Rosette Nebula in RGB & HA
December 2010 / January 2011
The night skies have
been horrible in Michigan lately, I suppose I chose a good time to install the
Paramount GEM
in my backyard observatory and iron out the bugs. It has at least given me a bit of time to put this together, another
image shot by the combined efforts of the Hancock D'arienzo team.
We hope you like it, The image was shot from 2 different locations over 700
miles apart using different cameras,
different scopes but the exact same GE mount, Andy now has my MI-250 and thankfully he was able to iron out
some minor issues with his new rig.
Terry's Location: Fremont, Michigan
Date of Shoot: 10th and 12th September 2010
Camera: modified Canon 5D Mark II
4x15 min sub exposures at 400ISO with flat and dark frames.
6x5 min sub exposures at 100ISO with flat and dark frames.
30x1 min sub exposures at 200ISO with flat and dark frames.
Scope: TMB130SS F7 Refractor using WO/TMB 2.7" Field Flattener.
Auto-guided with Orion Auto Guider on Stellarvue 10x60
Mount: Mountain Instruments MI-250 (pier mounted)
Image Acquired using Nebulosity II, stacked with Deep Sky
Stacker and processed with Photoshop CS3.
Terry's original Image
The Rosette Nebula without the hydrogen alpha ¿
8th December 2010
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Equipment Used and other info
Canon 5D Mark II
9 x 15 min sub exposures with flats and dark frames.
Scope: TMB 130SS using WO/TMB 68mm Field Flattener.
Autoguided with Orion Auto Guider on Stellarvue 10x60
Mountain Instruments MI-250 Mount
Image Acquired using Nebulosity II, stacked with Deep Sky stacker and processed
with Photoshop CS3, using Noel Carboni's tools, diffraction spikes have been added.
M42 The Orion Nebula from the light and the dark side
Combined on 19th November 2010
)
M42 Orion Nebula, NGC 1977 Running Man Nebula with Ha
Another joint project by Andy and myself using different cameras and scopes 700 miles apart. This is my original RGB image reprocessed
from the 10th and 12th September using the Canon 5D Mark II on the TMB 130 together with Andy's layer of hydrogen alpha that he shot last week
in Long Island New York, using an FLI ML8300 Mono CCD on his TMB92SS at F4.4.I felt my original image was too saturated and we both prefer
the natural look in this attempt, I also added some 1 minute sub exposures that were layered into the final image of HA RED, HAL and RGB to prevent
the area surrounding the trapezium from being totally blown out.
Terry's Location: Fremont, Michigan
Date of Shoot: 10th and 12th September 2010
Camera: modified Canon 5D Mark II
4x15 min sub exposures at 400ISO with flat and dark frames.
6x5 min sub exposures at 100ISO with flat and dark frames.
30x1 min sub exposures at 200ISO with flat and dark frames.
Scope: TMB130SS F7 Refractor using WO/TMB 2.7" Field Flattener.
Auto-guided with Orion Auto Guider on Stellarvue 10x60
Mount: Mountain Instruments MI-250 (pier mounted)
Image Acquired using Nebulosity II, stacked with Deep Sky
Stacker and processed with Photoshop CS3.
Terry's original Image
The Horsehead Nebula(Barnard 33) Flame Nebula(NGC 2024)
30th and 31st October 2010
)
Equipment Used and other info
Camera: modified Canon XSi
15 x 1200 min sub exposures at 800ISO with flat and dark frames.
Scope: TMB130SS F7 Refractor using WO/TMB 2.7" Field Flattener.
Auto-guided with Orion Auto Guider on Stellarvue 10x60
Mount: Mountain Instruments MI-250 (pier mounted)
Image Acquired using Nebulosity II, stacked with Deep Sky
Stacker and processed with Photoshop CS3.
M42 The Great Nebula in Orion and NGC 1977 The Running Man Nebula
10th and 12th September 2010
)
Equipment Used and other info
Camera: modified Canon 5D Mark II
4x15 min sub exposures at 400ISO with flat and dark frames.
6x5 min sub exposures at 100ISO with flat and dark frames.
Scope: TMB130SS F7 Refractor using WO/TMB 2.7" Field Flattener.
Auto-guided with Orion Auto Guider on Stellarvue 10x60
Mount: Mountain Instruments MI-250 (pier mounted)
Image Acquired using Nebulosity II, stacked with Deep Sky Stacker
and processed with Photoshop CS3.
NGC 7023 and Caldwell 4 (Iris Nebula)
17th and 19th June 2010
)
Equipment Used and other info
Camera: modified Canon 5D Mark II
40 x 10 minute sub exposures with 20 each flats and dark frames
added separately for each night.
