Narrowband Images: Hunter Wilson

van den Bergh 142 (IC 1396A and IC 1396B) in Cepheus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

SBIG ST-4000XCM
4x1800sec (2 Hours)
Darks/Flats/Bias Applied
Imager Temp -10C
APM/TMB 130/780
Field Flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter
Red Channel Only
Full Frame

Link to medium large JPEG

Imaged during a waning gibbous moon

Also known as van den Bergh 142, these two "sub"nebulae are part of, and argueably the most interesting feature of the huge IC1396 complex in Cepheus.

IC1396A is the "Elephant's Trunk" Nebula, and is the left part of the nebula with the "eye" in the end, and IC1396B is the right part of the nebula coming in from the right of the frame.

THe Elephant's Trunk Nebula winds through the emission nebula and young star cluster complex IC 1396, in the constellation Cepheus. The nebula is over 20 light-years long and nearly 3000 light-years distant.

The bright rim is the surface of the dense cloud of IC 1396A that is being illuminated and ionized by a very bright, massive star that is just to the west of IC 1396A. (In the Figure above, the massive star is just to the left of the edge of the image.) The entire IC 1396 region is ionized by the massive star, except for dense globules that can protect themselves from the star's harsh ultraviolet rays.

The Elephant Trunk nebula is now thought to be site of star formation, containing several very young (less than 100,000 yr) stars. Two older stars (but still young, a couple of million years) are present in a small, circular cavity in the head of the globule. Winds from these young stars may have emptied the cavity.
The combined action of the light from the massive star ionizing and compressing the rim of the cloud, and the wind from the young stars shifting gas from the center outward lead to very high compression in the Elephant Trunk nebula. This pressure has triggered the current generation of protostars.

July 13, 2009

van den Bergh 142 Closer View

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

SBIG ST-4000XCM
4x1800sec (2 Hours)
Darks/Flats/Bias Applied
Imager Temp -10C
APM/TMB 130/780
Field Flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter
Red Channel Only

Link to medium large JPEG

Imaged during a waning gibbous moon

July 13, 2009

DWB111 - Propeller Nebula in Cygnus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

SBIG ST-4000XCM
6x1800sec (3 Hours)
Darks/Flats/Bias Applied
Imager Temp -10C
APM/TMB 130/780
Field Flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter
Red Channel Only
Full Frame

Link to medium large JPEG

Imaged during a waning gibbous moon.

The Propeller Nebula seems to have been missed in many catalogs. While seeming relatively bright in widefield images, the fine detail is deceptively hard to bring out.

DWB111, or the "Propeller Nebula" is listed in the DWB catalog, a somewhat lesser-known document developed by H. R. Dickel, H. Wendker and J. H. Bieritz cataloging 193 distinct objects as part of their study of H-alpha emission nebula in the Cygnus X region of the sky. This nebula is also listed as Simeis 57 and MRSL 479.

July 13, 2009

Barnard's Loop in Orion

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
15x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 70mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Barnard's Loop (Sharpless 2-276) is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion. It is part of a giant molecular cloud which also contains the bright Horsehead and Orion nebulae. The stars within the Orion Nebula are believed to be responsible for ionizing the loop.

It is estimated to lie at a distance of approximately 1600 light years, giving it actual dimensions of about 300 light years across. It is thought to have originated in a supernova explosion about 2 million years ago. Several known runaway stars may have resulted from the same explosion - AE Aurigae, Mu Columbae and 53 Arietis are thought to have been part of a multiple star system in which one component exploded as a supernova about 2 million years ago.

Obvious components of this image also are M42/M43 and Running Man, the Horsehead, and Flame nebulae.

Less obvious is the elusive LDN 1622 or Boogeyman Nebula just outside of the Loop at lower left.

December 28, 2008

IC443 and NGC 2174/2175 in Gemini and Orion

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
20x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Taken during a near full waxing gibbous moon

IC443 (top) - sometimes called the "Jellyfish Nebula" - is a supernova remnant in Gemini that turned out to be extremely difficult to image in Ha with a DSLR - there just wasn't much signal. Part of the reason is perhaps that the cloud has large amounts of oxygen and other heavier elements from the supernova. The remnant is the claw shaped object and the trailing nebulosity towards the top left corner is from emission nebulae S249 and DG101.

