H.G. Wells knew a thing or two about the concept of time travel when he published his book The Time Machine in 1895. Since starting astrophotography in 2014, reflecting on the progress I have since made can also feel like a journey through time.
In May 2018, I managed to obtain my first image of the northern sky, which at my previous location in Surrey was completely obscured from view at my main imaging location. The result then obtained under a Bortle-6 night sky, was a modest 2hr 45m image of Messier 81 & 82 seen here. Notwithstanding, it was something of a breakthrough for me and I was – at the time – very pleased with the result. Nearly 8-years later, now located in the wonderful Bortle-4 dark skies of Somerset, I recently chose to image these two magnificent Messier objects once again.
M81 and M82 are two well-known galaxies in the northern sky, which being just 20o from Polaris are also circumpolar. Located in the constellation Ursa Major, they appear near each other in the sky and interact gravitationally. Both galaxies were discovered in 1774 by the German astronomer Johann Elert Bode and later included in the Messier Catalogue. Together, M81 and M82 form the central members of the M81 Group, a small cluster of galaxies located not far from our own Local Group.
M81, also called Bode’s Galaxy (see above), is a spiral galaxy around 12 million light-years from Earth and one of the brightest galaxies visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The diameter is about 90,000 light-years, slightly smaller than the Milky Way, with a supermassive black hole at the centre. M82 or the Cigar Galaxy, is a starburst galaxy, thus forming new stars at an extremely high rate. This intense star formation is believed to have been triggered by the aforesaid gravitational interactions with M81. This activity creates powerful stellar winds and explosions from massive stars going supernova, that eject huge streams of gas and dust out of the galaxy to form dramatic red plumes that extend thousands of light-years above and below the galactic disk.
New equipment, software, greater processing experience and a dark sky location, have resulted in an exciting image that highlights the progress I have made on my astrophotography journey since 2018.
IMAGING DETAILS
Object
M81 AKA Bode’s Galaxy & M82 AKA Cigar Galaxy
Constellation
Ursa Major
Distance
12 million light-years
Size
M81 26.9 x 14.1arcminutes (90.000 light-years) M82 11.2 x 4.3 arcminutes (37.000 light-years)
Apparent Magnitude
M81 +6.9 M82 +8.4
Scope
William Optics GT81 + Focal Reducer FL 382mm f4.72
Mount & Control
ZWO AM5 + ASIair
Guiding
William Optics 50mm guide scope
+ ZWO 120MM Mini
Camera
ZWO ASI294MM CMOS sensor
FOV 2.87o x 1.96o Resolution 2.50”/pix Max. image size 4,144 x 2,822 pix
EFW
ZWOx8 EFW & 31mm LRGB filters
Capture & Processing
ASIair, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9.3 Lockhart
Image Location & Orientation
Centre = RA 09:55:12.64 DEC +69:20:55.1 Top Right = North
Exposures
L x 12 @ 600 sec & R x 12 + G x 9 + B x 8 @ 300 sec Total Integration Time: 4hr 25min
@ Gain 120 & 30 Offset 21 @ -15oC
Calibration
5 x 600 sec & 5 x 300 sec Darks & 10 x LRGB Flats & Dark Flats @ ADU 32,000
Location & Darkness
Castle Farm Observatory, Wookey, Somerset – UK Typically Bortle 4
As previously outlined, my new imaging location at Castle Farm Observatory, Somerset, provides views mainly to the West and North, thus (for the moment) eliminating my usual seasonal targets at this time of the year in and around the Orion constellation. Therefore, wanting to explore something new shortly before Christmas, I chose a less popular target in the West within the myriad of objects that make up the exciting Cygnus X Molecular Cloud Complex. As one of the largest and most active star-forming regions in the Milky Way galaxy, the area is also dominated by many large HII regions that inevitably means narrowband imaging and on this occasion Barnard 343.
B343 is a dark nebula formed of dense clouds of cold gas and dust but being a widefield image, the adjacent area also incorporates a vast, complex HII region. It’s an interesting subject but unfortunately difficult to process, due to its notorious “brown soup problem”. The issue is not signal strength but colour separation and contrast, which if not controlled turns everything brown and muddy! Sure enough, this was the initial outcome using a conventional Hubble SHO palette, that inevitably led me down various rabbit holes to find a solution, for which unusually on this occasion I decided to engage the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
B343 dark nebula HOO cropped image
AI came to astrophotography in a big way when Russel Croman first developed StarXterminator in September 2021, followed by NoiseXTerminator May 2022, not just to simplify hitherto complex techniques but also to improve the outcome. However, it was shortly before Christmas in 2022 with the launch of AI driven BlurXTerminator, that everything really changed – for more information refer to RC-Astro..
