Nebulaes
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IC 410 - Tadpoles Nebula
This close up shows off the otherwise faint emission nebula IC 410. It also features two remarkable inhabitants of the cosmic pond of gas and dust below and left of center, the tadpoles of IC 410. Partly obscured by foreground dust, the nebula itself surrounds NGC 1893, a young galactic cluster of stars. Formed in the interstellar cloud a mere 4 million years ago, the intensely hot, bright cluster stars energize the glowing gas. Composed of denser cooler gas and dust, the tadpoles are around 10 light-years long and are likely sites of ongoing star formation. Sculpted by winds and radiation from the cluster stars, their heads are outlined by bright ridges of ionized gas while their tails trail away from the cluster's central region. IC 410 lies some 10,000 light-years away, toward the nebula-rich constellation of Auriga. Telescope: Meade Series 6000 APO 115 f/5.6 Camera: QHY-168C Filter: Optolong L-enHance Date: March 2020 Exposure: 48 x 240" = 3.2 hrs |
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IC 417 - Spider Nebula
Bright clusters and nebulae abound in the ancient northern constellation of Auriga. The region includes the open star cluster M38, emission nebula IC 410 with Tadpoles, Auriga's own Flaming Star Nebula IC 405, and IC 417. An imaginative eye toward the expansive IC 417 suggests a cosmic spider. About 10,000 light-years distant, represents young, open star clusters formed in interstellar clouds and still embedded in glowing hydrogen gas. Telescope: Meade Series 6000 APO 115 f/5.6 Camera: QHY-168C Filter: Optolong L-enHance Date: March 2020 Exposure: 68 x 240" = 4.5 hrs |
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IC 405 - Star Flaming Nebula
IC 405 (also known as the Flaming Star Nebula, SH 2-229, or Caldwell 31) is an emission and reflection nebula in the constellation Auriga, surrounding the bluish star AE Aurigae, it shines at magnitude +6.0. It surrounds the irregular variable this star and is located near the emission nebula IC410, the open clusters M38 and M36, and the K-class star Iota Aurigae. The nebula measures approximately 37.0' x 19.0', and lies about 1,500 light-years away from Earth. It is believed that the proper motion of the central star can be traced back to the Orion's Belt area. The nebula is about 5 light-years across. Telescope: Meade Series 6000 APO 115 f/5.6 Camera: QHY-168C Filter: Optolong L-enHance Date: March 2020 Exposure: 41 x 240" = 2.7 hrs |
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NGC 1499 - California Nebula
The California Nebula is an emission nebula located in the constellation Perseus. It is so named because it appears to resemble the outline of the US State of California on long exposure photographs. It is almost 2.5° long on the sky and, because of its very low surface brightness, it is extremely difficult to observe visually. It can be observed with a Hβ filter (isolates the Hβ line at 486 nm) in a rich-field telescope under dark skies. It lies at a distance of about 1,000 light years from Earth. Its fluorescence is due to excitation of the Hβ line in the nebula by the nearby prodigiously energetic O7 star (also known as Menkib, seen at center below it in the inset at right). Telescope: Meade Series 6000 APO 115 f/5.6 Camera: QHY-168C Filter: Optolong L-enHance Date: February 2020 Exposure: 2 x 30 x 240" = 4.0 hrs |
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IC 1805 - Heart Nebula
The Heart Nebula, IC 1805, Sharpless 2-190, lies some 7500 light years away from Earth and is located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is an emission nebula showing glowing ionized hydrogen gas and darker dust lanes. The benefits of the Optolong L-enHance filter can be seen as Ha region are very prominent. The brightest part of the nebula (a knot at its western edge) is separately classified as NGC 896, because it was the first part of the nebula to be discovered. The nebula's intense red output and its morphology are driven by the radiation emanating from a small group of stars near the nebula's center. This open cluster of stars, known as Melotte 15, contains a few bright stars nearly 50 times the mass of our Sun, and many more dim stars that are only a fraction of our Sun's mass. Telescope: Meade Series 6000 APO 115 f/5.6 Camera: QHY-168C Filter: Optolong L-enHance Date: January 2020 Exposure: 94 x 240" = 6.3 hrs |
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IC 1871 -Soul Nebula
Westerhout 5 (Sharpless 2-199, LBN 667, Soul Nebula) is an emission nebula located in Cassiopeia. Several small open clusters are embedded in the nebula: CR 34, 632, and 634 and IC 1848. The object is more commonly called by the cluster designation IC 1848. Small emission nebula IC 1871 is present just left of the top of the head, and small emission nebulae 670 and 669 are just below the lower back area. This complex is the eastern neighbor of IC 1805 (Heart Nebula) and the two are often mentioned together as the "Heart and Soul". Telescope: Meade Series 6000 APO 115 f/5.6 Camera: QHY-168C Filter: Optolong L-enHance Date: January 2020 Exposure: 62 x 240" = 4.1 hrs |
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NGC 281 - Pacman Nebula
This is my first image taken from Maisons-Laffitte, and now also the first taken with my new Meade Series 6000 APO 115mm. NGC 281, IC 11 or Sh2-184 is a bright emission nebula and part of an H II region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia and is part of the Milky Way's Perseus Spiral Arm. Telescope: Meade Series 6000 APO 115 f/5.6 Camera: QHY-168C Filter: Optolong L-Pro Date: December 2019 Exposure: 62 x 240" = 4.1 hrs |
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NGC 7000 + IC 5070 - North America &
