Shapley 1 - A torus in Norma with new faint outer shell

[strongmanmike]

Well at 32.5 hrs in total, this is the longest exposure I have ever taken :thumbsup: (only chucked 3 subs out of 5 nights worth of data too!..amazing :))

Shapley 1 is a beautiful but rather small ring Planetary Nebula in Norma, it is a torus or ring rather than a bubble or hourglass shape more typical of planetary nebulae. The inner bright "spare tyre" ring is just 75" in diameter, the gossamer glowing halo outside this is 1.8' in diameter and the long exposure has revealed a new shell/ring structure around the periphery, which takes the nebula's size out to nearly 2.5' in diameter.

An extensive search found no other image that shows the glowing halo as well nor any that show this level of structure in the very faint outer broken OIII ring...and getting this structure was my goal...hence the extra long exposure :)

EDIT: Seems the first reference to the thin faint outer OIII ring (actually a bow shock) I captured appeared in this 2011 paper (https://oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile/Content_public/Journal/mnras/420/3/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20192.x/2/mnras0420-2271.pdf?Expires=1496638123&Signature=UmENX11pvk5QHT1GSCFXxRxpW r4pQk4tX0AbU2TCrRfKs8qR4M7PeslNx8Jx QmQkD93RuAgzFXuM4WvQgmUtDFQ3rm0qhga newRYWtDltah0436o2pX5KNQCDlTzxdyDUX uyUpgf9W1ONqWtdggOw-xjtMXD7-eV40LerrNBXgS6fFlKarzR9svBP-Py1MwfCIqo89xzR1q5pqy6fWgFlowMyn4kW u5mR7hoTsu4hJwvbDKi4smPpw2RaMaZeW7c C5OjL3yKGhzpr3TzbSu0vLw-T-i6n017X1U02HDJo176wW1rYRveIYPRbKJ3U uKro2o46xAe~Vs9ysvIHWou5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIUCZBIA4LVPAVW3Q), visible in stretched and contrast enhanced from deep OIII data taken using the 3.6m NTT in sub arc sec seeing at La Silla and the structure again completely concurs with what I captured, both the faint bow shock that encircles about half the nebula and the fainter smaller loop visible at the top left edge of the teal halo :)..thanks Sakib :thumbsup:

For those interested, here is a bit of info on Shapley 1 (named after Harlow Shapley)

"This is an unusual annular planetary nebula in Norma. The nebula itself appears quite small at a little over an arc minute in diameter, while its central star is a magnitude 14 white dwarf. This object is unusual because those planetaries that are not bipolar are more or less spherical shells of material thrown off by the central star as it undergoes an internal rearrangement. We often see them as thick annuli because we look through a greater thickness at the edge of the shell. However, Shapley 1 seems to be a true torus, a doughnut-shaped ring of material that we happen to see face-on around the central star. Sp-1 is about 1000 light years distant" - text © 1995-2010, Australian Astronomical Observatory

Hope you enjoy another small (challenging) but intriguing beauty...complete with her new outer shell! :)

Shapley 1 (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165577628/original) (Full resolution crop)

Up Close (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165577719/original) (150% resolution crop)

Comparison with CHART32 (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165577745/original) (some of the new outer shell is faintly visible in their data and confirms my capture :2thumbs:)

Full 38' X 30' Frame (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165577625/original) (to show how small it is)

and finally...How far we have come (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165589596/original) in amateur imaging

This was a very satisfying capture :thumbsup:

Mike

[Tony_]

Wow Mike - superb image!!
I have imaged this one a few a few years ago and managed to achieve a pathetic looking ring compared to yours. I will try it again one day - but still it will be pathetic compared to yours (thanks).
Sure the chart32 is sharper - but under the conditions yours is great -really well done for a small object.

Tony.

[DaveNZ]

Wonderful detail Mike. Well done.

You will be very pleased with how well your Orion UK scope is performing.
Would you recommend the Orion UK AG astrographs?

[h0ughy]

looks like a blueberry doughnut

oh sooo goood!!! fantastic achievement mike

[LewisM]

Rather shapely!

:)

Wonderful capture Mike

[Placidus]

Bravo !!! :eyepop:

That is an extraordinarily difficult target from Oz. The one to one comparison with the "answer in the back of the book" reassures that you're seeing real things (and no worms), ridiculously faint structures that are only about 1 sec arc across, but you've gone deeper.

Must be very satisfying indeed.

[Atmos]

Blimey! Jolly Gee Willikers Batman!
In the outer halo it looks like there is some faint rotational arms on the left and right.