The supernova explosion is thought to have occured about 30,000 years ago and it leaves a rapidly rotating neutron star which emits large amounts of X-rays. Distance 5000 light years.

NGC 2174/2175 is the lower bright object in the field, and is composed of an intense emission nebula (NGC 2174) surrounding a cluster of young stars (NGC 2175) at a distance of 6400 light years. NGC 2174 is sometimes called the "Monkeyhead Nebula" as it strongly resembles a monkey's head when viewed with it's south side up (inverse of the image here).

NGC 2174 is apparently a much more intense emitter of Ha light than IC443.

The small lump of nebulosity above NGC 2174/2175 is 15th magnitude S247.

October 11, 2008

NGC 1499 - California Nebula in Perseus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
18x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Taken during a near full waxing gibbous moon.

Astrophotogallery.org Large/Hard Object October, 2008 Runner-Up

NGC 1499, also known as the California Nebula for it's resemblence to the western state, is a pure and classic emission nebula. NGC 1499, like all emission nebulae glows as a result of hydrogen atoms recombining with long lost electrons, stripped away (ionized) by energetic starlight. In this case, the star most likely providing the energetic starlight is the bright, hot, Xi Persei seen here below the nebula (not looking so bright here because of most of it's blue light being filtered out by the Ha filter). The radiation from this star is not only causing the glow, but also pushing the gas away causing the scalloped appearance at the mid-portion of the nebula.

The California Nebula is 100 light years long and about 1000 light years distant (the same as the star Xi Persei).

(Thanks to APOD for the corny physics major-type joke)

October 11, 2008

North America and Pelican Nebulae Complex In Cygnus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
31x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Sky and Telescope Editor's Choice October 14, 2008

Taken during a waxing gibbous moon.

Over 5 hours of Hydrogen Alpha data on the huge NGC 7000/IC 5070 Nebula complex in Northern Cygnus.

This area is a vast collection of dust and gas in the Orion arm of the Milky way at a distance of about 2000 light years, spanning 100 light years. This group of nebulae, both bright and dark, contains no less than 30 seperate objects, as can be seen in the field of view of the Canon 200mm lens in Cartes du Ciel.

October 9, 2008

M16 "Eagle Nebula" in Serpens Cauda

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
7x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Only 70 minutes of data taken during poor seeing, a full moon and thin clouds, this full-frame image shows some of the extended nebulosity of IC 4703 surrounding the central region of M16, the "Eagle Nebula".

Messier 16 is a conspicuous region of active star formation, situated in Serpens Cauda. The starforming nebula, a giant cloud of interstellar gas and dust, has already created a considerable cluster of young stars. The cluster is also referred to as NGC 6611, the nebula as IC 4703.

September 18, 2008

M16 "Eagle Nebula" Closeup

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
7x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day September 23, 2008

Astronomy Magazine Weekly Newsletter September 26, 2008

This crop of the previous image is contrast enhanced (at the expense of oversaturation of some of the stars) and shows the central star-forming region of the nebular complex. It is here that the so-called "pillars of creation" are actively forming new, hot stars that stoke the furnaces of the gaseous nebula surronding them. The "fairy of the eagle nebula" can be seen in recline at the lower right of the bright central region.

The tips of the "pillars" and the "fairy" can be seen to glow even in this image through a 5" earthbound telescope. This represents evaporation of low density volatiles in the pillars due to intense bombardment by radiation from the superhot stars nearby. This leaves higher density E.G.G.'s which form stars.

September 18, 2008

NGC 7293 "Helix Nebula" in Aquarius

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
9x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

A full frame image for scale with other images - to show how large this "largest of the planetary nebulae" really is.

The Helix nebula (NGC 7293) in Hydrogen Alpha light taken the same night as the previous M16 (bad seeing, thin clouds, and bloated moon). I had planned on many hours of integration time, but the clouds got too bad around 1 am, so I had to be content with 90 minutes.

