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A Night with the Heart and Soul: Astrophotography in Cassiopeia

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A Night with the Heart and Soul: Astrophotography in Cassiopeia

Less than 1 minute Minutes

As fall settles in, the constellation Cassiopeia rises high in the northern sky, bringing with it two of the most beautiful nebulae visible to astrophotographers in the Northern Hemisphere: the Heart and Soul Nebulae. On the crisp, clear night of October 21, I decided to revisit these cosmic wonders using my Rokinon 135mm lens paired with an OSC camera. The final image was nothing short of spectacular!

A Perfect Setup for Wide-Field Imaging

The Rokinon 135mm lens, when coupled with my ZWO-ASI533MC PRO camera, offers an expansive 4.8° x 4.8° field of view. This combination is ideal for capturing large-scale deep-sky objects, making it perfect for framing both the Heart and Soul Nebulae in the same field of view.

The Cosmic Heart and Soul

Located approximately 7,500 light-years away in the Perseus arm of our Milky Way, the Heart and Soul Nebulae are a pair of emission nebulae that stretch nearly 580 light-years across. The Heart Nebula, also known as IC 1805, resembles a human heart and is powered by the young, hot stars of the open cluster Melotte 15 at its core. Its companion, the Soul Nebula (IC 1848), lies just to the left, completing this celestial duo.

Ideal Conditions for Narrowband Imaging

The night’s mild temperatures and exceptionally clear skies provided optimal conditions for narrowband imaging, despite the presence of a bright Moon. This technique allows for the capture of specific wavelengths of light emitted by the nebulae, particularly the hydrogen-alpha emissions that give these objects their characteristic red glow.

As we move deeper into autumn, the Heart and Soul Nebulae become increasingly prominent targets for astrophotographers in the Northern Hemisphere. Their position in Cassiopeia makes them circumpolar for many observers, meaning they never set below the horizon and can be imaged throughout the year.

I captured 40 frames, for a total integration time of 2 hours. Below you can see the final result. As usual, if you move the slider you can switch between the image with the stars and the starless version.

Setup

Date: 2024-10-21
Location: My backyard in Richmond Hill, ON
Scope: Rokinon 135mm at F/2.8
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: ASIAIR Plus, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 180 minutes (40×180 secs.)
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
IC1805_smallIC1805_starless_small
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula (IC1396) with HOO palette - 2024-09-02

I took a stunning image of the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula

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I took a stunning image of the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula

Less than 1 minute Minutes

I would like to share this image of the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula (IC1396) acquired on September 2, 2024 from my backyard and my 80mm apochromatic refractor.

Sky conditions were excellent, and guiding was flawless, with an unusually good seeing, and the RMS was consistently around 0.5.

I played with the colors with the “Narrowband Normalization Tool” in PixInsight to increase the contrast and make this HOO version.
The total integration time was 51 minutes (17×3 minutes subs).

Setup

Date: 2024-09-02
Location: My backyard in Richmond Hill, ON
Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 CF
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: ASIAIR Plus, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 51 minutes (17×180 secs.)
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula (IC1396) with HOO palette - 2024-09-02
The Bubble Nebula (2024-08-31)

The beautiful Bubble Nebula

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The beautiful Bubble Nebula

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NGC 7635, better known as the Bubble Nebula, is a beautiful emission nebula nestled within the constellation Cassiopeia. This nebula was discovered in 1787 by the astronomer William Herschel, and it continues to fascinate both amateur and professional astronomers.
 
The nebula’s distinctive bubble shape is sculpted by the powerful stellar winds emanating from its central star, SAO 20575. This young, hot star is approximately 45 times more massive than our Sun!
 
Using my trusty ES ED80CF apochromatic refractor telescope and a ZWO ASI533MC PRO camera, I managed to collect 39 minutes of total exposure time. Despite the relatively short integration time, the image reveals the nebula’s distinctive bubble shape and the surrounding star-filled field. The central star’s intense radiation illuminates the surrounding gas, creating a glowing and ethereal appearance.
 
To obtain a wider field composition, I decided to include the nearby open cluster, M52, which is visible in the lower right of the image.
 
As always, you can use the slider to toggle between the image and its starless version.

Setup

Date: 2024-08-31
Location: My backyard in Richmond Hill, ON
Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 CF
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: NINA, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 39 minutes (13×180 secs.)
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
The Bubble Nebula (2024-08-31)The Bubble Nebula - Starless version (2024-08-31)
The Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC6995)

Unveiling the Cosmic Lace: the wonderful East Veil Nebula

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Unveiling the Cosmic Lace: the wonderful East Veil Nebula

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Unveiling the Veil: the East Veil Nebula imaged from my backyard

Ten thousand years ago a supernova exploded and today we can still see the remnant of this catastrophic event in Cygnus constellation.

The Veil Nebula is part of this supernova remnant, called the Cygnus Loop. Scientist estimate that a star 20 times more massive of the Sun turned into supernova about 10,000 year ago.

