Find here some pictures of nebulas taken in natural colors. Some of them are taken with narrowband filters. Since the narrow band light is dominating, in this case the color impression is no longer “realistic“. Most are RGB shots, so they should be „true color“. Sometimes a portion of „narrowband light“ has been added in order to improve the scene. I aimed always to obtain a realistic color impression of the photo.
Object: NGC 7129 and more in Cepheus, Sept 5th and October 17th, 2023, Borgfeld
Scope:10″ Newton with 2,5″ Wynne at f/3.6
Camera: ASI 6200MC pro, clear filter, 300 x 2m each, gain 100, offset 50, see remark for exposure time.
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, ASI 220MM mini, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, AP
Remark: North is up, scale is 0.84 arc sec / pic. Had some issues with my new mono cam during summer, hence I had to use my OSC cam. Compare this with same object, photo taken with my sold Atik 490EXm two positions below. The center of the nebula has been improved with the data from 2022, so the total exposure time is about 21h. „Astrofoto des Monats“ 12/2023 AVL Lilienthal. Find here some more information in german.
Object: vdB 140 in Cepheus, September 1st, 20th to 21st, 2022, Borgfeld
Scope: 10″ Newton with TS2Korr at f/2.8
Camera: Atik 490EXm, RGB each 60x 2 min, L 231 x 2 min, 13 h 42 min at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.01 arc sec / pix, north is up.
Object: NGC 7129 and more in Cepheus, August 6th to 9th, 2022, Borgfeld
Scope: 10″ Newton with TS2Korr at f/2.8
Camera: Atik 490EXm, RGB each 35 x 2 min, L 231 x 2 min, 11 h 12 min at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.01 arc sec / pix, north is up. „Astrofoto des Monats“ 09/2022 AVL Lilienthal. Find here some more information in german.
Object: NGC 6914 in Cygnus, August 5th and 6th, 2022 and May 29th 2020, Borgfeld
Scope: 10″ Newton with TS2Korr at f/2.8
Camera: Atik 490EXm, RGB each 60 x 1 min, L 180 x 1 min, 6 h at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.01 arc sec / pix, north is up. Completion of the test frames of May 2020 to a photo. I liked the test frame, hence I decided to complete it.
Object: LDN 1251 in Cepheus , Breddorfer Moor, September 8th; Borgfeld, October 7th, 2021
Scope: 10″ Newton with TS2Korr at f/2.8
Camera: Atik 490EXm, RGB 33/33/33 x 4 min, L 100 x 4 min, 13 h 16 min at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.01 arc sec / pix, north is up. Find here some addtional information.
Object: Medusa nebula in Gemini, Borgfeld; February 13th, 2021.
Scope: 10″ Newton with TS2Korr at f/2.8
Camera: Atik 490EXm, RGB 30/30/30 x 2 min 2×2 binning, L 51 x 2 min, 4 h 42 min at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.01 arc sec / pix, north is up. Abell 21 or Sharpless 2-274 is an extended planetary nebula with low surface brightness. The nebula owes its proper name to the snake-like gas filaments that are reminiscent of Medusa’s hair.
Object: NGC 2174 or Monkey Head in Orion, Borgfeld; February 12th, 2021.
Scope:10″ Newton with 2,5″ Wynne at f/3.6
Camera: Canon 5Da MkII, ISO 800. Baader UHC-S, 59 x 4 min, 3 h 56 min at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.02 arc sec / pix, north is up. This was a test of the TSWynne68 corrector at my 10″ Newton. As it seems the system illumnates full frame sufficiently.
Object: Barnard 150 and LDN 1082 in Cepheus, Borgfeld; September 18th, 19th and 20th, 2020.
Scope: 10″ Newton at f/2.8
Camera: Atik 490EXm, RGB 39/38/37 x 2 min, L 179 x 2 min, 9 h 46 min at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.01 arc sec / pix, north is up. Sometime called Seahorse Nebula – turn the picture 90 deg clockwise.