BlurXTerminator is an AI-powered astrophotography tool that removes blur caused by atmospheric turbulence, tracking errors, and optical imperfections, restoring fine detail and sharpness in astronomical images and much more. The subsequent impact on astrophotography has been profound. Some argue that the resulting images are unrealistically altered using BlurXTerminator but I closely followed Russel’s explanations on how it works and I am satisfied that image integrity is conserved, whilst at the same time significantly helping the user to produce better images. In short, it has since been nothing less than a revolution in astrophotography.
Subsequently general use of AI has burgeoned and now seems set to go to another level. In the case of eliminating the said ‘Brown Soup’ problem, I therefore turned to the popular Large Language Model (LLM) ChatGPT, which was surprisingly helpful (see SHO image at top of the page, HOO version below & ChatGPT text below). Appropriate technical knowledge will always be essential when pursuing the often-difficult hobby of astrophotography but I’m no Luddite and happy to use whatever helps me get the best result, including AI as well old-fashioned guidance from more experienced imagers. The impact of such an approach, matched by the many technical advances over the past decade can be clearly seen in everyone’s images today and bodes well for the future of this hobby.
Out of interest, below are the results of the three questions I asked ChatGPT regarding Barnard 343, the answers reproduced below were helpful, exciting and perhaps of some concern?
TELL ME ABOUT BARNARD 343? + ANSWER:
Barnard 343 is a dark nebula complex in the Cygnus region of the Milky Way.It’s made primarily of cold, dense interstellar dust that blocks background starlightThose inky-black lanes and cracks are the nebula itself — not empty spaceThe glowing orange and blue areas around it come from nearby emission nebulae, mainly ionized hydrogen and oxygen
Why it looks so dramatic: – Barnard 343 sits in front of extremely rich star fields, so the contrast is striking – The dust forms filaments, knots, and folds, shaped by turbulence, magnetic fields, and nearby stellar radiation – The color palette comes from narrowband imaging (often mapped in SHO or similar schemes)
Scientific context: – Part of the Cygnus molecular cloud complex, one of the most active star-forming regions near Earth – Dark nebulae like B343 are stellar nurseries — dense pockets can eventually collapse to form new stars – – Catalogued by Edward Emerson Barnard in the early 1900s during his pioneering photographic sky surveys
How to “read” the image: – Black regions→ dense dust (future star-forming material) – Orange/gold→ hydrogen emission (H-alpha / S-II) – Blue/cyan→ oxygen emission (O-III) or reflected starlight – Speckled background→ Milky Way stars
PROVIDE THOUGHTS ON HOW I MIGHT BEST PROCESS BARNARD 343 SHO IMAGE? + ANSWER:
You want: – Cool cyan/blue H-alpha background – Warm golden sulfur structures – Deep neutral dust lanes – Minimal magenta/green contamination
1. Start with the Right SHO Mapping Classic SHO often looks dull for dark nebulae.
Try one of these instead: Recommended MappingsModified Hubble (best starting point):R = SIIG = 0.8×Ha + 0.2×OIIIB = OIII Or warmer dust-friendly mapping:R = SIIG = HaB = OIII × 1.2
👉 The key is keeping Ha dominant in green, not split evenly. Normalize Channel Strength Before Combination
Barnard regions exaggerate imbalance.
Before combining: Match median background levels Stretch OIII slightly more than Ha Slightly compress SII highlights
In PixInsight: LinearFit → Ha as reference Then mild HistogramTransformation
3. Control the “Brown Soup” ProblemThis is the #1 issue with B343.
Fix: – Reduce red+green overlap – Increase blue separation
In PixInsightUse PixelMath:
