WR 134 (V1769 Cyg)

 Three Nights, One Target ...

This is a personal best for me—not only for total exposure time, but for the patience and persistence it took to capture a target I’ve wanted to image for years. WR 134 is faint, subtle, and notoriously difficult, especially from Western New York, where clear nights are rare and I don’t have the luxury of an observatory. Across three nights, I collected 10 hours and 47 minutes of data—my longest integration to date—and finally gathered enough signal to reveal the delicate OIII bubble surrounding this Wolf–Rayet star.

I processed the image in an HOO palette, mapping hydrogen-alpha (Hα) to red and doubly ionized oxygen (OIII) to green and blue. Because I used a dual-narrowband filter, I captured both emissions at the same time and separated them during processing to build the final composite. Here’s the resulting image:

Image 1: WR 134 (V1769 Cyg)

Image 1: WR 134 (V1769) captured from my backyard over 3 nights in August & early September.

What is it?

Before getting into the equipment and processing details, it’s worth pausing on what makes WR 134 such a compelling subject. The image is not just a pretty field of stars; it captures the visible imprint of a massive star losing material into space and shaping the gas around it.

Object type: Wolf–Rayet star with an ionized wind-blown bubble

WR 134 (also known as V1769 Cyg) is a highly evolved Wolf–Rayet star: a massive, hot stellar core in its final stages of life that is rapidly shedding material. With a surface temperature of about 63,000 K and a luminosity roughly 400,000 times that of the Sun, it drives extreme stellar winds reaching speeds up to 1,700 km/s. Those winds carve out a faint, expanding bubble of ionized gas, visible in narrowband emissions such as hydrogen-alpha and doubly ionized oxygen. The nebula in this image is not a supernova remnant; it is a wind-blown shell, sculpted by continuous mass loss from the star rather than by a single explosive event.

Location in the sky: Cygnus, within the Cygnus OB3 association

WR 134 lies in the rich star fields of Cygnus, only about a degree from the similar Wolf–Rayet star WR 135. Both stars are part of the Cygnus OB3 stellar association, a region filled with massive, short-lived stars. This area sits along the bright band of the Milky Way, making it an excellent target for summer and early autumn imaging. Refer to the finder chart (Image 2) below.

Distance / size / scale

Gaia DR3 measurements place WR 134 at approximately 6,000 light-years from Earth. The surrounding bubble is faint and relatively small compared to supernova remnants, but its structure is revealed beautifully in narrowband imaging—especially in HOO composites where the oxygen-rich arcs stand out sharply against the hydrogen background.

Visual features

The nebula around WR 134 is dominated by:

• Blue-green OIII arcs tracing regions where the fast stellar wind shocks and ionizes surrounding gas.
• Red Hα emission marking slower-moving hydrogen swept up from the interstellar medium.
• Curved, filamentary structures that hint at the star’s rotational wind patterns and possible corotating interaction regions—large-scale structures in the wind that create repeating arcs in long-exposure images.

In HOO processing, these features combine into a distinctive ring-like bubble with layered shells and wisps extending outward.

Why it matters

WR 134 offers a rare look at stellar mass loss in real time. Wolf–Rayet stars shed enormous amounts of material before eventually exploding as supernovae. The bubble around WR 134 shows how these winds shape and enrich the interstellar medium long before the final explosion. WR 134 is also historically significant: it was one of the first stars ever identified as a Wolf–Rayet object due to its unusual emission-line spectrum, helping astronomers define an entire class of massive, short-lived stars.

Image 2: Finder Chart for WR 134 (V1769 Cyg)

Image 2: Finder Chart for WR 134 (V1769).

Prominent Objects in the Field

Object 1: WR 134 (V1769) - Wolf-Rayet Star and associated "Bubble" nebula. The star is located very near the center of the image as indicated in image 3 below. The associated nebula or Oiii ring is concentric to the center of the image.

Object 2: LBN 182 — Large emission nebulosity located from the middle of the frame toward the bottom center. WR 134 and its OIII ring appear embedded within LBN 182.

Object 3: Sh2-104 - A faint emission Nebula located about 14,000 light-years from Earth. It can be found in the upper left of the image. 

Additional details: Open star clusters NGC 6871 and NGC 6883; various dark nebulae, including B146, B147, and multiple Lynds’ Dark Nebulae (LDN); and multiple bright nebulae from Lynds’ Bright Nebulae (LBN).

Image 3: Annotated image of WR 134 (V1769 Cyg)

Annotated image of WR 134 (V1769 Cyg).

Imaging Details

·       Capture dates: August 20, August 28, and September 6, 2026.

• Location: Eden, NY
• Target: WR 134 (V1769 Cyg)
• Total integration: 10 hours and 47 minutes total
• Exposure breakdown:
• 8/20/2026: 74 subs at 180 sec each
• 8/28/2026: 44 subs at 300 sec each
• 9/6/2026: 41 subs at 300 sec each
• All Exposures: Gain = 100, Offset = 50, and Sensor Temp = -10° C
• Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme
• Moon / sky conditions:
• 8/20/2026: Moon 52% First Quarter, transparency = average, and seeing = average.
• 8/28/2026: Moon 100% Full, transparency = above average, and seeing = average.
• 9/6/2026: Moon 26% Waxing Crescent, transparency = above average, and seeing = average.