I imaged the East Veil (NGC 6995) on August 13 from my backyard in Richmond Hill (ON), with my ES ED80CF apochromatic refractor, the ZWO ASI533MC PRO camera, the Celestron AVX mount, and a narrowband filter (the Optolong L-eXtreme).

The bright Moon and wildfire smoke did not help, but I was able to gather enough signal. I acquired the images with NINA and processed them with PixInsight.

If you move the slider, you can switch between the image with the stars and the starless version of the nebula.

Setup

Date: 2024-08-13
Location: My backyard in Richmond Hill, ON
Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 CF
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: NINA, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 36 minutes (12×180 secs.)
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
The Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC6995)The Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC6995) - Starless Version
The Rosette Nebula with the new Gradient Correction Tool for PixInsight (2024-02-12)

The Rosette Nebula: a celestial gift for Valentine’s Day

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The Rosette Nebula: a celestial gift for Valentine’s Day

Less than 1 minute Minutes

I recently read an article on the Weather Network website that Toronto recorded one of the cloudiest January in over a decade and as soon as I had a chance to set up my astroimaging gear I did it.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day I decided to image the Rosette Nebula in constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn). Also known as SH2-275 in the Sharpless catalog, or Caldwell 49, it hosts the open cluster NGC2244.

Its distance is 5,000 light-years and its size is approximately 130 light-years.

The position of the nebula can be easily identified, thanks to the presence of some of the brightest stars in the sky: Betelgeuse and Procyon. By connecting these two bright stars with an imaginary line, the Rosette Nebula can be found at about a third of the distance and moving about a degree and a half in a southerly direction.

It is believed that the stellar wind from the young O and B stars in NGC2244 exerts pressure on the interstellar cloud, causing compression, followed by the formation of stars. In fact, many Bok globules, considered to be sites of star formation, are visible inside the Rosette Nebula.

Armed with my trusty narrowband setup – the Explore Scientific ED80 CF APO refractor, my OSC camera (ZWO ASI533MC PRO), and the Optolong L-eXtreme narrowband filter, this time I added a Starfield 1.0x flattener to my optical train.

I spent a good amount of time to achieve an accurate polar alignment (1 arcminute), adequate mount balance and I captured a total of 69 minutes (23×180 seconds). The final result did not disappoint me!

Stay tuned for my next blog post, where I will walk you through my image processing workflow.

P.S.: Happy Valentine’s Day! May the beauty of the cosmos fill your heart with wonder and joy on this special day.

Setup

Date: 2024-02-12
Location: My backyard in Richmond Hill, ON
Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 CF, Starfield 1.0x Flattener
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: ASIAIR Plus, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 69 minutes (23×180 secs.)
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
The Rosette Nebula with the new Gradient Correction Tool for PixInsight (2024-02-12)
The Helix Nebula from the CAO (2023-07-23)

It finally happened: I photographed the Helix Nebula!

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It finally happened: I photographed the Helix Nebula!

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I had been waiting to photograph the Helix Nebula for years… Well, on the night of July 22-23, 2023 it finally happened!

The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), also known as the “Eye of God” or “The Eye of Sauron,” is a planetary nebula located 650 light-years away in the constellation of Aquarius.

NGC 7293 has a strong emission in Ha and OIII, but due to its low position in the sky it reaches a maximum of 25 degrees high at our latitudes. This makes it a challenging target for astrophotography.

Using my Explore Scientific ED80 CF APO refractor, OSC camera (ZWO ASI533MC PRO), and a narrowband filter (Optolong L-eXtreme), I captured a total of 30 minutes (10×180 seconds) of this elusive nebula. The final processed image is presented below for your enjoyment. 

Setup

Date: 2023-07-23
Location: Carr Astronomical Observatory (CAO), ON
Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 CF
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: NINA, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 30 minutes (10×180 secs.)
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
The Helix Nebula from the CAO (2023-07-23)
The Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius (2023-07-23)

Celestial hiccups and fantastic results: imaging the Trifid Nebula

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Celestial hiccups and fantastic results: imaging the Trifid Nebula

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As a member of the RASC, Toronto Centre, in July 2023 I spent a weekend under a dark sky with some friends at the E.C. Carr Astronomical Observatory (CAO).

The second target for the night of July 22-23 was the Trifid Nebula (M 20) in Sagittarius.

While imaging the Trifid Nebula I encountered my share of celestial challenges and technical hiccups. At our latitudes, M 20 is crazy low to the southern horizon, so it is hard to capture a decent amount of photons if you are located in a light polluted area.

Next, for some reason the meridian flip didn’t unfold as expected, leading to a manual intervention and a loss of precious imaging time. Additionally, despite the dew heater operating at maximum power, dew condensed on my guide camera, posing yet another challenge. Post-processing presented its own set of obstacles too, with persistent halos around the brightest stars proving to be a formidable adversary.

Unveiling the Trifid Nebula’s Splendor

The Trifid Nebula, located approximately 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius, is a breathtaking combination of emission and reflection nebulae. Its three-lobed appearance, from which it derives its name, showcases a remarkable color palette ranging from blue to deep red and purple, offering a visual feast for astrophotographers and casual observers. 

