Nebulae

This is the Soul Nebula in Casseopiea presented in the popular Hubble palette taken with the Epsilon 180ED. It is comprised of 110 min of H-alpha, 170 min of OIII and 170 min of SII data with the OIII and SII data obtained binned 2x2. The camera used was the FLI ML8300 at -20C. Nebulosity 2 was used to calibrate, align and combine the subframes and the Hubble palette false color composite seen above (SII=Red, H-alpha=Green and OIII=Blue) was created using Photoshop CS2. Is it spooky enough for Halloween which is only two days away?

I picked up a Losmandy DSBS off a seller on Astromart and it solved many DEC balance issues with the NJP mount that I was facing with the Takahashi Epsilon 180ED f/2.8 astrograph. I now have the Takahashi FS-60C which I use as a guidescope mounted to the side of the Epsilon astrograph and the assembly is well balanced in both axes. This image results from a single night with 4 hours worth of imaging time. I just love the FAST speed of the Epsilon. It would have taken me a lot longer to get these results with the old APM apo refractor even running at f/4.8. It is the Heart Nebula in Casseopiea presented in the popular Hubble palette. It is comprised of 60 min of H-alpha, 100 min of OIII and 80 min of SII data with the OIII and SII data obtained binned 2x2. The camera used was the FLI ML8300 at -20C. Nebulosity 2 was used to calibrate, align and combine the subframes and the Hubble palette false color composite seen above (SII=Red, H-alpha=Green and OIII=Blue) was created using Photoshop CS2.

My Takahashi Epsilon 180ED f/2.8 astrograph arrived.....finally!! This is the "first" light image using the Epsilon - a narrowband image of the Rosette Nebula with H-alpha assigned to the red channel and OIII assigned to the blue channel and a synthetic green channel constructed using Carboni's Astro-tools. 70 minutes of H-alpha and 80 minutes of OIII resulted in the above image. What took 6 hours with the old APM/TMB 130 at f/4.8 got done in 2 hours 20 minutes flat!! The incredible speed of the new astrograph also picks up much fainter nebulosity in the field. While the field of view is a bit larger than with the APM/TMB at f/4.8, the pixel resolution is also a bit larger at 2.2 arcsec/pixel compared to 1.78 arcsec/pixel using the FLI ML8300 CCD camera. However, image detail is about the same so I am glad that I got this FAST photon gathering machine.

This is a tricolor narrowband image of the Soul Nebula (IC1848) presented in the popular Hubble false color palette and is comprised of four hours of H-alpha data, five and a half hours of OIII data and six hours of SII data. Obtained over three nights from my backyard with the APM/TMB 130 at f/4.8, the FLI ML8300 on the Tak NJP Temma 2 mount. Individual subframes were 30 minutes long and Nebulosity 2 was used for initial image calibration. The image processing was performed in Photoshop CS2. Click on the picture to see the full resolution image.

This is a narrowband image of the Soul or Embryo nebula (IC 1848) comprised of H-alpha (Red), OIII (blue) and a synthetic green channel. I found that 10 minute subframes for these faint objects is not an optimal situation and so for this image, I increased each subframe collection time to 30 minutes. This result is the combination of four hours of H-alpha and five and a half hours of OIII data. The false color image was put together in Photoshop CS2 and Carboni's tools were used to synthesize a green channel from the data. Like the Heart Nebula, this object is far brighter in H-alpha than it is in OIII. Even with 30 minute subframes and five and a half hour collection times, the OIII data was very faint. Click on the picture to see the fullsized image.

This is the "First Light" image from my new backyard observatory. It is a narrowband image of the Heart Nebula (IC 1805) comprised of H-alpha (Red) and OIII (blue) with a synthetic green channel. It was obtained over two nights with four hours each in both wavelengths using the APM/TMB 130 at f/4.8, the FLI ML8300 and Baader narrowband filters. The object is fairly bright in H-alpha but is relatively faint in OIII. The new Precise parts adapters were utilized to hook up the camera to the Televue RFL4087 focal reducer/flattener and the Orion CFW. The chip to camera distance is 37mm and this appears to provide the best results. Click on the picture above to see the full resolution image.

This is the above "First Light" image of the Heart Nebula depicted in the Hubble false color palette. Three wavelengths were utilized (H-alpha, OIII and SII) to generate this composite. Represents a total of 12 hours of lights - four hours per wavelength. Click on the picture for a fullsize image.

