SGL 2024 Challenge 1 - Narrowband

[gorann]

Sh2-225 and Sh2-227 in Auriga. Imaged 19th January with RASA8, NBZ filter and ASI2600MC. 17.5 hours.

These are quite faint objects from the Sharpless Catalogue. They are therefore also rarely imaged, especially Sh2-225. Sh2-225 is actually only the annotation of a rather small relatively bright structure (as seen by the annotations here), but by going deep (17.5 hours RASA data at f/2) this image clearly reveals that Sh2-225 is part of a very large ring-like structure.

[gorann]

Pacman Nebula in a lot of dust. RASAs are real dust suckers. In all the dust the small reflection nebula LBN 1299 down in the right corner stands out a bit. Imaged 15th January with RASA8, NBZ filter and ASI2600MC. 6 hours.

That was it for what I caught in January. I really feel like a spammer now so I wait a bit with posting my February catches.

Edited March 4 by gorann

[Tom33]

This is the Soul Nebula, imaged on 27th February under Bortle 6 skies in South Yorkshire. I took 31 x 300 sec subs using an Esprit 100 on an EQ6-RPO, with a ZWO ASI 294 MC Pro with an Optolong L’Enhance dual narrowband filter. It was captured using an ASI AIR and processed in Pixinsight

[900SL]

Won't win any prizes but the third NB image to come off the new 533MM Pro. 

TS CF 90 APO, 0.8 reducer & 533MM Pro

Antlia Edge HSO filters, B5 location, SHO mix

24 x 360s Ha

28 x 360s Oiii

20 x 360s Sii

Starnet and straight HSO composition, stars were inverted, green denoised, and played around with until I had something that wasn't too purple

Processed in Siril and Lightroom,

I didn't realise just how much exposure you need on this target. I'm more than 8 hours into H S & O so far, and it's still a grubby blob in Oiii.

Third Second Edit: Final final version as it's doing my head in. Not enough Oiii

 

 

Edited March 14 by 900SL

[bdlbug]

Second entry from me :

IC443 Jellyfish Nebula in Gemini - A 2 panel mosaic : this is a merge/mix of two processed colour palettes , a dynamic SHO mix (Foraxx) and a classic SHO modified using Narrowband normalisation in PI, plus slective colour tweaks in Photoshop.

Aquisition:

Dates:
    18 / 19 / 30 Jan 2024
    22 / 24 / 26 Feb 2024
    3 Mar 2024
Frames:
    Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 2": 73×300″(6h 5′)
    Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 2": 47×300″(3h 55′)
    Antlia 3nm Narrowband Sulfur II 2": 41×300″(3h 25′)
Integration:     13h 25′

Resolution:      7966x5991

Equipment

Imaging Telescopes    Astro-Tech AT106EDT
Imaging Cameras    ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
Mounts     Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 GT
Accessories     APM-Riccardi Apo Reducer 0.75x M63 (APM-RIRED-M63-small)
Software     Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight · Russell Croman Astrophotography BlurXTerminator /  NoiseXTerminator / StarXTerminator · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)

 

[Pld]

My first photo submission, so I hope it works.

The Cone Nebula taken with a Stella Mira 90 triplet, on an Ioptron Gem 28 using an AsiAirPro and an eLenhance filter. 5.25 hours of 5 minute subs on 3rd and 6th March 24. Stacked by the AsiAir, processed in Siril (following a couple of on line tutorials)

 

 

Edited March 8 by Pld

[Pld]

I'll try another one.

The Rosette Nebula, minus stars, taken on 5th February, Stella Mira 90 Triplet, AsiAirPro, Ioptron Gem28, ElEnhance filter, processed in Siril. I think the starless version looks quite nice.

[MonsterMagnet]

Flaming Star and Tadpoles

This image taken last night (the first clear day in quite some time!) and is my first ever full narrowband image using a mono camera.

William Optics Z73 III, ZWO AM3, WO Flattener ZS73, ZWO ASI120MM, WO 30mm Guidescope, ZWO ASI2600MM Pro, Asiair Mini, Optolong SHO filters, ZWO Electronic Focuser.