Object: The head of the Dark Shark LDN 1235 in Cepheus. Borgfeld; September 13th, 15th, 17th and 20th, 2020.
Scope: 10″ Newton with TS2Korr at f/2.8
Camera: Atik 490EXm, RGB 53/56/59 x 2 min, L 163 x 2 min, 11 h 42 min at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.01 arc sec / pix, north is up. This dark nebula is accompanied by the reflection nebulas vdB 149 and vdB 150 which occur blue. My investigations revealed that the distance of the Dark Shark is sometimes listed at 650 ly while the reflection nebulas are listed at 1000 ly. „Astrofoto des Monats“ 12/2020 AVL Lilienthal. Find here some more information in german.
Object: IC 5076 (vdB 137, LBN 394, V2140 Cyg, …) is a reflection nebula in the constellation Cygnus. Borgfeld; July 16th+20th, 2020.
Scope: 10″ Newton at f/2.8
Camera: Atik 490EXm, RGB 10 x 4 min each,L 29 x 4 min, 4 h at all
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: off-axis, Lodestar, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI
Remark: Scale is 1.01 arc sec / pix, north is up. Located about 2° north of the North America Nebula. The nebula is linked to the star HD 199478, a blue supergiant of spectral class B8Iae with strong emission lines. Its apparent magnitude is 5.7, and sometimes being reported as a pulsating variable (V2140 Cygni) with an amplitude of 0.1 magnitudes. Distance is estimated to 1750 parsecs.
Object: Sh2-63 in Sagittarius. La Palma, Athos, 2018, Sept. 7th and 8th
Scope: Pentax SDP125 at f/6.4
Camera: Atik 383 L+, RGB (2×2): 11 x 4 min, L: 30 x 8 min, at all: 6h 12m
Mount: 10Micron GM2000
Guiding: –
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Found this 700 ly away nebula accidently in a star chart near to Barnards Galaxy. The picture processing never satisfied my. Finally I got my lesson that sometimes less is more. So here only a slightly processed result is shown. Scale is 1.38 arc sec / pix, north up.
Object: The Tulip Nebula or Sh2-101 in Cygnus. Borgfeld; Nov 2018 and July 2019
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with Riccardi f/4.1
Camera: Atik 383, O: 7h 40m, H: 5h 40m, LRGB: 8×2m each, sum: 14h 24m
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: ASI 290MM, 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Scale is 2.7 arc sec / pix, north is up.
Object: The currently most active region of star formation in the Perseus molecular cloud: NGC 1333. Borgfeld; Oct 2019 29th and 30th
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener f/5.5
Camera: Atik 490EXm, LRGB 3.3 h / 3 x 3 h
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: ASI 290MM, 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Scale is 1.38 arc sec / pix, north is up.
Object: Cocoon Nebula in Cygnus, Borgfeld; 7 nights Oct 2019 and Aug 2019
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener f/5.5
Camera: Atik 490EXm, 28h LRGB and 6h Ha (3nm)
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: ASI 290MM, 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Scale is 1.38 arc sec / pix, north is up. Mainly done in order to set-up an example for my BoHeTa presentation. Not really a true-color picture, but almost…
Object: Ghost Nebula in Cepheus, vdB 141 or Sh2-136, Borgfeld; Aug 24th, 30th; Sept 5th, 10th; 2019
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with Riccardi f/4.1
Camera: Atik 490EXm, LRGB 12h 28m
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: ASI 290MM, 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: A try of a longer RGB shot from my garden at medium light pollution. Scale is 1.83 arc sec / pix, north of the large picture is up. The icon is south up. Find here some more information in german.
Object: Lower’s Nebula Sh2-261, Borgfeld, 3 nights, Oct. and Nov. 2018
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener f/5.5
Camera: Atik 490EXm, LRGB 6h 26m
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Erroneously I took the RGB frames with my 383 camera at 415mm. The combination in PI did not make any real trouble. The underlying L frames have been taken with the 490 and a CLS filter.
