2025 The Year In Pictures

January 1, 2026 by grahamrob in Broadband, Deep Sky Objects, DSLR, Earth, Equipment, Galaxy, General Astronomy, Imaging, Narrowband, Night Scapes, Solar system, Widefield Imaging and tagged astronomy, Astrophotography, Cygnus, DSO Imaging, Galaxies, Milky Way, Nebulae, Orion, Photography, Science, space | Leave a comment

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
HAPPY NEW YEAR + CLEAR SKIES FOR 2026

New World

December 15, 2025 by grahamrob in Deep Sky Objects, Equipment, Narrowband and tagged astronomy, Astrophotography, Cygnus, DSO Imaging, Nebulae, Photography, space, stars | Leave a comment

It’s early days at my new Castle Farm Observatory and I’m still feeling my way into the benefits of Somerset’s superior darkness, which is noticeably better than my previous home in Surrey. But my new Bortle 4 location is not without some issues: there are a couple of nearby streetlights that can now find its way to my observatory since autumn leaves have fallen, occasional vehicle lights pass by and, inevitably, sections of the sky are obscured by our house and trees.

Westerly view from *Castle Farm Observatory*

South view, with my house just out of shot on the left!

After more than 12-years of imaging almost exclusively looking south, I must now adjust imaging plans looking southwest or north, which are my main sightlines in Somerset. This might seem a minor issue but as the sky moves around an axis defined in the north by the Polaris star, it thus follows an inclined equatorial grid relative to Earth and the impact on potential imaging plans can be quite profound. Previously looking southwards, the transit of objects during the night (and day) was from the east to west horizons, which on a clear night enabled up to 6-hours imaging of a single object, compared with a westerly view which only catches the latter period of the aforesaid transit. As a result, objects I used to image say from November onwards now only appear in the available (western) section of sky two or three months later. On a more positive note, I am now able to image circumpolar objects looking high and northwards for the first time, which has literally opened new world of possibilities.

Given the aforesaid issues, I recently chose to image an old favourite which is currently in a favourable position at this time of the year, the North America Nebula (NAN), located high in the early evening night sky looking due west. Spanning some 100 light-years, NAN is a great narrowband object, which by using the Hubble SHO palette always results in an exciting and colourful image.

Over two nights I manged to obtain nearly 9-hours of good data, which at my previous Bortle 6 Surrey observatory would probably be the equivalent of more than 12 hours. The final processed SHO image brings all three channels into a delicate balance: vibrant without being garish, detailed without overwhelming noise. The iconic “Gulf of Mexico” region forms a deep void in the nebula, which becomes even more pronounced with the various gradients of blue converging around its dark centre. But on this occasion, I was particularly keen to emphasize details of the fabulous Cygnus Wall (see cropped image below), situated in the lower right corner of the main image i.e. ‘West Texas and Mexico’!

The Cygnus Wall is a striking, heavily sculpted region within the North America Nebula, which itself is worthy of image, which would require a larger telescope. The dense ridge of gas and dust glows brightly as nearby young, massive stars bombard it with intense ultraviolet radiation, causing it to ionize and shine. Its dramatic pillars, ridges, and cavities resemble a cosmic coastline, shaped by stellar winds and ongoing star formation. For some reason it’s been 8-years since I last imaged NAN, except with my Samyang widefield rig, but with the excellent night skies of Somerset I feel sure I’ll be back sooner next time, perhaps with a bigger telescope?

IMAGING DETAILS
Object	North America Nebula – NGC 7000
Constellation	Cygnus
Distance	1,600 light-years
Size	Approx. 50 light-years or 2^o
Apparent Magnitude	+4.0

Scope	William Optics GT81 + Focal Reducer FL 382mm f4.72
Mount	SW AZ-EQ6 GT + EQASCOM computer control
Guiding	William Optics 50mm guide scope
	+ Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2 guide camera & PHD2 control
Camera	ZWO1600MM-Cool (mono) CMOS sensor
	FOV 2.65^o x 2.0^o Resolution 2.05”/pix Max. image size 4,656 x 3,520 pix
EFW	ZWOx8 + ZWO LRGB & Ha OIII SII 7nm filters
Capture & Processing	ASIair, Photoshop
Exposures	35 x Ha, 34 x OIII & 36 x SII @ 300 secs (Total time: 8hr 45min)
	@ 300 Gain 10 Offset @ -20^oC
Calibration	5 x 180 sec Darks 10 x 1/4000 sec 10 x Flats & Dark Flats Ha, OIII & SII
Location & Darkness	Castle Farm Observatory, Wookey, Somerset Typically Bortle 4
Date & Time	19^th & 20^th November 2025 @ 18.20h