Processed using Siril, PixInsight, XTs.

Not a lot of data here, the clouds have been constant for months and it was my first usage of the new equipment.

S - 15 x 180 seconds

H - 15 x 180 seconds

O - 15 x 180 seconds

MM

 

[AMcD]

IC443 in Ha and OIII

This version of my most recent image is a rendition of IC443 in Ha and OIII.  This version has HOO stars.  The image was taken with a QHY268M and Antlia Pro 3nm filters on my TS130 Photoline APO.  The TS130 is mounted on a Paramount MyT guided with a QHY OAG and ZWO174MM mini.  The image comprises 6 hrs of 600sec integrations in OIII and 5 hrs of 600sec integrations in Ha.  The data was acquired in late February and early March 2024 with SGPro and processed in PixInsight.

[Xsubmariner]

NGC2237 - Rosette Nebula in Monoceros captured 2/3, 5/6 March 2024. A total of 41xHa, 28xOiii and 31x Sii frames all 300sec. Integration 8.3 hours. Processed using PixInsight, plus Russell Croman’s Blur/Noise/Star XTerminator, Foraxx Colour Pallette.

H,S,O stars processed using Foraxx script.

Imaging Kit; TOA150 reduced to 755mm fl, QHY600M with QHYFW and Antlia 3nm HSO filters, Mesu200 mount. Tak60 guide scope with ZWO120mm camera. 
 

 

[Minhlead]

My latest rendition of the M1 with the data acquired from the CDK24. 

Just a mere 7 hours of intergration time (5 hours HA and 2 hours O3).

 

Edited March 18 by Minhlead

[Lee_P]

Here's the Flaming Star Nebula taken using an OSC camera with an Optolong L-Ultimate filter. It's 15 hours of data from central Bristol (Bortle 8).

I've got 15 hours of RGB data to add in too, but that's not allowed in this competition! I'll post it in the Deep Sky forum section when it's done, for anyone that's interested.

 

[Steve Foulkes]

Rosette Nebula using the Foraxx colour palette. Data: 28xHa, 28xSii and 44x Oiii frames all 300 seconds. Processing with PixInsight and RC XT tools. The kit was skywatcher esprit 150mm working at f/5.4 with reducer and a QHY286M camera.

[Taman]

PK 164+31.1, Jones-Emberson 1 - The Headphone Nebula.

Due to the poor weather, my only image so far this year. Taken over 4 nights in Jan, Feb and March.

Stacking was done using Sirilic, with processing in Siril, Starnet++ and Photoshop. I used Pixelmath to create a luminance layer and combine the image in the ForaxX palette. 

I also took some RGB stars, but couldn't use them because of the competition rules. So for this image, stars from a colour calibrated HOO version were used instead.

69 x 360s HA, 61 x 360s OIII, total 13 hours.

Celestron C11, Starizona 0.63 SCT Corrector, ASI294MM Pro, Optolong HA & OIII filters.

[WolfieGlos]

First entry into this one, decided to reprocess the image and went for an "OSC Hubble Palette" version of the recent NGC2264 image that I posted in the imaging section.

Channels split, and recombined in Siril as LRGB, using channels RRRG.

Starfield 102 + Canon 800D (modded) on HEQ5. 200 x 300s frames at ISO-400 with Optolong l'enhance filter. Possibly the only DSLR entry so far ?

Edited March 14 by WolfieGlos

[Varavall]

The Heart and Soul nebulas taken over 11th, 12th and 13th March.

30x 600s Ha, 10x600s Sii, 13x600s Oiii

Kit::  Nikon 135mm AI lens at f4, ZWO Nikon-filter wheel adapter, ASI1600MM-Cool, ZWO EAF, Astrodon 5nm Ha, Sii and Oiii filters, HEQ5 Pro modded mount, NINA, PHD2

Processed in ASTAP, Siril, GIMP and NX Studio

[Vroobel]

The Spaghetti Nebula (SH2-240, Simeis 147)
17-18 January, 26 January, 30 January, 1 March, 3 March, 5-6 March 2024

The Spaghetti Nebula is an extremely difficult DSO even at the first stage of its imaging. It's faint, especially the OIII component. It should be captured under a really dark sky, not in the Bortle 9+ location.
I'm going to continue imaging it in the next season when it's reachable.