Object: Cave Nebula, Borgfeld, 2018, Oct. 11th and 13th
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with Riccardi f/4.1
Camera: Atik 490EXm, L(CLS)RGB 12h 56m
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Cave Nebula or Sh2-155, the blue reflection nebula VdB 155 and the blob near the bottom a Herbig Haro Object (HH 168).
Object: NGC 7822, Borgfeld, 2018, Oct. 10th
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with Riccardi f/4.1
Camera: Canon EOS 5Da MkII, CLS, ISO800, 42 x 4 min, flats+bias
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: ASI 290MM 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Almost the complete DSLR chip used. A significant crop at the left and right side, only.
Object: M17, La Palma, Athos, 2018, Sept. 5th and 6th
Scope: Pentax SDP125 at f/6.4
Camera: Atik 383 L+, 21×4m LRGB, 5h 36m at all
Mount: 10Micron GM2000
Guiding: –
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: The Omega Nebula shot during two nights. I was quite surprised how bright the center of the nebuala was. I performed a bit HDRMultiscale processing in order to cope with that issue. „Astrofoto des Monats“ 10/2018 AVL Lilienthal. Find here some more information in german.
Object: Crescent and Soap Bubble in Cyg, Aug 2018, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 EDwith SW Flattener at f/5.5
Camera: Atik 490EXm, O/3nm: 14.3h, H/3nm: 8.6h and RGB: 30min
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar+ASI 290MM 60/240 Finderscope, PHD2
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: More details in German.
Object: Nebula around WR134 in Cyg, 25.07, 03.+07.08.2018, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener at f/5.5
Camera: Atik 490EXm, O/3nm: 4.5h, H/3nm: 3.3h and RGB: 74min
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar+ASI 290MM 60/240 Finderscope, PHD2
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Actually RGB calibrated star colors, but something confused my processing. The star colors are a bit strange…
Object: Small Rosetta Sh2-170, 7 nights in Sept. and Oct. 2018, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener at f/5.5
Camera: Atik 490EXm, SHO and LRGB, 30h
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar+ASI 290MM 60/240 Finderscope, PHD2
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: More details
Object: Cone Nebula, 8 nights between Nov 2016 and Feb 2018, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with small Riccardi at f/4.1
Camera: Atik 383L+, S[II], O[III], Ha, RGB, 15h
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar+ASI 290MM 60/240 Finderscope, PHD2
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Cone Nebula region in the north of Monoceros. More: see picture page.
Object: Sh2-129, 6 nights between Jul and Oct 2017, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with small Riccardi at f/4.1
Camera: Atik 383L+, O[III], Ha, RGB, 22h
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD2
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: Sh2-129 is a relatively faint emission nebula in Cepheus. Remarkable about this region is a recent discovery made in 2011 by Nicolas Outters, called the „Squid Nebula“. AdW 06/2018 and „Astrofoto des Jahres 2018„. More info: see picture page.
Object: Jellyfish Nebula IC443, 26.01.2017, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener f/5.5
Camera: Canon EOS 5Da MkII, CLS, ISO800, 58×5m, flats+bias
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: IC 443 is a SNR in Gemini (right in this image). The two bright stars are Mu Geminorum (left) and Eta Geminorum (right). Distance of this region approx. 5000 ly.
Remark: North is up (PW=178°).
Object: Horse Head Nebula, IC434, 04./05.01.2017, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener f/5.5
Camera: Canon EOS 5Da MkII, CLS, ISO800, 45×5m, flats+bias
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD2
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: A very famous region in Orion. North left.
Object: IC 405 and Flaming Star IC 410, 29.12.2016, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener f/5.5
Camera: Canon EOS 5Da MkII,CLS, ISO800, 40×5m, flats+bias
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Description: The pairing of the emission nebulae of IC 405
and IC 410 in the winter constellation Auriga.