The Helix Nebula is one of the closest of all planetary nebulae: Lying at a distance of perhaps 450 light years and spanning 2.5 light years. The Helix Nebula is an example of a planetary nebula, a nebula created at the end of the life of a Sun-like star. The outer gasses of the star expelled into space appear from our vantage point as if we are looking down a helix. The remnant central stellar core, destined to become a white dwarf star, glows in light so energetic it causes the previously expelled gas to fluoresce.

September 18, 2008

NGC 7293 "Helix Nebula" in Aquarius - Closeup

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
9x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

A 50% crop of the previous image showing slightly more detail. More integration time, better seeing, and living at a lower latitude would help.

September 18, 2008

NGC 6992 and NGC 6995 - Eastern Section of Veil Nebula in Cygnus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
26x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM Field Flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

4.5 hours of Ha data on the Eastern Section of the Veil Nebula in Cygnus taken during a full moon. Thin clouds interfered with continuous imaging.

NGC 6992 is the long nebula on the left, and NGC 6995 is the wider section on the right.

The Veil Nebula, also known as the Cygnus Loop is a large, relatively faint supernova remnant in the constellation Cygnus. The source supernova exploded some 5,000 to 8,000 years ago, and the remnants have since expanded to cover an area of 3 degrees. The distance to the nebula is not precisely known, with estimates ranging from 1,400 to 2,600 light-years. It was discovered on 1784 September 5 by William Herschel.

August 17, 2008

NGC 6960 - Western Section of Veil Nebula in Cygnus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM Field Flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Two hours of Ha data on the Western Section of the Veil Nebula in Cygnus taken during a full moon. Thin clouds interfered with continuous imaging.

When finely resolved, some parts of the nebula appear to be rope like filaments. The standard explanation is that the shock waves are so thin, less than one part in 50,000 of the radius, that the shell is only visible when viewed exactly edge-on, giving the shell the appearance of a filament. Undulations in the surface of the shell lead to multiple filamentary images, which appear to be intertwined.

August 17, 2008

IC5068 in Cygnus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
17x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM Field Flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Less than optimal seeing and the full moon helps to make this image less than it could be. Perhaps I will re-take it without the moon to capture the fine filamentous detail that is washed out due to lack of contrast. Left noisy purposefully to retain what little detail was captured.

Taken during a full moon.

IC 5068 is a very complex area of nebulosity just south of the North American and Pelican Nebulae. It is not very interesting other than the criss-cross pattern of nebulosity that reminds one of a plaid scarf. While relatively bright overall, the fine detail is faint and delicate requiring dark skies, perfect focus, excellent guiding, and long exposures to capture.

The object has three parts, with this image showing the eastern and central parts.

August 15, 2008

Cederblad 214 in Cepheus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
15x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM Field Flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Marginal seeing and less then perfect focusing technique makes this image less than optimal, but it's still an interesting object, for it's name, if nothing else.

Taken during a full moon.

Cederblad 214 is a huge, low surface brightnesss hydrogen-alpha emission nebula in Cepheus located about half way between Beta Cassiopeiae and Gamma Cephei. It is part of a complex know as Stellar Association Cepheus OB4 that includes the fainter, elongated nebula NGC 7822, to the north and out of the FOV of this image. The stars in this association are quite young, the oldest being only about 5 million years old.

The Cederblad catalog is an obscure and out of date catalog of emission nebulae compiled in 1946 by S. Cederblad.

August 15, 2008

IC 1805 and LBN 667 - The Heart and Soul Nebulae in Cassiopeia

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
17x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Astrophotogallery.org September Challenge Winner

It takes a very wide field to capture the Heart and Soul together.

The pair are intense emitters of Ha light, as can be seen in this image. The region is one massive star nursery, and contains many young, hot, star clusters. The contrast between the red, glowing gas and the blue hot star clusters isn't apparent in the Ha image, but can easily be seen in the RGB images of IC 1805 and LBN 667.

