CTA1 - a magnificent Supernova Remnant
Back home, this target is a tough one and I like a challenge. Based on Caltech first catalog (so the name of it CTA), this object named CTA1 looks like ... well … an hybrid between Alien (movie) and one of icons of Horizon Dawn Zero (I have a picture of Alloy at my place … such a great video game (so what ?? I’m fifty and I’m playing video game …)). It was supposed to be one of many nights to get more details … but unfortunately skies have been rough and I didn’t want to post before multiple nights shootings … but I only got one night and I’m finally posting it because I feel I will have to wait a long time for the next slot.
CTB1 - Finally …
I've been patient ... I have this supernova remnant in my mind for a very long time. I knew I needed to step up my game and skills to get it, especially for the blue-green part of it (Oxygen 3 gases). I also knew that despite my fast setup, I would have needed multiple nights to catch the best of it. Here's CTB1.
The story of Dragon : Okay, then not, then okay again ? Long story …
The Flying Dragon Nebula … 4 hours of shooting with a good clear sky
Finally a clear sky, but a lot of noises 2nd Part
Pacman Nebula with a lot of noises (flashlights, car lights, bus lights … but not a bit of auroras, weird night …)
Finally a clear sky, but a lot of noises
Tulip Nebula with a lot of noises (flashlights, car lights, bus lights … and a bit of auroras …)
Many failures on this object … CTB1
I started this blog a year ago, and I stated that I will publish the good and the bad. That’s a “failures” blog today. Skies were not nice with me these last months but I thought I could try something
Let’s chase the Bubble
Nights are now very short. I get a dark sky around 1AM and dawn is coming up at 3AM … That night was a chance to catch better SIIOIII lights from IC1805, just in case … But no, guiding was awful, so I targeted Bubble Nebula instead.
An amazing adventure and some lessons …
I tried so hard on this Heart Nebula. My last chance was to go back to the Hyperstar. I’d never let me down, but this night has been so epic.
New strategy … let’s go back to hyper fast
New Plan for IC 1805 Heart Nebula : let’s get back the Hyperstar. I tried the Hyperstar on Laguna Nebula, Eagle Nebula and Eastern Veil Nebula (this picture is Eastern Veil Nebula, also named C33 or also NGC 6992)
Helix Nebula
I’m back in Sardegna, my second home …Last time I was there, I caught a glimpse of Laguna Nebula. This time I have the Hyperstar and I really aim for shooting a lot … but I forgot how stubborn this island is.
Laguna Nebula, third try.
Always a special feeling with this nebula. It is currently my first shot with my Hyperstar lens. I started astrophotography with my APN Canon EOS 550D attached to the Schmidt-Cassegrain C9 on this object. When I got the Hyperstar from Starizona, it was a slap in my face getting these details.
Laguna Nebula, second try.
I got the reducer 0,67 attached, the ZWO 183MC Pro … and I was wondering if I got the right object. Clearly, the reducer helped to get a lot of light, faster a bit, but the colors felt wrong … the core is full of details, so I was okay about this at least. It was about 40 shots of 20s, camera cooled at 10 degrees C, and I made an effort to get flats/darks and biases shots. It was on July before I burnt my credit card on the Hyperstar. Stars are round, black seemed black to me … yeah, overall it was a big effort, getting all the setup C9+AltAz mount+ Equatorial Wedge + Reducer + Cooled Camera (44kg of setup)
Equatorial Wedge
This picture shows two new things I added up. But this post is about the equatorial wedge and my attempt to compensate the earth rotation for my astrophotography shots. You can see the tripod and on top the wedge and the AltAz mount.
Great Orion also named Messier 42
This picture is important to me. That’s my first shot I’m kind of proud of. Messier 42 is a winter nebula but March was a good month to catch it.
Laguna Nebula, first shot
I have a special feeling about this nebula. First, it’s because it was my first shot with my Schmidt-Cassegrain and my APN Canon on September 2021, when I was in Sardegna. The result is what it is, but getting the red spot was a thrilling moment