Gallery


Rho Ophiuchi Nebula (IC4603/4604)

Rho Ophiuchi is the name of the group of 3 bright stars on the right. The blue reflection nebula around it is IC4604 and the combination reflection/dark nebula on the left is IC4603. Scope: AT111EDT at f/5.6 Mount: AP Mach1 Camera: QSI583 Exposure: LRGB, 2 hrs total


Rabbit (or Pelican) Nebula (IC5070)

More commonly known as the Pelican Nebula (rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise), the Rabbit might be an even better interpretation, especially since he seems to be smiling! Scope: AT111EDT at f/5.6 Mount: AP Mach1 Camera: QSI583 Exposure: H-a/OIII/SII, 10 hrs total


Western Veil Nebula (NGC6960)

The Western Veil, also known as the Witch’s Broom, is part of the very large Veil Nebula, the remnants of a supernova that happened 5,000 to 8,000 years ago. Scope: AT111EDT at f/5.6 Mount: AP Mach1 Camera: QSI583 Exposure: H-a/OIII/SII, 9 hrs total


Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC6992)

This is about 1/3rd of the large Veil Nebula. Like many nebulae, the Veil is the remnants of a supernova, the material ejected when a star exploded. It is in the constellation Cygnus, but its distance from Earth is not precisely known.  This image from late October of 2013 replaces an older version.  The new version adds an S-2 channel and more exposure time.  Captured at Wa-chur-ed Observatory.  Scope: AT111EDT at f/5.6 Mount: AP Mach1 Camera: QSI 583wsg at –15C Exposure: 12 x 900s H-alpha, 6 x 1800s O-3, 6 x 1800s S-2 (9 hrs total)


The Pleiades (aka Subaru, or Seven Sisters – M45) (wide)

This open star cluster is surrounded by clouds of dust. The dust closest to the bright, young stars reflects their blue color, but the more distant areas are very faint and brown.  This wider view of the Pleiades is perhaps not as dramatic as the close-up, but reveals much more of the surrounding dust. Scope: WO Star71 at f/4.9 Mount: AP Mach1 Camera: QSI583 Exposure: LRGB, 3 hrs 20 mins total


LDN673

Dark nebulae like this usually don’t have common names, just catalog numbers. But they are often very attractive silhouettes, and a nice change from the usual “glowing gas” nebulae. Scope: AT111EDT at f/5.6 Mount: AP Mach1 Camera: QSI683 Exposure: LRGB, 4.4 hrs total


Jellyfish Nebula (IC443)

A supernova remnant, the Jellyfish has a neutron star at its core. The structure has two “shells” of dense gases. Scope: AT111EDT at f/5.6 Mount: AP Mach1 Camera: QSI583 Exposure: H-a/OIII/SII, 10.5 hrs total


IC405, 410, and 417

The trio of IC catalog objects are seen here to all be part of the same region of hydrogen.  Also included in the frame is the small, bright nebula on the right (NGC1931) and M38, the open star cluster in the lower right. Scope: Tamron 70-200mm camera lens at 200mm Camera: QSI583 Exposure: H-a/OIII/SII, 10 hrs total