The Little Ghost Nebula in Ophiuchus

[strongmanmike]

NGC 6369 in Ophiuchus is known affectionately as the Little Ghost Nebula (dunno why...? probably its appearance visually through a scope?)

It is tiny, the central spare tire is just 36 arc sec in diameter and the rarely imaged outer extremities, revealed in this deep exposure, span a whopping 1.2 arc min! :eyepop: :lol:

Sheesh, it was bluudy well cold in Canberra over the two nights it took to collect the data, I can tell'ya! reaching down to -8C both nights :cold: The seeing wasn't the good type I often get at Wallaroo though, buuuut hey it wasn't tooooo bad either but I had to do a little more decon, unsharp mask, smart sharpening and high pass filtering than usual to get as much detail as I managed...and hopefully no artifacts are visible :).

A search of images on the web of this baby turned up no other image with really any greater details/features visible, other than that taken by Hubble of course and none that showed this extent of outer extremities and extensions, so I was happy enough with the two nights work ...complete with a visit from some rural neighbours for a star party and some visual observing...beer of course and this time hot mulled wine and sticky date pudding too :2thumbs:, perfect in sub zero conditions :thumbsup:

This is a narrow band image in the end and I only gathered enough RGB (in poor seeing conditions mind you, so couldn't use it for anything else :doh:) to colour the NB stars...but it might be worth doing a deeper LRGB version next new moon, to reveal the star clouds in the area a little better and then blend the two images together...I'll think about it :question: :thumbsup:

About a light year across and over 2000 light years away, you can read about NGC 6369 HERE (https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120114.html)

Close Up (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165765816/original) (100% res crop)

Full 38' X 30' Frame (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165765815/original) (to show how tiny she is)

Comparison with Hubble (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/165765818/original) (to help identify what details are what)

Hope you like, something different again :)

Mike

[RickS]

I haven't seen that object before, Mike. Looks very small and tricky! You've done a wonderful job, especially on the faint extensions.

[Atmos]

You seem to have done a better job with the fainter material than Hubble. Hubble pips you at the post for resolution however ;)
Wonderful job Mike :)

[Placidus]

Another amazing and delightful result, Mike.

Reminds us a bit of the Eskimo nebula. Perhaps this is the Eskimo's Husky. It would explain the very cold weather that you experienced.

Lovely work.

[marc4darkskies]

Given the less-than-optimal seeing and image scale, that's akin to pushing s**t uphill with a pointed stick!!! :lol: Not bad though Mike and another teeny weeny puff of gas under your belt! :) :thumbsup:

[Slawomir]

Certainly unusual object and a great composition, very nice work Mike :thumbsup:

When you get your wide field rig going, you will start imaging popular targets like the rest of us :lol:

[lazjen]

Looks like a face to me - eyeballs + eye brows + mouth, big nose, etc. :)

Also: cool little nebula - excellent.

[atalas]

Excellent Mike:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:p icking on the little fellows again I see :P

Pulling out detail from 1.2' object is quite remarkable I recon!

[strongmanmike]

Its a beauty I recon, the rabbit ears make it I recon :P



He he of course it does, I use it purely to reference the detail :)



Thanks guys and yes I thought of the Eskimo neb too



Ha ha what can I say, I love a challenge :D and I am falling in love with these colourful little teeny weeny puffs of gas :love: After many years of doing this I like the challenge of these rarer objects too, after all one can only image the bright showcase objects for so long :rolleyes: (will be doing a few of those once the FSQ is up and running though :whistle:). It's hard to match some of the big very expensive RC's on Paramounts etc out there, especially those automated with AO units attached and particularly those on high Chilean mountains, using only the very best subs!!..but the almost manually operated F3.8 12" Newt and SX camera can get pretty respectable results...soooo, I guess stick, s**t and hills are becoming my specialty :D

20" RC (http://www.caelumobservatory.com/obs/n6369.html)

14.5" RC (http://www.astrosurf.com/antilhue/ngc6369.htm)

;)



Thanks Suavi and yep, a 4deg square field will be a whole new world for me, so look out for the barrage of popular targets :lol:

Mike

[Stevec35]

That's a beauty Mike. I'm glad someone else is flying the tiny planetary nebula flag.

Cheers

Steve

[topheart]

Hi Mike,
There's nothing sh1t about that image at all!!

Wow, what a good capture - I am also gathering data on this at the moment, but I have just started in the last few nights.

I am tucked up warm in bed though sleeping through all the data gathering - nowhere near as much fun as you have been having, by the sounds of it!
Cheers,
Tim

[Andy01]

Nice catch Mike - I'm enjoying seeing these fresh new targets here too ;) :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

:sadeyes:....of course you were :rolleyes: ..the warm Mulled wine was very delicious in sub zero conditions though :drink: :D

Amazing that you are imaging this little baby now too :eyepop:...we are connected :love2: :D So, what stick are you pushing your s**t up hill with? :lol:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Andy, yep, a lot of things to see in Sydney besides the Harbour Bridge and Opera House ;)...if you have the gear and look around, may as well hunt out the interesting places in the back streets too :thumbsup:

Mike

[strongmanmike]

They are fun to image :)

Mike

[Retrograde]

Gorgeous - the detail in the centre and the faint extensions is brilliant for such a tiny object!

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Suavi...and you bet, a whole new World awaits :D



I agree Chris...or a little round rabbit with floppy ears



Thanks Louie, it is fun, something about PN's that has just grabbed me...perhaps the diversity and plethora available has something to do with it....you certainly don't have any framing issues :P

[Octane]

Superb work, Mike! Dig it!

H

[strongmanmike]

Cheers funky dude, glad your feelin' groovy :)

[cazza132]

Very nice work! :thumbsup: Didn't even know this little fella existed. Good details for such a small object. :thumbsup:

[Ryderscope]

Wow, nice catch Mike. I enjoy the detail and supporting dialogue.

[topheart]

Hi Mike,
The Keller 20inch classical cassegrain is about to get data on this. I just checked, it actually is just finishing off another object and then this one is programmed in CCDAP5 for the near future actually.
Cheers,
Tim

[strongmanmike]

Hi Troy, there are literally thousands of planetary type nebulae all over the sky, mostly fairly small like this one but with my image scale of 0.83"/pix many of them come out quite nicely and are worthy candidates for imaging...its a bit addictive actually, like a box of chocolates...ya never know what ya gunna get :P



Thanks Rodney, love these things :)



Ah ha! that should be a good'un, if you get the right seeing I'd expect a fine result ...maybe we can process it together in August?? :D :thumbsup:

Mike

[topheart]

Hi Mike,
That would be good....I'll hopefully get some data by then.
Cheers,
Tim

[Raydar]

That's awesome Mike. Well done.

Ray

[strongmanmike]

Be good to have a crack :thumbsup:



Thanks Ray

Mike

[Spookyer]

Cool Mike, keep the weird stuff coming!

[strongmanmike]

:lol: wiered huh? ah sigh...not weird at all, there are in fact thousands of these things all over the sky, positively mundane really :lol: :thumbsup:

Mike