Twinkle, Twinkle………

December 7, 2025 by grahamrob in General Astronomy, Star Cluster and tagged astronomy, Astrophotography, DSO Imaging, Perseus, space | Leave a comment

Astronomy is full of surprises, and learning of the mere existence and nature of globular clusters was a revelation to me. Perhaps less spectacular and much younger but no less interesting and attractive are open clusters. The so-called Double Cluster is something of a highlight of autumn and winter skies that I had not, until now imaged; not by neglect but because until recently moving to Somerset my previous view of the north sky in Surrey was completely obscured by my house! Their combined luminosity makes the Double Cluster visible to the naked eye from dark locations, appearing as a hazy patch to the east of the Cassiopeia constellation and are excellent imaging objects too.

NGC 869 and NGC 884, known as the Double Cluster or h and χ (chi) Persei, is one of the most striking celestial pairings visible in the northern sky. Located in the Perseus spiral arm of the Milky Way, these two open star clusters are located about 7,500 light-years away but separated by only a few hundred light-years. Their proximity, similar age, and shared motion through space suggests that they formed from the same giant molecular cloud, making them a physically associated pair rather than a chance encounter.

Each cluster contains thousands of stars*, many of which are hot, blue and massive, thereby indicating an early stage of stellar development; estimates indicate an age of approximately 12 to 14 million years. Their youth explains the abundance of B-type and even O-type stars—stellar heavyweights that shine intensely but live only briefly.

The resulting image shows the Double Cluster as a dazzling field of stars. NGC 869, slightly denser and more compact, contains a bright core of hot blue stars. In contrast, NGC 884 appears more loosely concentrated, with a distinctive scattering of bright stars across its central region. Both clusters show subtle hints of red and orange from K-type supergiant stars, evidence that even at their youthful age, some massive stars have already begun to leave the main sequence.

*processing software identified 22,000 stars in the image!

COMPARISON: GLOBULAR v OPEN CLUSTERS
Feature	Globular Clusters	Open Clusters
Typical Stars	Old, metal-poor	Young, metal-rich
Number of Stars	10⁵–10⁶+	10²–10³
Shape	Spherical, dense	Irregular, loose
Location	Galactic halo	Galactic disk
Age	10–13 billion years	1 million–few billion years
Longevity	Very long-lived	Short-lived (astronomically)

Image Details
Object	The Double Cluster NGC 869 & NGC 884
Constellation	Cepheus
Distance	7,500 light-years
Size	60 arc minutes (each 70 light-years)
Apparent Magnitude	+3.8

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 2.87^o x 1.96^o Resolution 2.50”/pix Max. image size 4,144 x 2,822 pix
EFW	ZWOx8 EFW & 31mm Chroma Ha, OIII, SII 3nm & RGB filters
Capture & Processing	ASIair & PixInsight v1.9.3 Lockhart
Image Location & Orientation	Centre = RA 02:20:32.57 DEC +57:12:56.0 Top Left = North
Exposures	L x 21 + R x 28 + G x 28 B x 24 @ 120 sec + Total Integration Time: 3hr 22 min
	@ Gain 120 & 30 Offset 21 @ -15^oC
Calibration	10 x 120 sec Darks + 20 x LRGB Flats & Dark Flats @ ADU 32,000
Location & Darkness	Castle Farm Observatory, Wookey, Somerset – UK Typically Bortle 4
Date & Time	25^th November 2025 @ +18.30h
Weather	Approx. ❤^oC RH >=<80% 🌙 New Moon

Astronomical Smorgasboard

November 6, 2025 by grahamrob in Deep Sky Objects, Narrowband and tagged astronomy, Cassiopeia, DSO Imaging, Nebulae, Science, space, stars | Leave a comment

The Lobster Claw Nebula (SH2-157) and Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) are two striking emission nebulae located close to the border of Cassiopeia and Cepheus constellations. The Lobster Claw Nebula derives its name from the curved, segmented shapes that resemble a lobster’s pincers. It is an Ha II region of glowing ionized hydrogen excited by the intense ultraviolet radiation of nearby hot, young stars. Notably, within it lies the young Wolf-Rayet star 157, whose powerful stellar winds sculpt the surrounding gas into complex arcs and filaments.

