The Helix is enormous!!!

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

According to current best estimates the main ring of the Helix nebula has an apparent size of about 12 to 15 arc min in diameter and when you add the main outer loop it comes up to 25 arc min in diamter, this corresponds to a true diameter of about 4 or 5Ltyrs

However I decided to reprocess and enhance my recent deep narrowband Helix data to see just how far this planetary nebula extends into space at these narrow band wavelengths (visible light) to see just how big it really is.

The data is Ha + OIII + SII only ie no RGB or Luminance and totals 26hrs in all.

I pushed the data to the limit, while still trying to maintain a relatively natural appearence, to see the full extent of the faintest extensions....

Well the Helix is BIG . From the faintest extensions visible in the image now, it measures over 45 arc min across, this is the better part of two full moon diameters and pushes the true diameter of the nebula out to about almost 10 Ltyrs. This is huge considering some size references for the nebula refer to the main ring only which is a mere 2.5Ltyrs in diameter.

You can make out several ejection phases that must have occured over the last 10 000 years since the star first rumbbled, including two very faint arcs outside the main outer loop as well as several plumes billowing in various directions.

Full frame 60% size (780K)
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...61131/original

Close up (860k)
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...63597/original

High resolution deep look into the core of the Helix
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...51203/original

A bit of payback for the 6 nights travelling back and forth to my dark sky site I guess

Mike

[h0ughy (David)]

oh my, wow.....

[DavidU (Dave)]

Oh no ! 26hrs ! Mike,superb stuff.You are in the extreme processing phase.
I enjoy your work a hell of a lot. So thankyou Mike.
Exposure times in days ! Neat
Dave

[cookie8 (Vincent)]

Wow....God's fiery eye wide open staring on us....awesome!!!

[MrB (Simon)]

Awesome stuff!

[Craig_L]

Just fantastic Mike. The detail in the clouds outside the "eye" is amazing.

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

That's a wonderful subject to image, pity it takes so long to get that sort of detail. Lots of nice detail, I especially like the faint tendrils of nebulae surrounding the main part.

Dave

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Cheers guys glad you got something out of it

I've added a high resolution zoom in on the core of the nebula and the little white (blue?) dwarf in teh centre

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...51203/original

That was fun

[Tom Davis (Tom)]

Yep, it's big. Nicely done Mike!

Tom

[StarGazing (Alex)]

Wow Wow Wow Mike. Nice one. Makes me want to get into astrography. Keep up the great work.

Alex

[AlexN]

Much bigger than I thought...

As we were discussing in PMs a few months back.. You're always rewarded for going the long haul and capturing lots of data.. This image here is no exception.. 26hrs exposure is a monument effort that's paid its dividends by showing you just how far the helix goes... The question is this... How far do you think it would extend with 52 hours exposure and double the sub exposure length??

You know you want to find out mate..

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Thanks for the nice comments guys, I'm really gald it was of interest .

For me, there's little point taking another ho hum version of such a well imaged object, like my now notorious Cen A I wanted to push the boundaries a little and see what was "really" there

I promise not to do (many) more Sidonio's

Alex: I would love to add full field Luminance to the image, oh and what the heck, some RGB too just to complete the picture and reveal the back ground galaxies that would be abundant, so yes another 26hrs of these would probably be worth it........but I'm not sure I will be going there any time soon without an observatory... Know smeone who has looooooong exposure aspirations and with an observatory?

Mike

[Bassnut (Fred)]

nice and deep Mike, shows the detail you can get with NB. The colour processing looks unusually like RGB too, well tweaked and natural looking.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Quite a treat! Love the colours you've got in the processing. The level of details is awesome.

[marc4darkskies (Marcus)]

I was wondering how long it would take you to sidonio-ise your Helix . Very nice mate . 26 hours is a hell of an effort too - in anyone's language let alone for a mobile rig.

Cheers, Marcus

[Octane (Humayun)]

APOD, dat, yo.

'nuff said.

Regards,
Humayun

[gregbradley]

Some objects are really worth the effort. The Helix is one for sure.

Fabulous image and that seems to be the widest extension of the nebula I have seen before. Very pleasing processing - you've got it down now.

Well done.

Greg.

[Paul Haese]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Know smeone who has looooooong exposure aspirations and with an observatory?

Yeah dude - Me. If you hop in your car now, you should be here in 16 or so hours. You can show me where the hell I am going wrong with this guiding capper.

Ah seriously, this is a great image. Great stars, captured what looks like another PN just below the Helix and heaps of data, but and yes there is a but. My screen must be a little brighter than most, because I can see red noise all over the sky section of the image. It is like what I was seeing on over stretched images coming out of a DSLR. Sorry to rain on your parade mate, not intended; just an observation. I just detracts from what I reckon would be a spectacular image. Like you said you really worked the data to the maximum.

Still a staggering image though. I admire your skills and dedication.

[Coen]

Thanks for the great image of a beautiful object.

Interesting to compare your image with that on APOD sometime back: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ima...ep_hambsch.jpg (note very large)

[RB (Andrew)]

Mike that is magnificent.
I don't think I've ever seen it so wide.

Top marks mate.