August 11, 2008

Heart and Soul with Perseid Meteor

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
18x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Spaceweather.com Perseid 2008 Gallery
or Here

Cover Photo Spaceweather.com August 14, 2008
or Here

Same image as before, but without the omission of the frame containing the Perseid meteor. Stacked by 'average' method using the meteor frame as the reference frame instead of kappa sigma clipping, so the meteor would show up in the final stack.

This image was taken in the early morning hours of 8-12-08, at the peak of the shower.

I think it must have been a very bright meteor to register this big through an Ha filter.

August 11, 2008

Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant in Cygnus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
20x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Yahoo Digital Astro Group August, 2008 Monthly Challenge Winner

This image is a somewhat unconventional view of the Veil Complex in Cygnus. I wanted to show the southern reaches of the nebulosity that is often excluded in even widefield images of this object.

The resolution isn't great, but adequate for a wide field, small scale image. Remember, it's through a 48mm objective.

The Veil Nebula Complex is the remnant of a supernova explosion that occured 5000 to 10,000 years ago. It is a very good example of a "middle aged" supernova remnant and is studied extensively.

The entire shell spans about 3 degrees on the sky, corresponding to about 6 full moons. It is about 1,500 light-years away from Earth, and although it is really one large object, it is catalogued as NGC 6992, NGC 6995, NGC 6960, and NGC 6979 (East, West, and Pickering's Wisp).

Here is a list of 14 bright supernova remnants.

August 11, 2008

IC 1318 - Gamma Cygnus (Sadr) Nebula Complex

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
19x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Taken under near full moon conditions.

The region in the direction of the star Sadr (Gamma Cygnus) is rich in emission nebulae. The star, while prominent in the field, is not part of the nebula, but actually about half way between earth and the nebula - which is about 3000 light years from us, deep in the Orion arm of the galaxy.

The main components of the nebula are IC 1318A, B, and C and make up the two parts of the Butterfly Nebula just east of Sadr, and the bright triangular patch to the northwest. NGC6888 - the Crescent Nebula - is seen as the obvious and bright nebula in the lower right-center of the frame.

A map of this region shows the many distinct objects that are part of this vast complex.

July 15, 2008

IC 1396 Complex in Cepheus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Cloudy Nights Small Wonders: Quick Peeks - Cepheus 10/08 (Tom Trusock)

Taken under near full moon conditions.

IC1396 is a huge nebular complex located south of the massive red supergiant Mu Cephei - Herschel's Garnet Star. This star is a story in and of itself, but suffice it to say that this huge beast, currently converting helium to carbon and waiting to go supernova, is approximately 1,420 times larger than our sun's solar radius, and if it were placed in the Sun's position, its radius would reach between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn. Mu Cephei could fit over 1 billion suns into its body. Only five known stars (VY Canis Majoris, KW Sagitarii, KY Cygni, V354 Cephei and VV Cephei) are believed to be larger. This very interesting movie gives some idea of the size of this monstrous carbon supergiant.

IC 1396 is a large (3 degrees in diameter) but relatively faint emission nebula lying about 2000 light years distant in the constellation Cepheus. The nebula complex is virtually littered with dark nebulae, the largest of which is probably Barnard 160 at the lower right edge of the IC 1396. This dark nebula alone is the size of the full moon. Others include VdB142, B161, B162, B163, B365, and B367.

The cluster in the center of IC 1396 is known as Trumpler 37

July 15, 2008

van den Bergh 142 (IC 1396A and IC 1396B) in Cepheus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
17x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Imaged during a 3/4 moon.

July 14, 2008

NGC 281 in Cassiopeia

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
8x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Imaged during a 3/4 moon.

In imaging this object in Ha, I was astonished at the brightness of the Ha emission coming from NGC281. It seemed quite dense and in only 8 subs, it produced a saturated image.

The gas of NGC 281 is ionized into high energy by the intense cluster contained within it, IC 1590. Bok globules are visible against the ionized gas. These globules are thought to be areas of condensation leading to new stars.

July 14, 2008

NGC 6820/NGC 6823 in Vulpecula

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
11x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Imaged during a 3/4 moon.

I have previously imaged this object in RGB, and it doesn't seem any brighter in Ha, although the definition of the nebula is better.

