Sh2-114, nicknamed the Flying Dragon Nebula, is an emission nebula located in the constellation Cygnus. It spans an apparent size of about 30 light-years.
This target is remarkable for its intricate shape, but it can often be somewhat disappointing in terms of color variations, as it is most frequently imaged in Hα and SII, but rarely in OIII or L. Indeed, although this nebula is a popular subject, we could not find any published images clearly revealing its [O III] signal. Our idea in selecting this target was therefore to attempt something different: producing an image more original than the usual SHH or HRGB compositions.
Beyond the delicate filaments of Sh2-114, the field also reveals several distant galaxies, as well as one particularly intriguing object: a striking helical-shaped planetary nebula, PNG 084.6−07.9. Better known as Kn 26, this planetary nebula was discovered in 2006 by Austrian amateur astronomer Matthias Kronberger, and its nature was spectroscopically confirmed in 2011. In 2012, studies revealed that Kn 26 belongs to the rare subclass of quadrupolar planetary nebulae, characterized by two pairs of bipolar lobes — a structure that points to a complex evolutionary history of its central star.
This project was carried out as a collaboration between two teams operating at Starfront Observatories (Texas, USA), both using identical cameras and focal lengths.
Equipment
• Telescope: Askar FRA600
• Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
• Filters: Antlia & ZWO
• Total integration time: 111 h 10 min
Exposure details
• Antlia OIII 3 nm 36 mm: 78 × 600″ (13 h)
• Antlia Luminance 36 mm: 91 × 180″ (4 h 33′)
• Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 60 × 60″ (1 h)
• Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 60 × 60″ (1 h)
• Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 60 × 60″ (1 h)
• ZWO Blue 2″: 75 × 180″ (3 h 45′)
• ZWO Green 2″: 75 × 180″ (3 h 45′)
• ZWO Hα 7 nm 2″: 143 × 600″ (23 h 50′)
• ZWO Luminance 2″: 184 × 180″ (9 h 12′)
• ZWO OIII 7 nm 2″: 139 × 1200″ (46 h 20′)
• ZWO Red 2″: 75 × 180″ (3 h 45′)
