Strong Moonlight interfering but an unexpected clear night so all good. Nice sharp open cluster and 7129 is a HOYS object I image a lot.
Below is a less processed image showing the Moon gradients. By processing them out you definitely lose details.
| Object ID | NGC 7142 Open Cluster NGC 7129 Cepheus |
| Details | 2021-12-16 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC IDAS D3 |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 20 x 280s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP Photoshop |
Looking for more obscure objects again. This is a young star forming region, contains masers too. Very close to the Bubble Nebula but just across the constellation boundary in Cepheus. In the Perseus arm of the Milky Way.
| Object ID | NGC 7538 |
| Details | Open Cluster and Nebula Cepheus 2021-11-24 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC Tri-band |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 28x300s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Cepheus near the border with Cygnus. Bright Moonlight causing some background gradients.
NGC 6939, discovered by William Herschel of course, is quite old for an Open Cluster, between 1 and 1.3 billion years. It also lies about 400 parsecs above the galactic plane, a little unusual for Open Clusters as they are usually within the plane of the galaxy, hence the alternative name of Galactic Clusters.
NGC 6946 (also discovered by William Herschel) is about 25 million light years away and resides in the Virgo Supercluster. It’s known as the Fireworks Galaxy because it seems to be a hive of supernovae; ten have been observed in the 20th and 21st centuries alone. This is about 10 times the rate observed in our own galaxy, even though the Milky Way has twice as many stars. In fact more supernovae have been observed in this galaxy than any other.
During 2009, a bright star within NGC 6946 flared up over several months to become over one million times as bright as the Sun. Shortly thereafter it faded rapidly. Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope suggest that the star did not survive, although there remains some infrared emission from its position. This is thought to come from debris falling onto a black hole that formed when the star died. This potential black hole-forming star is designated N6946-BH1. The progenitor is believed to have been a yellow hypergiant star. Wikipedia
| Object ID | NGC6939 & NGC 6946 / C12 Fireworks Galaxy |
| Details | Galaxy and Open Cluster Cepheus 2021-11-20 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC Tri-band |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 25x300s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
An obscure one in Perseus. The larger is open cluster inside an emission nebula NGC 1624, also known as emission nebula Sh2-212, the smaller Sh2-211. Now known as the Tribble Nebulae after “Star Trek: The Trouble with Tribbles”. The dark patch top right is the dark nebula Barnard 20.
| Object ID | The Tribble Nebulae NGC1624/Sh2-212 and Sh2-211 Dark nebula Barnard 20 |
| Details | Open Clusters Emission nebulae Perseus 2021-11-12 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC Tri-band |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 15x300s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Revisiting an old friend. Two rich open clusters at similar distances from us of 7,500 light years.
| Object ID | Double Cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884 / C14 |
| Details | Open Clusters Perseus 2021-11-12 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC IDAS D3 |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 20x180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Looks ordinary but lots of interest in there if you dig a bit deeper – obviously not all associated with the cluster but just in the fov. Includes a fair number of galaxies, spectroscopic binaries, X ray sources, galaxy groups, radio sources, ir sources, stars with high proper motions. The cluster itself contains about 258 stars, mostly low mass in the main sequence or red giant stage. About 1300 ly away and just on the edge of naked eye visibility at mag. 5.7.
| Object ID | NGC 752 / C28 |
| Details | Open Cluster Andromeda Mag.5.7 Size 75′ 2021-11-01 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC IDAS D3 |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 10x180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
For the ASE Caldwell project
| Object ID | NGC 457 C13 Owl Cluster |
| Details | Mag. 6.4 2021-03-30 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 10x180s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Another nice Open Cluster in Cassiopeia
| Object ID | C10 NGC 663 Cassiopeia |
| Details | Mag. 7.1 Size 16′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 10x180s 10/50 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
Nice Open Cluster in Cassiopeia
| Object ID | C8 NGC 559 Cassiopeia |
| Details | Mag. 9.5 Size 7′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 10x180s 10/50 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
Strong moonlight
| Object ID | M52 and NGC 7635 Cassiopeia |
| Details | 2021-01-23 Mag. 6.9, 10.0 Size 13′, 15’x8′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C Tri-band |
| Exposure(s) | 20x300s 2/20 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
Just caught it by the way…
| Object ID | M50, NGC 2323 Monoceros |
| Details | Mag. 5.9 Size 16′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 10x90s 10/50 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
Problems with ice of dew somewhere, had to heavily crop this to remove rings and artefacts. Strange colouring also part of the problem. Not great!