Relatively nearby, the Bubble Nebula features a spherical bubble of gas about seven light-years across. The bubble is ‘blown’ by the fierce stellar wind of a massive O-type star (SAO 20575) at its centre. The expanding shell of gas glows where it collides with denser regions of the interstellar medium, producing a visually stunning contrast of colours.

Notwithstanding the spectacular nature of both of these nebulae, the image captures a myriad of other objects, which are identified in the accompanying plate solved image, notable of which are the open star clusters of M52 AKA the Scorpio Cluster and NGC 7510. Overall, the constellation of Cassiopeia is full of interesting nebulae and bright star clusters, which my second image from Castle Farm Observatory has caught in abundance.

IMAGING DETAILS
Main Objects	SH2-157 Lobster Claw & NGC 7635 Bubble Nebulae
Constellation	Cassiopea
Distance	Lobster 11,000 & Bubble 7,100 light-years
Size	Lobster 60’ x 50 (212 light-years); Bubble 15’ x 8’ (>=7 light-years)
Apparent Magnitude	Variable >=5.0

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 2.87^o x 1.96^o Resolution 2.50”/pix Max. image size 4,144 x 2,822 pix
EFW	ZWOx8 EFW & 31mm Chroma Ha, OIII, SII 3nm & RGB filters
Capture & Processing	ASIair, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9.3 Lockhart
Image Location & Orientation	Centre = RA 23:16:22.86 DEC +60:30:51.1 Top Left = North
Exposures	Ha x 39 + OIII x 42 + SII x 42 @ 300 sec + LRGB x 15 @ 60 sec Total Integration Time: 11hr
	@ Gain 120 & 30 Offset 21 @ -15^oC
Calibration	5 x 300 sec & 20 x 60 sec Darks + 10 x NB & 20x BB Flats & Dark Flats @ ADU 32,000
Location & Darkness	Castle Farm Observatory, Wookey, Somerset Bortle 4
Date & Time	23^rd 24^th 25^th & 28^th September 2025 @ +20.45h
Weather	Approx. <7^oC RH >=<60% 🌙 <= 38% Waxing Crescent

Somerset Magic

October 19, 2025 by grahamrob in Deep Sky Objects, General Astronomy, Narrowband and tagged astronomy, Astrophotography, Cepheus, DSO Imaging, Nebulae, space, stars | Leave a comment

I try to ensure that since Watch This Space (Man) blasted off in August 2014, it does what it says on the tin (top of the page): A personal discovery of the Universe through astronomy and astrophotography. Naturally, alongside this journey life goes on, which this year has been a significant challenge for me in many ways. Shortly after imaging the Flaming Star Nebula at Fairvale Observatory, Surrey, in early January, I underwent major surgery to replace my right knee and inevitably, all physical astronomy came to a halt; latterly I managed to remotely obtain and process data from sources in Texas, USA and Chile, which was good fun.

Just two months later, whilst still in early recovery (which can take over a year), serendipity made an unexpected appearance, and by at the end of June, after 40-years living in Redhill, Surrey, we moved to a new house just outside England’s smallest city of Wells (population 11,145), in the beautiful countryside of north Somerset. This upheaval, combined with my recovery, has led to a protracted absence from astrophotography imaging but, at last, I’m now very pleased to present my first image from the new Castle Farm Observatory, in Somerset, of course.

Astronomically speaking, only one thing counts when imaging and that is the quality of viewing conditions (and clear skies), which I can already attest to be excellent here in Somerset. At my previous location just south of London in Surrey, conditions were poor, with an SQM value of 19.82 that was further complicated by low flying aircraft from three nearby airports. In comparison, the SQM at Castle Farm Observatory is 21.11, which being a log scale equates to a difference of x3.28 better sky darkness than before and, moreover, overflying aircraft are no longer a problem. Given this setting, combined with clear skies and a new moon in early September, I had high expectations for my first imaging session since moving to Somerset and was not disappointed by the results obtained of the object chosen for this auspicious occasion, the Wizard Nebula.

The Wizard Nebula, designated by the central star cluster of NGC 7380, is an emission nebula, in which its gases glow due to intense radiation from hot, massive stars from within the aforesaid embedded cluster. 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. NGC 7380 was only formed a few million years ago and within it, young and massive O- and B-type stars generate strong stellar winds that shape and erode the surrounding material.