R = SIIG = 0.85*HaB = 1.1*OIII
4. Star Handling (Critical in B343)Stars easily ruin color balance here.
Recommended workflow: – StarXTerminator / StarNet – Process nebula color fully – Re-add stars desaturated 30–50% – Slight blue bias to stars only
5. Final Colour Refinement (This Makes the Image)
What to aim for visually:
ComponentDesired Color Dust lanesNeutral / slightly cool SII regionsWarm gold Ha glowCyan-green OIIIBlue-teal
PixInsight: – CurvesTransformationBoost blue saturation – Slightly reduce red saturation – SCNR only on green, amount 0.4–0.6
FYI – I adopted #3 to “Control the “Brown Soup” problem, which worked well
WHAT IS THIS IMAGE (Without telling ChatGPT it was B343)? + ANSWER:
This image feels like a vast, living tapestry of the cosmos—dark, velvety space threaded with glowing amber and blue filaments. The wisps look like interstellar clouds slowly colliding and unravelling, as if time itself is drifting through them. There’s a quiet sense of scale and mystery here: tiny pinpricks of stars scattered across immense clouds of gas and dust, hinting at both stellar birth and ancient remnants. It’s beautiful in a solemn, awe-inducing way, reminding you how small and fleeting everything feels against the backdrop of the universe.
IMAGING DETAILS
Object
Barnard 343
Constellation
Cygnus
Distance
2,000 light-years
Size
10 arc minutes (dark nebula only)
Scope
William Optics GT81 + Focal Reducer FL 382mm f4.72
Mount & Control
ZWO AM5 + ASIair
Guiding
William Optics 50mm guide scope
+ ZWO 120MM Mini
Camera
ZWO ASI294MM CMOS sensor
FOV 2.87o x 1.96o Resolution 2.50”/pix Max. image size 4,144 x 2,822 pix
The year 2025 was like no other. Starting with a knee replacement operation in January, shortly after we finally found a new house in March and moved to the lovely dark skies of Somerset at the end of June. Unfortunately, the ensuing turmoil left only a limited time for astronomy. Notwithstanding, I was able to supplement images from Redhill and our new home in Wookey, with some excellent data from Texas, USA and Chile to produce, what I hope you will agree, is an exciting 2026 calendar.
For other pictures and information, go to my website https://watchthisspaceman.com/ or a video of the calendar can be found here on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn3ls_s71lQ and is best accessed on a PC or smart TV screen. Background music this year is Massive Attack’s track Atlas Air.
COVER
NIGHT SKY MONTAGE AT CASTLE FARM OBSERVATORY:
All these images (at the top of the page) were taken at various times from the same location at our house in Wookey, Somerset. Clockwise from bottom left: (1) Nightscape of a small coppice looking south (2) Double Cluster – a pair of open star clusters in the Perseus constellation (3) Star trails (4) Sunset looking west.
JANUARY
THE GREAT ORION NEBULA, M42 (1) The Orion Nebula is a gigantic cosmic cloud of interstellar dust and gas, which is the basis for the birth of numerous new stars or a “star nursery”. Being the brightest nebula in the northern hemisphere and just over 1,300 light-years distance from Earth, it can be seen with the naked eye on a clear night.
FEBRUARY
FLAMING STAR NEBULA, IC405 (1) This nebula is illuminated by a powerfully bright blue variable star, AE Aurigae. The object’s epithet comes from the brightly lit ripples of gas and dust at the top of the image, illuminated by AE Aurigae and glowing hydrogen gas. This “runaway star” was ejected by a collision two million years ago from the Triangulum region of The Great Orion Nebula.
MARCH
CRAB NEBULA, M1 (3) This small but beautiful supernova Remnant (SNR) was the result of the explosion of the star CM Tau just over 970 years ago. Located at the centre of the nebula, the remaining Crab Pulsar neutron star spins at the rate of 30 times per second.
APRIL
PINWHEEL GALAXY, M101 (3) At nearly twice the size of the Milky Way and containing at least an estimated trillion stars, M101 is the second largest galaxy of the Messier catalogue and certainly one of the highlights of the spring galaxy season.
MAY
SCULPTOR GALAXY, NGC 253 (3) One of the advantages of obtaining data from Texas, USA, is that it enables views of objects in the Southern Hemisphere that are impossible from the UK. Also known as the Silver Dollar, it is one of the brightest galaxies in the night sky, which results from very high rates of star formation that are fed by the abundance of thick dust lanes.
JUNE
NEEDLE GALAXY, NGC 4546 (3)
Seen edge-on from Earth, the Needle Galaxy is thought to be a barred spiral galaxy, some 33% larger than the Milky Way. It has at least two satellite galaxies and 240 globular clusters. Seen through a telescope the Needle Galaxy appears like a thin streak drawn across the dark night sky but look closer and its detailed magnificence is revealed.