Pelican Nebulas The North America Nebula (NGC 7000 or Caldwell 20) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, close to Deneb (the tail of the swan and its brightest star). The remarkable shape of the nebula resembles that of the continent of North America, complete with a prominent Gulf of Mexico. It is sometimes incorrectly[citation needed] called the "North American Nebula". The Pelican Nebula (also known as IC 5070 and IC 5067) is an H II region associated with the North America Nebula in the constellation Cygnus. The gaseous contortions of this emission nebula bear a resemblance to a pelican, giving rise to its name. The Pelican Nebula is located nearby first magnitude star Deneb, and is divided from its more prominent neighbour, the North America Nebula, by a molecular cloud filled with dark dust. So, taking advantage of these two beauties in the sky, I made a two panel mosaic !!! Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 Camera: QHY168C Filter: Optolong L-Pro Date: September 2019 Exposure: 88 + 76 x 240"= 11.0 hrs |
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NGC 7380 - Wizard Nebula
NGC 7380 (also known as the Wizard Nebula) is an open cluster discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1787. This reasonably large nebula is located in Cepheus. Located 7200 light years away, the Wizard nebula, surrounds developing open star cluster NGC 7380. Visually, the interplay of stars, gas, and dust has created a shape that appears to some like a fictional medieval sorcerer. The active star forming region spans about 100 light years, making it appear larger than the angular extent of the Moon. The Wizard Nebula can be located with a small telescope toward the constellation of the King of Aethiopia (Cepheus). Although the nebula may last only a few million years, some of the stars being formed may outlive our Sun. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 Camera: QHY168C Filter: Optolong L-Pro Date: September 2019 Exposure: 55 x 240" = 3.7 hrs |
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NGC 6888 - Crescent Nebula
The Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888, Caldwell 27, Sharpless 105) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away from Earth. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1792. It is formed by the fast stellar wind from the Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 (HD 192163) colliding with and energizing the slower moving wind ejected by the star when it became a red giant around 250,000 to 400,000 years ago. The result of the collision is a shell and two shock waves, one moving outward and one moving inward. The inward moving shock wave heats the stellar wind to X-ray-emitting temperatures. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 Camera: QHY168C Filter: Optolong L-Pro Date: September 2019 Exposure: 89 x 240" = 6.0 hrs |
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Messier 45 - The Pleiades
This image is my first created from two different sets of data in collaboration. The first one was collected in Gingin, Australia with my William Optics GTF-81 and QHY9 on November 2017. The second is courtesy from my friend Terry Hancock and was collected in Grand Mesa, USA with his Takahashi FSQ130 and QHY367C. Thanks Terry !!! Telescope: Takahashi FSQ130 + WO GTF-81 Camera: QHY367C + QHY9 Date: November 2017 Exposure: ~4.0 + 4.0 hrs |
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IFN - Interflux Nebula
My friends from CAV (Chiefland Astronomical Village) in Florida, USA invited me to spend the April's New Moon sharing time at their facilities. Bill Williams and his family, not only invite Cynthia and I to stay in their astroranch and also to use theirs observatory. For some years I was wondering if I could image the IFN, which is a very, very faint nebulosity. From the Mandel-Wilson Catalogue, Steve Mandel described it thus: "Integrated Flux Nebulae is the term I've coined to describe high galactic latitude nebulae that are illuminated not by a single star (as most nebula in the plane of the Galaxy are) but by the energy from the integrated flux of all the stars in the Milky Way. These nebulae clouds, an important component of the Interstellar Medium, are composed of dust particles, hydrogen and carbon monoxide and other elements." I'm extremely happy with the result, we're able to show the faint IFN around Messier 81 and 82 with only five hours exposure time !!! Thanks Bill !!!! Telescope: Vixen 100mm f/3.8 Astrograph Camera: QHY168C Date: April 2019 Exposure: 30x10' = 5.0 hrs |
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NGC 6992 - Western Veil Nebula
The Veil Nebula is a cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus. It constitutes the visible portions of the Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant, many portions of which have acquired their own individual names and catalogue identifiers. The source supernova was a star 20 times more massive than the Sun, which exploded around 8,000 years ago. The analysis of the emissions from the nebula indicate the presence of oxygen, sulfur, and hydrogen. The Cygnus Loop is also a strong emitter of radio waves and x-rays. I took the license of coloring the Ha data in both yellow and red. Which one you like best? Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8.0 Camera: QHY9 Filters: Optolong Ha, SII, OIII Date: October 2018 Exposure: 28x15' = 7.0 hrs |
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Cometary Globule 4 - God's Hand
Last year the great astronomer and friend Richard Tonello gave me a challenge: "Go out there and get an image of the Cometary Globule 4 (CG4) referred to as God's Hand !!!" So on 21/03/18 while still in Perth, I pointed my gear to it. Richard Tonello this is for you Mate !!! CG 4, commonly referred to as God's Hand, is a star-forming region located in the Puppis constellation, about 1,300 light-years from Earth. It is one of several objects referred to as "cometary globules", because its shape is similar to that of a comet. It has a dense head formed of gas and dust, which is around 1.5 ly in diameter, and an elongated faint tail around 8 ly in length. CG 4, and the nearby cometary globules, generally point away from the Vela Supernova Remnant, located at the center of the Gum Nebula. The galaxy at 12 o'clock is PGC 21338 shinning at 14.55 mag. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8.0 Camera: QHY9 Filters: Optolong LRGB Date: March 2018 Exposure: 23x15' = 5.7 hrs |
