Cresecnt Nebula in HOO Palette
Crescent Nebula in HOO Palette with the stars removed
Crescent up close
Beautifully shows all the Oxygen III data
Crescent Nebula Region in Hoo
Photo Capture Info:
618mm Focal Length | F=Ration of 4.87
(62) 3 Minute Exposures in Ha - 1hr, 30mins (Red Channel)
(63) 5 Minute Exposures in Oiii - 5hrs, 10mins
(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 Crescent Nebula
The Crescent Nebula is an emission nebula located in the constellation Cygnus. It has an apparent magnitude of 7.4 and lies at an approximate distance of 5,000 light years from Earth. The nebula occupies an area of 18 x 12 arc minutes of apparent sky. It has the designation NGC 6888 in the New General Catalogue.
The star responsible for the nebula’s shape and glow is the Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 (HD 192163). The nebula is formed by the star’s fast, powerful stellar wind that collides with the slower wind ejected by the star about 250,000 years ago, when WR 136 expanded to become a red giant. The collision has produced a dense shell, which continues to expand at a speed of 80 km/s, and two shock waves. One shock wave is moving outward from the shell and producing the green filamentary structure visible in images, while the other is moving inward to create a bubble of gas that is heated to X-ray emitting temperatures. The hot gas ejected by the star moves at speeds of 2,000 to 3,000 km/s and the star sheds about a solar mass of material every 10,000 years.
Credit: https://www.constellation-guide.com/crescent-nebula/
Bubble Nubula deep inside
Oxygen III spectrum (Oiii)
Hydron Alpha spectrum (Ha)
Stars Removed
Hydron Alpha spectrum (Ha)
With Stars
Cygnus the Swan
So many bright objects from the outer arms of our Milky Way galaxy!
Crscent with Stars up close
About Cygnus
Mythology:
The Cygnus constellation, also known as the Swan, has fascinating mythological associations:
Leda and the Swan:
In Greek mythology, Cygnus is linked to the story of Zeus (the king of the gods) and Leda, the Spartan queen. Zeus transformed himself into a swan and seduced Leda. As a result, she gave birth to two sets of twins:
Immortal Twins: Pollux (a demigod) and Helen (the famous beauty).
Mortal Twins: Castor (a mortal) and Clytemnestra (who played a significant role in the Trojan War).
The constellation represents the swan form that Zeus took during this mythic encounter.
Symbolism and Transformation:
Cygnus is often seen as a symbol of transformation and rebirth. Many cultures believed that the Cygnus constellation served as a gateway to the afterlife. Souls of the departed were thought to pass through it on their journey to the other side.
Other Myths:
Additionally, there’s a separate myth involving Cycnus, a king of Liguria in northern Italy. After the death of his dear friend Phaethon, Cycnus leaped into the river Eridanos and was transformed into a swan. In Greek lore, the swan was sacred to the god Apollo123.
So, when you gaze at the Cygnus constellation, you’re not just observing stars; you’re witnessing ancient stories woven into the cosmic tapestry. 🌌🦢
Astronomy Facts:
Cygnus swims gracefully through the river of the Milky Way.
It forms a distinctive cross shape known as the Northern Cross.
The bright star Deneb, located at the swan’s tail, is part of the Summer Triangle along with Altair and Vega.
Deneb, a blue supergiant, is approximately 60,000 times more luminous than our Sun and lies thousands of light-years away.
The swan's head, or top of the cross, is marked by the star Albireo, which reveals itself as two beautiful gold/blue stars when observed through a small telescope.
The Veil Nebula, a beautiful nebula, lies within Cygnus’ wing.
Future North Star:
Currently, Polaris serves as the North Star, but Deneb will take over this role around the year 9800 due to Earth’s axial wobble.