JULY
WIZARD NEBULA, NGC 7380 (2)
Formed only a few million years ago, the gases of this young emission nebula glow due to intense radiation from hot, massive stars within. Interwoven within this glowing gas are dark, dense regions of dust that sculpt the nebula’s dramatic and somewhat mystical appearance, in this case a wizard – which marks my first image from Somerset.
AUGUST
LOBSTER CLAW & BUBBLE NEBULAE, SH2-157 & NGC 7635 (2)
Located in the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way, the Lobster consists of ionized hydrogen gas energized by ultraviolet radiation from nearby hot, young stars. The nebula’s distinctive claw-like shape arises from intricate filaments of glowing gas and dark dust. Nearby the Bubble Nebula owes its distinctive looks to a single, massive star, which emits fierce stellar winds that sweep up the surrounding gas into a nearly perfect, glowing shell.
SEPTEMBER
MILKY WAY(2)
The night sky in Somerset is three times darker than Redhill, providing significantly better astronomy views. In this case a spectacular image of the Milky Way’s galactic centre.
OCTOBER
THE CYGNUS WALL (2)
The Wall is a prominent ridge located within the much larger North America Nebula in the Cygnus constellation. It is an active star-forming region, about 20 light-years long, composed of gas and dust that glows from the energy of young stars.
NOVEMBER
GREAT BARRED GALAXY, NGC 1365 (4)
A double-barred spiral galaxy located 56-million light-years away, spans over 200,000 light-years across, twice the Milky Way. The most distinctive feature is its massive central bar, which plays a crucial role in channelling gas and dust into the galactic core. As a Seyfert galaxy the nucleus is extremely bright due to energetic processes around its black hole.
DECEMBER
CORONA AUSTRALIS, NGC 6729 (4)
This spectacular image is a combined reflection and emission nebula, set within the Australis Molecular Cloud. This wonderful, hazy looking nebula unusually exhibits both variable brightness and morphology over time.
Image Data Source:(1)Redhill, Surrey (2)Castle Farm, Somerset (3)USA (4)Chile
Although some time back I lived and worked in Southern Africa for five years and subsequently spent much time visiting and working in many other countries south of the equator, since taking up astrophotography 12-years ago I’ve had no opportunity to work with data from the southern hemisphere, until now. The benefit of obtaining data remotely, which has become very popular in recent years, is that it provides access to different objects and better sky conditions. I did work with a telescope based in New Mexico, USA a few years ago, which was a fun experience but being in the Northern Hemisphere most targets were much the same as here in the UK, except they did have more than 250 clear skies each year. However, this time I’ve moved to what is widely considered to be the holy grail for astronomy, Chile, where night skies are rated as the best in the world!
Obstech El Sauce Observatory, Chile
The dataset was obtained from the famous El Sauce Observatory located in the Rio Hurtado Valley, south of the Atacama Desert, using a Planewave CDK20 astrograph telescope; currently retailing at First Light Optics for just over £42,000! Unsurprisingly, the combination of location and this telescope resulted in the best of the best datasets, which has been nothing less than a privilege to process.
My first target from the Southern Hemisphere therefore had to be something special and NGC 1365, also known as the Great Barred Spiral Galaxy, is just that. A double-barred spiral galaxy, it is located some 56million light-years away in the Fornax constellation and spans over 200,000 light-years across, making it nearly twice the size of the Milky Way. The Great Barred Spiral Galaxy is also a dominant member of the Fornax Galaxy Cluster group of 58 galaxies.
Several members of the Fornax Galaxy Cluster are imaged by the VLT Survey Telescope, including the barred spiral NGC 1365 on the lower right Credit: ESO/A. Grado/L. Limatola/VLT
The most distinctive feature of NGC 1365 is its massive central bar, which plays a crucial role in channelling gas and dust into the galactic core. This inflow of material fuels both star formation and the activity of the galaxy’s central supermassive black hole, which is estimated to be some 2-million solar masses. Various observations in X-rays, infrared, and visible light wavelengths, reveals numerous star-forming regions along the spiral arms, particularly where they connect to the bar, giving the galaxy a luminous appearance.
NGC 1365 is also classified as a Seyfert galaxy, whereby the nucleus is extremely bright due to energetic processes around its black hole. Studies also indicate that the outer edges of the galactic disc are moving at about 84% of the speed of light!