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NGC 6997
NGC 6997 is an open cluster in the center of the well known emission nebula NGC 7000 referred to as North America Nebula in the constellation of Cygnus. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY9 Filters: Optolong Ha, SII, OIII Date: November 2018 Exposure: 23x15' = 5.7 hrs |
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NGC 281 - Pacman Nebula
This is my first image taken from Maisons-Laffitte, a very light polluted Paris suburb. DarkSky measures the sky brightness at 18.7 smq, my app says 16.8 sqm, I guess that the dozens of street lights surrounding my backyard are influencing the measurement. Anyway, I think that I'll only be able to get narrowband images from here... NGC 281, IC 11 or Sh2-184 is a bright emission nebula and part of an H II region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia and is part of the Milky Way's Perseus Spiral Arm. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY9 Filters: Optolong Ha, SII, OIII Date: September 2018 Exposure: 34x15' = 8.5 hrs |
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Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex
This is my last image taken from Perth before leaving the wonderful Australia. The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a dark nebula of gas and dust that is located 1° south of the star ρ Ophiuchi of the constellation Ophiuchus. At an estimated distance of 131 ± 3 parsecs, this cloud is one of the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System. Antares, alpha Scorpii, is laying at bottom right of the image that also includes NCG 6121 and NCG 6144 globular clusters. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY168C Filters: Optolong L-Pro Date: April 2018 Exposure: 4 panels 30x5' = 10 hrs |
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NGC 3272 - Eta Carina Nebula (Narrowband)
This is my first serious attempt to image in narrowband. The beautiful Eta Carina Nebula was a great model for it. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY9 Filters: Baaden Ha, OIII, SII Date: April 2018 Exposure: Ha 9x15', OIII 6x15', SII 6x15' = 5.25 hrs |
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NGC 3293 to 3272 - Eta Carina Nebula (Wide field)
The Carina Nebula is a large, complex area of bright and dark nebulosity in the constellation Carina, and is located in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm. The nebula lies at an estimated distance between 6,500 and 10,000 light-years (2,000 and 3,100 pc) from Earth. This is a 4 panel mosaic covering ~3º by ~4º of this fantastic region of the Milky Way. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY168C Filters: Optolong L-Pro Date: April 2018 Exposure: 4 panels 60x5' = 20.0 hrs |
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NGC 2467
NGC 2467 is a star-forming region, popularly known as the "Skull and Crossbones nebula," whose appearance has occasionally also been likened to that of a colorful mandrill. It includes areas where large clouds of hydrogen gas incubate new stars. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY168C Filters: Optolong L-Pro Date: March 2018 Exposure: 52x5' = 4.3 hrs |
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NGC 2070 - Tarantula Nebula
The fantastic HII region in the Large Magellan Cloud, NGC 2070 this time revisited with my new set of "Optolong" LRGB filters . Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: QHY9 Filters: Optolong LRGB filters + Ha Date: March 2018 Exposure: L 4x10' + RGB 6x10' + Ha 6x15'= 5.1 hrs |
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IC 434 - Horse Head Nebula
The Horsehead Nebula (also known as Barnard 33) is a dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just to the south of the star Alnitak, which is farthest east on Orion's Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. This is my first attempt to image in Ha. Also is the first light of my new 'Optolong' RGB filter mounted in my QHY9. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY9 Ha + RGB Optolong filters Date: December 2017 Exposure: Ha 12x10' + RGB 4x10' = 4.0 hrs |
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NGC 1909 - Witch Head Nebula
NGC 1909 or IC 2118 (also known as Witch Head Nebula due to its shape) is an extremely faint reflection nebula believed to be an ancient supernova remnant or gas cloud illuminated by nearby supergiant star Rigel in Orion. It lies in the Eridanus constellation, about 900 light-years from Earth. The nature of the dust particles, reflecting blue light better than red, is a factor in giving the Witch Head its blue color. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY9 LRGB filters Date: December 2017 Exposure: L 11x10' + RGB 4x10' = 3.8 hrs |
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NGC 2264 - Cone Nebula
NGC 2264 is the designation number of the New General Catalogue that identifies two astronomical objects as a single object:
Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: QHY9 LRGB+Ha filters Date: December 2017 Exposure: L 12x5' + RGB 4x10' + Ha 12x10' = 5.0 hrs |
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NGC 7009 - Saturn Nebula
