27 hours on Bat and Squid.

[ollypenrice]

This was a struggle. In the end I added data from a 6 hour HaRGB version with a much smaller field to help the ailing Bat. In collaboration with Yves and Tom I shot 24x30 minutes of 0111, 12x30 minutes of Ha (3Nm Astrodon) and 4x15 mins per colour. Strangely the Ha data was lousy. From this filter you expect tiny stars and high contrasts. What I got was the exact opposite, large stars when stretched and very feeble contrast. I seem to think Sara got a fighting result in Ha with the same filter so I'm flummoxed. I was careful with focus and since I had three nights on the Ha I can't have goofed it up every time - can I? Don't answer that!  )

12 hours was perceptibly better than 9 hours on the Squid in 0111. The northern loop is fainter and really only became 'gettable' with the extra time.

The plan is to mosaic over to 1396. Mercifully we won't need O111 for that!

2xFSQ106 on Mesu 200 with Atik11000 and SXVH36. Older data, Tak FSQ85 at F3.9 and Atik 4000 on EM200.

Olly

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Looking great, the Squid is very well defined. Does anyone have any updates on what the Squid might be or how far it is away please? Is is associated with Sh2-129 or is it a foreground object? I've tried searching but without success.

[ollypenrice]

I don't know the latest but in the heavily stretched O111 layer there is signal, though faint, to the left of the Squid, co-incident with an Ha region in the Bat. However, there may be no connection between that and the Squid itself. Someone told me that the planetary status of the Squid has been questioned so I'll see what I can find out.

Olly

[StuartJPP]

A most excellent image Olly!

[ollypenrice]

This provides some links to follow up; http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/apn6/PROCEEDINGS/A1_Acker.pdf

Olly

[emadmoussa]

Wonderful!!

[Knight of Clear Skies]

This provides some links to follow up; http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/apn6/PROCEEDINGS/A1_Acker.pdf

Olly

Thanks, interesting stuff.

I love the discovery story for the Squid, it's amazing that such a large object was overlooked for so long and that amateurs can still find new objects out there. This paper has a few more details and also lists some other planetary nebula candidates recently discovered.

[ollypenrice]

Out of interest here's my 0111 capture in negative. I would say that there is a trace of 0111 between OU4 and the small cluster/nebulosity to its left in this image. I also think the star count is slightly lower in that region, suggesting the obscuration of background stars. Hard to say though.

Olly

[swag72]

This is such an interesting area with two very different highlights - I really like the colour of the squid, it contrasts so nicely with the bat.

I don't remember the Ha being problematic though!!

[Andyfx]

Superb Olly, nice job!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Out of interest here's my 0111 capture in negative. I would say that there is a trace of 0111 between OU4 and the small cluster/nebulosity to its left in this image. I also think the star count is slightly lower in that region, suggesting the obscuration of background stars. Hard to say though.

Olly

We could test some our software to find faint nebulosity in astro-images on this (if the student sends me the code that is). Might be interesting.

[x6gas]

Another beauty Olly and I do love the colour you have in the squid.

I've had a go at this myself.  My skies aren't great and I could barely see the squid at all with 20 minute subs... so I gave up!

[ollypenrice]

Another beauty Olly and I do love the colour you have in the squid.

I've had a go at this myself.  My skies aren't great and I could barely see the squid at all with 20 minute subs... so I gave up!

Yes, it's faint. No surprizes that it evaded detection for so long. It has to be in O111 though. This is the filter you used?

Olly

[PhotoGav]

That's a stunningly beautiful image Olly of a fascinating target. I only learned about the squid very recently and was thrilled to see that it had been discovered just a few years ago. Taking pictures of familiar objects is surprisingly addictive (Ed: should that not read 'Trying to take pictures...'), but how exciting must it be to reveal an object that doesn't show in any catalogues?!

Your image has fantastic depth to it, more time really does seem to be worth it!

Thanks for showing us what we should be striving for, yet again!!

[todd8137]

As always very stunning

Pay

[Spoon]

Wow!

[bob-c]

great pic,didn't no it existed.

                                            bob.

[Mark72]

Probably very hard work to get this O3 signal from background, amazing result as usually Olly.

Mark

[x6gas]

Yes, it's faint. No surprizes that it evaded detection for so long. It has to be in O111 though. This is the filter you used?

Olly

Yes, used an [OIII] filter Olly, but I don't have your skies and my message to those of us in urban or semi-rural locations in the UK is "don't try this at home"!

Here's a typical fit file - as I said, 20 minute sub (Atik 490)

sh2-129_004_1x1_1800_OIII.fit

And here's a stack of 5 x 1800s [OIII] subs.  This puppy is proper faint and I gave up at this point!

So extra hats off for this image.

[Uranium235]

Very nice, thats a big ol' chunk of sky there! Just checked if I could cover it with my gear and its a 4 pane mosaic - minimum!

[ollypenrice]

Yes, used an [OIII] filter Olly, but I don't have your skies and my message to those of us in urban or semi-rural locations in the UK is "don't try this at home"!

Here's a typical fit file - as I said, 20 minute sub (Atik 490)

sh2-129_004_1x1_1800_OIII.fit

And here's a stack of 5 x 1800s [OIII] subs.  This puppy is proper faint and I gave up at this point!

squid.jpg

So extra hats off for this image.

You gave up too soon!!! You have it in that stack. Processing could do the rest, honestly.

1) Flatten the background. (DBE or Gad X.) This is essential. I used DBE.

2) Get a lever between the object and the background sky and prize them apart! (Pin the background in Curves and then kink the curve upwards just above that.) Sure, this will maul the stars and the rest of the image pretty badly but just concentrate on the bipolar structure at this stage.

3) Make a stretch giving a good background and stars and layer the Squid structure through into that.

Mine had more signal than yours from my 24x30 minutes but it was still very tenuous. Since I knew I'd be adding my O111 to blue and green I didn't worry about the stars. I knew I'd be using my RGB-only for those. Also, since the Squid lacks fine structural detail, I was able to noise reduce it pretty brutally. From the start I'd decided to be pretty gung-ho in my Squid hunt. There are lots of nice subtle Squids out there but I fancied getting some strongish colour out of it to contrast with the Ha. I'm not a scientific imager.

Olly

[paulobao]

^{Nice image indeed, congratulations}  

^{I done this one just after discovery in 2012.}

^{http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/156201-i-fished-a-squid-ou4-0985-079/?hl=+squid +ou4}

^{http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/156568-the-elusive-squid-part-2/?hl=%2Bsquid+%2Bou4#entry1583525}

^Cheers,

^paulo

[cosmicdonkey]

amazing picture olly. I really like the difference in colours on this target

[PNJ]

very good, i imaged this also, from Newton Aycliffe,  and was posted in June issue of Astronomy Now,and also here in this forum.  but you have collected more data and is a great image well done, very interesting object

paul j

[ollypenrice]

Great images from Paul and Paolo. This is certainly a rewarding object. Nicolas Outters posts on the French forum which I frequent, as well. He's just done a very fine Tadpoles in narrowband.

Olly