Equipment Used

• Telescope / lens: Askar FRA400
• Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
• Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro
• Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme
• Guiding: ZWO 30 mm Mini Guide Scope / ZWO ASI290MM
• Control / acquisition software: N.I.N.A & PHD2
• Other accessories: PrimaLuceLab Sesto Senso 3 & SvBony 241 Pro

Processing Details

• Calibration frames: 50 Darks, 50 Flats, & 50 Dark Flats
• Calibration and integration: All pre-processing was performed in PixInsight 
• Background correction: GraXpert
• Color Calibration: SPCC
• Deconvolution: BlurXTerminator
• Stretching: Multiscale Adaptive Stretch
• Star Removal: StarXTerminator
• Noise reduction: NoiseXTerminator
• Adjust Histogram: Histogram Transformation
• 2nd Application of Noise Reduction: NoiseXTerminator
• Create HOO Image: Narrowband Normalization Process
• Reduce Halos: Combination of Dodge and Burn Process and Blemish Blaster Script
• Sharpen: Image Blend Script (High Pass Filter)
• Enhance Dark Structure: Dark Structure Enhance Script
• Contrast and Saturation: Curves Transformation
• Star processing: 
• Increased star saturation with Curves Transformation
• Removed Green Noise with SCNR
• Removed Magenta color from stars with Correct Magenta Stars Script
• Combine Starless and Star Images: Pixel Math (screen stars)

Conclusion

This target was definitely a challenge. Imaging with a one-shot color (OSC) camera and a dual-narrowband filter with a relatively wide 7 nm bandpass put me at a slight disadvantage. The first two sessions were completed under a bright Moon, which affected the OIII signal more than the Hα signal. Adding the third session, when the Moon did not rise until after the target had dropped below the horizon, helped bring out the faint OIII structure. I may eventually upgrade to a tighter-bandpass filter or even a mono camera with separate emission-line filters, and if I do, I could add that new data to this project. For now, though, I have no immediate plans to change it. This image is done, and I’m pleased with it.

This project reminded me how much faint structure rewards patience. Three nights, three different Moon phases, and a lot of careful processing came together to reveal a bubble I’ve wanted to capture for years.

Barnard's E

 An unplanned imaging session ...

Saturday, August 15, 2026, was supposed to be an outreach night at Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve for Stargazing in Hamburg. The event was cancelled on Friday because of logistical issues and conflicting forecasts. By Saturday afternoon, of course, the forecast had turned clear. Transparency was still poor because of wildfire smoke, and an 11% waxing crescent Moon would set around 9:30 PM, so I quickly searched my target lists for a broadband object to image. I settled on the dark nebulae B142 and B143, which together form Barnard’s E Nebula. I usually spend much more time planning an imaging session with tools like Telescopius, AstroBin, and NINA’s Framing Wizard. This time, the session was improvised. After collecting the data and processing the image, I was disappointed with the framing and thought the image was a lost cause. Then I posted it on our astronomy club’s forum, and several people whose opinions I trust talked me “off the cliff.” I still think the image would be stronger if the “E” were more centered, even if that meant giving up B334, B336, and B337 on the right side. But I also like the contrast between the star colors and the dark nebulae, and the sheer number of stars in the image is breathtaking. I hope you enjoy it too.

Image 1: Barnard’s E Nebula

An image of Barnard's E captured from my backyard on August 15, 2026 with my wide-field deep-sky imaging rig.

Before getting into the technical details, here is a quick overview of what Barnard’s E is and why this region is so striking in a wide-field image.

What is it?

Object type: Dark nebula — Barnard’s E Nebula is the combination of two dark nebulae, B142 and B143. Together, their shape resembles the letter E. Dark nebulae are dense interstellar clouds, often molecular clouds, that block visible light from stars and other background sources.

Location in sky: Barnard’s E is in the constellation Aquila, near the bright star Altair. It is one of many deep-sky gems within the Summer Triangle asterism and is best placed for evening viewing from June through October. See the finder chart in Image 2.

Distance / size / scale: Estimated distance is about 2,000 light-years from Earth. Barnard’s E spans roughly 30 arcminutes in apparent size, about the apparent diameter of the Full Moon.

Visual features: Inky black clouds superimposed on top of a rich field of stars in the heart of the Milky Way.

Why it matters: Dark nebulae are not empty patches in the sky; they are cold, dense clouds of gas and dust. In their central regions, gravity can pull material together tightly enough for new stars to begin forming.

Image 2: Finder chart for Barnard’s E Nebula

Finder Chart for the image of Barnard's E. The red rectangle indicates the field of view of the image.

Prominent Objects in the Field

Object 1: Barnard’s E Nebula is composed of two dark nebulae, B142 and B143. The “E” is located on the left side of the image. E. E. Barnard’s catalogue of dark nebulae was published in 1919.

Object 2: On the right side of the image, three faint dark nebulae are loosely connected. From top right to bottom right, they are B337, B336, and B334.

Additional details: There are several Lynds’ Dark Nebulae (LDN) on both sides of the image. Lynds’ Catalogue of Dark Nebulae was published in 1962 by Beverly Lynds.

 Image 3: Annotated image of Barnard’s E Nebula

An annotated version of the image of Barnard's E.

Imaging Details

·       Capture dates: August 15, 2026.

• Location: Eden, NY
• Target: Barnard’s E Nebula
• Total integration: 4.73 hours total
• Exposure breakdown:
• 8/15/2026: 284 subs at 60 sec each
• Gain = 100, Offset = 50, and Sensor Temp = -10° C
• Filters / channels: N/A
• Moon / sky conditions:
• 8/15/2026: Moon 11% waxing crescent, transparency = poor, and seeing = fair/good.