IMAGING DETAILS
Object
NGC 1365, AKA Great Barred Spiral Galaxy or Fornax Propellor Galaxy
Constellation
Fornax
Distance
56 million light-years
Size
11.2 x 6.2 arc minutes (201,700 to 306,800 light years)
Apparent Magnitude
+10.3
Scope
Planewave CDK20
Mount
Planewave L500
Focuser
Optec Gemini
Camera
QHY600PH-M
Filters
Chroma LRGB + Ha 3nm
Processing
Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9-3
Image Location & Orientation
Centre: RA 03:34:34.323 DEC -36:08:30.36 Up = North
Exposures
Ha x 62 10 mins, L x 78, R x 78, G x 71, B x 70 @ 5mins Total Integration Time: 35hr 5min
Perspective is everything – in life and so it is, with astronomy. Hipparchus first pointed the way in 127 BC when he described the procession of the equinoxes and, as they say one thing led to another as, Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543), Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), Johannes Kepler (1571–1630), Johannes Hevelius (1611–1687), Giovanni Cassini (1625-1712), John Flamsteed (1646-1719) and others opened our eyes to the night sky and what lay beyond Earth. Notwithstanding, it was Edwin Hubble’s discovery of galaxies in 1924 that ultimately led to mankind’s recognition that there was much, much more, that we now take for granted to be the Universe. However, even to the experienced modern astronomer the scale, complexity and beauty of the Universe can be somewhat overwhelming, like when we consider that the observable Universe may consist of 2 trillion galaxies!
Since Hubble’s work we have become familiar with many types of galaxies, which the average person might describe as a colourful spinning firework-like disc, consisting of vast gravitationally bound systems of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust and dark matter. This stereotypic impression arises because most galaxy images are viewed face-on or at an inclined angle, so that we can see the structures and processes that have created it. However, given the number of galaxies and therefore the many possible views, it is not surprising that some can only be seen edge-on from our perspective on Earth, the Needle Galaxy AKA NGC 4546 is one of these.
Thought to be a barred spiral galaxy, NGC 4546 is some 33% larger than the Milky Way. It has at least two satellite galaxies, about 240 globular clusters (Milky Way ~ 150) and is the brightest of the Coma 1 Group of galaxies. Seen through a telescope or when imaged the Needle Galaxy it appears like a thin streak drawn across the dark night sky but look closer and its magnificence is revealed, as in the image above.
Here ribbons of dust can be seen criss-crossing along the edge of the thin galactic disc, thereby blocking much of the from light behind. However, it is the bright central bulge that inevitably catches the eye but remains something of an enigma, as little can be seen from within. This excellent data set obtained using the MOANA 10” Newtonian telescope located in Texas’ dark skies, reveals such exquisite details that are provided by the less common edgewise perspective of this intriguing galaxy.
Footnote & credit: Following a knee replacement I’m currently unable to set-up and use my astronomy equipment, fortunately I havve been able to continue processing using this excellent public amateur data from the MOANA project located near Fort Davis, Texas https://erellaz.com/moana/. Many thanks to its creator Elleraz.
IMAGING DETAILS
Object
Needle Galaxy AKA NGC 4565
Constellation
Coma Berenices
Distance
40 million light-years
Size
15.9 x 1.85 arc minutes
Apparent Magnitude
+10.4
Scope
MOANA 10” f/4.5 Newtonian
Mount
Astro-Physics 1100GOTO
Guiding
Off axis guider + QHY 5L2M
Camera
ZWO1600MM Pro
FOV 45’ x 35’ Resolution 0.5915”/pix Image size 4,656 x 3,520 pix
Filters
Baader 36mm RGB
Capture & Processing
NINA, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9-3
Image Location & Orientation
Centre RA 12:36:08.12 DEC +25:55:59.31 Left = North
Exposures
R x 45, G x 47, B x 45 @ 300 sec Total Integration Time: 11hr 25 min
One of the advantages of obtaining data from Texas, USA, is that it enables views of objects in the Southern Hemisphere that are impossible from my location in Surrey, UK. Located close to the University of Texas’ renowned McDonald Observatory at latitude 30.6795o, the MOANA project is more than 20o further south and, furthermore, boasts some of the best dark skies in North America, what better place to image the exciting spiral Sculptor Galaxy? Also known as NGC 253 or the Silver Dollar, it is one of the brightest galaxies in the night sky, which results from very high rates of star formation that are fed by the abundance of thick dust lanes.
