Monday, November 24, 2025
Soap Bubble Nebula, Ju 1
This beautiful and symmetric planetary nebula drifts in the constellation Cygnus at a distance of about 4,000 light-years from us.
Ju 1 (PN G075.5+01.7) was discovered in 2007 by amateur astronomer Dave Jurasevich.
With an angular diameter of about 260 arcseconds, the nebula is extremely faint, and its position against a backdrop of diffuse emission made it particularly difficult to detect.
My image of this planetary nebula has a total exposure time of 35 hours — 30 hours in O III and 5 hours in H-alpha — captured over several nights between 20 October and 17 November 2025.
Soap Bubble Nebula
Click for a large image, 1600x1900 pixels
The emission from H-alpha is 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.
Soap Bubble up close and personal
Click for a large image, 1700x1700 pixels
Soap Bubble in O-III emission only
Click for a large image, 1600x1900 pixels
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 and 3nm O-III
Total exposure time 30h
H-alpha, 15 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 5 h
O-III, 90 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 30 h
O-III, 90 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 30 h
Calibrated 1200s Raw-images of H-alpha and O-III
Exposures are calibrated with bias corrected flat frames and unliterary stretched to be visible
Single H-alpha Frame of 20 min exposure.
Single O-III Frame of 20 min exposure
Thursday, November 20, 2025
New book with Sir Brian May is out!
ISLANDS IN INFINITY, GALAXIES 3D
Buy a copy (UK store)
https://shop.londonstereo.com/islands-in-infinity-galaxies-3-d.html
You will be able to purchase the book directly from me as soon as the copies arrive here — in about two weeks or so. I’ll announce the opening of my online book shop both on social media and here.
From left to right: Prof. Ward-Thompson, Sir Brian May and yours truly
Our new book was published at the Museum of Brands in London on Thursday, 13 November 2025.
What a hectic and wonderful experience with the whole book team and a large, enthusiastic audience.
This is the first book in the world that lets readers see the real shapes of galaxies and galaxy groups in true 3D — a completely new way to understand cosmic structures.
VIDEO
Sir Brian May talks about how our collaboration began
Please, click the image to see the video
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Video was taken at 2020, when out first book, Cosmic Clouds 3D was published
Photos and videos from the publication event in London, 13 November 2025
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Location: Museum of Brands in London (Photo, J-P Peltoniemi)
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Sir Brian May and J-P at front of media (Photo, J-P Peltoniemi)
A photoshoot just before opening of the event
J-P and Sir Brian May
You can’t experience the photos in true 3D in this video the way the audience did during the live presentation.
Sorry about the image and audio quality — the lighting improves towards the end, during the audience questions.
Sorry about the image and audio quality — the lighting improves towards the end, during the audience questions.
ISLANDS IN INFINITY: GALAXIES 3-D
by Brian May, Professor Derek Ward-Thompson, J-P Metsävainio,
published by The London Stereoscopic Company, 13 November 2025 https://shop.londonstereo.com
Islands in Infinity is the first book to explore galaxies in stereoscopic 3-D. Created by Brian May (PhD in Astronomy), Professor Derek Ward-Thompson (galaxy expert), and astro-photography master J-P Metsävainio, it offers a groundbreaking visual journey through the cosmos, accompanied by compelling narrative.
Featuring more than 200 colour images from the world’s leading land- and space-based telescopes, along with over 80 original artworks, Islands in Infinity delivers a breathtaking 3-D introduction to the formation, nature, evolution, and classification of some of the 200 billion galaxies that fill the observable Universe. The use of stereoscopic technology allows us to see deeper into galaxies and gain insights never before possible.
Readers are taken on an extraordinary voyage through the weird and wonderful shapes of colliding and merging galaxies, witnessing their chaotic transformations. Moving toward the edge of the visible Universe, the book explores how galaxies gather in clusters and superclusters, looking outward—and back in time—toward the dawn of the cosmos and the Big Bang itself.
Each copy comes complete with a Lite OWL Stereoscopic Viewer, designed by Brian May which will bring the images to life in the magic of 3-D.
Sir Brian May says - For the very first time, readers will be able to enjoy stereoscopic renderings of galaxies previously only seen as flat ‘mono’ images. And this, coupled with a text from one of the world’s experts on the evolution of galaxies, will give a uniquely new insight into the Universe as it is now perceived. Moreover, it’s an account understandable and enjoyable by anyone interested in the biggest subject in the Universe - not just astro experts. It will be a gripping read !!
Professor Ward-Thompson says - In this book you will, I hope, find everything you need to understand what galaxies are, how they originated, how they have evolved into many different types of galaxy, and how they interact and give birth to everything we experience on our tiny blue planet inside our Solar System, itself inside our very own Galaxy, the Milky Way.
J-P Metsävainio says - I undertook a major but deeply rewarding task: converting a vast number of galaxies into 3D stereo while ensuring that every detail remained as scientifically accurate as possible. It was truly thrilling to watch these complex structures come to life before my eyes as I saw them in three dimensions for the first time. Galaxy clusters revealed their true nature, with accurate relative distances, and delicate dust lanes appearing to float in front of the galactic discs. I felt as if I were holding the universe in my hands — and I hope readers will share that same eye-opening experience through the pages of this book.
Monday, November 3, 2025
Something new. astronomical 3d-sculpures
I have been an astrophotographer for about thirty years, and for almost as long, I have been converting my photographs into various three-dimensional formats. My 3D images and animations are always based on real astronomical data. The result is an approximation of reality — never a guesswork creation.
I haven’t often published my 3D studies in my blog or on social media, since they usually require a special viewing method, such as Red/Cyan glasses, special viewing methods or stereoscopic displays, to be properly experienced.
Now I have begun working on a new series of physical artworks, where I transform my photographs into tangible 3D forms. In these pieces, viewers can perceive cosmic structures at a glance — the relative distances between stars and galaxies are represented as accurately as possible. It’s like sculpting on a cosmic scale.
Here are a few examples of my first prototypes. I’m using new and intriguing materials to manipulate light — to both reveal and conceal. I am especially fascinated by the idea of large, room-sized cosmic landscapes where the viewer can literally walk into space.
Videos offer some sense of my work, but in real life, even my smallest sculptures contain a sense of infinity. That’s difficult to capture in video, yet it’s there — quietly unfolding before the eyes.
Messier 13, a Globular Cluster
Every star in this 3D-sculpture is from my original photo of M13
Messier 81 galaxy
Cat's Eye Nebula
Jones 1 Planetary Nebula
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
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.
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
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
An artwork for the Art Museum of Oulu
While waiting to get back to imaging, I completed an artwork commissioned by the Art Museum of Oulu.
This is part of the Art Cabinet project, and I was given complete freedom to fill the cabinet with my art.
The cabinet measures 120 × 110 × 65 cm and has two doors in the front and one on the top.
My idea was to evoke a sense of infinity when the doors are opened. To achieve this, I used the blackest paint in the world—Vantablack. I have photographed galaxies over the past 30 years, and I decided to use them to create a 3D representation of infinity.
Here are a couple of pictures, but the video will best show how successful I was.
The Video
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