The Saturn Nebula or NGC 7009 is a planetary nebula in the constellation Aquarius. The nebula was originally a low-mass star that ejected its layers into space, forming the nebula. The central star is now a bright white dwarf star of apparent magnitude 11.5. The Saturn Nebula gets its name from its superficial resemblance to the planet Saturn with its rings nearly edge-on to the observer. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 Camera: SBIB STF-8300C Date: October 2017 Exposure: RGB: 23x10' = 3.8 hrs |
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ESO 378-1
This extraordinary bubble, glowing like the ghost of a star in the haunting darkness of space, may appear supernatural and mysterious, but it is a familiar astronomical object: a planetary nebula, the remnants of a dying star. Nicknamed the Southern Owl Nebula, this shimmering orb is a planetary nebula with a diameter of almost four light-years. Its informal name relates to its visual cousin in the northern hemisphere, the Owl Nebula. ESO 378-1, which is also catalogued as PN K 1-22 and PN G283.6+25.3, is located in the constellation of Hydra (The Female Water Snake). This is my first image adding narrowband date to LRGB channels. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: QHY9 - LRGB + Ha, OIII filters Date: May 2017 Exposure: RGB: 62x5' + HaOIII 36x5'= 8.2 hrs |
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IC 4406
IC 4406 is a planetary nebula near the western border of the constellation Lupus, the Wolf. It has dust clouds and has the shape of a torus. Despite this, it looks somewhat rectangular because it is seen from its side as viewed from Earth, almost in the plane of its equator. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: QHY9 - LRGB filters Date: April 2017 Exposure: RGB: 36x5' = 3.0 hrs |
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NGC 6334 - Cat's Paw Nebula
NGC 6334 (also known as the Cat's Paw Nebula, Bear Claw Nebula and Gum 64) is an emission nebula and star-forming region located in the constellation Scorpius. It was discovered by astronomer John Herschel in 1837, who observed it from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Image taken at GDC Observatory in Gingin, WA. Telescope: William Optics GTF-81 f/5.9 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: April 2017 Exposure: 12 x 10' = 2.0 hrs |
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NGC 2359 - Thor's Helmet - Revisited in LRGB
NGC 2359 is an emision nebula that lies 12,000 far from Earth in the constellation Canis Major. The central star is a Rayet-Wolf type, an extremely hot giant thought to be in the pre-supernova stages of evolution, interaction with a neaby large molecular cloud are thought to have contributed to its complex shape and curved bow-shock structure. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: QHY9 - LRGB filters Date: March 2017 Exposure: L: 16x5' + RGB: 18x5' = 2.8 hrs |
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Messier 42 - Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula situated in the Milky Way, being south of Orion's Belt in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. M42 is located at a distance of 1,344 ± 20 light years and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light years across. It has a mass of about 2000 times the mass of the Sun. Older texts frequently refer to the Orion Nebula as the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula. Telescope: Meade WO GT-81 3.2" f/5.9 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2017 Exposure: 18 x 1' + 22 x 5' = 2.1 hrs |
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NGC 3372 - Eta Carina Nebula
The Carina Nebula (catalogued as NGC 3372; also known as the Grand Nebula, Great Nebula in Carina, or Eta Carinae Nebula) is a large, complex area of bright and dark nebulosity in the constellation Carina, and is located in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm. The nebula lies at an estimated distance between 6,500 and 10,000 light-years (2,000 and 3,100 pc) from Earth. Telescope: Meade WO GT-81 3.2" f/5.9 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2017 Exposure: 43 x 5' = 3.5 hrs |
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NGC 2237 - Rosette Nebula
The Rosette Nebula (also known as Caldwell 49) is a large, spherical (circular in appearance), H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy. The open cluster NGC 2244 (Caldwell 50) is closely associated with the nebulosity, the stars of the cluster having been formed from the nebula's matter. Telescope: Meade WO GT-81 3.2" f/5.9 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2017 Exposure: 46 x 5' = 3.8 hrs |
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IC 434/NGC 2024 - Horsehead + Flame Nebulas
IC 434 is a bright emission nebula in the constellation Orion. It was discovered on February 1, 1786 by William Herschel. The Horsehead Nebula is a dark nebula silhouetted against it. The Flame Nebula, designated as NGC 2024 and Sh2-277, is an other emission nebula located at about 900 to 1,500 light-years away. This image constitutes the First Light of the William Optics GT-81 !!! Telescope: Meade WO GT-81 3.2" f/5.9 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2017 Exposure: 19 x 5' = 1.6 hrs |
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NGC 460 - NGC 456 - NGC 465
NGC 460 is a bright nebula inside the Small Magellan Cloud in the constellation Tucana. It contains sevral HII regions with irregular structure. Most are active in star forming. Here the open cluster is surrounded by a complex array of nebulosity comprising of hydrogen (red) and oxygen (blue/teal). The bright oxygen shell to the right of the cluster is NGC 456 and the open cluster to the left is NGC 465. NGC 460 was discovered by John Herschel in 1834. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: Decembre 2016 Exposure: 69 x 5' = 5.7 hrs |
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NGC 267
NGC 267 is an open cluster with nebulosity in the Small Magellan Cloud in the constellation Tucana. Discovered by John Herschel in 1834 lays at 199,000 light-years from Earth. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: Octobre 2016 Exposure: 60 x 5' = 5.0 hrs |