NGC 6820 is the ionized nebula surrounding the cluster NGC 6823.

The huge pillars of gas and dust are probably formed when surrounding gas and dust is pushed and eroded away by radiation from nearby stars. Remarkable dark globules of gas and dust are also visible in the nebula, much as is seen in the better known Eagle Nebula in Serpens or the Lagoon Nebula in Sagittarius. Open star cluster NGC 6823 is about 50 light years across and lies about 6000 light years away.

July 14, 2008

NGC 6334 and NGC 6357 in Scorpius

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
7x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L at 200mm
Baader 2 inch 7nm H alpha filter
Step Down Rings

Imaged during a quarter moon.

My first try with a 2 inch filter placed in the front of the 70-200 lens. The lens objective is 77mm and the stepdown rings bring it down to 48mm, effectively stopping the lens down to f/4.5

It's not a great image, but what's amazing is the detail captured with a 48mm objective on an subject that is absolutely the lowest possible target from my location - it was practically grazing the grass. The amazing thing is that this image was taken with a "telescope" that has an aperature (1.9") that is smaller than my finder scope.

At 5,500 light years distant, Cat's Paw is an emission nebula with a red color that originates from an abundance of ionized hydrogen atoms. Alternatively known as the Bear Claw Nebula or NGC 6334, stars nearly ten times the mass of our Sun have been born there in only the past few million years.(APOD) It was discovered by astronomer John Herschel in 1837, who observed it from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

For reasons unknown, NGC 6357 is forming some of the most massive stars ever discovered. Near the more obvious Cat's Paw nebula, NGC 6357 houses the open star cluster Pismis 24, home to these tremendously bright and blue stars. The overall red glow near the inner star forming region results from the emission of ionized hydrogen gas. The surrounding nebula holds a complex tapestry of gas, dark dust, stars still forming, and newly born stars. The intricate patterns are caused by complex interactions between interstellar winds, radiation pressures, magnetic fields, and gravity. NGC 6357 spans about 400 light years and lies about 8,000 light years away

July 11, 2008

IC 5070 - "Pelican Nebula" in Cygnus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

This view of the Pelican's head was taken during a quarter moon and shows well the ionization front at the back of the head. The nebula is a large H alpha region that is very amenable to imaging with narrowband filters.

IC 5070 spans 30 light years and lies about 2000 light years distant.

July 9, 2008

NGC 7635 - "Bubble Nebula" in Cassiopeia

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Taken during a quarter moon. Open cluster M52 is visible in the upper left, and the very faint nebulosity throughout the entire right upper field is part of the very large (90x60 arcminutes) emission nebula Sh2-161.

NGC 7635 is located about 11,300 light years distant and spans 10 light years. The central star is 20 solar masses and excites the nebula with intense radiation.

The Bubble Nebula, is being pushed out by the stellar wind of massive central star BD+602522. Next door, though, lives a giant molecular cloud, visible above the bubble. At this place in space, an irresistible force meets an immovable object in an interesting way. The cloud is able to contain the expansion of the bubble gas, but gets blasted by the hot radiation from the bubble's central star. The radiation heats up dense regions of the molecular cloud causing it to glow. (APOD)

July 9, 2008

NGC 7000 - "North America Nebula"

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
13x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

The North America Nebula (NGC 7000) 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 emission nebula resembles that of the continent of North America, complete with a prominent Gulf of Mexico.

This nebula is lying 3 degrees from bright Deneb, Alpha Cygni. Some people claim it may be visible to the naked eye under good, dark conditions, and a preferred object for amateur astrophotographers. The distance to the North America Nebula is estimated at 1,600 light years. The North America Nebula was perhaps detected by William Herschel who cataloged a "faint, extremely large, diffuse nebulosity" near its place under his catalog number H V.37. John Herschel definitely found it and cataloged it as h 2096 and later as GC 4621. It was first photographed by Max Wolf on December 12, 1890.

