this toolset, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-frankenstein-monster-my-current.html

I have an imaging plan but for the first light I selected something more "easy" to test my system after a six months pause due to nightless nights up here near to polar circle. A supernova remnant Veil Nebula in constellation cygnus is a beautiful and large target with some really dim parts and background nebulae.

I have shot the Veil nebula many times during the years with a different optical configurations and it's always shows something new and different, what a fascinating target!

Veil Nebula
Please, click for a large image, it's worth it

Image is in natural colors combined from the narrowband channels. H-alpha = Red, O-III = Green and O-III + 20% H-alpha = Blue.

A closeup
click for a large image

A full resolution closeup, the camera lens draws beautifully when well collimated and focused.
lots of stars there, star colors are combined from narrowband channels H-alpha and O-III.

An experimental starless image
click for a large image

The starless version of Veil Nebula makes easier to see very faint details in nebulae otherwise buried under the dense starfield of the Milky Way.

Veil nebula in a light from an ionized hydrogen, H-alpha
click for a large image

INFO

Veil Nebula locates in a constellation Cygnus at distance of about 2400 ly. It's a cloud of ionized gas and dust, leftovers from an exploded star. The star went off some 5000-8000 years ago at distance of about 1470 light years. This, relatively faint target, is difficult to image due to the large angular diameter, about three degrees, and a dense star field. I have shot this target so many times over the years and i never get tired to it, ther is always something new to find in it, Here is a collection my photos from this fascinating target, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/search?q=Veil+nebula
Just click "Next Post" at end of the page to see more!

Technical details

Processing workflow

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

Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lens

Mount

10-micron 1000

Cameras, filters and guiding

Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel

Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and an old spotting scope of Meade LX200

Astrodon filters,

5nm H-alpha 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III

Total exposure time

H-alpha, 12 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 4 h

O-III, 6 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 2 h
S-II, 3 x 1200s, binned 1x1 = 1h

Friday, September 25, 2020

Cosmic Clouds 3D is published now!

Cosmic Clouds 3D
Where Stars Are Born

At September 23. we had a live broadcast with Brian May, David J Eicher and me.
It was hosted by Alison Boyle from the Science Museum of London, many thanks!

From top left, Science Museum Keeper of Science Collections Alison Boyle, Artist and astrophotographer J-P Metsavainio, Astronomy Magazine editor David J. Eicher and the legendary Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May.

You can see a recording from the live broadcast from here,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6HMMYNKPag&feature=youtu.be

You can buy the book from the London Stereoscopic company,
https://shop.londonstereo.com/cosmic-clouds-3-d.html