Thus, after an unprecedented break of some 257 days, I’m more than pleased to return to my own backyard astrophotography again, now based in the magic county of Somerset. The quality of the subs obtained on this first occasion confirmed the outstanding sky conditions, which were literally saturated by stars (see starless image above). Altogether, it was significantly better than experienced in Surrey and bodes well for what I hope will be an exciting time here at Castle Farm Observatory – Watch This (new) Space!

IMAGING DETAILS
Object	NGC 7380 The Wizard Nebula
Constellation	Cepheus
Distance	>= 7,200 light-years
Size	25 arc minutes (110 light-years)
Apparent Magnitude	+7.2

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 2.87^o x 1.96^o Resolution 2.50”/pix Max. image size 4,144 x 2,822 pix
EFW	ZWOx8 EFW & 31mm Chroma Ha, OIII, SII 3nm & RGB filters
Capture & Processing	ASIair, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9.3 Lockhart
Image Location & Orientation	Centre = RA 22:47:01.78 DEC +58:02:19.1 Top Left = North
Exposures	Ha x 35 + OIII x 35 + SII x 35 @ 300 sec + LRGB x 10 @ 60 sec Total Integration Time: 9hr 15 min
	@ Gain 120 & 30 Offset 21 @ -15^oC
Calibration	5 x 300 sec & 20 x 60 sec Darks + 10 x NB & 20x BB Flats & Dark Flats @ ADU 32,000
Location & Darkness	Castle Farm Observatory, Wookey, Somerset – UK Typically Bortle 4
Date & Time	21^st & 22^nd September 2025 @ +21.00h
Weather	Approx. <7^oC RH >=<60% 🌙 New Moon

Tangled In Space

October 6, 2025 by grahamrob in AstroBin, Deep Sky Objects, Galaxy, General Astronomy, Universe and tagged astronomy, Astrophotography, Corvus constellation, DSO Imaging, Galaxies, Milky Way, Science, space, Universe | Leave a comment

As Douglas Adams succinctly puts it in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxies: Space…..is big. Really Big. If he had lived longer, even he would be surprised to learn how true these words were. Recent analyses using data from the James Webb Space & Hubble Telescopes, suggests there could be some 2 trillion galaxies. Notwithstanding, as this applies only to the observable universe, which is about 93 billion light-years across, the entire universe could be significantly larger, with many more galaxies beyond what we can already observe!

Perhaps then it is not so surprising that from time-to-time galaxies run into each other – our own Milky Way Galaxy is expected to collide with the Andromeda Galaxy in about 4.5 billion years. But there are already many exciting examples of such phenomena that we can image today, of which the Antennae Galaxies are one of the most famous and visually striking examples of two colliding galaxies. Located in the constellation Corvus, they provide a striking insight into what happens when massive galaxies merge – a process that reshapes their structure, triggering intense star formation, thereby setting the stage for the eventual creation of a single, larger galaxy, all played out over 100’s or even billions of years.

The Antennae Galaxies earned their name from the long, curved tidal tails of gas, dust, and stars that extend outward from the colliding pair of galaxies (NGC 4038 & 4039), thus resembling the antennae of an insect. These tails were created by the immense gravitational forces at play during the collision. As the two galaxies then pass through each other, their mutual gravity distorts their original spiral shapes, pulling out vast streams of stars and interstellar material. These tidal tails stretch for tens of thousands of light-years, making them some of the most spectacular features of any known galactic merger.

At the core of the Antennae Galaxies lies a chaotic and extremely active region. The violent gravitational interactions have compressed enormous clouds of gas and dust, sparking a burst of intense star formation, at a rate hundreds of times faster than that of our own Milky Way. Many of these newly formed stars are massive but short-lived, destined to explode as supernovae, thus enriching the surrounding space with heavy elements. Within another 400 million years, the Antennae’s nuclei will collide and therafter become a single galactic core with stars, gas, and dust swirling around it.

Imaging such a feature from Earth requires significant telescopic power, the darkest of night skies and the acquisition of lots of data. Located at the El Sauce Observatory in Chile, 50 hours of data acquired using the Planewave CDK20 astrograph is such a set-up worthy of the task. However, despite the excellent data quality, I found processing this complex event difficult so as to both show the complexity of the merging galaxies, whilst at the same time preserving the delicate nature of the tails of galactic debris. The final image is as profound as it is beautiful, demonstrating the immense forces across the cosmos and the inevitable consequences for the many galaxies that occupy the vastness of the Universe.