Askar FMA230, Optolong 2" H&O, ASI 2600MM-Pro @ Celestron CGX;
14h 40m of total integration time: 47x300s Ha, 129x300s OIII; Gain 101, Offset 50, -10°C;  
NINA, PixInsight, Affinity Photo;
Liverpool, Bortle 9.

AstroBin combined : https://www.astrobin.com/51veym/F/
AstroBin starless     : https://www.astrobin.com/51veym/F/#rE

 

[Elp]

NGC 2359 - Thor's Helmet Nebula.

A popular target for me in the Winter but troublesome as it's small, only visible for around 1 hour at a time, and also low in altitude above LED lighting. I decided to start a new SHO project on this from my usual Bortle 7 zone so surrounded by LP (there's a lamppost right next to the wall I setup next to for this target and also right next to the scope). The weather hasn't cooperated again, due to the short integration time I'm actually happy I managed to get extended gasses in this image. Stars aren't brilliant but I didn't have time to reimage SHO stars with a refractor so stuck with this same setup which is designed for getting data quickly, not sharply. All processed manually in PS/GIMP, slight Topaz with PP done in Siril, no Pix-in-sight or RC tools.

[Minhlead]

A new version of the M1 nebula with addition of SII data.

[gorann]

Time to post my February images. Here is the first.

NGC 2282, Sh2-282, 283 and 284 in Monoceros. These objects from the Sharpless catalogue, just south of the Rosette, are a bit low on my southern horizon, but this is at least the best time of the year to give it a shot. They are also surprisingly rarely imaged. NGC 2282 (aka IC 2172 and vdB 85) is a rather complex object,  classified both as a star cluster, reflection nebula and Ha region. (at least one paper has been written about it https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1997AJ....113.1788H). When I noted the red Ha emitting "ball" just above Sh2-284 I was thinking planetary nebula, but it is only classified as a Ha region in Simbad, and it is not in the HASH data base of PNs and PN candidates.

Imaged 2nd February with RASA8, NBZ filter and ASI2600MC. 9.5 hours. Processed in PI and PS, including the XT tools.

Cheers, Göran

[gorann]

This is Jacoby 1 in Boötes. Found in 1993 by G.H. Jacoby and G. van de Steene with the 2.1m Kitt Peak telescope it has been said to be the dimmest planetary nebula discovered in the 20th century. So a perfect challenge for a RASA. The hot blue progenitor star is clearly visible in the center of the PN.

Imaged 3rd of February with RASA8, NBZ filter and ASI2600MC. 12.7 hours. Processed in PI and PS, including the XT tools.

Cheers, Göran

[gorann]

Cosmic fire and smoke: LBN 878 and Barnard 35 in Lambda Orionis. Barnard 35 is the dusty area surrounded by the bight arch registered in Lynds' catalogue as LBN 878. This bright nebula and all the other Ha emitting nebulosity and dark dust (molecular clouds) seen in this image are part of Sh2-264, aka the Lambda Orionis Ring. To me it looks like LBN 878 is heading towards the small planetary nebula NGC 2022 seen to the left of it.

Imaged 2nd February with RASA8, NBZ filter and ASI2600MC. 9.3 hours. Processed in PI and PS, including the XT tools.

Cheers, Göran

 

[gorann]

NBC 1788. This cloud complex in Orion is situated just north of the better known Witchhead Nebula, at a declination of -3 degrees, so a bit too close for comfort to my southern horizon, and only possible for me to image this time of the year.  NGC 1788 (aka vdB 33) is the bright reflection and emission nebula feature at the top, It is sometimes called the Fox Face Nebula or the Flying Bat Nebula.  There are also a bunch of galaxies to be seen in the image. As I imaged this through an IDAS NBZ dual-band filter (Ha + Oiii) I picked up quite a bit of Ha around the main object, more than in most images I have seen of this area.

Imaged 6th of February with RASA8, NBZ filter and ASI2600MC. 7.5 hours. Processed in PI and PS, including the XT tools.

