IC 405 - The Flaming Star Nebula
IC 405 – The Flaming Star Nebula. With my previous camera, the ZWO ASI294MC Pro, I always struggled to find a field of view that did this object justice. But now, with the ZWO ASI2600MC AIR and its larger sensor, the entire nebula fits beautifully into one frame.
Since we're talking about a “flaming star,” I thought it would be fitting to process the image using the Foraxx color palette. Thanks to my Optolong L-eNhance dualband filter, I was able to isolate the necessary emission lines to make the colors really stand out.
The Flaming Star Nebula is located about 1,500 light-years away in the constellation Auriga. It's a combination of both emission and reflection nebulae, meaning it both glows from ionized gas excited by nearby stars and reflects light from surrounding starlight. At the heart of the nebula is the star AE Aurigae, a runaway star believed to have been ejected from the Orion Nebula region. As AE Aurigae moves through the surrounding gas and dust, it energizes the nebula, creating the striking fiery appearance that gives IC 405 its name.
Acquisition details:
Optolong L-eNhance lights:
4hr 30min
54x 300sec
Calibration frames:
20 Darks
20 Flats
20 Dark flats
Bortle: 5
Gear used:
🔭 Askar 103APO
⚙️ Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro
📸 ZWO ASI2600MC AIR
🌌 Optolong L-eNhance
IC 434 - The Horsehead Nebula
The Horsehead Nebula is one of the most iconic dark nebulae in the night sky, located in the constellation Orion, around 1,375 light-years away. Its distinctive horse-shaped silhouette stands out dramatically against a glowing background of ionized gas, making it one of my favorite targets. For this image, I used the Optolong L-Pro filter to enhance contrast and bring out the dusty dark details of the surrounding regions. I chose to present the Hydrogen Alpha areas in vibrant magenta to highlight the dramatic structure around the nebula and give the scene an extra sense of depth and color contrast. The result is a colorful and dynamic view of this famous deep-sky object.
Acquisition details:
Optolong L-Pro lights:
3hr 37min
79x 180sec
Calibration frames:
20 Darks
20 Flats
20 Dark flats
Bortle: 5
Gear used:
🔭 Askar 103APO
⚙️ Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro
📸 ZWO ASI294MC Pro
🌌 Optolong L-Pro
IC 5070 - The Pelican Nebula
NGC 7000, also known as the North America Nebula, and IC 5070, the Pelican Nebula, are two beautiful emission nebulae located in the constellation Cygnus, about 2,600 light-years away. The North America Nebula’s shape resembles the continent of North America, while the Pelican Nebula looks like a pelican with its head and beak, (I don’t think it looks like that at all haha).
For this image, I used the Hubble color palette, where Hydrogen Alpha is represented in orange-gold and Oxygen III in blue-cyan. This color choice brings out the stunning contrast between the different gas regions in the nebulae.
I was thrilled that this image was later chosen as the cover for the Sterrenstof Podcast astronomical calendar for 2024, a nice recognition of the effort put into capturing this beautiful scene, and it was also the first time my work got published!
Acquisition details:
Optolong L-eNhance lights:
3hr 10min
38x 300sec
Calibration frames:
20 Darks
20 Flats
20 Dark flats
Bortle: 5
Gear used:
🔭 Askar 103APO
⚙️ Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro
📸 ZWO ASI294MC Pro
🌌 Optolong L-eNhance
IC 63 - The Ghost of Cassiopeia
IC 63, also known as the Ghost of Cassiopeia, is a beautifully eerie emission and reflection nebula located in the constellation Cassiopeia. What makes this object especially striking is the bright star nearby, Gamma Cassiopeiae, also known as Navi, which illuminates the nebula and gives it its ghostly glow.
The nebula is a mix of glowing hydrogen gas and reflected starlight, creating a haunting shape that seems to drift through space. Its unique form and vivid colors make it a rewarding, though challenging, target to capture.
This was also the first time I used the new MARS tool in PixInsight. It made a big difference in processing, as the sensor blotches from my ZWO ASI294MC Pro were completely removed for the first time, resulting in a much cleaner and more detailed image.
Acquisition details:
Optolong L-eNhance lights:
5hr 25min
65x 300sec
Calibration frames:
20 Darks
20 Flats
20 Biases
Bortle: 5
Gear used:
🔭 Askar 103APO
⚙️ Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro
📸 ZWO ASI294MC Pro
🌌 Optolong L-eNhance