Below you can see the final processed image. Until next time, clear skies!

Setup

Date: 2023-07-23
Location: Carr Astronomical Observatory (CAO), ON
Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 CF
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: NINA, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 48 minutes (16×180 secs.)
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
The Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius (2023-07-23)
The Lagoon Nebula (M8) from the CAO

Unveiling the Lagoon Nebula in a dark sky location

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Unveiling the Lagoon Nebula in a dark sky location

Less than 1 minute Minutes

In July 2023 I spent a great weekend at the E.C. Carr Astronomical Observatory (CAO), where I met a group of fellow astroimagers. The sky was crystal clear and despite some dew I had a very productive imaging session: I stayed up until 3am in the morning and I captured 4 targets in one night. We were literally under a blanket of stars and the bright arch of the Milky Way. While I was imaging, I even counted 4 bright meteors!

This is the first of a series of targets I imaged on the night of July 22nd: the Lagoon Nebula (M 8) in Sagittarius, with a total integration time of just 18 minutes.
This immense emission nebula, made of star-forming cloud of interstellar gas, has been discovered in 1654 by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Hodierna.
Tons of fine details are visible in the final image … What a difference a dark sky location can make!

Setup

Date: 2023-07-23
Location: Carr Astronomical Observatory (CAO), ON
Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 CF
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: NINA, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: just 18 minutes (6×180 secs.)!
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
The Lagoon Nebula (M8) from the CAO
M16 (2023-07-07)

The Pillars of the Creation from my backyard

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The Pillars of Creation from my backyard

Less than 1 minute Minutes

The Eagle Nebula (M 16) is located in the constellation Serpens and its distance is approximately 7,000 light-years away from Earth. Within this nebula lies a breathtaking feature known as the “Pillars of the Creation”. In this article I will share my personal experience of imaging this beautiful summer deep sky object from the comfort of my own backyard.

I checked the weather forecast and I noticed a combination of a clear sky and above-average transparency in my local area. Knowing that such conditions are a rarity, I quickly seized the opportunity and prepared my equipment for a night of astrophotography.

The Pillars of the Creation, immortalized in a famous Hubble Space Telescope image, are immense columns of interstellar gas and dust. These pillars are home to ongoing star formation processes, with new stars being born within their colossal structure. The breathtaking beauty of this celestial marvel has inspired countless astrophotographers.

As with any endeavor, unexpected challenges can arise. In the midst of my imaging session, my computer decided to launch a Windows update, causing a momentary disruption. Note to self: disable Windows updates during nighttime astrophotography sessions! However, I persevered and managed to capture nearly an hour’s worth of data despite the hiccups along the way.

The Final Image

After meticulously processing the captured data, the moment of truth arrived. The culmination of my efforts revealed a stunning image of the Pillars of the Creation. Considering the limitations imposed by our latitudes, where the Eagle Nebula is not typically high in the sky, the final result exceeded my expectations.

Clear skies!

Setup

Date: 2023-07-07
Location: my backyard in Richmond Hill (ON)
Scope: C8 SCT
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C)
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 2″
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC, IR-Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Software: NINA, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 51 minutes (17×180 seconds).
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
M16 (2023-07-07)
M45 integration (2023-02-08)

Imaging the Pleiades from a light polluted sky

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Imaging the Pleiades from a light polluted sky

Less than 1 minute Reading time: Minutes

In the last few weeks I was actively chasing the green comet, but finally yesterday I decided to go back to something more traditional and I did some DSO imaging from my light polluted sky.

With Messier 45, the Pleiades, as my target, my goal was to capture the blue nebulosity that surrounds this magnificent star cluster.

My imaging setup was equipped with an Explore Scientific ED80CF APO 80mm triplet refractor and a cooled ZWO ASI533MC PRO OSC camera, making for a 60 minutes of total integration time. Despite the challenges posed by high clouds and the Moon, my trusty Optolong L-Pro light pollution filter did its job and delivered good results. Below you can see the detailed setup I used for this imaging session.

Date: 2023-02-08
Location: my driveway in Richmond Hill (ON)
Outside temperature: +1°C
Scope and camera: Explore Scientific ED80CF APO, ZWO ASI533MC PRO (cooled at -10 °C), Optolong L-Pro 2″
Focuser: ZWO EAF
Mount: Celestron AVX
Guiding: Orion Mini 50mm, ZWO ASI224MC, IR cut filter, PHD2
Software: NINA, PixInsight, NoiseXTerminator, BlurXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 60 minutes (30×120 seconds)
Calibration frames: 20 dark, 10 flat, 100 bias
Size: 1.35 x 1.35 deg
Radius: 0.954 deg
Pixel scale: 4.05 arcsec/pixel

Here is the final image of the Pleiades, with its blue nebulosity that surrounds the cluster shining bright amidst the light pollution of the city.
 
Clear skies!
M45 integration (2023-02-08)
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