At any rate :bowdown:

[multiweb]

Cool shot. Very interesting planetary. Heaps of colours. :thumbsup:

[cometcatcher]

Are you going through the list Shapley list in chronological order? ;) :D

A beauty Mike. :thumbsup:

[atalas]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[alpal]

Great result Mike,
I'm surprised at your achievement with the AG12.
You've shown a larger shell area than CHART32.

cheers
Allan

[marc4darkskies]

Beautifully done Mike! :thumbsup: A fascinating object!

[topheart]

Wow!!
What a great achievement - documenting such a great small object so well.

Congratulations Mike!
Cheers,
Tim

[strongmanmike]

Thanks so much Tony and please shoot it, I am surpised it is not imaged more often :thumbsup:



Cheers Dave, yes the venerable AG12 is certainly quite a capable, powerful and versatile instument. Orion Optics UK have changed the OTA design slightly and the Wynn corrector too since I got mine in 2011, so I can't comment on the current models quality and performance but my scope is more than satisfactory for a wide variety of imaging :)



Thanks Houghy:thumbsup:



Indeed...a true Heavenly Body :P



Thanks Mike and Trish, it is great going after challenging objects and not having an automated system or even a motorised dome :eyepop: doesn't deter me...I still have the passion :thumbsup:...thank god for beer though...and whisky...and coffee...and a flexible workplace...oh and an understanding wife :P



Cheers Col, they aren't rotational arms I don't think, it looks more like an incomplete ring... actually if you look at the close up version and use averted vision it looks pretty clear that the ring goes all the way around? Probably the very first outburst a few thousand years ago? :)



Thanks Marc



I didn't think so..? I thought this was the first one..? :question:

:cheers::cheers::cheers:



Speed and some sort of aperture plus a long exposure I guess? :)



Thanks Marcus, 5 nights of persistent work and (mostly) cooperative seeing ;)...as I've told you, you need to move nearby :thumbsup:



Thanks so much Tim, I seem to like these small objects huh..? :screwy: :lol:

Mike

[Stevec35]

A very nice Shapley 1 Mike and well done for capturing the outer halo. I just checked my image of it taken a few years ago and I can't see any sign of it but of course my exposure was a lot shorter. You ought to try the nearby VBRC 7 too. Maybe a mosaic is a possibility.

Cheers

Steve

[astroron]

Great image Mike:eyepop:
This is one of my favourite PN's to observe
in the 16" with a 6mm radian eyepiece 300x mag.
The central star is visible on nights of good seeing and transparency
The thickening on one side is quite noticeable,but I have noticed this PN
is not enhanced by either UHC or O111 filters in the visual.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers:thumbsup:

Ps, I don't think it is that small for a PN.;)

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Steve :thumbsup: Hey, after spending 32hrs on it at F3.8 I would hope you didn't find anything in your image :eyepop: ...I would hate to think I wasted all that time :lol:



Hi Ron :) yeah I looked at it at SPSP through two different 24" scopes and it was a beautiful (faint) white Lifesaver (https://www.flickr.com/photos/typetive/5098362495/) with an obvious central star :thumbsup: no sign of the two outer halos though ;)

Mike

[Bassnut]

Gee, thats very smick indeed Mike, impressive res for such a small 2.5' size. The processing is superb in every way too, very attractive to look at.

[strongmanmike]

On ya Fred, it is a little beauty huh? :)

Oh and I was waiting to see you on Sat to give you some beers to replace that Irish muck you gave me up at the house...I owe you next year ;) :drink:

Mike

[Retrograde]

Amazing Mike - really pushing the boundaries once again :thumbsup:

[astroron]

Hi mike, definitely not.;)
Yours is a wonderful image,like I have never seen before.
Damian Peach does have an image with the halo, but it is not as prominent
as yours.
I just googled Shapley 1 images, and Damian's came up, as well as a German imager
Keep em coming Mike. (y)

[strongmanmike]

Yeah, I looked at quite a few of the freely available versions out there and several show the first uniform circular halo to varying degrees, including Damians...but none show any hint of the very faint outer thin halo, except the CHART32 shot :D



No fear, will do, thanks for your comments Ron :thumbsup:

Mike

[Andy01]

Great stuff Mike - adding to my earlier comment on M&T's recent image, we're incredibly lucky to have such talented and dedicated members of this forum who so willingly share their amazing images and skills. :thumbsup:

In pro photography Australians are at the very front of world class imagemaking and I dare say that in Ap this could well be true as well. Incredible when you consider our small population. ;)

This is a beauty, rare, delicate and well processed - totally left field and very inspirational. There are so many rarely imaged objects out there and this is a classic example of one thoroughly researched, found and superbly captured.
Onya!:D

[RickS]

Fantastic job, Mike :eyepop: A dim, tricky little critter :)

[PRejto]

Mike, That's fantastic work and an amazing result!