Equipment Used

• Telescope / lens: Askar FRA400
• Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
• Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro
• Filters: N/A
• Guiding: ZWO 30 mm Mini Guide Scope / ZWO ASI290MM
• Control / acquisition software: N.I.N.A & PHD2
• Other accessories: PrimaLuceLab Sesto Senso 3 & SvBony 241 Pro

Processing Details

• Calibration frames: 50 Darks, 50 Flats, & 50 Dark Flats
• Calibration and integration: All pre-processing was performed in PixInsight
• Background correction: GraXpert
• Color Calibration: SPCC
• Deconvolution: BlurXTerminator
• Stretching: Multiscale Adaptive Stretch
• Noise reduction: NoiseXTerminator
• Contrast and Saturation: Curves Transformation
• Star processing: Increased star saturation with Curves Transformation. Stars were not removed; a mask was used to protect the background.
• Final cleanup: Applied contrast adjustments with Curves Transformation

Conclusion

Sometimes images don’t turn out the way you expected. Even so, the result can still be pleasing and can spark a sense of beauty and wonder about the cosmos. The contrast between the colorful stars and the inky black wisps of dark nebulosity makes this image successful in my eyes. I am still struck by the sheer number of stars in the frame: all of those suns, each likely surrounded by at least one planet, and possibly more.

First Light with the FRA400 – The Witch’s Broom

 A shakedown session with a new imaging rig ...

A few months ago, a longtime local Astronomy Friend reached out to let me know he was selling his Askar FRA400 Astrograph. This was exactly the telescope I was looking for, and I bought it from him. Clear skies and my free time finally aligned, providing an opportunity to set up and test out this new imaging rig.

In this post, I’ll walk through the first-light shakedown for the FRA400 rig, the troubleshooting that got the new focuser working reliably, and the final image of NGC 6960. The goal was not only to capture a beautiful summer target, but also to learn whether this telescope assembly could become an easy swap-in companion to my wider-field FMA180 Pro setup.

The goal was to create a telescope assembly that could be swapped easily with my Askar FMA180 Pro rig. A few accessories still needed to be added, including an electronic focusing motor and a power/data distribution box. Since the telescope purchase was unplanned but too good to pass up, it took a while to get all the pieces in place. The telescope was mounted on a Losmandy/D-style dovetail plate from ADM Accessories. A PrimaLuceLab Sesto Senso 3 electronic focusing motor was installed on the telescope’s focuser, and an SvBony SV241 Pro data/power control box was installed using the finder-scope shoe on the telescope. Then I just had to wait for clear skies.

Sunday, July 19th, was forecast to be clear. I installed the telescope and camera on the mount and made a first attempt at cable management. Everything was moved into position in my backyard, leveled, and connected to electricity well before dark. Before sunset, I powered everything up and connected all the devices to the software I use for imaging. I set up profiles in NINA and PHD2, found the correct COM ports, and verified that everything connected and worked.

Once it was dark, I ran into a major issue that prevented me from going forward. The focus motor was not working properly. The first time I told it to move inward by a small amount, it moved the focuser outward and would not stop. I had to pull the power to stop it. After recalibrating it in the PrimaLuceLab Play software, I returned to NINA but could not get repeatable results. After several hours, I packed everything up and headed in for the night.

I checked the mechanical connections between the focus motor and the telescope, but everything was tight. I also ran some bench tests inside. The focuser behaved properly in the Play software but not in NINA. Thankfully, the Sesto Senso 3 manual is very well written. It notes that if third-party software produces erratic focuser behavior, the focuser should be connected through Device Hub instead of directly to the ASCOM driver in software such as NINA. Apparently, Device Hub acts as a buffer and smooths out communication between the device and the imaging software. Now all I needed was another clear night.

Thursday, July 23rd, was forecast to be clear. I got everything set up after dinner and waited for dark. Success! Everything worked. After polar aligning the scope and calibrating PHD2, I needed to select a target. The constellation Cygnus passes high overhead in the summer, stays above the horizon through astronomical dark, and is rich with targets, especially targets compatible with narrowband filters. With these factors in mind, I chose the Western Veil Nebula (NGC 6960) in Cygnus for first light with my new imaging rig based on the Askar FRA400. As luck would have it, I was able to image for a few more hours on the following night, Friday, July 24th.

The Western Veil Nebula (NGC 6960) is a beautiful object that is part of the Veil Nebula, also known as the Cygnus Loop complex. Click here for a link to a widefield image of the entire complex. NGC 6960 is also called the Witch’s Broom. Fleming’s Triangular Wisp, as well as many other filaments, is contained within the field of view. The red filaments are made of hydrogen, specifically hydrogen-alpha emission, and the green-blue filaments are from oxygen, specifically OIII emission. These emissions make the region a suitable target for a dual narrowband filter like the Optolong L-eXtreme that I intended to use.

Image 1: The Witch’s Broom and Fleming’s Triangular Wisp

An image of The Western Veil Nebula (NG6960 and Fleming's Triangular Wisp captured on July 23 & July 24 from my backyard with my new deep sky imaging rig based on the Askar FRA400 telescope.

What is it?

Object type: Supernova remnant — About 10,000 to 20,000 years ago, a star roughly 20 times more massive than our Sun exploded as a supernova. The shell of gas and dust from that explosion is still expanding rapidly. When this fast-moving material runs into slower-moving gas and dust in the surrounding region, it heats and ionizes the material, producing the glowing filaments we see today.

Location in sky: NGC 6960 is in the constellation Cygnus, one of the many deep-sky gems located within the Summer Triangle asterism. It is best placed for evening viewing from June through October. Refer to the finder chart in Image 2.

Distance / size / scale: Estimated distance ranges from 1,400 to 2,600 light-years from Earth. The apparent size of the Witch’s Broom is about 70.0 × 6.0 arcminutes, and it is about 53.1 light-years in length.

