The Little Ghost Nebula in Ophiuchus

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

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!

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 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 , perfect in sub zero conditions

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 ) 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

About a light year across and over 2000 light years away, you can read about NGC 6369 HERE

Close Up (100% res crop)

Full 38' X 30' Frame (to show how tiny she is)

Comparison with Hubble (to help identify what details are what)

Hope you like, something different again

Mike

[RickS (Rick)]

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 (Colin)]

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 (Mike and Trish)]

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 (Marcus)]

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

[Slawomir (Suavi)]

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

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

[lazjen (Chris)]

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

Also: cool little nebula - excellent.

[atalas]

Excellent Mikep icking on the little fellows again I see

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

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Originally Posted by 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

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

Originally Posted by 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.

Thanks guys and yes I thought of the Eskimo neb too

Originally Posted by marc4darkskies

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

Ha ha what can I say, I love a challenge and I am falling in love with these colourful little teeny weeny puffs of gas 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 (will be doing a few of those once the FSQ is up and running though ). 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

20" RC

14.5" RC

Originally Posted by Slawomir

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

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

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

Mike

[Stevec35 (Steve)]

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 (Andy)]

Nice catch Mike - I'm enjoying seeing these fresh new targets here too

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by 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

....of course you were ..the warm Mulled wine was very delicious in sub zero conditions though

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

Mike

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Andy01

Nice catch Mike - I'm enjoying seeing these fresh new targets here too

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

Mike

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Stevec35

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

Cheers

Steve

They are fun to image

Mike

[Retrograde (Pete)]

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

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Slawomir

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

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

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

Originally Posted by lazjen

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

Also: cool little nebula - excellent.

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

Originally Posted by atalas

Excellent Mikep icking on the little fellows again I see

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

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

[Octane (Humayun)]

Superb work, Mike! Dig it!

H

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Octane

Superb work, Mike! Dig it!

H

Cheers funky dude, glad your feelin' groovy

[cazza132 (Troy Casswell)]

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