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

Older photos with DSLR - Clusters

M13 Globural Cluster & NGC6207 Galaxy
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



Messier 13 or M13 (also designated NGC 6205 and sometimes called the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules or the Hercules Globular Cluster) is a globular cluster in the constellation of Hercules.M13 is about 145 light-years in diameter, and it is composed of several hundred thousand stars, the brightest of which is the variable star V11 with an apparent magnitude of 11.95. M13 is 25,100 light-years away from Earth.


NGC 884 & NGC 869 - The Double Cluster in Persei
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Double Cluster is the common name for the naked-eye open clusters NGC 884 and NGC 869, which are close together in the constellation Perseus. NGC 884 and NGC 869 are at distances of 7600 and 6800 light-years away, respectively, so they are close to one another in space as well. They are relatively young clusters, with NGC 869 5.6 million years and NGC 884 at 3.2 million years according to the 2000 Sky Catalogue.


M4 - Globural Cluster
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



Messier 4 or M4 (also designated NGC 6121) is a globular cluster in the constellation of Scorpius. It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1746 and catalogued by Charles Messier in 1764. It was the first globular cluster in which individual stars were resolved.M4 is a rather loosely concentrated cluster of class IX and measures 75 light years across.


M45 - Pleiades Open Cluster
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro


M13 Globural Cluster & NGC6207 Galaxy
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro

In astronomy, the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters (Messier object 45), is an open star cluster containing middle-aged hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. Pleiades has several meanings in different cultures and traditions.

Older photos with DSLR - Nebulae

M17 - Omega 'Swan' Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Omega Nebula, also known as the Swan Nebula and the Horseshoe Nebula[2] (catalogued as Messier 17 or M17 and as NGC 6618) is an H II region in the constellation Sagittarius.The Omega Nebula is between 5,000 and 6,000 light-years from Earth and it spans some 15 light-years in diameter. The cloud of interstellar matter of which this nebula is a part is roughly 40 light-years in diameter.


M20 - Trifid Nebula & M21 Open Cluster
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Trifid Nebula (catalogued as Messier 20 or M20 and as NGC 6514) is an H II region located in Sagittarius. Its name means 'divided into three lobes'. The object is an unusual combination of an open cluster of stars, an emission nebula (the lower, red portion), a reflection nebula (the upper, blue portion) and a dark nebula (the apparent 'gaps' within the emission nebula that cause the trifid appearance.


NGC 7635 - Bubble Nebula & NGC 7538 Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Bubble Nebula in Barnard's Galaxy has the official designation of Hubble 1925 I as it was the first (Roman numeral 1) object recorded in Hubble 1925. It includes areas of bright H II[1] emission. It is located north-west of the larger Hubble III.


NGC 281 - Packman Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



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.


NGC 7000 - North America Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The North America Nebula (NGC 7000 or Caldwell 20) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, close to Deneb (the tail of the swan and its brightest star). The remarkable shape of the emission nebula resembles that of the continent of North America, complete with a prominent Gulf of Mexico. It is sometimes wrongly called the "North American" nebula.


M16 - Eagle Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Eagle Nebula (catalogued as Messier 16 or M16, and as NGC 6611) is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745-46. Its name derives from its shape which is resemblant of an eagle. It is the subject of a famous photograph by the Hubble Space Telescope, which shows pillars of star-forming gas and dust within the nebula.


NGC 6992 - Eastern Veil Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro




NGC 6960 - Western Veil Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



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.


Μ42 - Orion Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



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.


M27 - Dumbbell Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Dumbbell Nebula (also known as Messier 27, M 27, or NGC 6853) is a planetary nebula (PN) in the constellation Vulpecula, at a distance of about 1,360 light years.


M8 - Lagoon Nebula
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Lagoon Nebula (catalogued as Messier 8 or M8, and as NGC 6523) is a giant interstellar cloud in the constellation Sagittarius. It is classified as an emission nebula and as an H II region.

Older photos with DSLR - Galaxies

M31 - Andromeda Galaxy
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 2,500,000 light-years (1.58×1011 AU) away[4] in the constellation Andromeda. It is also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224, and is often referred to as the Great Andromeda Nebula in older texts. Andromeda is the nearest spiral galaxy to our own, the Milky Way.


M33 Triangulum Galaxy
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



The Triangulum Galaxy is a spiral galaxy at approximately 3 million light years (ly) distance in the constellation Triangulum. It is catalogued as Messier 33 or NGC 598, and is sometimes informally referred to as the Pinwheel Galaxy, a moniker it shares with Messier 101.


M81 - M82 Galaxies
Skywatcher ED80 - Canon 400D - HEQ5 Pro



Messier 81 (also known as NGC 3031 or Bode's Galaxy) is a spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.Messier 82 (also known as NGC 3034, Cigar Galaxy or M82) is the prototype[5] nearby starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.