Do you think the Sony ICX694 CCD is also responsible (not just longer integration) for capturing the outer ring? I've attached a chart below. It certainly looks like the Sony chip would be the way to go for this sort of object displaying these colours. The Chart 32 image used the KAF16803.

Peter

[PeterM]

That is just superb Mike.

[strongmanmike]

Thanks for the nice words Andy, astroimaging is a fun thing to share :)



Thanks Rick, I enjoy dim and tricky, bright and easy is for pussy's :D



Cheers heaps Peter :thumbsup: and yes, you are quite right the sensitivity of the H694 certainly would have helped, I am sure.



Glad you think so Peter :)

[markas]

Interesting subject - splendid image!

Mark

[strongmanmike]

Thanks very much Mark...I think it is now my favourite PN image I have taken...and I have taken a few now...or at least on a par with IC 5148 (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/161295601/original) in Grus :)...oh yeah and The Ghost of Jupiter (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/154904467/original)...bah, they are all just soooo cute :love: :lol:

Mike

[Phil Hart]

Nice one Mike. Have to echo the sentiments here. Love the work you put into selecting these targets and the hard work getting the data (beers and all). Colour balance looks fine too ;).

But I couldn't get the link you've just added to work, even after removing everything after .pdf?

cheers
Phil

[strongmanmike]

Hi Phil, thanks mate glad you liked it and yes I do enjoy myself...all alone...out in the dark...and cold...:sadeyes: :drink: :thumbsup:

Do you mean the link to the scientific paper on Sp1?...it works for me, I just checked..? Try again

Mike

[astronobob]

Extraordinary workings there Mike, 1st class Image and good to see ya thrilled by it :cool2:

Great read through your post, links, Information & replies/comments by others 'ere :thumbsup:

Have another beer Mr strongman super Geek ;) :drink:

[strongmanmike]

Ha ha thanks Bob, glad you get it :cheers:

I'm not a Geek, I'm an Ialian :P

Mike

[troypiggo]

Nice! Very pretty little planetary.

[gary]

Hi Mike,

I saw your posting of this image on FB yesterday and it was so
impressive that it gave me reason to pause today and to logon
to IIS with the express purpose to congratulate you on one of the
finest amateur astrophotographs I have ever seen.

I have seen the faint smudge through large apertures that Shapley 1
provides visually and your comparison with an earlier AAT image by Malin
& Lee indeed provides not only a comparison of how far imaging has
come but is also testimony to your skill, dedication and patience.

Congratulations and well done!

Best Regards

Gary
Mt. Kuring-Gai NSW

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Troy, I agree, pretty (or cute) is the right word :)



Wow, thanks so much Gary, perhaps the nicest post to an image of mine I have ever received...brought a tear to me eye :sad: :lol: so glad you enjoyed it that much! :love:..love this imaging game :thumbsup:

Mike

[Paul Haese]

Nice detail and I like the colour of the shells. PN's are your thing.

[strongmanmike]

Yeah, perhaps, cheers

Mike

[Slawomir]

Have never seen this one before, thank you Mike for showing us such interesting object. Data processing is excellent, as always :thumbsup:

When I was admiring the full sized image, I started wondering...are you sure it is a real DSO and not simply a burned mark on the CCD from a cigarette? :lol:

[strongmanmike]

Ha ha yeah, cheers Suavi, I was imaging the Sun actually and my solar filter fell off the front of the scope... :scared:

Mike :thumbsup:

[DJT]

Hi Mike

Had much fun on the bus doing blink comparisons. Detail is outstanding and it's a very very cool PN. Top job :thumbsup:

[el_draco]

Love the comparison with the AAT shot. It's getting to the the point where you look twice to see if an image is amateur or Hubble... Extraordinary!!

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Dave, glad my images can be so entertaining :P



It's amazing huh? If someone had said to me in 1993, that in two decades time, I would be able to take an image better than David Malin could with the AAT... with a 12" scope :eyepop:...I would have just laughed :rofl:

Mike

[Bart]

That is superb stuff, Mike. I think it is better than the big scope, has more detail.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Bart...bah! who needs a 4m telescope anyway :P :lol:

Mike