A very faint Supernova remnant lurks in Cassiopeia, quite close to the big 'W'. Variously known as Abell 85, CTB-1, G116.9+0.2, PK 116.9+0.1 and LBN 576. Despite severe gales, rain and fast moving clouds, there were some good clear periods in early November 2010, and I succeeded in acquiring data over three nights, 6th, 10th and 12th. TMB105 refractor and William Optics 0.8 reducer/flattener. SBIG ST-10XME with AO8. Luminance (and Red) with a Baader 7nm H-alpha filter, Green and Blue with Astronomik OIII and SII filters. Ha 13 x 30 minutes, OIII and SII each 6 x 10 minutes binned 2x2. Full Size (1 MB!)

The Great Orion nebula, Messier 42 and adjacent area including the 'Fishes' Mouth' M43 and 'Running Man' NGC 1977. 2nd February 2010. Main image 9 x 10 minutes, central Trapezium region patched from 6 x 2 minutes. A bit 'noisy' in the fainter outer regions - if I get the opportunity I'll take a set of longer subs, perhaps 20 minutes each to improve those areas. ST4000XCM with AO-8 and William Optics 0.8 reducer on Meade series 5000 127 mm refractor. Full size

 

LBN777 in Taurus is also known as the Vulture's Head nebula. 23rd and 24th September at Les Granges using SBIG ST-10XME on Olly Penrice's Takahashi FSQ85. Luminance 17 x 10 minutes, RGB each 6 x 5 minutes binned 2x2 due to shortage of time. A very faint low contrast target which really deserves a lot more data. The dark 'head' area is also classified as Barnard 207. Full size

The 'Propeller' nebula in Cygnus. Variously catalogued as DWB-111, Simeis 57 and MRSL 479 . 16th and 24th July 2009. Luminance 24 x 5 minutes H-alpha, RGB each 5 x 5 minutes Ha, O3, S2. There was negligible O3 in the image, so the colour is predominantly red. North is to the right. SBIG ST-10XME binned 2x2 on Meade series 5000 127 (950 mm fl).

Messier 78 in Orion. 19th and 24th January 2009. Luminance 8 x 10 minutes, RGB each 5 x 2 1/2 minutes binned 2x2. ST10XME with AO-8 and Astrodon filters on Meade Series 5000 127 refractor. Messier 78 is also designated as NGC 2068, and there are three other NGC objects in this image, 2064, 2067 and 2071. 'Mouse over' the medium size image for identification. McNeil's Nebula is also clearly visible. Larger size

Emission nebula SH2-142 in Cepheus which contains the open cluster NGC 7380. 9th, 12th and 13th January 2009. Meade 127 refractor, SBIG ST10XME with Astronomik filters and AO-8. Luminance 8 x 10 minutes, RGB each 5 x 10 minutes. This image using Hydrogen alpha for Red, Oxygen III for Green, Sulphur II for Blue. This image was published in the April 2009 edition of Astronomy Now Full size
This version using the 'Hubble Palette', SII, Ha, OIII. Full size

Messier 1 - the Crab nebula in Taurus. 29th November and 18th December 2008. ST-10XME on 12" LX200R with AO8. Luminance 20 x 5 minutes, RGB each 6 x 2.5 minutes binned 2x2. Full size (Cropped from full frame - some of the frames were slightly rotated on different nights.) This image was published in the February 2010 Astronomy Now magazine

 

NGC 2237, the Rosette Nebula in Monoceros responds well to narrowband filters, and I revisited it on 6th and 7th December 2008. Here are a couple of variations to choose from - the first using Ha, O3, S2 as RGB, the second is the Hubble Palette, S2, Ha, O3, with the Ha (green) held back to prevent excessive greenness! Luminance 15 x 10 minutes H-alpha, colour each 7 x 10 minutes, OIII, SII, Ha from luminance frames. SBIG ST10XME, TMB 105 with .8 WO reducer, AO-8

In Taurus near Alnath, the large but very faint supernova remnant Simeis 147, also known as Sharpless 240, really needs high altitude contrasty sky and professional standard instruments to get fine detail, for example this APOD I got a partial image of this a couple of years ago, but with a succession of clear nights had another go. Same 135 mm lens as last time, but the larger chip of the ST10 re the Art 285 captured the whole thing. The small nebulosity near the left edge is SH 242. Narrowband helps! All luminance taken on 1st. December 2008. Yes, the sky cleared beautifully a few hours AFTER the occultation of Venus which was clouded out - Sod's law in spades!! Luminance 10 x 15 minutes ( I had another 10 from an earlier night, but they were taken in very poor seeing, and combining them with the later 10 bloated the stars a bit - pity to waste all that data but....) RGB each 6 x 5 mins Ha, OIII, SII.