| Object ID | NGC2264 |
| Details | 2020-12-21 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 30x180s darks, flats, dark-flats |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
Never noticed this one before. Very close to the pole so easy guiding as nothing moves very much round there.
| Object ID | NGC188, Caldwell 1 Open Cluster, Cepheus Mag. 10 Size 11′ |
| Details | 2020-04-06 22:42 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 OO Newtonian |
| Camera | ATIK 460EX @-15C |
| Exposure(s) | 3x180s 1×1 TR, 2x180s 1×1 TG, TB Darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Only 2 subs of each colour before clouds rolled in.
| Object ID | M37 Auriga |
| Details | 2019-03-27 |
| Telescope | 203mm RC8 f8 |
| Camera | Atik 460Ex @-20C Badder RGB filters IDAS P2 LP filter |
| Exposure(s) | 2x120s 1×1 RGB Darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
Poor night of transparency and seeing so just got this in the passing. Lots of sky fog that got processed out.
| Object ID | M44 / Praesepe / Beehive cluster, Cancer |
| Details | 2019-01-07 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX Baader RGB filters |
| Exposure(s) | 10x60s each RGB 2×2 Darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
After a HOYS-CAPS session added narrowband. Rat’s head in there?
No more MPCC and stars are much sharper at the edges.
| Object ID | NGC 2264, Christmas Tree Cluster |
| Details | 2019-01-29 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-20C Baader Ha, OIII, SII filters |
| Exposure(s) | 10x300s 2×2 each Darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop SHO colour mapping |
Heavy processing to remove moonlight background. First entry in the SAA 100 catalog.
| Object ID | NGC 752 Open Cluster, Andromeda Mag. 5.7, size 50′ |
| Details | 2018-09-21 Bright 90% Moon |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter Guided |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 10x40s, ISO 800, darks, flats |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
Tighter open cluster, quite remote at 8,000 light years away.
| Object ID | M103 (NGC 581) Open cluster Cassiopeia Mag. 7.4, Size 6′ |
| Details | 2018-09-08 Not very transparent. |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter Guiding c80ED, ASI 290MC |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 10x60s, darks and flats |
| Capture | APT, PHD |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
Nice wide open cluster with a deep Milky Way background too.
| Object ID | M39 (NGC 7092) Open cluster Cygnus Mag. 4.6, Size 32′ |
| Details | 2018-09-08 Not very transparent. |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter Guiding c80ED, ASI 290MC |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 10x60s, darks and flats |
| Capture | APT, PHD |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
A new combination tonight.
| Object ID | M45, Pleiades |
| Details | Open Cluster, Taurus Mag. 1.6, Size 110′ |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f5.6 (x0.75 reducer) |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | L 10x60s 1×1, RGB 10x60s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT unguided |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop |
First image using the C80ED for a long time.
| Object ID | Caldwell 14, NGC 869 and 884 |
| Details | Open Clusters, Perseus |
| Date/Time | 2017-12-10 19:41 – 20:01 UT |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f7.5 IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 30x30s lights, 10x30s darks ISO 1600 |
| Capture | APT, unguided |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop and Lightroom |
NGC 2264
Star forming nebula and Open cluster, Monoceros
Mag 3.9, size 20′
2017-01-29
200mm f8 RC at f6 (Revelation x0.75 reducer)
Piggyback guiding with 70mm f/7 refractor
L 5×240s 2×2, RGB 5×120s 4×4 Darks Bias Flats
Atik 460EX (-25C), LRGB filters, IDAS P2 LPR filter
Captured in APT, Processed in Nebulosity3, PS CC, LightRoom
Bad planning in that the object went behind the observatory roof after only 5 sets of exposures. Not great but better than expected though.
Good quality flats make such a huge difference. Much easier to process, especially when using the reducer.
