IC 1795 - North Bear Nebula close up in HST Palette

IC 1795 is located about 7,500 light years away toward the constellation of Cassiopeia. It is a part of the rich and spectacular nebular complex IC 1805 The Heart Nebula.

Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: NEQ6 Pro with EQ Mod and XBOX Wireless Controller
Camera: ATIK 314L+
Image Scale: 1.91 arcsec/pixel
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm, OIII 8.5nm, SII 8nm, IDAS LPS
Filter Wheel: Starlight Xpress Motor USB, 7x1.25''
Guide Camera: QHY5 with PHD Guiding and TS UV/IR Block
Guide Scope: Skywatcher Finderscope 8x50
Exp. Time: Ha: 2h (bin 1x1), OIII, SII: 56, 56 min (bin 2x2)
Calibration Frames: 50 flats in each filter, 50 bias, 6 dark frames
Capture: Nebulosity 2.3.0
Register, Stack: Maxim DL, CCD Stack
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 5 Nov & 7 Dec 2010
Location: Athens, GR

IC 1795 - North Bear Nebula Wiki

IC 405 - Flaming Star Nebula

IC 405 - Flaming Star Nebula in (HaR)GB



IC 405 - Flaming Star Nebula in Ha



IC 405 (also known as the Flaming Star Nebula, SH 2-229, or Caldwell 31) is an emission/reflection nebula in the constellation Auriga, surrounding the bluish star AE Aurigae. It shines at magnitude +6.0. Its celestial coordinates are RA 05h 16.2m dec +34° 28′.
It surrounds the irregular variable star AE Aurigae and is located near the emission nebula IC 410, the open cluster M38, and the naked-eye K-class star Hassaleh. The nebula measures approximately 37.0' x 19.0', and lies about 1,500 light-years away.
It is believed that the proper motion of the central star can be traced back to the Orion's Belt area. The nebula is about 5 light-years across.

Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: NEQ6 Pro with EQ Mod and XBOX Wireless Controller
Camera: ATIK 314L+
Image Scale: 1.91 arcsec/pixel
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm, Baader R,G,B, IDAS LPS
Filter Wheel: Starlight Xpress Motor USB, 7x1.25''
Guide Camera: QHY5 with PHD Guiding and TS UV/IR Block
Guide Scope: Skywatcher Finderscope 8x50
Exp. Time: HaR GB,Ha: 2h (bin 1x1), R,G,B: 15,15,15 min (bin 2x2)
Calibration Frames: 50 flats in each filter, 50 bias, 6 dark frames
Capture: Nebulosity 2.3.0
Register, Stack: Maxim DL, CCD Stack
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 6 Nov 2010
Location: Athens, GR

Melotte 15 - Center of Heart Nebula in HaRGB

The Heart Nebula, IC 1805, Sh2-190, lies some 7500 light years away from Earth and is located in the Perseus arm of the Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia. This is an emission nebula showing glowing gas and darker dust lanes. The nebula is formed by plasma of ionized hydrogen and free electrons.

The very brightest part of this nebula (the knot at the right) is separately classified as NGC 896, because it was the first part of this nebula to be discovered.

The nebula's intense red output and its configuration are driven by the radiation emanating from a small group of stars near the nebula's center. This open cluster of stars known as Melotte 15 contains a few bright stars nearly 50 times the mass of our Sun, and many more dim stars that are only a fraction of our Sun's mass. The cluster used to contain a microquasar that was expelled millions of years ago.

Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: NEQ6 Pro with EQ Mod and XBOX Wireless Controller
Camera: ATIK 314L+
Image Scale: 1.91 arcsec/pixel
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm, Baader R,G,B, IDAS LPS
Filter Wheel: Starlight Xpress Motor USB, 7x1.25''
Guide Camera: QHY5 with PHD Guiding and TS UV/IR Block
Guide Scope: Skywatcher Finderscope 8x50
Exp. Time: HaR RGB,Ha: 2h (bin 1x1), R,G,B: 15,15,15 min (bin 2x2)
Calibration Frames: 50 flats in each filter, 50 bias, 6 dark frames
Capture: Nebulosity 2.3.0
Register, Stack: Maxim DL, CCD Stack
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 6 Nov 2010
Location: Athens, GR

Melotte 15 Wiki

IC 1795 - North Bear Nebula

IC 1795 - North Bear Nebula in HaRGB



IC 1795 - North Bear Nebula in Ha



IC 1795 is located about 7,500 light years away toward the constellation of Cassiopeia. It is a part of the rich and spectacular nebular complex IC 1805 The Heart Nebula.

Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: NEQ6 Pro with EQ Mod and XBOX Wireless Controller
Camera: ATIK 314L+
Image Scale: 1.91 arcsec/pixel
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm, Baader R,G,B, IDAS LPS
Filter Wheel: Starlight Xpress Motor USB, 7x1.25''
Guide Camera: QHY5 with PHD Guiding and TS UV/IR Block
Guide Scope: Skywatcher Finderscope 8x50
Exp. Time: HaR RGB,Ha: 2h (bin 1x1), R,G,B: 15,15,15 min (bin 2x2)
Calibration Frames: 50 flats in each filter, 50 bias, 6 dark frames
Capture: Nebulosity 2.3.0
Register, Stack: Maxim DL, CCD Stack
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 5 Nov 2010
Location: Athens, GR

IC 1795 - North Bear Nebula Wiki

NGC 7635 - Bubble Nebula in Ha

NGC 7635, also called the Bubble Nebula and Sharpless 162, is a H II region emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia. It lies close to the direction of the open cluster Messier 52.
The "bubble" is created by the stellar wind from a massive hot, 8.7 magnitude young central star, the 15 ± 5 M☉[4] SAO 20575 (BD+60 2522).
The nebula is near a giant molecular cloud which contains the expansion of the bubble nebula while itself being excited by the hot central star, causing it to glow.

Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: HEQ5 Pro with EQ Mod and XBOX Wireless Controller
Camera: ATIK 314L+
Image Scale: 1.91 arcsec/pixel
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm
Guide Camera: QHY5 with PHD Guiding and TS UV/IR Block
Guide Scope: Skywatcher Finderscope 8x50
Exp. Time: 112 minutes, bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: no calibration frames
Capture: Nebulosity 2.3.0
Register, Stack: Maxim DL, CCD Stack
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 17 Sep 2010
Location: Athens, GR

NGC 7635 - Bubble Nebula Wiki

NGC 281 - Packman Nebula in Ha

NGC 281 is an H II region in the constellation of Cassiopeia and part of the Perseus Spiral Arm. It includes the open cluster IC 1590, the multiple star HD 5005, and several Bok globules. Colloquially, NGC 281 is also known as the Pacman Nebula for its resemblance to the video game character.

The nebula was discovered in August 1883 by E. E. Barnard, who described it as "a large faint nebula, very diffuse." The multiple star HD 5005, also called β1, was discovered by S. W. Burnham. It consists of an 8th-magnitude primary with four companions at distances between 1.4 and 15.7 seconds of arc. There has been no appreciable change in this quintuple system since the first measurements were made in 1875.

Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: HEQ5 Pro with EQ Mod and XBOX Wireless Controller
Camera: ATIK 314L+
Image Scale: 1.91 arcsec/pixel
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm
Guide Camera: QHY5 with PHD Guiding and TS UV/IR Block
Guide Scope: Skywatcher Finderscope 8x50
Exp. Time: 1h, bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: no calibration frames
Capture: Nebulosity 2.3.0
Register, Stack: Maxim DL, CCD Stack
Processing: Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3
Date: 17 Sep 2010
Location: Athens, GR

NGC 281 - Packman Nebula Wiki

NGC 7380 - Wizard Nebula in Ha

NGC 7380 is an open cluster discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1787. It is also known as 142 in the 1959 Sharpless catalog (Sh2-142).
Known as the Wizard Nebula, this object is a reasonably large nebula located in Cepheus.

NGC 7380 is located in the constellation Cepheus about 7,000 light-years from Earth within the Milky Way Galaxy. The star cluster is embedded in a nebula, which spans some 110 light-years. The stars of NGC 7380 have emerged from this star-forming region in the last 5 million years or so, making it a relatively young cluster.


Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 100 mins, bin 2x2
Calibration Frames: 30 flat, 50 bias, 6 darks
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Register, Stack: CCD Stack
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 14 Aug 2010
Location: Athens, GR

NGC 7380 - Wizard Nebula Wiki

NGC 6960 - Western Veil Nebula & NGC 6992 - Eastern Veil Nebula

NGC 6992 - Eastern Veil Nebula 'Network Nebula'



Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 3hours, bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: 30 flat, 50 bias
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 14 Jul 2010
Location: Tiros Arkadias, GR


NGC 6960 - Western Veil Nebula 'Witch's Broom Nebula'



Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 3 hours & 40 mins, bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: 50 flat, 50 bias
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 9 Jul 2010
Location: Parnon Mount, GR

The Veil Nebula, is part of the Cygnus Loop, radio source W78, or Sharpless 103. Other parts of the loop include the 'Eastern Veil', the 'Western Veil' or 'Witch's Broom Nebula', and Pickering's Triangular Wisp. It is a large, relatively faint supernova remnant in the constellation Cygnus. The source supernova exploded some 5,000 to 8,000 years ago, and the remnants have since expanded to cover an area of ~3x3 degrees; about 6 times the diameter or 36 times the area of a full moon.

