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
) 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.
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The Full Frame (at 50%) shows the extensive but faint Halpha in the area.
Mike