Visual features: The red filaments of ionized gas and dust represent hydrogen-alpha emission, while the green-blue filaments trace doubly ionized oxygen, known as OIII. The most prominent feature is the Witch’s Broom, roughly centered on the bright star 52 Cygni. Fleming’s Triangular Wisp is also prominent in the field.

Why it matters: NGC 6960 gives us a view of cosmic recycling: material from a dead massive star expanding into space, enriching the surrounding region for future generations of stars. It is also one of the most recognizable parts of the Cygnus Loop, making it a favorite summer target for visual observers and astrophotographers.

Image 2: Finder chart for the Western Veil Nebula (NGC 6960) and Fleming’s Triangular Wisp

Finder Chart for the Western Veil Nebula (NGC6960) and Fleming's Triangular Wisp. The red rectangle indicates the field of view of the image.

Prominent Objects in the Field

Object 1: The Western Veil Nebula, also known as the Witch’s Broom or NGC 6960 — Near the top center of the image, centered on the bright star 52 Cygni — A bright, filamentary section of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant.

Object 2: Fleming’s Triangular Wisp — Left Center of the frame — Filaments in a triangular shape (Also referred to as Pickering’s Triangular Wisp)

Object 3: 52 Cygni — Top center of the Frame — Bright double star

Additional details: NGC 6979 & NGC 6974 are two irregular patches of filaments 

 Image 3: Annotated image of the Western Veil Nebula (NGC 6960), Fleming’s Triangular Wisp, 52 Cygni, NGC 6974, and NGC 6979

This annotated version identifies the major nebulae and bright stars in the field of view.

Imaging Details

• Capture dates: July 23^rd & July 24^th, 2026.
• Location: Eden, NY
• Target: NGC 6960 (The Western Veil Nebula or The Witch’s Broom) and Fleming’s Triangular Wisp
• Total integration: 7 hours total
• Exposure breakdown:
• 7/23/2026: 85 subs at 180 sec each
• 7/24/2026: 55 subs at 180 sec each
• Gain = 100, Offset =50, & Sensor Temp = -10° C
• Filters / channels: Optolong L-eXtreme
• Moon / sky conditions:
• 7/23/2026: Moon 69% Waxing Gibbous Moon, Transparency = Poor, & Seeing = Fair/good.
• 7/24/2026: 78% Waxing Gibbous Moon, Transparency = Poor, & Seeing = Fair.

Equipment Used

• Telescope / lens: Askar FRA400
• Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
• Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro
• Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme
• Guiding: ZWO 30 mm Mini Guide Scope / ZWO ASI290MM
• Control / acquisition software: N.I.N.A & PHD2
• Other accessories: PrimaLuceLab Sesto Senso 3 & SvBony 241 Pro

Processing Details

• Calibration frames: 50 Darks, 50 Flats, & 50 Dark Flats
• Calibration and integration: All pre-processing was performed in PixInsight
• Background correction: GraXpert
• Color Calibration: SPCC
• Deconvolution: BlurXTerminator
• Stretching: Multiscale Adaptive Stretch
• Star Removal: StarXTerminator
• Noise reduction: NoiseXTerminator
• Contrast and Saturation: Curves Transformation
• Sharpening: Image Blend Script w/high Pass filter & Unsharp Mask process
• Star processing: Increased Saturation with Curves Transformation, removed green noise with SCNR, and corrected magenta stars by inverting the image and applying SCNR
• Final cleanup: Applied contrast adjustments with Curves Transformation to the starless image, then recombined the starless and star images with Pixel Math

Conclusion

Astrophotography rigs are complicated, and setting up a new one can present plenty of challenges. Getting the Sesto Senso 3 focuser to work reliably with my telescope and N.I.N.A. was the biggest hurdle in this first-light session. In the end, the effort was worth it: the FRA400 delivered a detailed view of the Western Veil Nebula and proved that this new setup is ready for more targets. I might just have to point it at the Eastern Veil Nebula before the summer is out.

Under March Skies: The Seagull Nebula Spreads Its Wings

 A Seagull in Space

On the night of March 9, 2026, I imaged the Seagull Nebula (IC 2177 / Gum 2 / Sh2‑296), a large H II emission and reflection nebula complex located along the Monoceros–Canis Major boundary. This wide‑field frame was captured from Eden, New York, and encompasses approximately a 7.5° × 3.5° field of view, including the nebular structure of IC 2177 as well as several associated open clusters, most notably Messier 50 (NGC 2323). The Seagull Nebula is part of the larger Canis Major R1 star‑forming region and is well suited to wide‑field, narrowband imaging due to its extensive hydrogen emission and low surface brightness.

The Seagull Nebula (IC 2177 / Gum 2 / Sh2-296) captured with my wide-field astrophotography rig from my backyard on 3/9/2026.

What is it? How big is it? How far away is it? 

This annotated wide‑field frame centers on the Seagull Nebula (IC 2177 / Gum 2 / Sh2‑296), a large H II / reflection complex captured from my backyard on 3/9/2026, with several open clusters (notably M50 / NGC 2323) and smaller NGC clusters visible across the ~7.5° × 3.5° field.

An annotated image highlighting notable objects found within the field of view.

Seagull Nebula — IC 2177 (Gum 2 / Sh2‑296)

Type: H II emission + reflection nebula complex. Key fact: the region forms the “head and wings” that give the Seagull its name; ionized hydrogen and reflection from dust produce the bright structure in wide‑field images. Context: IC 2177 straddles the border of Monoceros and Canis Major and is part of a larger star‑forming complex (CMa R1).