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IC 5148
Nicknamed the Spare-tyre nebula, IC 5148 is a planetary nebula located around 1 degree west of Lambda Gruis in the constellation of Grus (The Crane). Around 3000 light-years distant, it is expanding at a rate of 50 kilometres a second, one of the fastest of all planetary nebulae. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: Octobre 2016 Exposure: 60 x 5' = 5.0 hrs |
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IC 2872
IC 2872 or RCW 60 is an emission nebula in the southern constellation Centaurus. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: May 2016 Exposure: 34 x 10' = 5.7 hrs |
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IC 1274
This dusty region in Sagittarius is probably associated with the brighter and better-known Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae which are nearby in the sky and part of the same molecular cloud. IC 1274 is the bright, circular nebula at the top center of the image. Just below is the fainter circular nebula IC 1275. Between the two is situated a wide dark nebula Barnard 91. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: September 2016 Exposure: 47 x 5' = 3.9 hrs |
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NGC 2899
NGC 2899 is a planetary nebula in the constellation Vela at a distance of nearly 6500 light years which lies in a moderate rich star zone. It was discovered by John Herschel in 1835. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: May 2016 Exposure: 33 x 10' = 5.5 hrs |
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NGC 2626
NGC 2626 is a reflection nebula in the constellation Vela. As a reflection nebula, it receives most, but not all, of its light from an embedded B1 V star. NGC 2626 is contained within the large H ii region RCW 27. A major contributor to the ionization of RCW 27 is the O star HD 73882, 40 west of NGC 2626. NGC 2626 is joined to a dark dust cloud cataloged as DC 259.94−0.0. Several Hα emission‐line stars were already known in the surroundings of NGC 2626, some are faint and are likely T Tauri stars Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: April 2016 Exposure: 29 x 10' = 4.8 hrs |
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NGC 1909 - Witch Head Nebula
NGC 1909 or IC 2118 (also known as Witch Head Nebula due to its shape), is an extremely faint reflection nebula believed to be an ancient supernova remnant or gas cloud illuminated by nearby supergiant star Rigel in Orion. It lies in the Eridanus constellation, about 900 light-years from Earth. The nature of the dust particles, reflecting blue light better than red, is a factor in giving the Witch Head its blue color). In this image, the nose of the witch. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: March 2016 Exposure: 36 x 10' = 6.0 hrs |
NGC 3372 - Eta Carinae
THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN "AMATEUR ASTRONOMY" MAGAZINE SUMMER 2015 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Carina Nebula is a large bright nebula that has within its boundaries several related open clusters of stars. The red star in the center of the image is currently the most luminous star in our Milky Way galaxy, possibly as much as 120 to 150 times the mass of the Sun, and emitting the light of 4,000,000 Suns. The nebula lies between 6,500 and 10,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Carina. This nebula is one of the largest diffuse nebulae in our skies. Although is some four times as large and even brighter than the famous Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is much less well known, due to its location in the southern sky.
This broad panorama of the Carina Nebula was composed as a 6 frames mosaic - my first mosaic project - for a combined exposure of 18 hours. I think, I had expent almost the same time processing it...
Many features, scattered across a spectacular celestial landscape of gas, dust and young stars have emerged.
Eta Carina is nearing the end of its life, and is surrounded by a huge nebula, cast off by numerous eruptions of stars over the last several centuries; it is expected to explode into supernova at any time. Would be this one of the last images of Eta Carina before the explosion?
Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8
Camera: SBIG STF-8300C
Date: April 2015
Exposure: 6 frames mosaic 108 x 10' = 18 hrs
THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN "AMATEUR ASTRONOMY" MAGAZINE SUMMER 2015 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Carina Nebula is a large bright nebula that has within its boundaries several related open clusters of stars. The red star in the center of the image is currently the most luminous star in our Milky Way galaxy, possibly as much as 120 to 150 times the mass of the Sun, and emitting the light of 4,000,000 Suns. The nebula lies between 6,500 and 10,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Carina. This nebula is one of the largest diffuse nebulae in our skies. Although is some four times as large and even brighter than the famous Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is much less well known, due to its location in the southern sky.
This broad panorama of the Carina Nebula was composed as a 6 frames mosaic - my first mosaic project - for a combined exposure of 18 hours. I think, I had expent almost the same time processing it...
Many features, scattered across a spectacular celestial landscape of gas, dust and young stars have emerged.
Eta Carina is nearing the end of its life, and is surrounded by a huge nebula, cast off by numerous eruptions of stars over the last several centuries; it is expected to explode into supernova at any time. Would be this one of the last images of Eta Carina before the explosion?
Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8
Camera: SBIG STF-8300C
Date: April 2015
Exposure: 6 frames mosaic 108 x 10' = 18 hrs
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Messier 20 - Trifid Nebula
THIS IMAGE IS BEING USED BY "MEADE" TO ADVERTISE THE LX850 TELESCOPE IN Sky & Telescope Magazine !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Trifid Nebula (M20 or NGC 6514) is an HII region located in Sagittarius, it was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. Its name means "divided into three lobes". The object is an unusual combination of an open cluster of stars, an emision nebula (red portion), a reflection nebula (blue portion) and a dark nebula (the 'gaps' in the red portion). At magnitud 6.3, lies 5,200 light-years from Earth. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: July 2015 Exposure: 24 x 10' = 4.0 hrs |
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Barnard 283
This is a dark nebula in the constellation Scorpius, very close to the central dark lane of the Milky Way. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: May 2016 Exposure: 26 x 10' = 4.3 hrs |
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RCW 58
This beautiful and faint nebula in the southern constellation of Carina, surrounds and originates from a special type of star, a Wolf-Rayet star, WR40, the bright blue star in the centre of the image. WR stars are huge, perhaps as large as 20 solar masses. They lose mass as they evolve at an incredible rate, producing very strong solar winds. They are very hot with temperatures ranging from 30,000 to 200,000 Kelvin. Most of these WR stars are thought to progress to a supernova explosion. The nebula is referred to as a Ring nebula, due to its open appearance. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: March 2016 Exposure: 34 x 10' = 5.7 hrs |
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IC 2631
NGC 2440 is a reflexion nebula in the southern constellation Chamaeleon. The nebula is part of a vast complex of gas and dust full of young stars, located at around 500 light-years from us. The central star HD97300 is one of the more young and powerful of the region. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: March 2016 Exposure: 27 x 10' = 4.5 hrs |
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NGC 2440
NGC 2440 is a planetary nebula, one of many in our galaxy. Its central star, HD62166, is possibly the hottest known white dwarf. The nebula is situated in the Puppis constellation. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 4, 1790. He described it as "a beautiful planetary nebula of a considerable degree of brightness, not very well defined." The nebula is located about 1.23 kiloparsecs (3.79×1019 m) or about 4,000 light years from the Sun. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: April 2016 Exposure: 18 x 10' = 3.0 hrs |
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IC 2944 - Running Chicken Nebula
IC 2944, also known as the Running Chicken Nebula or the Lambda Centauri Nebula, is an open cluster with an associated emission nebula found in the constellation Centaurus, near the star Lambda Centauri. It features Bok globules (small black patches at the centre of the image), which are frequently a site of active star formation. However, no evidence for star formation has been found in any of the globules in IC 2944. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: March 2016 Exposure: 32 x 10' = 5.3 hrs |
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IC 2220 - Toby Jug Nebula
IC 2220, also known as the Toby Jug or Buttlerfly Nebula, is a reflection nebula located 1200 light years away in the southern constellation of Carina. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: March 2016 Exposure: 47 x 10' = 7.8 hrs |
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NGC 3324 - Gabriela Mistral Nebula
NGC 3324 is a star cluster, together with the associated emission and reflection nebulosity, at the northwest corner of the Eta Carina Nebula in the constellation Carina; is also called the Gabriela Mistral nebula, because of the striking resemblance with Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet. Do you think that the nebula resembles her? Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2016 Exposure: 49 x 10' = 8.2 hrs |
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NGC 5367
NGC 5367 is a reflection nebula associated with the cometary globule CG12 in the constellation Centaurus. CG12 "starts" at the image and extends to the upper right for more than 1°. CG12 was dicovered in 1976 on an ESO/SRC Sky Survey plate taken with the UK Schmidt telescope. In contrast to most other CGs, CG12 exists at a place in the Milky Way far away from the galactic disk - it has a galactic latitude of more than 21°. The two bluish stars responsible for the light reflected by the nebula are the double star H4636 (spectral type B4 and B7). Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2016 Exposure: 42 x 10' = 7 hrs |
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Puppis A
Puppis A is a supernova remnant about 100 light-years in diameter and roughly 6,500–7,000 light-years distant. Its apparent angular diameter is about 1 degree. The light of the supernova explosion reached Earth approximately 3,700 years ago. Although it overlaps the Vela supernova remnant, it is four times more distant. This target was not catalogued in TheSkyX, so I'd to manually enter the coordinates; then my 10' exposures shown only a star field, so I was not sure to had captured the faint nebulosity, ... but there it was. Hydrogen and nitrogen emissions can be seen in red, while oxygen filaments are seen in blue-green hues Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2016 Exposure: 60 x 10' = 10 hrs |
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NGC 3581
NGC 3581 belongs to the NGC 3576 complex, also known as "The Statue of Liberty Nebula" (NGC 3579, 3582, 3584 & 3586 are also part of it). It lays in the southern constellation Carina at around 6.000 light-years from Earth in the Sagittarius Arm of the Galaxy. It was discovered by John Herschel in 1834. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: December 2015 Exposure: 16 x 10' = 2.7 hrs |
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NGC 2035