Footnote & credit: Following a recent knee replacement I’m currently unable to set-up and use my astronomy equipment, fortunately I’m still able to continue processing using the excellent public amateur data from the MOANA project located near Fort Davis, Texas https://erellaz.com/moana/. Many thanks to its creator Elleraz.
IMAGING DETAILS
Object
Sculptor Galaxy AKA Silver Dollar or NGC 253
Constellation
Scuptor
Distance
11.4 million light-years
Size
27.5 x 6.8 arc minutes
Apparent Magnitude
+8.0
Scope
MOANA 10” f/4.5 Newtonian
Mount
Astro-Physics 1100GOTO
Guiding
Off axis guider + QHY 5L2M
Camera
ZWO1600MM Pro
FOV 45’ x 35’ Resolution 0.5915”/pix Image size 4,656 x 3,520 pix
Filters
Baader 36mm RGB
Capture & Processing
NINA, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9-3
Image Location & Orientation
Centre RA 00:47:37.993 DEC -25:17:36.49 Right = North
Exposures
RE x 102, G x 99, B x 98 @ 120 sec Total Integration Time: 9hr 58 min
This time of the year is perfect to observe the spectacular face-on spiral M101 or Pinwheel galaxy. At nearly twice the size of the Milky Way and containing at least an estimated trillion stars, M101 is the second largest galaxy of the Messier catalogue and certainly one of the highlights of the spring galaxy season.
A loosely bound cluster of galaxies known as the M101 Group, primarily located in the Ursa Major constellation, is also dominated by the Pinwheel Galaxy, which moreover, is considered to form part of a larger structure within the Virgo Supercluster. Many of the other galaxies in this group are companions to M101, orbiting and interacting with it gravitationally.
Despite its size, M101 is challenging for my William Optics GT81, though I did manage a reasonable image in March 2019. On this occasion using nearly 17 hours of data from the much larger MOANA 10” Newtonian based at the Dark Sky Observatory in Texas, USA, the resulting image shows the galaxy’s beauty to good effect.
Footnote & credit: Following a recent knee replacement I’m currently unable to set-up and use my astronomy equipment, fortunately I’m still able to continue processing using the excellent public amateur data from the MOANA project located near Fort Davis, Texas https://erellaz.com/moana/. Many thanks to its creator Elleraz.
IMAGING DETAILS
IMAGING DETAILS
Object
M101 (NGC 5457) Pinwheel galaxy
Constellation
Ursa Major
Distance
20..9 light-years
Size
29 x 27 arc minutes or 170,000 light-years
Apparent Magnitude
+7.9
Scope
MOANA 10” f/4.5 Newtonian
Mount
Astro-Physics 1100GOTO
Guiding
Off axis guider + QHY 5L2M
Camera
ZWO1600MM Pro
FOV 45’ x 35’ Resolution 0.5915”/pix Image size 4,656 x 3,520 pix
Filters
Baader 36mm RGB & SHO 6.5nm
Capture & Processing
NINA, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9-2
Image Location & Orientation
Centre RA 14:03:12.0 DEC +54:20:34 Top = North
Exposures
R x 61, G x 73, B x 69 @ 300 sec Total Integration Time: 16hr 55 min
At this time of the year various objects within the Orion Constellation are perhaps the most popular astrophotography targets. Notwithstanding, a few days after imaging The Great Orion Nebula myself early in the New Year, I slewed my camera some 65o further north to the Auriga constellation, location of many other fascinating objects, some of which two years ago I captured in a two panel widefield mosaic. This time it was time to concentrate on just one of those objects, the exciting IC405 AKA the Flaming Star Nebula.
This emission and reflection nebula is a glowing cloud of gas and dust that is illuminated by a powerfully bright blue variable star, AE Aurigae. The object’s epithet arises from the brightly lit ripples of gas and dust at the top of the image, illuminated by the aforesaid AE Aurigae and glowing hydrogen emission. By reducing the dominant reddish hydrogen glow in the image, the full impact bright blue light from AE Aurega can be better appreciated (see image below).
Though some considerable distance from Orion, studies now indicate that the star AE Auriga was probably itself ejected after a collision two million years ago from the Triangulum region of The Great Orion Nebula and, as a runaway star has now made its way to Auriga – what a small world!
