Cresecnt Nebula in HOO Palette
Crescent Nebula in HOO Palette with the stars removed
Squid central star close up
Beautifully shows all the Oxygen III data
Squid Nebula in Hoo
Photo Capture Info:
618mm Focal Length | F=Ratio of 4.87
(146) 3 Minute Exposures in Ha - 7hr, 18 mins (Red Channel)
(288) 5 Minute Exposures in Oiii - 24hrs, 0 mins
(Green and Blue Channels)
Total Integration time: 8 hours, 21 minutes
Optical Equipment Used:
Antlia HO Filters
Scope: Explore Scientific ED 127mm refractor
Starizona Apex ED 0.65x Focal Reducer
Camera: ZWO 2600mm
Guide scope: Agena Astro 60mm refractor
Guide camera: ZWO ASI120mm-S
Computerized Equipment and Software:
Mount: Losmandy G11G
Beelink Mini PC S Intel 11th Gen
Focuser: ZWO EAF (Electronically Assisted Focuser)
Filter Wheel: ZWO 7 Position
Pegasus Pocket Powerbox Micro
NINA 3.1 used for capture
PixInsight for Processing
About the Squid Nebula
What Is the Squid Nebula?
The Squid Nebula, also cataloged as Ou4, is a captivating emission nebula located in the constellation Cepheus. It's looks a bit like finding a cosmic squid swimming through the interstellar ocean. Discovered by French astro-imager Nicolas Outters in 2011, this celestial cephalopod has a bipolar shape, which means it extends in two opposite directions. Its telltale blue glow comes from doubly ionized oxygen atoms—a cosmic fingerprint that hints at its composition.
Where Is It?
The Squid Nebula lies about 2,300 light-years away from Earth. It can be found in the royal constellation Cepheus. Imagine a faint, large cloud with a squid-like shape spanning nearly three full moons in the sky. It's like the universe decided to doodle a celestial cephalopod just for fun.
What Drives It?
The Squid Nebula is likely a stellar outflow—a cosmic jet propelled by a triple system of hot, massive stars. These stellar engines churn out energy, shaping the surrounding gas and dust into this intriguing form.
Hydron Alpha spectrum (Ha)