M50 — Messier 50 / NGC 2323

Type: Bright open cluster (Messier object). Key facts: apparent magnitude ~5.9, distance ≈ 2,800–3,000 light‑years, and a compact, visually striking cluster often called the “Heart‑Shaped Cluster.” In your frame M50 provides a dense stellar contrast to the diffuse nebula.

NGC 2335

Type: Open cluster in the Seagull region. Key facts: moderately faint (visual mag ~7–7.8) and small on the sky (a few arcminutes across); it sits close to the nebular clouds and is often included in wide‑field mosaics of IC 2177. Use it as a positional anchor when identifying the eastern wing.

NGC 2343

Type: Open cluster. Key facts: visual mag ~6.7, angular size ~7–8′; appears as a compact grouping of stars embedded against the nebular background and helps mark the central portion of the Seagull complex in wide‑field views.

NGC 2353

Type: Young open cluster on the eastern edge of the CMa OB1/Seagull region. Key facts: visual mag ~7.1 and angular size ~15–20′; it is a loose but noticeable cluster that often appears in wide‑field images of this area and contributes to the “stellar scaffolding” around the nebula.

NGC 2318

Type: Smaller open cluster (fainter and more compact than M50). Key facts: angular size a few arcminutes; one of several lesser clusters in the field that, together with the larger NGC objects and M50, illustrate the region’s clustered star formation and line‑of‑sight richness.

How to find it?

The Seagull Nebula is located in the constellation Monoceros but is close to the border of the constellation Canis Major. Monoceros lacks bright stars, making traditional star-hopping difficult in this region. The object is located 7.5 degrees north of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Dark skies, a wide field telescope, and nebula filter will help to see this object visually. The area is rich with deep-sky objects, including several open clusters such as M46, M47, and M50, either within the field or nearby.

A finder chart for the Seagull Nebula

Imaging Notes:

Monday, March 9th, was the second clear night in a row, with my wide‑field astrophotography rig still set up from the previous evening. Sunday’s imaging session will be covered in a separate post. Although we had just set the clocks ahead for Daylight Saving Time, it still became dark early enough to allow for a reasonable imaging session. My goal was to collect a couple of hours of data and be finished between 11:00 PM and midnight.

I selected the Seagull Nebula as my target for the night. As an emission nebula with extensive hydrogen structure, it is well suited to narrowband imaging, so I used a dual narrowband filter (Optolong L‑eXtreme). This filter isolates two 7 nm band passes centered on Ha and O iii, effectively suppressing broadband light pollution. The Moon rose after my imaging session and did not interfere with data collection. With uncertain weather ahead and limited clear nights this winter, I chose to capture this target while conditions allowed. The Seagull Nebula has been on my imaging list for some time, but persistent poor weather over the past few winters had delayed the opportunity.

Processing:

The following outlines my complete PixInsight workflow, from calibration through final integration.

Pre-Processing: 

• All subs were visually inspected with Blink and subs with issues were removed. 
• All light Frames, Flats, Darks and Dark flats were loaded into WBPP.

 Linear Post Processing: 

• Background extraction was performed with GraXpert 
• BXT (correct only)
• SPCC was used for Color Calibration 
• Full application of BXT
• Noise was reduced with NXT
• The image was made non-linear with MAS

Non-linear Post Processing: 

• The Stars were removed using StarXT

Starless: 

• Narrowband normalization process in mode 1 was used to get the "SHO look"
• Color, intensity, and contrast were adjusted with various applications of CT
• Saturation was increased with CT
• The Image blend Script was used to sharpen the image with a High Pass Filter

Stars: 

• Saturation was increased with CT
• SCNR was applied 
• The Correct Magenta Stars Script was used to help with stars captured with a dual narrowband filter

Final: 

• The Stars and Starless images were combined with Pixel Math to produce the final image 
• CT was used to adjust contrast one last time

Image Details:

Capture Date: 03/09/2026

Location: Eden, NY

Telescope: Askar FMA180 Pro

Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro

Filter: Optolong L-eXtreme

Mount: Sky-Watcher USA EQ6-R Pro

Exposure: 22 exposures @ 300 sec each for a total exposure of 1 hour and 50 minutes. All exposures were captured at Gain 100 / Offset 50 / -10°C each.

Software: NINA, SharpCap Pro, PHD2, and PixInsight

Clear Skies!

Ernie

The California Nebula: A Cosmic Tapestry of Birth, Death, and Distance

 California dreaming on a beautiful Autumn Night ...

NGC 1499, The California Nebula captured from my backyard on 10/3/2025

What is it? (Written with AI assistance)

An annotated version of the image of NGC 1499

When you first look at the California Nebula (NGC 1499), it’s easy to see why it earned its name. Stretching across the constellation Perseus, its glowing hydrogen clouds trace an outline reminiscent of the U.S. state of California. But beyond its striking resemblance, this nebula tells a much deeper story—one that spans the entire cycle of stars and reaches far beyond our galaxy.

A Star Ignites a Nebula

At the heart of this glowing cloud lies Xi Persei (Menkib), a massive O-type star. Its fierce ultraviolet radiation ionizes the surrounding hydrogen gas, causing the nebula to shine in vivid reds and pinks. In my HOO color mapping, hydrogen dominates in red, while faint traces of oxygen shimmer in blue (maybe a hint of teal). This interplay of light reveals the raw energy of a star powerful enough to sculpt an entire nebula.