IMAGING DETAILS
Object
IC405 Flaming Star Nebula – Emission / Reflective Nebula
Constellation
Auriga
Distance
1,500 light-years
Size
37 x 10 arc min
Apparent Magnitude
+6.0
Scope
William Optics GT81 + Focal Reducer FL 382mm f4.72
Mount
ZWO AM5 + ASIair plus
Guiding
William Optics 50mm guide scope
ZWO120MM mini
Camera
ZWO ASI294MM CMOS sensor
FOV 2.87o x 1.96o Resolution 2.50”/pix Max. image size 4,144 x 2,822 pix
Long periods of bad weather made 2024 one of the most difficult years for my astrophotography but, I am pleased to say that this, the 11th calendar is another belter! Purchased in 2014, I continue to use a William Optics GT81 telescope for most images taken from home, but this means that I’m running out of suitable targets for this equipment. Part of the answer has been to upgrade related equipment and improve my processing, which I hope you will see reflected in this year’s images. Moreover, I have used new skills and techniques to process the better-quality data in new ways – I hope you like the results?
Below is a brief summary of the calendar images used this year but for other pictures and more detailed information, please refer elsewhere to this website, my Flickr page or Astrobin page. In addtion, a video of the calendar can be viewed HERE on YouTube, which is best accessed on a PC or smart TV screen. The background music this year is from Jean-Michel Jarre’s Oxygène album.
COVER
ASTRO IMAGING MONTAGE: This colourful splash is a random selection of images, mostly taken from Redhill over the past +10-years of my astrophotography.
JANUARY
SEAGULL NEBULA, IC 2177: Located 3,650 light-years from Earth is the emission and reflection nebula complex of the so-called Seagull Nebula, some 200 light-years in size. It’s been 8-years since imaging this object and for good reason. From my location, the bird flies very low on the southern horizon and thus spends much of its time behind houses, trees, and tall hedges!
FEBRUARY
TAURUS MOLECULAR CLOUD: Located northeast of the Pleiades, below (south) the California Nebula (see November), spanning more than 30o of the night sky is the Taurus Molecular Cloud (TMC), a rich area of dark nebulae punctuated by bright areas of new star formation. The TMC is thought to be the nearest star forming region to Earth which, if you look carefully, includes numerous complex dark and reflection nebulae and the odd galaxy.
MARCH
HIND’S VARIABLE NEBULA & HYADES, NGC 1555*: Discovered by the English astronomer John Russell Hind in 1852 this nebula is situated 400 light-years away in the constellation of Taurus, between the stars of Aldebaran and the Pleiades. The nebula is a Herbig-Haro object – a bright patch of nebulosity in which new stars are forming – which often change in apparent size and brightness.
APRIL
LEO GALAXY CLUSTER: With few exceptions, galaxies are located very far from Earth, making them very small from our perspective and a challenge for my equipment. However, here I imaged the spectacular Leo Galaxy Cluster, a mere 330 million light-years from Earth. Containing at least 70 major galaxies, the Leo Cluster unusually consists mostly of spiral galaxies. The bright elliptical galaxy near the centre of the image, has one of the largest known black holes in the universe, which is about 10 billion times more massive than our sun!
MAY
IRIS NEBULA, NGC 7023*: While the focus of the image is the alluring bright blue reflection nebula, careful processing reveals that this celestial flower is enveloped within a vast region of interstellar dust.
JUNE
SOMBRERO GALAXY, MESSIER 104: Seen from Redhill, the Sombrero galaxy is even lower in the summer sky than the aforesaid Seagull, transiting between the trees and along the top of our +15-foot hedge! An unbarred galaxy, its bright bulbous centre is encircled by dark dust lanes, which viewed side-on from Earth creates the appearance of a sombrero hat or perhaps a flying saucer?
JULY
PuWe-1*: Is a very faint planetary nebula in the Lynx constellation, discovered in 1980 by Purgathofer & Weinberger. It is one of the largest planetary nebulae visible, with a diameter like the full moon and at 1,200 light-years, is one of the closest to Earth. A planetary nebula is a region of cosmic gas and dust formed from the cast-off outer layers of a dying star; despite the name, planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets.
AUGUST
NORTH AMERICA & PELICAN NEBULAE: It’s at this time of the year (August) I usually turn my attention to the Cygnus constellation and the plethora of imaging opportunities it provides, which inevitably tend to be narrowband targets. Interstellar dust illuminated by large bright areas of star formation are responsible for the formation of both these popular objects.