Cheers, Göran

Edited March 20 by gorann

[gorann]

Planetary nebula WHDS 1 (aka WeDe 1) in Orion. The discovery of WHDS 1 (PK197-06.1) was published in 1983 by Weinberger, Hartl, Dengel and Sabbadin (https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1983ApJ...265..249W). For some reason it is more often referred to as WeDe 1. It is an old evolved planetary nebula and large enough to be a rather good target for my RASA rig, When I was planning my framing in Telescopius I noticed that there were more structures nearby that I could include in the image by pushing the main object out of the center. Those Ha emitting structures are part of Lambda Orionis.

Imaged 4th of February with RASA8, NBZ filter and ASI2600MC. 7.7 hours. Processed in PI and PS, including the XT tools.

Cheers, Göran

[AndysAstroPix]

This image
This image showcases the dynamic interplay of mixed ionized gases swirling near the central core of NGC 3372.

Rendered in a Hubble-inspired narrowband colour palette, both with and without Ha stars, capturing the intricate beauty of this extraordinary nebula.

The Process
I've attempted to capture the natural details of the nebula in each of the three filters without relying on artificial processing enhancements. The process then involves assigning each wavelength its own unique colour, carefully preserving its individuality while delicately adjusting saturation levels to achieve an overall harmonious balance and depth. 

Preserving the nebula's dynamic range is paramount to my goal. This entails showcasing active regions of star formation in vivid brightness yet ensuring that these highlights maintain intricate details. Meanwhile, the darker areas are treated with subtlety, offering glimpses of hidden information.

Data was captured from my suburban backyard in Melbourne, Australia.
(Pop 5,000,000 - Bortle scale 7)

Composition
Exploring the art of visual composition has been an enjoyable journey for me.  I've composed this image using a Fibonacci spiral (or Golden Spiral). It's quite intuitive as the spiral guides the viewer's gaze along natural curves. Applying this concept when framing objects can enhance visual appeal. It's evident in structures like the pyramids and artworks like Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. Nature also showcases it in shells, pineapples, and honeycombs.

Artists and designers have used the golden spiral for centuries. It serves as a visual roadmap, in this case, directing attention towards RCW53C! 

The Nebula
Commonly referred to as the Carina Nebula, along with the region known as RCW53C, though nomenclature discrepancies exist. Within this region reside stars of remarkable heat and mass, each approximately 10 times hotter and 100 times more massive than our Sun. Prominently featured is the circular 'keyhole' structure, which exhibits a dynamic interplay of bright, hot gas filaments and dark, cold molecular clouds in frenetic motion.



Notable within the frame are two large, sharply defined dust clouds poised near the centre and upper-left edges. Should dense condensations form within them, these clouds may either dissipate over time or birth compact star clusters. Encompassing a staggering diameter of over 200 light-years, the Carina Nebula stands as a prominent landmark within the southern hemisphere of the Milky Way galaxy.

Situated 8,500 light-years away, it ranks among the largest diffuse nebulae, spanning approximately 460 light-years in breadth. It's sadly hidden from most observers in the northern hemisphere.

Various young star clusters and nebulous formations lie within its expanse, including the iconic Mystic Mountain, the Homunculus Nebula, and the Keyhole Nebula. Among its notable inhabitants is the enigmatic Eta Carinae, a luminous blue variable star. Furthermore, X-ray imagery has unveiled multiple supernova events within NGC 3372.

Paraeidolia
Also featured is a striking resemblance to the iconic "Smoking Man" from the popular X-Files series, famously portrayed by William B. Davis.

Just as omnipresent as he was in the show, it seems fitting to find his likeness in the heavens! 😀

Thanks for looking! 

CS
Andy

Imaging Telescope

Takahashi TOA-130F

Imaging Cameras

Atik APX60 Mono

Mounts

iOptron CEM70G

Dates:

16 - 18 Mar 2024

Frames:

Chroma H-alpha 5nm Bandpass 2": 42×600″(7h)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 2": 43×600″(7h 10′)
Chroma SII 5nm Bandpass 2": 47×600″(7h 50′)

Integration:

22h