June 19, 2008

The "Cygnus Wall" in NGC7000

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
13x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

The "Cygnus Wall" is a powerful ionization front where UV radiation from young, very hot stars is bombarding the cold dust of the 'Gulf of Mexico' and exciting it into emitting hydrogen alpha light that is then picked up on the camera's sensor. This is represented by the complex filamentous structure rolling towards the dark gulf.

June 19, 2008

NGC 7380 and Sh2-142 - Star Forming Region in Cepheus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Astrophotogallery.org July Challenge Winner

NGC 7380 is an open cluster associated with the emission nebula Sh2-142. This is a typical star forming region, the likes of which can be found throughout the galaxy.

Another name for this object is the "Wizard Nebula" for it's resemblance to a wizard in a pointed hat.

June 19, 2008

Sh2-101 - "Tulip Nebula"

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
4x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with APM field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Astrophotogallery.org June Challenge Winner

Listed in the 1959 catalog by astronomer Stewart Sharpless as Sh2-101. About 8,000 light-years distant the nebula is popularly known as the Tulip Nebula.

Complex and beautiful in visible light, the area also includes one of the brightest, most famous sources in the x-ray sky, Cygnus X-1. Discovered in the early 1970s, Cygnus X-1 is a bizarre binary system consisting of a massive, hot, supergiant star (seen here) in close orbit with a stellar mass black hole. The Cygnus X-1 system is also estimated to lie a comfortable 8,000 light-years away. (APOD)

June 19, 2008

NGC 6888 - Crescent Nebula in Cygnus

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
30x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Orion ED80 with WO 0.8 reducer/flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Astrophotogallery.org July Challenge Winner

5 hours of H alpha light for a deep exposure of the Crescent Nebula in Cygnus. This shows all the surrounding nebulosity in which NGC6888 is embedded, some of it named and catalogued and some not.

The Crescent Nebula was created by the brightest star in its center. A leading hypothesis has the Crescent Nebula beginning to form about 250,000 years ago. At that time, the massive central star had evolved to become a Wolf-Rayet star (WR 136), shedding its outer envelope in a strong stellar wind, ejecting the equivalent of our Sun's mass every 10,000 years. This wind impacted surrounding gas left over from a previous phase, compacting it into a series of complex shells, and lighting it up. The Crescent Nebula, also known as NGC 6888, lies about 4,700 light-years away in the constellation of Cygnus. Star WR 136 will probably undergo a supernova explosion sometime in the next million years. (APOD)

The small open cluster towards the lower left corner is 7th magnitude NGC4996.

June 14, 2008

Barnard 33 and Surroundings - Horsehead Nebula in Orion

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
11x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with AP field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day March 26, 2008

Taken with the moon rising and Orion setting.

The Horsehead Nebula (also known as Barnard 33 in bright nebula IC 434) is a dark nebula in the Orion constellation. The nebula is located just below Alnitak, the star furthest left on Orion's Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. It is approximately 1,500 light years from Earth, and is approximately 3.5 light years wide.

The Horsehead Nebula is one of the most recognizeable objects in the sky, with it's distinct equine profile. Also known as Barnard 33, the unusual shape was first discovered in 1888 by Williamina Fleming on photographic plate B2312 taken at the Harvard College Observatory.

March 24, 2008

Barnard 33 - Horsehead Nebula in Orion - Closer View

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
11x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with AP field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

A little closer look at Barnard 33.

March 24, 2008

IC 410 and Open Cluster NGC 1893 in Auriga

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
9x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780 with AP field flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Imaged with moon and in my area of worst light pollution as object was setting. Again, the H Alpha filter allows imaging to occur.

IC 410 is a large region of nebulosity surrounding NGC 1893, a young open star cluster, which can be seen near the center of the nebula (partially obscured by foreground interstellar dust, which shows on this picture as the "holes" near the center of the nebula). The star cluster's stars help ionize the nebula's gas, causing the red hue of the nebula. This nebula lies about 12,000 light years distant, which would make the nebula about 125 light years across.

Notice the 2 small "tadpole" structures within the nebula, near the middle of this image. These are areas of cool, dense gas and are roughly 10 light-years long, and have been formed by radiative pressure from the stars in the cluster.