B33, the Horsehead nebula in Orion, 24th and 27th November 2008. Meade series 5000 127 mm refractor, SBIG ST10XME camera with AO-8. Astronomik narrowband filters. Luminance 17 x 10 minutes Ha, RGB Ha, OIII, SII each 5 x 10 minutes (I used 5 of the already captured Ha)

IC 5146, the Cocoon nebula in Cygnus. 23rd and 26th September 2008. 12" LX200ACF OTA at f7, ST10 XME with AO-8. Luminance Astronomik Ha filter, 1 x 10 minute and 15 x 15 minute subs. Red H-alpha, Green O3, Blue S2, each 6 x 15 minute subs.

vdB 141 nebula in Cepheus. This bright nebula with associated dust cloud is popularly known as The Ghost Nebula for obvious reasons! 20th and 28th September and 5th October 2008. LX200ACF OTA at f7, SBIG ST10-XME with Astrodon filters and AO-8. Luminance 29 x 10 minutes, RGB each 12 x 4 minutes binned 2x2. This image appeared in the November 2008 'Practical Astronomer'

Messier 17, the 'Swan'/'Omega' nebula in Sagittarius. 8th August 2008, Les Granges, France 4" Genesis refractor, ST10XME, AO-8 and narrowband filters. Luminance 6 x 10 minutes Ha, GB each 6 x 4 minutes O3 and S2, Ha again used to provide Red. (See here for a flight of fancy!) This image was 'Picture of the Month' in the November 2008 'Astronomy Now' magazine

Messier 8 - the Lagoon Nebula in Sagittarius. La Palma, 19th June 2007. This emission nebula benefits from use of a Hydrogen Alpha deep sky filter, so the Luminance is 11 x 2 minutes Ha, RGB each 3 x 2 minutes. Artemis 285 and ZS66 This image was 'Image of the Month' in the September 2007 issue of Practical Astronomer.

Although the Trifid nebula, Messier 20 in Sagittarius (and M8 above) are just high enough to image from my home, nevertheless they are still difficult. A very different story in La Palma, and the excellent sky conditions allowed for much fine nebulosity to be captured with only short exposures. Artemis with ZS66. Luminance 11 x 1 minute (yes - only 1 minute!!), RGB each 6 x 1 minute. 16th June 2007.

The California nebula, NGC1499 in Perseus. December 11th and 18th 2006 Luminance 15 x 15 minutes H-alpha. RGB each 3 x 15 minute Ha, S2, O3. Art 285 and 135 mm camera lens at f5.6. This image was published in the March 2007 issue of Astronomy Now

21/22 November 2006. Emission front IC5067, in the Pelican nebula in Cygnus, showing the Herbig-Haro jets at the tip of the 'trunk'. Art285, Mirage8 at f6.3, Lum 10 x 10 min Ha, RGB each 5 x 4 min binned 2x2 Ha, O3, S2. This image was featured as Image of the Month in the January 2007 issue of Practical Astronomer

NGC 7023, the Iris Nebula in Cepheus. 14th and 15th. July 2006. Artemis and Mirage at f6.3. The cluster just to the right of centre is Collinder 427. Luminance 10 x 4 minutes, RGB each 4 x 4 minutes.

Messier 42 - the Orion nebula. January 14th 2006. Artemis 285, TMB105 refractor. Luminance from Ha, colours using Ha, O3, S2. Ha 4 min and 2 min. frames (to get the core), O3 and S2 3 min. frames.

NGC 2024. Flame Nebula and B33 Horsehead Nebula in Orion. 6th. Dec. 2005. Art 285 and TMB 105. Luminance 9 x 6 minutes, RGB each 3 x 6 minutes

NGC 6992, part of the Veil nebula complex in Cygnus. 25 Sept. 2005 Art 285 and TMB105 refractor. Mosaic of two images. Luminance each 5 x 6 minute frames with H-alpha filter. Colour normal RGB each 2 x 6 minutes. This image was used as the front cover for the January-March 2006 issue of the SPA magazine

NGC 6888, nebula in Cygnus. 22nd. June 2005. Art 285, Mirage 8 at f 6.3, 12 frames x 4 minutes H-alpha filter. Colour added in Photoshop.

NGC 7635, the 'Bubble' nebula in Cassiopeia. 16th. August 2004. MX716, Mirage 8 at f6, L 7 x 3 mins, RGB each 1 x 3 mins.