IMAGING DETAILS
Object	NGC 4038 & 4039, AKA Antennae Galaxies
Constellation	Corvus
Distance	62 million light-years
Size	5.21 x 3.1 arc minutes (actual 634,410 x 456,780 light years)
Apparent Magnitude	+10.3 / 10.4

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 12:01:54.47 DEC -18:52:45.2 Up = North
Exposures	Ha 117 x 10 mins, L x 127, R x 80, G x 80, B x 70 @ 5mins Total Integration Time: 50hr 5min
Location & Darkness	Obstech El Sauce Observatory, Chile
Date	February 2025

The Needle Galaxy

June 1, 2025 by grahamrob in Broadband, Deep Sky Objects, Galaxy, Imaging and tagged Coma Berenices, DSO Imaging, Galaxies, Universe | Leave a comment

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
	@ 90 Gain
Calibration	300 sec Dark & RGB Flats
Location & Darkness	Near Fort Davis, Texas, USA
Date	May 2023

Pinwheel Galaxy

April 21, 2025 by grahamrob in Broadband, Deep Sky Objects, Equipment, Galaxy, Imaging and tagged astronomy, DSO Imaging, Galaxies, Milky Way, Ursa Major | Leave a comment

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
	@ 90 Gain
Calibration	300 sec Dark & LRGB & SHO Flats
Location & Darkness	Near Fort Davis, Texas, USA
Date	May 2023

Cosmic Crustacean

March 18, 2025 by grahamrob in Narrowband, Nebula, Supernova and tagged DSO Imaging, Nebulae, Taurus | Leave a comment

This small but beautiful supernova Remnant (SNR) was the result of the explosion of the star CM Tau, which followed a core-collapse just over 970 years ago. Located at the centre of the Carb Nebula is the remaining Crab Pulsar neutron star, some 30km in diameter spinning at the rate of 30 times per second.

Footnote & credit: Following a recent knee replacement operation I’m currently unable to set-up and use my astronomy equipment, fortunately I’m still able to continue processing using this excellent public amateur data from the MOANA project located near Fort Davis, Texas, USA https://erellaz.com/moana/. Many thanks to its creator Elleraz.

IMAGING DETAILS
Object	M1 Crab Nebula
Constellation	Taurus
Distance	6,500 light-years
Size	6 x 4 arc minutes
Apparent Magnitude	+8.4

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 & SHO 6.5nm
Capture & Processing	NINA, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9-2
Image Location & Orientation	Centre RA 05:34:32.813 DEC +22:0.00:39.97 Top Left = North
Exposures	Ha x 48, OIII x 52, SII x 54, R x27, G x28m B x 26 sec R all @ 300 sec Total Integration Time: 19hr 35 min
	@ 90 Gain
Calibration	300 sec Dark & LRGB & SHO Flats
Location & Darkness	Near Fort Davis, Texas, USA
Date	December 2022 & January 2023

Star On The Run: IC405

February 14, 2025 by grahamrob in Deep Sky Objects, Imaging, Narrowband, Nebula and tagged astronomy, Astrophotography, Auriga, DSO Imaging, nasa, Nebulae, space, stars | Leave a comment

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 65^o 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 2.87^o x 1.96^o Resolution 2.50”/pix Max. image size 4,144 x 2,822 pix
EFW	ZWOx8 EFW & 31mm Chroma 3nm Ha, OIII, SII & LRGB filters
Capture & Processing	ASIair plus, Deep Sky Stacker & PixInsight v1.9.2
Image Location & Orientation	Centre = RA 05:15:28.63 DEC +34:09:07.0 Top = North
Exposures	Ha x20 + OIII x20 + SII x20 @ 300 sec L x10 + R + G x10 + B x20s @ 60 sec Total Integration Time: 5hr 40 min
	@ Gain 120 @ -15^oC
Calibration	5 x 300 sec Darks + 10 x NB Flats & Dark Flats LRGB x20 each Flats & Dark Flats @ ADU 32,000
Location & Darkness	Fairvale Observatory – Redhill – Surrey – UK Typically Bortle 5 to 6
Date & Time	7 & 8 ^th January 2025 +18.45h
Weather	Approx. <=0^oC RH >=65% 🌙 50% Waxing