CG4 The hand of God AKA the giant space slug

[Nikolas (Nik)]

This has to be the most difficult target I have imaged so far and it needs a lot of data as it is faint and not well catalogued.

CG4 the hand of God or as a fellow Astrophotographer (Logan) would like to call it, The Giant Space Slug

It looks like it's devouring that galaxy called PGC 21338 or as I would like to call it, Lunch!

22x15 minute subs I think it needs triple that as it needs a LOT of data. Especially in Bortle 6 skies

ZWO 294MC Pro

ASIAIR

TS_Optics 130 APO riccardi reducer 0.75

Optolong L-Ultimate

Skywatcher NEQ6 belt modded and guiding on average at 0.3-0.6 which for this scope and time was excellent.

There will be updates when we have the next run of clear weather

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Cool object that one, unique, looks like it is on fire

Mike

[AlexN]

Nice detail for sure! I've never seen it portrayed so red before, normally it's shown as a dust cloud? Is this taken with Ha / duo nb filters pushing the reds up? or is this just how the 294 sensor renders the data?

I'm planning on taking on CG4 in the next few months too - just waiting on a light pollution filter, I'm bortle 4 where I am, however brisbane CBD is almost directly south of my location about 65km away, so southern targets past -40° dec require a bit of assistance!

[Craig_]

Very cool! Don't think I've seen this before.

[Dave882 (David)]

Great work on this very interesting target!

[TrevorW]

looks like Shai-Hulud ready to swallow a galaxy

[Nikolas (Nik)]

"Nice detail for sure! I've never seen it portrayed so red before, normally it's shown as a dust cloud? Is this taken with Ha / duo nb filters pushing the reds up? or is this just how the 294 sensor renders the data?"
Yes this was taken with the Optolong Ultimate so it is mainly HA data rather than the dust clouds.
I don't have a decent broadband light pollution filter, however I won the Optolong Quadband, so hopefully I will be able to get some dust clouds. I still think it needs triple the data I have so far

[AlexN]

Originally Posted by Nikolas

Yes this was taken with the Optolong Ultimate so it is mainly HA data rather than the dust clouds.
I don't have a decent broadband light pollution filter, however I won the Optolong Quadband, so hopefully I will be able to get some dust clouds. I still think it needs triple the data I have so far

That makes perfect sense then!

My L-QEF that I bought for shooting this target and a number of others around that same area over the next few months actually arived just a few moments ago... Very much looking forward to getting a chance to give it a run!

[AstroViking (Steve)]

Fantastic image, Nik! Top marks for such a great picture of a very cool target.

(And Trevor had the same thought as I did... Giant sandworms from "Dune".)

Cheers,
V.

[gregbradley]

A terrific rendition. It looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie.

Greg.

[Startrek (Martin)]

Nik,
Excellent result from a very dim target and with limited data too.
It’s great to see folk chase after lesser known or seldom imaged objects
Well done !!
Martin

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Not sure why the quotations are not working,
Thanks guys