Tulip Nebula Nebula in SHO Palette
Tulip Nebula Nebula in SHO Palette with the stars removed
Tulip up close
Beautifully shows all three spectrums of Light Types
in the Hubble Palette (SHO)
Tulip Nebula Region in SHO
Photo Capture Info:
618mm Focal Length | F=Ration of 4.87
(30) 3 Minute Exposures in Ha - 1hr, 30mins
(63) 5 Minute Exposures in Sii - 5hrs, 15mins
(52) 5 Minute Exposures in Oiii - 5hrs, 10mins
Total Integration time: 14 hours, 9 minutes
Optical Equipment Used:
Antlia SHO 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 Tulip Nebula
The Tulip Nebula (Sharpless 101) is an emission nebula located in Cygnus constellation. It lies at an approximate distance of 6,000 light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 9.0. It occupies an area of 16 x 9 arc minutes of apparent sky and has a linear diameter of about 70 light years. The HII region is called the Tulip Nebula because its shape resembles the form of a tulip and it has a reddish glow in long exposure photographs. Astronomer Stewart Sharpless listed the object as Sh2-101 in his 1959 catalogue of nebulae.
Credit: https://www.constellation-guide.com/tulip-nebula/
Learn more: apod.nasa.gov | astrobackyard.com | constellation-guide.com | apod.nasa.gov
Sulfur II spectrum (Sii)
Oxygen III spectrum (Oiii)
Hydron Alpha spectrum (Ha)
Normalized SHO Processing
Cygnus the Swan
So many bright objects from the outer arms of our Milky Way galaxy!
Tulip 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.