NGC 2035 is another HII region in the Large Magallenic Cloud. The image shows clouds of gas and dust where hot new stars are being born and are sculpting their surroundings into odd shapes. But the image also shows the effects of stellar death, filaments created by a supernova explosion. At the top left of the image, two other interesting objects can also be seen: red-hued NGC 2014, and its blue neighbour NGC 2020. While they are very different, they were both sculpted by powerful stellar winds from extremely hot newborn stars that also radiate into the gas, causing it to glow brightly. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: December 2015 Exposure: 43 x 10' = 7.2 hrs |
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NGC 1935
NGC 1935 is an HII region in the Large Magallenic Cloud. This object is very close to NGC2070, the Tarantula nebula, that often gets more attention. It is located in the constellation Dorado at 170,000 light-years fromour system. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: December 2015 Exposure: 28 x 10' = 4.7 hrs |
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NGC 2070 - Tarantula Nebula
NGC 2070 also know as Taratula Nebula or 30 Dorado is an HII region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy to the Milky Way. The nebula is an extremely luminous non-stellar object, and contains in its centre a compact concentration of massive stars called R136. It is located in the constellation Dorado at 170,000 light-years from Earth. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: November 2015 Exposure: 30 x 10' = 5 hrs |
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NGC 602
NGC 602 is a young, bright open cluster of stars located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a satellite galaxy to the Milky Way. Radiation and shock waves from the stars have pushed away much of the lighter surrounding gas and dust that compose the nebula known as N90, and this in turn has triggered new star formation in the ridges of the nebula. It is located in the constellation Hydrus at 196,000 light-years from Earth. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: November 2015 Exposure: 20 x 10' = 3.3 hrs |
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NGC 1360 - Robin's Egg Nebula
NGC 1360 is a planetary nebula that lies at 1,145 light-years away in the constelation Fornax, it is also known as Robin's Egg. Discovered in1863 by the german Friedich Winnecke was identified as a planetary nebula due to its strong emissions in OIII (oxygen) band; that is why it's prominent on the blue color. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: December 2015 Exposure: 20 x 10' = 3.3 hrs |
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NGC 7293 - Helix Nebula
The Helix planetary nebula or NGC 7293 lies at 700 light-years away in the constelation Aquarius, it is also known as the "Eye of God". The nebula was formed after the expulsion of the outer layers from the central star that is in the last stages of its stellar evolution towards a white dwarf. The red color corresponds to hydrogen while the blue is coming from the oxygen. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: October 2015 Exposure: 32 x 10' = 5.3 hrs |
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NGC 6723 & More
The globular cluster NGC 6723 (upper right) lies 28,400 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Several objects can be found in the bottom half of the image: NGC 6726 (lower part of the bright nebula in the upper middle), NGC 6727 (upper part) and NGC 6729 (middle left) also known as Caldwell 68, is an emission/reflexion nebula, this is one of the closest star-forming regions of the galaxy at 420 light-years from Earth. In addition you can see the Herbig-Haro-Objects HH99 (the small dim red nebula above NGC 6729), HH100 (the "hook") and HH101 (the red nebula below the center). The dark boomerang-shape nebula (bottom left) is Bernes 157, it lies at 520 light-years. This image is a mosaic of 4 frames. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: September 2015 Exposure: 4 x 18 x 10' = 12.0 hrs |
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NGC 6164
NGC 6164 is an emission nebula located about 4,000 light years away in the constellation Norma. Although the nebula was believed initially to represent a planetary nebula, it is now understood to represent a shell-like ejected nebula, formed by the winds of its young central star. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: September 2015 Exposure: 28 x 10' = 4.6 hrs |
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NGC 6188 & Caldwell 82
NGC 6188 is an emission nebula located about 4,000 light years away in the constellation Ara. The bright and young open cluster NGC 6193 (left), is responsible for a region of reflection nebulosity within NGC 6188. NGC 6193 (Caldwell 82) and its emission counterpart NGC 6188 are seen in projection along the edge of a molecular cloud and immense expanding bubble of neutral hydrogen gas spanding some 300 light years. Ultraviolet radiation from the O-type giants of NGC 6193 is presently eroding the eastern edge of the parent molecular cloud and may be triggering and sustaining further star formation in other regions within it. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: August 2015 Exposure: 24 x 10' = 4.0 hrs |
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NGC 7023 - Iris Nebula
The Iris Nebula, is a bright reflexion nebula in the northern constellation Cepheus. NGC 7023 is actually the star cluster within the nebula, LBN 487, and the nebula is lit by a magnitude +7 star. It is located near the bright variable star Beta Cephei (Alphirk). It lies 1,300 light-years away and is six light-years across. This image was taken through a remotly operated telescope owned by iTelescope. The Iris Nebula has been in my list since a long time. Telescope: Takahashi 150 APO f/7.3 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: August 2015 Exposure: 18 x 10' = 3.0 hrs |
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Messier 17 - Omega Nebula
The Omega Nebula also known as Swan Nebula, is an HII region in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Philippe Cheseaux in 1745 and Chales Messier catalogued it in 1764. It is located in the rich starfields of the Sagittarius area of the Milky Way. It is considered one of the brightest and most massive star-forming regions of our galaxy. Its local geometry is similar to the Orion Nebula except that it is viewed edge-on rather than face-on. The open cluster NGC 6618 lies embedded in the nebulosity and causes the gases of the nebula to shine due to radiation from these hot young stars. At magnitud 6.0, lies 6,000 light-years from Earth. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: August 2015 Exposure: 18 x 10' = 3.0 hrs |