The distance to the nebula is not precisely known, with estimates ranging from 1,400 to 2,600 light-years. It was discovered on 1784 September 5 by William Herschel. He described the western end of the nebula as "Extended; passes thro' 52 Cygni... near 2 degree in length." and described the eastern end as "Branching nebulosity... The following part divides into several streams uniting again towards the south."

The Hubble Space Telescope captured images of the nebula. The analysis of the emissions from the nebula indicate the presence of oxygen, sulfur, and hydrogen.

Veil Nebula Wiki

M27 - Dumbbel Nebula

The nebula forms as the star's outer layers are expelled into space, with a visible glow generated by atoms excited by the dying star's intense but invisible ultraviolet light. The Dumbbell Nebula, the beautifully symmetric interstellar gas cloud, is over 2.5 light-years across and about 1,200 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula.

This impressive color composite highlights subtle jet features in the nebula. It was recorded with a robotic telescope sited in Hawaii using narrow band filters sensitive to emission from oxygen atoms (shown in green) and hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen emission is seen as red (H-alpha) and fainter bluish hues (H-beta).

Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 100 mins, bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: 30 flat, 50 bias
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Nebulosity 2.2.5 & Deep Sky Stacker
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 10 Jul 2010
Location: Parnon Mount, GR

M27 - Dumbbel Nebula Wiki

IC 5146 - Cocoon Nebula

IC 5146, also Caldwell 19, and the Sh 2-125, Cocoon Nebula, is a reflection/emission nebula and Caldwell object in the constellation Cygnus. IC 5146 is a star cluster and the nebula is Sh2-125.

The cluster is about 4,000 ly away, and the central star that lights it formed about 100,000 years ago. The nebula is about 12 arcmins across, which is equivalent to a span of 15 light years.

When viewing IC 5146, dark nebula Barnard 168 (B168) is an inseparable part of the experience, forming a dark lane that surrounds the cluster and projects westward forming the appearance of a trail behind the Cocoon.

Telescope: APM Astrograph 107, f/6.5 with Baader Steeltrack Focuser and 2.5'' TS FF
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 2 hours, bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: 30 flat, 50 bias
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 13 Jul 2010
Location: Tiros Arkadias, GR

IC 5146 - Cocoon Nebula Wiki

M97 - Owl Nebula & M108 Galaxy

The Owl Nebula (also known as Messier Object 97 or NGC 3587) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781.
M97 is regarded as one of the more complex of the planetaries. The 16th magnitude central star has about 0.7 solar mass and the nebula itself about 0.15 solar mass. The nebula formed roughly 6,000 years ago.

Messier 108 (also known as NGC 3556) is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 or 1782.[5] From the perspective of the Earth, this galaxy is seen almost edge-on.This galaxy has an estimated mass of 125 billion times the mass of the Sun and includes about 290 ± 80 globular clusters.

Telescope: Skywatcher ED80 & William Optics FF/FR 0.8 II
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 2 hours(6*20 min subframes), bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: 50 flat, 50 bias, 10 darks
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 5 April 2010
Location: Ancient Epidauros, GR

M97 - Owl Nebula Wiki
M108 Galaxy Wiki

Markarian Chain (Group of Galaxies in Virgo)

Markarian's Chain is a stretch of galaxies that forms part of the Virgo Cluster. It's called a "chain" because, when viewed from Earth, the galaxies lie along a smoothly curved line. It was named after the Armenian astrophysicist, B. E. Markarian, who discovered it in the mid 1970s. Member galaxies include M84 (NGC 4374), M86 (NGC 4406), NGC 4477, NGC 4473, NGC 4461, NGC 4458, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435. It's located at RA 12h 27m and Dec +13° 10′.

Telescope: Skywatcher ED80 & William Optics FF/FR 0.8 II
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 3 hours (9*20 min subframes), bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: 50 flat, 50 bias, 10 darks
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 9 April 2010
Location: Salamina, GR

Markarian Chain Wiki

M101 - Pinwheel Galaxy and friends (M101 Group)

The Pinwheel Galaxy (also known as Messier 101 or NGC 5457) is a face-on spiral galaxy about 27 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.
It was discovered by Pierre Méchain on March 27, 1781, and he subsequently communicated his discovery to Charles Messier who verified its position and added it to the Messier Catalogue as one of the final entries.

M101 is a relatively large galaxy compared to the Milky Way. With a diameter of 170,000 light-years it is nearly twice the size of the Milky Way. It has a disk mass on the order of 100 billion solar masses, along with a small bulge of about 3 billion solar masses.