Telescope: TMB 130SS F7 Refractor using AT 2" Field Flattener.
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS guide scope
Mount: Celestron CGE PRO GEM
Image Acquired using Nebulosity II, stacked with Nebulosity II
and processed with Photoshop CS3.
NGC 6888(The Crescent Nebula- cropped)
28th, 29th and 30th June 2010
)
Equipment Used and other info
Camera: Canon 5D Mark II (modded by Brent Oliver)
26x15 min sub exposures with flat and dark frames. Stacked using Deep Sky Stacker
Scope: TMB 130SS F7 Refractor using an AT 2"Field Flattener.
Autoguided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
CGE PRO Mount
Image Acquired using Nebulosity II, and processed with Photoshop CS3.
IC434 and the Horsehead Nebula
11th November 2009
)
Equipment Used and other info
QHY8 Gain 1% Offset 110
9 subs 900 seconds, no flats or bias. No dark frames
TMB 130SS F7 Refractor
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
CGE PRO Mount
Image Acquired and Stacked with Nebulosity II
processed with Photoshop CS4
IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula(with star reduction)
14th, 15th and 16th July 2010
)
Equipment Used and other info
Camera: modified Canon 5D Mark II
51x10 min sub exposures with 20 each flats and dark frames
Scope: Astro Tech RC 8" using AT 2" Field Flattener
Auto-guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
Mount: CGE PRO GEM (pier mounted)
Image Acquired using Nebulosity II, stacked with Deep Sky Stacker
and processed with Photoshop CS3.
I managed to capture a few more photons of one of my favorite targets in between storms. Last night my biggest fear happened, an unexpected
rain storm and I had to close the roof at lightning speed, no damage done that's the main thing. This is another 6 hours of sub exposures (total 8.5 hours)
I plan to shoot another 3 hours so I can compare with my 11 hour shoot using the TMB.
)
Equipment Used and other info
QHY8 Gain 1% Offset 130
20 subs 600 seconds, with no flats or bias
TMB 130SS
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
CGE PRO Mount
Stacked with Deep Sky Stacker, and processed with Photoshop CS4
IC 5146, also Caldwell 19, and the Sh 2-125, Cocoon Nebula, is a reflection/emission nebula and Caldwell object in the constellation Cygnus.
IC 5146 is a star cluster and the nebula is Sh2-125. It shines at magnitude +10.0/+9.3/+7.2. Its celestial coordinates are RA 21h 53.5m, dec+47° 16′.
It is located near the naked-eye star Pi Cygni, the open cluster NGC 7209 in Lacerta, and the bright open cluster M39. The cluster is about 4,000 ly away,
and the central star that lights it formed about 100,000 years ago; the nebula is about 12 arcmins across, which is equivalent to a span of 15 light years.
When viewing IC 5146, dark nebula Barnard 168(B168)is an inseparable part of the experience, forming a dark lane that surrounds the cluster and projects
westward, forming the appearance of a trail behind the Cocoon.
NGC 6960 The Veil Nebula
13th and 14th
July 2009
)
Equipment Used and other info
QHY8 Gain 1% Offset 130
50 subs 600 seconds, with flats and bias
TMB 130SS
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
CGE PRO Mount
Stacked with Nebulosity, and processed with Photoshop CS4
The Veil Nebula, is part of the Cygnus Loop, radio source W78, or Sharpless 103. Other parts of the loop include the 'Eastern Veil', the 'Western Veil'
or 'Witch's Broom Nebula', and Pickering's Triangular Wisp. It 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 ~3x3 degrees; about 6 times the diameter or 36 times the area of
a full moon. 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. He described the western end of the nebula as "Extended; passes thro' 52 Cygni... near 2 degree in length." and described the eastern end as
"Branching nebulosity... The following part divides into several streams uniting again towards the south." The Hubble Space Telescope captured images of the nebula.
The analysis of the emissions from the nebula indicate the presence of oxygen, sulfur, and
hydrogen. When finely resolved, some parts of the image 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[1], 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.
The nebula is notorious among astronomers for being difficult to see visually, even though it has a bright integrated magnitude of 7. However, a telescope using an OIII
filter (a filter isolating the wavelength of light from doubly ionized oxygen), will allow an observer to see the nebula clearly, as almost all light from this nebula is
emitted at this wavelength. Using an 8-inch (200 mm) telescope equipped with an OIII filter, one could easily see the delicate lacework apparent in photographs. With an OIII
filter, almost any telescope could conceivably see this nebula, and some argue that it can be seen without any optical aid, excepting an OIII filter held up to the eye. This is
also one of the largest, brightest features in the x-ray sky. The brighter segments of the nebula are listed in the New General Catalog under the designations NGC 6960,
6979, 6992, and 6995. The easiest segment to find is 6960, which runs through the naked eye star 52 Cygni. NGC 6979 - the central portion of the Veil Complex is
Pickering's Wedge, or Pickering's Triangular Wisp. This segment of nebulosity was discovered photographically by Williamina Fleming, but credit went to her
supervisor Edward Charles Pickering, as was the custom of the day, thus named after Pickering as a result.
