Does anyone know what this is in Cepheus?

[vineyard]

Hello,

I'm going to show my ignorance here.  I was pointing my Pentax lens on an iOptron Skyguider towards Cepheus last night (trying to find the Wizard nebula).  I don't think this is it  but does anyone know what this is pls?  Its between Cepheus & Cassiopeia.

I can't plate solve unfortunately as I don't know the aperture of my lens (I can figure out its focal length - this is about a 70mm f/l but I think for platesolving you also have to specify aperture right, and I can never figure out how to derive the aperture of a DSLR lens).

So I'm hoping that someone far more experienced will recognise it from what it looks like!  (I've done star reduction).

Thank you,

Vin

[MarkAR]

I think it's NGC-7822, an HII region.

[andrew s]

You don't need the aperture.  You need the focal length and pixel size to calculate the plate scale in arc second per pixel. The are on line calculators.

Regards  Andrew 

[Ibbo!]

There are on line blind plate solving pages .

 

Try Astrometry.net

[Paul M]

http://nova.astrometry.net/user_images/3864629#annotated

 

[andrew s]

1 minute ago, Paul M said:

http://nova.astrometry.net/user_images/3864629#annotated

 

Modern magic .

Regards Andrew 

[vineyard]

Thank you all @MarkAR @andrew s @Ibbo! & @Paul M - sorry I was going off EKOS' profile set-up method where you have to specify aperture & focal length.  But now I've learnt - and yes its definitely modern magic!

Crikey IC 1396 has the Elephant Trunk in it.  Now I'm torn on what to spend time on tonight - much more time on that, or (now that I've oriented myself a bit, to find the Wizard) - decisions, decisions.

Stay safe & cheers again!

[Paul M]

1 hour ago, andrew s said:

Modern magic .

Regards Andrew 

Indeed it is!

It's really only in the last 6 months I've been gearing towards trying my hand at imaging. Until then I avoided much SGL imaging content. Such subjects as "plate solving" ran a chill up my spine. Sounded like something you'd do in a dark room involving silver and black magic.

Then one day I happened upon astrometry.net. As you say, modern magic! It must involve some degree of alchemy, surely??

Edited August 2, 2020 by Paul M

[Adreneline]

2 hours ago, vineyard said:

Its between Cepheus & Cassiopeia.

You also have just about picked up Sh2-129 - The Bat nebula - which contains the elusive Squid Nebula (OIII) - top right of image. Well done!

I did this random mosaic in Ha earlier this year for the whole (?) region which might be of interest - lots going on up there!

https://www.astrobin.com/uxip1w/0/

Adrian

[vineyard]

4 hours ago, Adreneline said:

You also have just about picked up Sh2-129 - The Bat nebula - which contains the elusive Squid Nebula (OIII) - top right of image. Well done!

I did this random mosaic in Ha earlier this year for the whole (?) region which might be of interest - lots going on up there!

https://www.astrobin.com/uxip1w/0/

Adrian

I thought there was something there when I was looking at the image when it processed, but I just thought it was some random stardust 😂 I should have spent more time on it last night.

That's a great mosaic. I notice you made it with a Samyang.  Does that have curvature on the edges?  I'm noticing w the Pentax lens that there seems to be  definite curvature but am not sure if that's because they're not really meant for AP?

Cheers

[Adreneline]

5 minutes ago, vineyard said:

That's a great mosaic.

Thank you. It happened by accident rather than by design - it just evolved.

6 minutes ago, vineyard said:

I notice you made it with a Samyang.  Does that have curvature on the edges?

Well there is a degree of star distortion at the extreme corners but you can minimise it by getting the spacing spot on and by ensuring there is no droop in the image train. To be honest I usually end up cropping the extremities anyway. I really like imaging with the 135mm - it is great from these large nebula regions.

Adrian