SEPTEMBER
FORSAKEN NEBULA, IC 5068: This complex area is known for the graphically shaped streaks of cold, dark dust clouds that criss-cross the dense, brightly coloured gas regions of nebulosity. Situated within the adjacent Cygnus molecular cloud just below the Pelican Nebula and close to other more famous objects, this low emission nebula is unfortunately known as the Forsaken Nebula!
OCTOBER
THE CHINESE CHARACTER, LDN 673*: It might seem paradoxical but often it is the absence of light that makes an image interesting. About 600 million light-years from Earth, within the Aquila constellation, is Lynd’s Dark Nebula (LDN) 673. Some 7-light years in size, this fragmented dark molecular cloud complex contrasts against the colourful molecular clouds and stars of the Milky Way, which is reminiscent of a Chinese character.
NOVEMBER
CALIFORNIA NEBULA, NGC 1499: Located in the Perseus constellation, in the Orion arm of the Milky Way 1,000 light-years from Earth, NGC 1499 is a large emission nebula about 100 light-years long. First imaged in 2016, new improved data and processing now discloses the full grandeur of this object.
DECEMBER
ROSETTE NEBULA, NGC 2244: Approximately 5,000 light-years away, the vast cloud of gas and dust had been sculpted into the distinctive rose-like shape, while meanwhile a central star cluster has blown-away a large hollow within the molecular cloud. Revisiting this old favourite for the fourth time since 2015, here I have experimented with an unusual colour palette combination that has produced an exciting alternative image of the night sky’s rose.
Footnote: All images taken from Redhill, Surrey or at a dark sky site in New Mexico,USA shown by an asterisk*
It’s at this time of the year I turn my attention to Cygnus and the plethora of imaging opportunities it provides, which inevitably tend to be narrowband targets. This year it is IC 5068, a low emission nebula often overlooked because of its location near the more popular North American and Pelican nebulae, as well as many other fabulous targets within the adjacent Cygnus molecular cloud, and as a result is unfortunately known as the Forsaken Nebula!
Located just below the Pelican Nebula and close to the blue supergiant Deneb star (see above), this complex area is known for the graphically shaped streaks of cold, dark dust clouds that criss-cross the dense, brightly coloured gas regions of nebulosity.
As a narrowband target my initial choice of image processing was the traditional Hubble Palette SHO configuration, which as envisaged, resulted in an exciting and colourful rendition of the busy IC 5068 (see image below). Notwithstanding, having recently discovered some other, fairly new Pixinsight processing techniques (NB Color Mapper & NB Image Blend), I decided to give them a try to produce an alternative blended HOO–S image. Though still very much recognisable as IC 5068, the resulting (warm) colours and details reveal a very different and perhaps more dynamic image (see image at the top of the page).
Narrowband images leave much to the imagination when processing and often take on a stirring look when completed. In the case of IC 5068, each of the images produced seem to have the feel of abstract art, whilst at the same time posing many questions regarding the origin of many unusual features. I believe this exciting region deserves much greater attention and should belong in the pantheon of popular Cygnus objects such as the North American, Pelican & Veil nebulae. Moreover, the so-called Foresaken Nebula warrants a name more befitting of its exciting beauty.
IMAGING DETAILS
Object
IC5068
Constellation
Cygnus
Distance
1,600 light-years
Apparent Magnitude
Various
Scope
William Optics GT81 + Focal Reducer FL 382mm f4.72
Mount
ZWO AM5 + ASIair plus
Guiding
William Optics 50mm guide scope
ZWO120MM mini
Camera
ZWO ASI294MM CMOS sensor
FOV 2.87o x 1.96o Resolution 2.50”/pix Max. image size 4,144 x 2,822 pix
EFW
ZWOx8 EFW & 31mm Chroma Ha, OIII, SII filters
Capture & Processing
ASIair plus, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.8.9-3
Image Location & Orientation
Centre = RA 20:51:16.50 DEC +42::30 : 05.30 Top = North
Exposures
Ha x56 + OIII x46 + SII x44 x 300 sec Total Integration Time: 12hr 10 min
@ Gain 120 @ -20oC
Calibration
5 x 300 sec Darks 10 x NB Flats & Dark Flats @ ADU 32,000
Location & Darkness
Fairvale Observatory – Redhill – Surrey – UK Typically Bortle 5-6
Date & Time
14th 18th 19th September + 3rd & 10th October 2024 +20.15h
WATCH THIS SPACE(MAN) 