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Messier 16 - Eagle Nebula
The Eagle Nebula (M16 or NGC 6611) is a young open cluster of star in the constellation Serpens, it was discovered by Jean-Philippe Cheseaux in 1745. Its name derives from its shape that is thought to resemble an eagle. It contains several active star forming, gas and dust regions, including the famous "Pillars of Creation", photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope. At magnitud 6.0, lies 7,000 light-years from Earth. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: August 2015 Exposure: 23 x 10' = 3.8 hrs |
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Messier 8 - Lagoon Nebula
The Lagoon Nebula (M8 or NGC 6523) is a giant interstellar cloud in the constellation Sagittarius, it is clasified as an emission nebula and HII region. It is a star forming nebula that can be seen with the naked eye, open cluster NGC 6530 lies in the foreground. The object contains several Bok globules (dark collapsing clouds of protostar material). At magnitud 6.0, lies at 4,100 light-years from our Solar System. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: July 2015 Exposure: 18 x 10' = 3.0 hrs |
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NGC 5189 - Spiral Nebula
NGC 5189 is a beautiful planetary nebula in the constellation Musca. Seen through the telescope it seems to have an "S" shape, reminiscent of a barred spiral galaxy. NGC 5189 is symmetrical and lies 1,780 light-years from Earth. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: June 2015 Exposure: 27 x 10' = 4.5 hrs |
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Messier 78
M78 or NGC 2068 is a reflection in the constellation Orion, discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1780. This bright diffuse reflection nebula is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex and is about 1,600 light-years from Earth. I had been always fascinanted by this object, I had patiently waiting until 2016 summer to image it myself. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/5.7 (telecompressor Lepus 0.62X) Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: March 2016 Exposure: 35 x 10' = 5.8 hrs |
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NGC 3199
This nebula lies at about 12,000 light-years away, a glowing cosmic cloud in the southern constellation of Carina. NGC 3199 is about 75 light-years across, near the center of the ring is a Wolf-Rayet star, a massive, hot, short-lived star that generates an intense stellar wind. In fact, Wolf-Rayet stars are know to create nebulae. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: April 2015 Exposure: 36 x 10' = 6 hrs |
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NGC 2818 & Melotte 96
NGC 2818 is a beautiful planetary nebula, the gaseous shroud of a dying sun-like-star. It could well offer a glimpse of the future that awaits our own Sun after spending another 5 billion years or so steadily using up hydrogen at its core, and then finally helium, as fuel for nuclear fusion. The nebula seems to lies within an open cluster, Melotte 96 that is some 10,000 ligth-years distant toward the southern constellation Pyxis. But, truth is that only by chance NGC 2818 is found in the line of sight to the star cluster. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: April 2015 Exposure: 9 x 10' = 1.2 hrs |
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NGC 2736 - Herschel's Ray
The Pencil nebula is part of the Vela Supernova Remanent, located near the Vela pulsar in the constellation of same name. This faint object resided 815 light-years away from our solar system and it was discovered by John Herschel in 1835. This target was proposed to me by my friend Bruce Pipes that lives in USA and could not image it due to NGC 2736 south latitud. At the time he gave my this challenge, this type of objects was not even in my deepest dreams, but ... here it is !!! Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: March 2015 Exposure: 66 x 10' = 11 hrs |
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NGC 2070 - Tarantula Nebula
The Tarantula Nebula or 30 Doradus is an HII region in the Large Magellanic Cloud that lies 160,000 light-year away from Earth. It is an extremely luminous non-stelar object, its luminosity is so great that if it were as close to our planet as the Orion Nebula , Tarantula would cast shadows. It's also the most starbust region known in the Local Group of galaxies. The closest supernova observed since the invention of the telescope, Supernova 1987A ocurred in the outskirts of Tarantula Nebula. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: March 2015 Exposure: 57 x 3' = 2.8 hrs |
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NGC 2359 - Thor's Helmet
NGC 2359 is an emision nebula that lies 12,000 far from Earth in the constellation Canis Major. The central star is a Rayet-Wolf type, an extremely hot giant thought to be in the pre-supernova stages of evolution, interaction with a neaby large molecular cloud are thought to have contributed to its complex shape and curved bow-shock structure. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2015 Exposure: 72 x 3' = 3.6 hrs |
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NGC 3132 - Eight-Burst Nebula
This planetary nebula lies around 2,000 light-year away in the constellation Vela. In shape, size, form and brightness, NGC 3132 compares well with M57, and for that reason it is commonly called Southern Ring. Telescope: Meade LX850 12" f/8 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: February 2015 Exposure: 60 x 3' = 3 hrs |
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Messier 20 - Trifid Nebula
The Trifid Nebula or NGC 6514 is an HII region located in the constellation Sagittarius at 5,000 ligth-years away from Earth. This object is an unusual combination of open cluster of stars, an emisison nebula, a reflection nebula and a dark nebula. This image was taken through a remote telescope (T3) from iTelescope. Telescope: Takahashi TOA 150 f/7.3 Camera: SBIG STF-8300C Date: November 2014 Exposure: 6 x 10' = 1 hrs |