This is a single color H-alpha narrowband image of the Omega or Swan Nebula (M17). Comprised of 110 mins of H-alpha from my backyard with the APM 130 at f/4.8, the FLI ML 8300 monchrome and the Tak NJP mount. This is the only image I could obtain in the first half of the month of September 2010, mainly due to uncooperative weather. The chip to flattener spacing here is 42 mm. I'm awaiting custom heavy duty adapters from Precise Parts to achieve a chip to flattener distance of 37mm which based on these results should be close to ideal for my set up. Click on the picture above to load a full res image.

This is a single color H-alpha narrowband image of the Trifid Nebula (M20). Comprised of 100 mins of H-alpha from my backyard with the APM 130 at f/4.8, the FLI ML 8300 monchrome and the Tak NJP mount. This was the only image I could obtain during the second half of August 2010. Weather, work and family prevented me from going back and completing the tricolor set. This image is also an attempt to figure out a better spacing distance between the camera chip and the Televue RFL4087 reducer/flattener. Turns out the manufacturer recommended 56mm metal-back distance is too large for my set-up as can be seen in the rather large star aberrations as one approaches the image edges in the images below. This image is an improvement in terms of a flatter full field and the edge aberrations are relatively more controlled here. The chip to flattener distance here is 42mm. Click on the picture above to load a full res image.

This is a bicolor narrowband image of the Eagle Nebula (M16). Comprised of 240 mins of H-alpha and 120 mins of OIII from my backyard with the APM 130 at f/4.8, the FLI ML 8300 monchrome and the Tak NJP mount. Clicking on this picture will load the fullsized drizzle processed image. WARNING!! - LARGE IMAGE SIZE (5MB), but well worth the slow download (16 megapixels).

This is the above image but rendered in the Hubble tricolor palette by adding SII data. The SII data had to be collected on a night when the seeing was so poor that even 2x2 binning produced significant oversampling. I opted to collect SII data at 3x3 binning and then drizzled it up a bit. Even so, it was clear that that was no way I could upsample this data to match the resolution of the H-alpha and even the OIII data from the above image, so I opted instead to downsample the data for these other two channels to match the drizzled SII resolution. Click on the picture above for a fullsize view.

This is a tricolor narrowband image of the Orion and Running Man nebular region. It is the "first light" image from my new concrete pier and 8x10 deck. Taken over three nights with the APM 130 at f4.8 and the FLI ML8300 on the NJP. Clicking on this picture will load a higher resolution image.

This is a tricolor narrowband image of the Rosette Nebula comprised of H-alpha, OIII and SII wavelengths combined in the Hubble palette. Clicking on the image will load a high resolution version.

This is a narrowband image of the Rosette Nebula comprised of H-alpha and OIII wavelengths and a synthetic green channel (using Carboni's astro-tools). The H-alpha image is the same as the one below, but the OIII image was obtained the next night using the APM 130 at f/4.8 and the FLI ML 8300. Clicking on the picture will load a high resolution version.

This is a H-alpha filtered narrowband image of the Rosette Nebula in Monoceros. This image was acquired with my backyard set-up consisting of the APM 130/780 triplet apo at f/4.8 and the FLI ML 8300 monochrome CCD camera. The image has been colorized using Carboni's astro-tools. Clicking on the picture will load the full resolution image.

This is a narrowband image in H-alpha showing the region around the Cone and Foxfur Nebulae in Monoceros. This image was acquired with my backyard imaging set up consisting of my APM 130 at f/4.8 with the FLI ML8300 and Baader 7nm H-alpha filter on the Tak NJP mount. Clicking on the picture will load a higher resolution image. The image has been colorized using Carboni's astro-tools. Compare this to an image of this region taken using a spectrum enhanced DSLR camera below.

This is a widefield image showing the region around the Cone and Foxfur Nebulae in Monoceros. This image was acquired with my Takahashi Sky 90 doublet Fluorite apochromat at f/4.5 and a spectrum enhanced Canon Digital Rebel from outside Will Sager's home which is at the outskirts of College Station, TX. Clicking on the picture will load a higher resolution image. This image is a fairly old one - I believe it was taken in 2006.

This is a tricolor narrowband image of the Horsehead nebula. It consists of H-alpha, OIII and SII wavelengths utilized as follows. The red channel is SII+20%H-alpha, the green channel is H-alpha+4%SII while the blue channel is OIII+30%H-alpha. In addition, a synthetic Luminace layer was created by using 100%H-alpha, 40%OIII and 4%SII. LAB processing was performed to bring up some of the lowered color saturation. Taken with my APM 130 at f6 and the ML8300 monochrome and Baader H-alpha, OIII and SII narrowband filters.

