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View Full Version here: : The Bug Nebula in a sea of red


strongmanmike
08-07-2024, 10:46 PM
NGC 6302 is also known as the Bug Nebula, Butterfly Nebula, or Caldwell 69 and is a bipolar planetary nebula in the constellation Scorpius. Although quite bright, with an apparent size of just 4' X 1.5' NGC 6302 is a relatively small object and requires good seeing conditions to reveal the internal details well and with just 1120mm of focal length at hand, good seeing is even more important! Although it was near Full Moon, the conditions were otherwise perfect with excellent seeing (again :prey2: ) ranging between 1.4" and 1.6" across the night and I was able to use every single sub frame, not one dud. As usual, no Blur Exterminator or other AI based sharpening, was used in the processing.

This is a hybrid Narrowband/true colour image, created without RGB filters. To reveal the extensive faint Halpha in the area, the background was processed as a HaSIIOIII to appear as a more traditional RGB image, so the Ha appears red, while NGC6302 itself was processed as a more traditional SIIHaOIII combination.

Pbase Gallery (https://pbase.com/image/174705987/original)

AstroBin
(https://www.astrobin.com/miooj8/0/)
Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/strongman/53843203973/in/dateposted/)

The Full Frame (at 50%) (https://pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/174703581/original) shows the extensive but faint Halpha in the area.

Mike

Geochron
09-07-2024, 09:15 AM
That is a great result Mike - the level of detail is really very similar to the Hubble image! A fascinating object too - so many cool things in that part of the sky...

Jon

strongmanmike
09-07-2024, 10:39 AM
Cheers Jon, yep, lot's this time of year to target, too many things to chose from :scared:. It was essentially a full Moon so the list of things that could be done well, diminishes considerably. I was actually going to hit the Trifid that night, just collect the Ha and then get the colour around New Moon but as it was still a bit low on dark I thought, I'd check out the Bug and man, when the first sub came down and was so sharp I thought hmmm? nah, I'll hit this tonight, should be able to get a complete set of data...and 6 hours later voila! :thumbsup:

Mike

Retrograde
09-07-2024, 01:30 PM
Great detail!

Eagleview delivering good seeing again. :thumbsup:

TrevorW
09-07-2024, 01:42 PM
I prefer the Butterfly Nebula lot better than my result :)

strongmanmike
09-07-2024, 01:59 PM
Cheers Pete, you might find THIS (https://pbase.com/image/174706340/original) interesting...this has been the case with every object I have re-imaged so far, so, happy days! :)



Is a butterfly a bug..? :question: :lol:

Mike

alpal
09-07-2024, 03:53 PM
Hi Mike - interesting comparison.
I wish there were a dozen telescopes at your site
for the great seeing and super dark skies.

cheers
Allan

strongmanmike
09-07-2024, 04:19 PM
Yeah so do I...aaand all MINE! :face:

Mike

alpal
10-07-2024, 11:26 AM
Don't be greedy Mike -
other people would like the photons arriving at your dark site.
Some travel for millions of light years only to hit the ground and be wasted
instead of hitting a camera sensor to create a beautiful image.
If photons had feelings they would be upset. :)

cheers
Allan

strongmanmike
10-07-2024, 12:03 PM
Sorry....:sadeyes: :help:

Well, this was one concept (https://pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/174711734/original) I have considered...? Would be awesome but just not sure I have it in me to do, nor the capital required :question: :sadeyes:

Mike

Paul Haese
10-07-2024, 12:52 PM
Great detail Mike. Altitude does make a difference.:thumbsup:

As to the hosting idea. With that many domes, you'll need a lot more money than we spent at Swan Reach Imaging; and that was a bucket load. On top of that I did about $70k worth of work to minimise labour costs. Domes are sexy but not practical really, not to mention they can be very buggy. And; yes it is a really big commitment. Work starts half an hour before sunset every night, but I don't want to discourage you.;)

strongmanmike
10-07-2024, 01:27 PM
It sure does, I'm seeing it with my own eyes and camera almost every session, it's bloody great :thumbsup:



That idea was in my head a while ago and as suggested, was very much a "concept", cooked up when I was brimming with excitement, almost manic with ideas for this euphoric, genital stiffening spot :lol:. My model was going to be quite different to your, more traditional and complicated multi pier mixed form of hosting approach, where you are responsible for pretty much everything. I imagined a simpler "sharing the love" type model, where essentially people would, come up, pick a suitable spot, lease it and build what they want (within agreed guidelines) or maybe take up a "package" arrangement, created with a local supplier and enjoy a magnificent location for their observatory, on a renewable lease arrangement, very simple :).

....unlikely to happen now buuuut not totally off the table, never say never....:question:

Mike

alpal
10-07-2024, 02:51 PM
I saw all those pictures of Eagleview.
It's a fantastic place.
Great pic -
https://a4.pbase.com/o12/29/633929/1/171543548.e00lHHLo.Abovethecloudsat Eagleviewresize.jpg

"Always dreamed of having an observatory location that gets
to be above the clouds sometimes! -
taken from the middle of the property at 1435m ASL"

Sometimes you're above the clouds!

cheers
Allan

Startrek
10-07-2024, 08:22 PM
Mike,
Another cracking image from top of the mountain
Definitely takes on a butterfly shape and colours to match
You are certainly in a unique location to image and expose these tiny faint celestial wonders
Keep em coming !!

Martone

strongmanmike
11-07-2024, 03:51 PM
Thanks Martone :) A longer FL scope, like, saaay, a 16" F9 RC or similar (well collimated and without astigmatism :rolleyes:), with my FLI16803 camera attached, would give 0.50"/pix and be great for smaller things like galaxies and PN's buuut that isn't likely to happen any time soon :(, sooo, I'm looking to maybe get some smaller pixels under those photons, through the same scope setup, without losing any FOV or speed, to see if I can take better advantage of the conditions for such objects :)

In the mean time, I'm happy with the general results I'm able to get up there :thumbsup:

Mike