A Catalog of Cosmic Neighbors

The California Nebula is also known as Sharpless 2-220, part of a catalog dedicated to hydrogen-rich regions. But what makes this field truly fascinating is the company it keeps. Scattered across the same frame are dozens of faint galaxies, each labeled with IC (Index Catalogue) designations. Unfortunately, most aren't visible in the wide-field image captured with a dual-narrowband filter. These galaxies, such as IC 2000–2007, IC 2027 and IC 1994–1999, are not part of the nebula at all—they lie far beyond, their light traveling hundreds of millions of years to reach us. in my image, IC 2005 is actually behind the nebula and IC 2027 appears as a tiny star like point. 

And then there’s a surprise: IC 2003, a planetary nebula. Unlike the sprawling California Nebula, this is the remnant of a dying star, a shell of gas cast off as the star’s core contracts. To capture both a stellar nursery and a stellar grave in the same field is a rare and poetic juxtaposition.

A Cosmic Juxtaposition

This single image contains three layers of the universe’s story:

• Stellar Birth: The California Nebula, where new stars are forming.
• Stellar Death: IC 2003, a planetary nebula marking the end of a star’s life.
• Galactic Distance: The faint IC galaxies, silent witnesses from far beyond the Milky Way.

Together, they remind us that the night sky is not a flat canvas but a vast, three-dimensional tapestry. What looks like a single scene is actually a layered story of creation, transformation, and unimaginable distance.

Why It Matters

For me, this is what astrophotography is all about—not just capturing light, but capturing meaning. A single frame can hold the birth of stars, the death of stars, and the light of galaxies so distant they make our own Milky Way feel small. The California Nebula is more than a pretty picture—it’s a reminder that the universe is always telling stories, if we take the time to listen.

How big is it?

NGC 1499 has an angular distance of 145.0 x 45.0 arcminutes (1 degree is 60 arcminutes) on the night sky. For reference, the Sun and the Moon have an angular distance of 31 arcminutes on the sky. It is about 74.3 light-years (ly) long.

How far is it?

NGC 1499 is located about 1,800 light-years (ly) from Earth in the Constellation Perseus.

How to find it?

NGC is faint but can be observed visually. due to it's large size, an instrument with a wide field of view is best. Dark skies and an Nebula filter (especially H-Beta) are very helpful. Refer to the finder chart below. The Red Rectangle indicates the field of view for the image.

Finder Chart for NGC 1499

Imaging Notes:

Friday October 3rd was forecast to be clear all night. After getting home from work, I set up my wide-field imaging rig. Since the Moon was nearly full (full Moon was on 10/6), an emission nebula (NGC 1499) was selected as the target and a dual-narrowband filter was used to fight against the light from the Moon. 

Since NGC 1499 didn't clear the trees until after 12:30 AM, I collected some narrowband data on M31 with the hopes being able to get Ha to add to my M31 image. The first sub rolled in at 12:45 AM. The skies were pretty good. Transparency and seeing were above average. I went to sleep around 1:30 AM. The rig kept collecting subs until 6:07 AM. A total of 92 good sub exposures were collected.

Processing:

All pre and post processing was performed in PixInsight. Pre-Processing: All subs were visually inspected with Blink and subs with issues were removed. All light Frames, Flats, Darks and Dark flats were loaded into WBPP. Linear Post Processing: Background extraction was performed with DBE followed by BXT (correct only). SPCC was used for Color Calibration followed by a full application of BXT. The Stars were removed using StarXT. Starless Linear: Noise was reduced with NXT. The image was made non-linear with HT. Linear Stars: The stars were made non-linear with Seti Astro's Star Stretch Script.

Non-linear Post Processing: Starless: The Narrowband Normalization process was used in in mode 2 to get the "HOO look". Color, intensity, and contrast were adjusted with various applications of CT. Saturation was increased with CT. The Image blend Script was used to sharpen the image with a High Pass Filter. LHE was applied at 2 Kernel sizes and Unsharp mask was applied. CT was used to increase contrast. Stars: Saturation was increased with CT. SCNR was applied and the Correct Magenta Stars Script was used to help with stars captured with a dual narrowband filter. CT was used to adjust contrast one last time. Final: The Stars and Starless images were combined with Pixel Math to produce the final image. 

Image Details:

Capture Date: 10/03/2025

Location: Eden, NY

Telescope: Askar FMA180 Pro

Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro

Filter: Optolong L-eXtreme

Mount: Sky-Watcher USA EQ6-R Pro

Exposure: 92 exposures @ 180 sec each for a total exposure of 4 hours and 36 minutes. All exposures were captured at Gain 100 / Offset 50 / -10°C each. 

Other: ZWO EAF, Pegasus Astro Powerbox Advance

Software: NINA, PHD2, Pegasus Astro Unity, SharpCap (Polar Alignment), & PixInsight

Clear Skies!

Ernie

The Great Nebula in Andromeda

 The Great What in Andromeda???!!!

It is hard to believe that it has only been a little over 100 years since humanity has known that the "Spiral Nebulae" we were observing were other galaxies outside of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. The key piece of evidence of this came when Edwin Hubble recognized that a star in Andromeda was a special kind of variable star, allowing him to estimate the enormous distance to it. It is one of the first objects other than the Moon or Planets that I observed through a telescope/binoculars. 

Here's an image of The Andromeda Galaxy(M31) captured from backyard on 9/19/2025 with my wide-field imaging rig:

M31 - The Andromeda Galaxy captured from my backyard on 9/19/2025.

What is it? (Written with AI assistance):

An Annotated version of the image.

M31

Andromeda Galaxy (M31, NGC 224) — A large, nearby spiral galaxy with a bright central bulge and extended spiral disk visible in deep images. Role: M31 is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way and the dominant member of the Local Group. Key properties: contains roughly a trillion stars, lies about 2.5 million light‑years away, and spans on the order of 150–200 thousand light‑years across. The image shows the luminous core, surrounding spiral structure, and dust lanes that trace the galaxy’s arms.

