Hi all, here's a hi-res look at the Homunculus Nebula surrounding Eta Carinae. This is a blend of planetary & deep sky methods, 130 short H-alpha images collected by CCD, stacking/sharpening for the inner core done using planetary tools (PIPP, Autostakkert, Registax) stacking for the outer region done in PixInsight. Resolution is <1 arcsec - with the 'hole' in one lobe being ~2"x0.75" dimensions. Full res: https://photos.app.goo.gl/kdkFsEtJ1HWSEuYn6
The bubbles of gas around the star were erupted around 1840, and they are still expanding. Here's the comparison with a 2001 image from HST: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LuLcPVTdJVxDdPteA
There's not many deep space objects where you can see changes in short time periods! The expansion of the lobes and surrounding patches of nebulosity is very clear. It explains why size measures I read for the nebula were wrong - it's no longer 18" long, it is now 20" long...
Celestron C14, Atik 460EX, 60% of 130x0.9s H-alpha stacked and sharpened.
Andy,
I'm using the GAIA catalogue which goes down to 21 mag ()
By reducing the limiting magnitude to 15 mag you can see you're recording stars down to 14 mag.
There seems to be a couple of anomalies....
HD 303308 (8mag) is missing??
and you record a 8 mag star at:
RA 10h44m58.85s
Dec -57d42m22.7s
(This shows as an 11.6mag in Simbad)
Thanks everyone! Though I was very happy with this result, I do wonder if higher resolution is possible, perhaps with a bigger stack of shorter exposures. One to consider on anothernight of good seeing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merlin66
Andy,
I'm using the GAIA catalogue which goes down to 21 mag ()
By reducing the limiting magnitude to 15 mag you can see you're recording stars down to 14 mag.
There seems to be a couple of anomalies....
HD 303308 (8mag) is missing??
and you record a 8 mag star at:
RA 10h44m58.85s
Dec -57d42m22.7s
(This shows as an 11.6mag in Simbad)
Hi Ken, you're totally right about the anomalous stars. It was what I was checking out vs the Hubble image when I realised I could see the nebula expanding! My first guess was that the image data for the Hubble image (and a ground-based scope) included some IR over 1 micron and got stars behind the dust that I wouldn't see... but looking at the filters they used, this doesn't seem to be the case. So, answers on a postcard please, if you have any idea why stars so bright in one image don't show in the other, I'd love to know!! I'll look closer at your maps when I get back to my computer.
The bubbles of gas around the star were erupted around 1840, and they are still expanding. Here's the comparison with a 2001 image from HST: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LuLcPVTdJVxDdPteA
Hi Andy,
can you please provide some other links
where I don't have to prove
my Google identity to see your pics?
Hi Andy,
can you please provide some other links
where I don't have to prove
my Google identity to see your pics?
Hi alpal, I've added a smaller version of the GIF to this reply just for you! I don't think I've come across anyone who's had a problem with the links before through all my planetary imaging too. But it is on my long list to eventually move away from Google Photos to maybe my own site, one day...
Quote:
Originally Posted by multiweb
What mount do you have your C14 on?
Hi Marc, it's the CGX-L, with the whole thing currently on JMI wheels to make set-up a fair bit easier. The mount didn't really have to work for this one - like the planetary imaging, no guiding required!
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0ughy
Wow that is something
Thanks David!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zubenel
How are the concentric multiple shock wavesStunning !!!
Thanks Wes! Though the concentric rings I'm certain are an imaging artefact related to the processing methods affecting the bright star, and are not real shockwaves. They don't appear on any other imagery and are a bit too perfectly circular.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phomer
Excellant work Andy, it just shows you that you can come across some unexpected things.
Paul
Thanks Paul! If only there were more stars like Eta Car around to take pictures of
Hi alpal, I've added a smaller version of the GIF to this reply just for you! I don't think I've come across anyone who's had a problem with the links before through all my planetary imaging too. But it is on my long list to eventually move away from Google Photos to maybe my own site, one day...
Thanks Andy- great work - that's much appreciated.