Object: Heart Nebula IC 1805; 29.12.2016, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener f/5.5
Camera: Canon EOS 5Da MkII, CLS; 40×5m, flats+bias
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Description: Bright H II nebula in Cassiopeia.
Object: Embryo Nebula IC 1848; 29.11. and 02.12.2016, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with Riccardi f/4.1
Camera: Atik 383 L+, L: 21×4m, RGB: 17×4m, Ha: 7×20m
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope,PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Description: Bright nebula in the Perseus Arm of our Galaxy.
Here with H-Alpha improvement.
Object: Dark nebulas in Cepheus, 09.09.2016, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with Riccardi f/4.1
Camera: Atik 383 L+, L: 38 x 8 min, RGB: 12/11/11 x 8 min
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Description: Mouseover
Object: The Pac Man Nebula, NGC 281, 12./13./30.09.2016, Borgfeld
Scope: SW Esprit 100 ED with SW Flattener at f/5.5
Camera: Atik 383L+, Baader SHO, 17 x 20min Ha, 12 x 20min O[II] , 13 x 20min S[II]
Mount: Avalon Linear
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: NGC 281, IC 11 or Sh2-184 is a bright emission nebula and part of an H II region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia and is part of the Milky Way’s Perseus Spiral Arm. This 20×30 arcmin sized nebulosity is also associated with open cluster IC 1590. NGC 281 is also known as the Pacman Nebula for its resemblance to the video game character.
Object: Wizard Nebula, NGC 7380, 09.2015, Borgfeld
Scope: TS-Apo 90/600 with Flattener at f/6.7
Camera: Atik 383L+, Baader SHO, 28h
Mount: Vixen GP-D2, Baader Hartholzstativ
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: SGP Pro, PI, PS
Remark: NGC 7380 is a star cluster embedded in a nebula sometimes called the Wizard. More: see picture page.
Object: The Great Wall, NGC 7000, 14.06./ 10./12.07./ 1.08./2.08.2013, Borgfeld
Scope: TS-Apo 90/600 with Flattener at f/6.7
Camera: Atik 383L+, Baader LRGB, O3: 23x15min, Ha: 12x15min, S2: 13x15min, Summe 12h
Mount: Vixen GP-D2, Baader Hartholzstativ
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: MaximDL, PS, Astronomy Tools, Fitswork
Remark: A very famous region in Cygnus
Object: The Crescent Nebula, NGC 6888, 3./ 4./5.05.2013, Borgfeld
Scope: TS-APo 90/600 with Flattener at f/6.7
Camera: Atik 383L+, Baader SHO
Mount: Vixen GP-D2, Baader Hartholzstativ
Guiding: Lodestar 60/240 Finderscope, PHD-Guiding
Processing: MaximDL, PS, Fitswork
Remark: The Crescent Nebula is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away from Earth.
Object: Rosetta, NGC 2237, 23.11.2012, Borgfeld
Scope: TS 90/600 Triplett, TS 2″ Flattener
Camera: Canon EOS 350Da, CLS, ISO800, 13 darks, 14 bias, 15 flats.
Mount: Vixen GP-2
Guiding: Lodestar with 135mm Lens and 3x Barlow, PHD-Guiding
Processing: DSLR-Focus, APT-Tools, DSS, Fitswork, Photoplus.
Description: The Rosette Nebula is a large H II region located in Monoceros.
Object: Eagle Nebula, M16, 27.07.2012, Hexenberg
Scope: TS 90/600 Triplett, TS 2″ Flattener
Camera: Canon EOS 350Da, CLS, ISO800, 5 x 10 min, internal darks, 10 bias, no flats.
Mount: Vixen GP-2
Guiding: Lodestar with 135mm Lens and 2,5x Barlow, PHD-Guiding.
Processing: DSLR-Focus, APT-Tools, DSS, Fitswork, Photoplus.
Description: The nebula contains several active star-forming gas and dust regions.