M32

Messier 32 — A compact dwarf elliptical satellite immediately adjacent to M31’s core. Appearance: small, high surface‑brightness object that appears round and concentrated. Significance: likely a tidally stripped remnant that has lost outer stars to M31, making it a useful tracer of interactions and the gravitational environment near Andromeda’s center.

M110

Messier 110 — A more diffuse dwarf elliptical satellite located near M31. Appearance: larger and fainter than M32 with an oval, low surface‑brightness profile. Notes: M110 shows evidence of mixed stellar populations and tidal disturbance from past encounters with M31.

NGC 206

NGC 206 — A bright star cloud or giant OB association located in one of M31’s spiral arms. Appearance: appears as a compact, luminous knot within the disk. Significance: one of the largest young star complexes in the Local Group, rich in massive, blue stars and open clusters.

Foreground Stars

53 v And and 32 And — Bright stars in the constellation Andromeda that lie in the foreground of the M31 field. 

Hubble’s Observations and the Recognition of Other Galaxies

Edwin Hubble identified Cepheid variable stars in M31 and used their pulsation periods to measure the galaxy’s distance. His measurements showed that M31 is far outside the Milky Way, proving that the “spiral nebulae” are separate galaxies. This discovery ended the debate about the scale of the universe, opened the field of extragalactic astronomy, and set the stage for later work on galaxy distances and cosmic expansion.

How big is it?

M31 has an angular distance of 189.1 x 61.7 arcminutes (1 degree is 60 arcminutes) on the night sky. For reference, the Sun and the Moon have an angular distance of 31 arcminutes on the sky. Andromeda is about 150,000 to 200,000 light-years (ly) in diameter.

How far is it?

M31 is located about 2.5 million light-years (ly) from Earth in the Constellation Andromeda.

How to find it?

M31 is relatively easy to find. From a dark site, with no bright Moon, it can be seen as fuzzy star with no optical aid. This s one of the most distant objects that can be seen with the unaided eye. This object can observed with Binoculars or a Telescope. A wide field of view is useful as M31 takes just over 3 degrees on the night sky (6 times the angular size of the Moon).

1. Find the Great Square of Pegasus
2. Find the corner star Alpheratz (technically it belongs to Andromeda not Pegasus).
3. Follow the bottom line of stars in andromeda until you get to Mirach.
4. Hop to uAnd (Mu Andromedae) on the top line in Andromeda.
5. Hop to vAnd (Nu Andromedae).
6. M 31 is just off of vAnd.

Finder Chart for M31.

Imaging Notes:

Friday September 19th was forecast to be clear all night. After getting home from work, I set up my wide-field imaging rig. Since the moon was heading towards New Moon (3% Waning Crescent), no filter was used and a broadband target was selected. Actually, I collected some more data on a project that I've been working since August. M31 was my second target, after the first target was lost to the trees. 

The first sub rolled in at 12:22 AM. The skies were ok. Transparency and seeing were average. I went to sleep around 1:30 AM. The rig kept collecting subs until 4:36 AM. A total of 111 good sub exposures were collected.

Processing:

All pre and post processing was performed in PixInsight. Pre-Processing: All subs were visually inspected with Blink and subs with issues were removed. All light Frames, Flats, Darks and Dark flats were loaded into WBPP. Linear Post Processing: Background extraction was performed with GraXpert followed by BXT (correct only). SPCC was used for Color Calibration followed by a full application of BXT. The Stars were removed using StarXT. Starless Linear: Noise was reduced with NXT. The image was made non-linear with HT. Linear Stars: The stars were made non-linear with Seti Astro's Star Stretch Script.

Non-linear Post Processing: Starless: The Create HDRImage script was used to recover detail in the core of the galaxy. Color, intensity, and contrast were adjusted with various applications of CT. Saturation was increased with CT. Sharpening was performed with the Image Blend Script. LHE was applied at 2 kernel sizes and Unsharp mask was applied. The DSE script was used to enhance dust lanes in the galaxies core. Stars: Saturation was increased with CT. Final: The Stars and Starless images were combined with Pixel Math to produce the final image. 

Image Details:

Capture Date: 9/19/2025

Location: Eden, NY

Telescope: Askar FMA180 Pro

Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro

Filter: N/A

Mount: Sky-Watcher USA EQ6-R Pro

Exposure: 111 exposures at 120 sec / Gain 100 / Offset 50 / -10°C each for a total exposure of 3 hours and 42 minutes.

Software: NINA, SharpCap Pro, PHD2, and PixInsight

Clear Skies!

Ernie

The Heart and Soul Nebulae

 The Soul Nebula looks like a Stampeding Buffalo to me ...

Sorry, I haven't posted in a long time. There are several factors that collectively have contributed to this. However, the main issue is I have spent most of the month of August working on a project. A faint target that I'm trying to capture both broadband and narrowband data. I'm still collecting data on it, but now that we are in September, I'm unable to image this "Project Target" all night. This has allowed me to switch off to other targets once I lose the "Project Target" to the trees. 

Monday September 8th was one of those nights where I was able to image another target. On the 8th I captured this image of the Heart and Soul Nebulae (IC 1805 & IC 1848) with my wide-field imaging rig. 

The Heart (IC 1805) and the Soul (IC1848) Nebulae processed with a "SHO" look. I think the Soul looks like a stampeding buffalo when oriented like above. Living near Buffalo, NY, but I may be biased.

This image is from the same data but was processed to have a "HOO" look.