Telescope: Skywatcher ED80 & William Optics FF/FR 0.8 II
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 3 hours & 40 min (11*20 min subframes), bin 1x1
Calibration Frames: 50 flat, 50 bias, 10 darks
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Deep Sky Stacker
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 4 April 2010
Location: Ancient Epidauros, GR

M101 - Pinwheel Galaxy Wiki

M51 - Whirpool Galaxy

The Whirlpool Galaxy (also known as Messier 51a, M51a, or NGC 5194) is an interacting[5] grand-design[6] spiral galaxy located at a distance of approximately 23 million light-years in the constellation Canes Venatici. It is one of the most famous galaxies in the sky.

What was later known as the Whirlpool Galaxy was discovered[9] in 1774 by Charles Messier, and is designated as M51. Its companion galaxy, NGC 5195, was discovered in 1781 by Pierre Méchain. It was however not until 1845 that the Whirlpool became the first to be recognized as a spiral. Sometimes M51 is used to refer to the pair of galaxies, in which case the individual galaxies may be referred to as M51A (NGC 5194) and M51B (NGC 5195).

Telescope: Skywatcher ED80 & William Optics FF/FR 0.8 II
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 3 hours (9*20 min subframes)
Calibration Frames: 50 flat, 50 bias, 10 darks
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Deep Sky Stacker
Processing: Photoshop CS3
Date: 2 April 2010
Location: Ancient Epidauros, GR

M51 - Whirpool Galaxy Wiki

M42 - Great Orion Nebula in Ha

The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula situated south[b] of Orion's Belt. It is one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. M42 is located at a distance of 1,344 ± 20 light years and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light years across. Older texts frequently referred to the Orion Nebula as the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula.

The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky, and is among the most intensely studied celestial features. The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have directly observed protoplanetary disks, brown dwarfs, intense and turbulent motions of the gas, and the photo-ionizing effects of massive nearby stars in the nebula. There are also supersonic "bullets" of gas piercing the dense hydrogen clouds of the Orion Nebula.

Telescope: Skywatcher ED80
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 115 minutes (bin 2x2) in Ha
- 5*20sec, 5*1min, 3*3min, 4*15min, 2*20min
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Deep Sky Stacker
Processing: Photoshop CS3

M42 - Orion Nebula Wiki

M65 & M66 & NGC 3628 - Leo Triplet

The Leo Triplet (also known as the M66 Group) is a small group of galaxies about 35 million light-years away[citation needed] in the constellation Leo. This galaxy group consists of the spiral galaxies M65, the M66, and the NGC 3628.

Telescope: Skywatcher ED80
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: IDAS LPS
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 5* 20 minutes (bin 1x1)
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Deep Sky Stacker
Processing: Photoshop CS3

M65 & M66 & NGC 3628 - Leo Triplet Wiki

NGC 2237 Rosette Nebula in Ha

The Rosette Nebula is a large, circular H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy. The open cluster NGC 2244 is closely associated with the nebulosity, the stars of the cluster having been formed from the nebula's matter.

The complex has the following NGC designations:

NGC 2237 - Part of the nebulous region (Usually used to denote whole nebula)
NGC 2238 - Part of the nebulous region
NGC 2239 - Part of the nebulous region (Discovered by John Herschel)
NGC 2244 - The open cluster within the nebula (Discovered by John Flamsteed in 1690)
NGC 2246 - Part of the nebulous region
The cluster and nebula lie at a distance of some 5,200 light years from Earth (although estimates of the distance vary considerably) and measure roughly 130 light years in diameter. The radiation from the young stars excite the atoms in the nebula, causing them to emit radiation themselves producing the emission nebula we see. The mass of the nebula is estimated to be around 10,000 solar masses.

Telescope: Skywatcher ED80
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 5* 20 minutes (bin 2x2) in Ha
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Deep Sky Stacker
Processing: Photoshop CS3

NGC 2237 Rosette Nebula Wiki

IC434 Horsehead Nebula & NGC 2024 Flame Nebula in Ha

The Horsehead Nebula (also known as Barnard 33 in bright nebula IC 434) is a dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just below (to the south of) Alnitak, the star farthest left on Orion's Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. It is approximately 1500 light years from Earth. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae because of the shape of its swirling cloud of dark dust and gases, which is similar to that of a horse's head. The shape was first noticed in 1888 by Williamina Fleming on photographic plate B2312 taken at the Harvard College Observatory.

Telescope: Skywatcher ED80
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Camera: QHY8
Filter: Baader Ha 7nm
Guidescope: Skywatcher 70/500mm
Guide with LVI SmartGuider
Exp. Time: 5* 20 minutes (bin 2x2) in Ha
Capture: Nebulosity 2.2.5
Stack: Deep Sky Stacker
Processing: Photoshop CS3

IC 434 Horsehead Nebula Wiki
NGC 2024 Flame Nebula Wiki