This is a bicolor narrowband image of the Horsehead and flame Nebular region, taken with my APM 130 at f6 and the ML8300 monochrome and Baader H-alpha and OIII narrowband images. The seeing was horrible this night and the camera was operated in 2x2 binned mode without any apparent loss of detail. It is comprised of 9x10min H-alpha subs, but a SINGLE 10 min OIII sub (clouds blew in). Click on the picture for the full resolution image.

This is a false color narrowband image of M27 - the Dumbell Nebula which is a planetary nebula. The image is comprised of wavelengths emitted by excited Hydrogen and Oxygen molecules. This image was acquired with my APM 130 at f/6 using my personal ATIK 16HR monochrome CCD camera and Orion's 1.25" narrowband imaging filters. Clicking on the picture will load the full resolution image.

This image of the Crescent Nebula was acquired from my backyard using my APM 130 at f6 and the QHY8 OSC. It is an H-alpha narrowband image (Baader 7nm H-alpha 2" filter). Click on the picture to load the full resolution image.

This is a bicolor narrowband image of the Crescent Nebular region, but taken with the APM 130 at f6 and the new FLI ML8300 camera. In this image, the wavelengths from Hydrogen and oxygen are recorded. Can you see the soap bubble planetary nebula? Clicking on the picture will open the full resolution image.

This image of the Eagle Nebula was captured with the SHSU Epsilon 200 astrograph and my personal QHY8 OSC. Click on the picture to load the full resolution image.

This is a false color narrowband image of the Flaming Star Nebula in wavelengths emitted by excited Hydrogen and Oxygen. The image was captured from my backyard with the APM 130 at f6 and the FLI ML8300 monochrome camera, using Baader H-alpha and OIII narrowband imaging filters. Clicking on the picture will load the full resolution image.

This is a narrowband image of the Jellyfish Nebula - a Supernova Remnant in Gemini. This image was acquired over two nights from my backyard with the APM 130 at f6 and the FLI ML8300 monochrome camera using the Baader 2" narrowband H-alpha imaging filter. Click on the picture to see the full resolution image.

This is a full spectrum image of the Lagoon Nebula acquired with the SHSU Takahashi Epsilon 200/NJP astrograph system using my QHY8 OSC. Click the picture for the full resolution image.

This is a full spectrum image of M78 - a reflection nebular complex in Orion. This image was taken on a very cold, very windy night with the SHSU Epsilon 200 astrograph and my QHY8 OSC. The wind was so strong that it bent the chain on the astrograph shed door. Click the picture for a larger image.

This is a full spectrum image of the Orion Nebular region with the APM 130 at f/4.8 (WO 0.8X FR/FF). The Running Man nebular region can also be seen as can the bridge of dust and gas connecting the Orion and de Marian's Nebulae to the Running Man area. Click on the picture to see the full resolution image.

This is a bicolor narrowband image of the Orion Nebular region. Taken with the APM 130 at f/6 and the FLI ML8300 monochrome camera using Baader H-alpha and OIII narrowband imaging filters from my backyard. Click on the picture for the full resolution image.

This is a false color tricolor narrowband image of the Orion Nebular region. It consists of Halpha, OIII and SII data acquired with the APM 130 at f6, the FLI ML8300 monochrome camera and the corresponding Baader narrowband imaging filters from my backyard. Click on the picture for the full resolution image.

This is a bicolor narrowband image of the Pelican Nebula. Acquired with the APM 130 at f/6 and the QHY8 OSC using Baader H-alpha and OIII narrowband imaging filters from my backyard. BTW, this was the "first light" image for my NJP mount and the H-alpha subframes are each 30 minutes long. Click on the picture for the full resolution image.

This is a bicolor narrowband image of the Swan nebular complex acquired with the APM 130 at f6, the QHY8 OSC and Baader H-alpha and OIII filters from my backyard. Click on the picture for a full resolution image.

This is a tricolor narrowband image of the Swan Nebular region acquired with the APM 130 at f/6, QHY8 OSC imager and Baader H-alpha, OIII and SII filters. Click on the picture for the full resolution image.

This is a full spectrum image of the Trifid Nebular region with the SHSU Epsilon 200 astrograph and my QHY8 OSC. Click on the picture for a higher resolution image.

This is a bicolor narrowband image of the Viel Nebula acquired with my APM 130 at f6 and SHSU's SBIG ST-8 monochrome camera using my Baader Halpha and OIII filters. Click on the picture for the full resolution image.