What is it? (Written with AI Assistance)

Annotated version of the image.

Heart Nebula (IC 1805)

• Type: Emission nebula and star-forming region
• Description: A vast H II region glowing in red hydrogen-alpha light, shaped roughly like a human heart. At its center lies the open cluster Melotte 15, whose hot, massive stars produce the intense ultraviolet radiation that ionizes the surrounding gas. Dark dust lanes thread through the nebula, creating striking contrast against the glowing emission.

Soul Nebula (IC 1848)

• Type: Emission nebula and star-forming region
• Description: Sometimes called the “Embryo Nebula” due to its rounded shape, the Soul Nebula is filled with young star clusters and active stellar nurseries. Its glowing hydrogen gas and dark dust pillars mirror the processes seen in the Heart, making the pair a classic astrophotography target. I see it as a North American Bison (Buffalo). Of course, I may be a tad biased as I live near Buffalo, NY.

Melotte 15

• Type: Open Star Cluster
• Description: This young star cluster is estimated to be about 1.5 million years old. Some of the stars that make up the cluster are 50 times the mass of the Sun. Many more are much smaller and fainter.

NGC 896

• Type: Bright emission nebula
• Description: The brightest knot of the Heart Nebula, often imaged separately. It was the first part of IC 1805 to be discovered and is rich in glowing hydrogen gas.

IC 1795

• Type: Emission nebula
• Description: A smaller star-forming region located between the Heart and Soul Nebulae, sometimes called the “Fish Head Nebula.” It is energized by young, massive stars and shows intricate filaments of gas and dust.

NGC 1027

• Type: Open star cluster
• Description: A loose grouping of stars near the Heart Nebula, providing a foreground contrast to the glowing gas clouds.

IC 289

• Type: Planetary nebula
• Description: A faint, small nebula formed from the outer layers of a dying star. Though much closer than the Heart and Soul Nebulae, it appears in the same wide field of view.

Notable Stars

• HD 15558 & HD 16691: Massive, luminous O-type stars within the Heart Nebula region. Their intense radiation and stellar winds shape the surrounding gas and drive ongoing star formation.

---

✨ Together, the Heart and Soul Nebulae form one of the Milky Way’s most iconic star-forming complexes, a cosmic “double portrait” of stellar birth sculpted in glowing hydrogen and dark dust.

How Big is it?

The Heart Nebula (IC 1805) has a size of 20 arcminutes (1 degree is 60 arcminutes) on the night sky and is about 44.5 light years in diameter.

The Soul Nebula (IC 1805) has a size of 60 x 30 arcminutes (1 degree is 60 arcminutes) on the night sky and is about 114 light years in diameter.

How Far is it?

The Heart Nebula (IC 1805) is located about 6,200 light-years (ly) in the Constellation Cassiopeia.

The Crescent (NGC 6888) is located about 6,500 light-years (ly) in the Constellation Cassiopeia.

How to Find it?

The Heart and Soul Nebulae are located in the Constellation Cassiopeia almost halfway between the stars Segin in Cassiopeia and Miram in Perseus as shown in the finder chart below. Both nebulae can be observed with wide-field setup (nebula filters will help). 

A finder chart for the Heart and Soul Nebulae.

Imaging Notes:

Monday September 8th was forecast to be clear all night. After getting home from work, I set up my wide-field imaging rig. Since there was a 99% Full Moon, I decided to shoot with my Optolong L-eXtreme dual narrowband filter. Once it was dark enough, I polar aligned, calibrated PHD2, and slew to the target so I could focus the imaging camera and set the imaging camera rotation. Then I took my flat frames and initiated the imaging sequence for the night.

The first sub rolled in at 10:35 PM. The skies were ok. Transparency was below average due to smoke, but the seeing was average to above average. I went to sleep around 11:30 PM. The rig kept collecting subs until 5:45 AM. A total of 130 good sub exposures were collected.

Processing:

All pre and post processing was performed in PixInsight. Pre-Processing: All subs were visually inspected with Blink and subs with issues were removed. All light Frames, Flats, Darks and Dark flats were loaded into WBPP. Linear Post Processing: Background extraction was performed with DBE followed by BXT (correct only). SPCC was used for Color Calibration followed by a full application of BXT. The Stars were removed using StarXT. Starless Linear: Noise was reduced with NXT. The image was made non-linear with HT. Linear Stars: The stars were made non-linear with Seti Astro's Star Stretch Script.

Non-linear Post Processing: Starless: Created a duplicate (clone) of the image. One version used the Narrowband normalization process in mode 1 was used to get the "SHO look" and the other used the same process to get the "HOO look" in mode 2. Color, intensity, and contrast were adjusted with various applications of CT. Saturation was increased with CT. The Image blend Script was used to sharpen the image with a High Pass Filter. LHE was applied at 2 Kernel sizes and Unsharp mask was applied. CT was used to increase contrast. Stars: Saturation was increased with CT. SCNR was applied and the Correct Magenta Stars Script was used to help with stars captured with a dual narrowband filter. CT was used to adjust contrast one last time. Final: The Stars and Starless images were combined with Pixel Math to produce the final image. 

Image Details:

Capture Date: 09/08/2025

Location: Eden, NY

Telescope: Askar FMA180 Pro

Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro

Filter: Optolong L-eXtreme

Mount: Sky-Watcher USA EQ6-R Pro

Exposure: 130 exposures @ 180 sec each for a total exposure of 6 hours and 30 minutes. All exposures were captured at Gain 100 / Offset 50 / -10°C each.

Software: NINA, SharpCap Pro, PHD2, and PixInsight

Clear Skies!

Ernie