The mosaic is composed of three panels that capture the magnificence of the dark and reflection nebulas in the constellation of Cepheus. Each panel is the result of meticulous work with 32 luminance exposures of 600 seconds, 64 RGB exposures of 300 seconds, and 40 H-alpha exposures of 600 seconds, to ensure a depth and richness of spectacular details.The nebulas present, LDN 1251, LDN 1235 (also known as the Shark Nebula), and VDB 152, emerge from the cosmic darkness with striking contrast. LDN 1251, with its dense clouds of dark dust, seems to float ethereally, while LDN 1235, resembling a shark swimming among the stars, offers a majestic and unsettling view. VDB 152, a reflection nebula, adds a touch of bluish color, reflecting the light from nearby stars.The entire mosaic was captured using a setup that employed two RedCat 51 telescopes paired with two ZWO ASI 2600 cameras, one color and one monochrome. The combination of monochrome imaging and the use of Ha exposures to highlight hydrogen emissions made the mosaic even more detailed, with vivid color nuances and dark clouds deeply outlined.
Clear skies
Simone Curzi
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
William Optics RedCat 51 II
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI2600MC Pro · ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
Mounts
Sky-Watcher EQ6
Filters
Antlia EDGE H-alpha 4.5nm 2″ · Antlia Luminance 2″
Software
Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
Sept. 3 – 5, 2024
Sept. 11 – 13, 2024
Frames:
192×300″(16h)
Antlia EDGE H-alpha 4.5nm 2″: 120×600″(20h)
Antlia Luminance 2″: 96×600″(16h)
Integration:
52h
Avg. Moon age:
4.95 days
Avg. Moon phase:
32.61%
Locations: Mattinata, Puglia, Italy bortle 4
Data source: Backyard