March 24, 2008

NGC 2264 - Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula In Monoceros

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
10x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Orion ED80 with WO 0.8 reducer/flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Taken during the full moon and with thin wispy clouds that aborted the session after only 10 frames. Still worth keeping, even if the detail is less than it would have been with no cirrus layer. Again, testament to the effectiveness of narrowband imaging in it's ability to produce an image when normally it would be better to stay inside.

NGC2264 is an open cluster of stars embedded in a diffuse nebula. It is located in the constellation of Monoceros, the Unicorn. The image also contains two famous nebula. At the left center of the image is the Cone Nebula, and to the right is the Fox Fur Nebula, but basically the entire frame is full of glowing gas and obscuring dust. The bright star just above the center of the image is known as S Mon.

This region of the Orion arm is rich in gas, dust and newborn stars. The actual Cone Nebula is six light years long. This nebula and cluster are about 2600 light years distant.

Also in this busy frame are the small bright nebula NGC 2261 (Hubble's Variable Nebula) in the lower left looking like a wayward comet, and dark nebula 1610 in the lower right. Small open cluster NGC 2259 is in the very lower right corner as well.

March 22, 2008

Rosette Nebula in Monoceros

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Orion ED80 with WO 0.8 reducer/flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Sky and Telescope Online Editor's Choice March 23, 2008

Astrophotogallery.org Image of the Week 3-30-08

My first narrowband image taken on the night of a full moon when I was incredulous that anything could be imaged at all.

The Rosette Nebula is a monstrous cloud of dust and gas, extending over an area of more than 1 degree across, or about 5 times the area covered by the full moon.

The complex has the following NGC designations:

NGC 2237 - Part of the nebulous region (Usually used to denote whole nebula)
NGC 2238 - Part of the nebulous region
NGC 2239 - Part of the nebulous region (Discovered by John Herschel)
NGC 2244 - The open cluster within the nebula (Discovered by John Flamsteed in 1690)
NGC 2246 - Part of the nebulous region

Within the nebula, open star cluster NGC 2244 is situated, consisted of the young stars which recently formed from the nebula's material, and the brightest of which make the nebula shine by exciting its atoms to emit radiation. Star formation is still in progress here.

The cluster and nebula lie at a distance of some 5,200 light years from Earth (although estimates of the distance vary considerably) and measure roughly 130 light years in diameter. The radiation from the young stars excite the atoms in the nebula, causing them to emit radiation themselves producing the emission nebula we see. The mass of the nebula is estimated to be around 10,000 solar masses.

March 20, 2008

Rosette Redo

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Orion ED80 with WO 0.8 reducer/flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Same image reprocessed with the PixInsight HDRWavelet Transform algorithm.

Some images have showed up lately on APOD from old Hubble data reprocessed with this technique.

I couldn't decide which I liked better, so I have kept both. This view is just so unconventional compared to the usual Rosette image that I have trouble getting used to it, even if it does show more delicate nebulosity and structure. Sort of like the unconventional views of NGC6543 and M104 shown recently on APOD that were processed with the same algorithm.

March 20, 2008

Abell 21 - Medusa Nebula in Gemini

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Orion ED80 with WO 0.8 reducer/flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

Another H alpha target on my first night with the new filter. The low surface brightness of this object is a testament to the effectiveness of narrowband imaging - even with a full moon and shooting below 45 degrees to the horizon.

Abell 21 (also known as PK 205+14.1), the Medusa Nebula is a very old and large planetary nebula in the constellation of Gemini on the Canis Minor border. As it is so big, its surface brightness is very low, with surface magnitudes of between +15.99 and +25 reported.

The Medusa was discovered in 1955, and until the early 1980s it was thought to be a supernova remnant.

Loose open cluster NGC 2395 can be seen above and right of the nebula.

March 20, 2008

Abell 21 Closer View

hwilson429@aol.com (Hunter Wilson) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x600sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Orion ED80 with WO 0.8 reducer/flattener
Baader 7nm H alpha filter

A closer view of this dim object. Pretty good for an 80mm scope at 480mm focal length.

Loose open cluster NGC 2395 can be seen above and right of the nebula.

March 20, 2008