Western Veil
14th May,8th and 9th June, 2010
July 2009
)
Equipment Used and other info
Canon 5D Mark II (modded by Brent Oliver)
42x10 min subs, with 20 each flats and dark frames added
(from each night and stacked seperately)
.
TMB 130SS F7 Refractor using AT 2" Field Flattener.
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
CGE PRO Mount
Image Aquired using Nebulosity II, stacked with Deep Sky Stacker,
processed with Photoshop CS3.
m27 The Dumbbell Nebula
The modified RA drive for the CGE PRO arrived and I have round stars so I'm back in business.As promised my first target was to to gather some more photons on the
Western Veil and Pickerings Triangle, this is now 7 hours and it's time for me to move on to another subject. I would like opinions obviously but I think I prefer my earlier image
that was only 1 hour and 20 minutes of subs www.flickr.com/photos/terryhancock/4606584931/sizes/l/.For sure there is more detail in this latest image but this was very difficult for
me to process in CS3, there were just so many more stars and for me it was impossible to process without using a lot of star reduction, I found the best way with the least amount of noise
was to use Astro Anarchy's "star visibility" action (http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/) and stars were reduced by 60%, yes its noisy and artifacts have been introduced but having spent hours
and hours reprocessing, I settled on this version, it's the best I can do.
12th July 2009)
Equipment Used and other info
QHY8 Gain 1% Offset 130
19 subs 600 seconds, no darks, flats or bias
TMB 130SS
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
CGE PRO Mount
Stacked with Nebulosity, and processed with Photoshop CS4
M52 Open Cluster and Bubble Nebula
(NGC 7635)
This object was the first planetary nebula to be discovered by Charles Messier in 1764.
At its brightness of
visual magnitude 7.5 and its diameter of about 8
arc minutes,
it is easily visible in binoculars and a
popular observing target in
amateur telescopes.
25th and 28th June 2009)
Equipment Used and other info m57
QHY8 Gain 1% Offset 130
49 subs 480 seconds, flats and bias
TMB 130SS
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
CGE PRO Mount
Stacked with DSS, and processed with Photoshop CS4
NGC 7635, also called the Bubble Nebula and Sharpless 162, is a H II region emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia. It lies close to the direction of the
open cluster Messier 52. The "bubble" is created by the stellar wind from a massive hot, 8.7 magnitude young central star, the 15 ± 5 M SAO 20575 (BD+60 2522).
The nebula is near a giant molecular cloud which contains the expansion of the bubble nebula while itself being excited by the hot central star, causing it to glow. It was
discovered in 1787 by Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel. The star SAO 20575 or BD+602522 is thought to have a mass of 10-40 Solar masses. With an 8 or 10-inch (250 mm)
telescope, the nebula is visible as an extremely faint and large shell around the star.The nearby 7th magnitude star on the west hinders observation, but one can view the
nebula using averted vision. Using a 16 to 18-inch (460 mm) scope, one can see that the faint nebula is irregular, being elongated in the north south direction.
16th April 2009)
Equipment Used and other info
The famous Ring Nebula Messier 57
105 x 1 minute subs, flats, and darks
Canon 450D modded ISO 1600
Celestron C14 SCT
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
Celestron CGE Mount
Post Processing Nebulosity II
M1 The Crab Nebula (NGC 1952, Taurus A)
(Cropped)
The famously named "Ring Nebula" is located in the northern constellation of Lyra, and also catalogued as Messier 57, M57 or NGC 6720. It is one of the most prominent
examples of the deep-sky objects called planetary nebulae (singular, planetary nebula), often abbreviated by astronomers as simply planetaries or PNe.This nebula was
discovered by Antoine Darquier de Pellepoix in January, 1779, who reported that it was "...as large as Jupiter and resembles a planet which is fading." Later the same
month, Charles Messier independently found the same nebula while searching for comets. It was then entered into his catalogue as the 57th object.
12th November 2009
)
Equipment Used and other info
QHY8 Gain 1% Offset 130
16 subs x 900 seconds,(4hrs) with flats and bias.
TMB 130SS using AT 2" Field Flattener
Auto guided with Orion Auto Guider on TMB 80SS
CGE PRO Mount
Image Acquired and Stacked with Nebulosity II
Processed with Photoshop CS3
Tweaked with Wavelet Sharpen and Noise Ninja