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Clash of the Cosmos: 34h of NGC 6188 - The Dragons of Ara - a tale of Gas and Stardust

HQ version: https://www.astrobin.com/13383s/
All my socials: https://linktr.ee/deepskyjourney



Guided by the haunting melodies of Nightwish, I extended my integration time by an extra 28 hours (from my original 6h capture), unveiling the vibrant soul of NGC 6188 through a new colour scheme. This dedication allowed me to explore deeper into the heart of this vibrant region, capturing its essence with every frame.

Venturing deep into the heart of the cosmos, I embarked on a celestial quest to capture the majestic NGC 6188 and its mystical companions, NGC 6164/6165, also known as the Dragon’s Egg. In a realm where stars are born from chaos, I witnessed a cosmic spectacle that evokes the fierce beauty of mythical dragons locked in eternal combat.

With my trusted RedCat 51 telescope and the keen eye of my ASI2600MM Pro camera, I traversed the star-studded expanse from May 12th to 21st, 2024. The Dragons of Ara, guardians of stellar nurseries, revealed themselves in vivid hues and dramatic dust lanes, telling a story of creation and destruction amidst the void.


The Quest

Telescope: RedCat 51 II
Camera: ASI2600MM Pro
Mount: NEQ6-Pro
Dates: May 12 - 21, 2024

The Treasure
Frames:

Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 36 mm: 132×300″ (11h) (gain: 100.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 36 mm: 100×300″ (8h 20′) (gain: 100.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia 3nm Narrowband Sulfur II 36 mm: 144×300″ (12h) (gain: 100.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Baader Blue (CMOS-Optimized) 36 mm: 60×60″ (1h) (gain: 100.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Baader Green (CMOS-Optimized) 36 mm: 60×60″ (1h) (gain: 100.00) -10°C bin 1×1
Baader Red (CMOS-Optimized) 36 mm: 60×60″ (1h) (gain: 100.00) -10°C bin 1×1

Integration Time: 34h 20′

Join the Journey
Behold the Dragons of Ara in all their glory, where star-forming activities burst forth in dazzling colours and dramatic shapes. These cosmic dragons, protectors of stellar nurseries, invite you to marvel at their grandeur and the breath-taking spectacle they create.

Join me in this astronomical adventure and witness the guardians of the stars as they blaze a trail through the night sky. Let us delve into this tale of cosmic wonder, where the legends of old meet the discoveries of today.

Sh2-54 is an extended bright nebula in the constellation of Serpens.
In its core there are many protostars and many infrared sources; some of these sources, like IRAS 18151−1208, are most probably very young high-mass stars. The older star population in this region has an average age of 4-5 million years, and its components are grouped in the open cluster NGC 6604.
Click on above to enlarge.

Full info & higher resolution @ https://www.kinchastro.com/sh2-54-and-ngc-6604.html

Eagle Nebula with Pillars of Creation Take from Cherry Springs State Park Pa. on 30 and 31 May.
Edge 8 Telescope
ZWO ASI 294 mm
guided with ZWO ASI 120mm
Processed with pixinsight and Photoshop
70 x 3 min lum
20 x 3 min r, g, b
20 flats
10 darks

Gem Cluster NGC 3293 by Blake Estes, on Flickr

This is a new favorite of mine to image. Normally there is H-alpha data blended into the images of this dso, but it gets rid of all of the other subtle colours in and around the nebula. This is a collaboration between Christian Sasse and I. Equipment specs are below.

Camera: ZWO ASI 6200MM
Filters: Astrodon RGB
Mount: Software Bisque Paramount ME
Telescope: Planewave CDK17
Exposure: 4 hours (39x120sec per filter)
Processing: Pixinsight, Lightroom, Aurora HDR

Narrowband NGC 3293 - The Gem Cluster
http://www.rolfolsenastrophotography.com
Copyright: Rolf Wahl Olsen Link to full resolution image: https://www.rolfolsenastrophotography.c ... -7sfjkps/A

NGC 3293, often referred to as the Gem Cluster, is a spectacular bright open star cluster located in the constellation of Carina. In this narrowband bicolour image the delicate nebulosity across the entire background really stands out. It is one of the Southern Sky's finest binocular objects and consists of nearly one hundred stars huddled together in a tight group, with a contrasting bright red supergiant near it's centre - similar in appearance to Kappa Crucis in the Jewel Box Cluster. Floating against a colourful backdrop of Milky Way stars and red Hydrogen emission, the cluster is also surrounded by a delicate faint blue haze visible in broadband images. The cluster was discovered by Abbé Nicolas Louis de La Caille in 1752 during his expedition to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

Image details:
Date: April - May 2022
Exposure: H-Alpha OIII: 405:540 mins, total 15 hours 45 mins @ -25C
Telescope: Homebuilt 12.5" f/4 Serrurier Truss Newtonian
Camera: QSI 683wsg with Lodestar guider
Filters: Astrodon 3nm Ha OIII
Taken from my observatory in Auckland, New Zealand

Deep Image of the Topsy-Turvy Galaxy, NCG 1313
http://www.rolfolsenastrophotography.com
Copyright: Rolf Wahl Olsen Link to full details and hi-res image: https://www.rolfolsenastrophotography.c ... /i-FCZvgbS

This deep image shows the intriguing Topsy-Turvy Galaxy (NGC 1313), a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Reticulum, approximately 14 million light-years away. The image consists of over 30 hours of data, including several hours of narrowband H-Alpha and OIII components to bring out the colourful arm structures.
The galaxy's apt nickname refers to its unusual chaotic appearance, characterized by asymmetrical spiral arms and tidal disruption. NGC 1313 is a relatively small galaxy compared to the Milky Way, with a diameter of about 50,000 light-years, and it appears somewhat similar to the Milky Way's smaller companions, the Magellanic Clouds.
One of the most interesting features of NGC 1313 is its high rate of star formation, particularly in regions where the spiral arms intersect the central bar. These areas, known as star-forming regions or HII regions, are characterized by intense radiation from young, massive stars. The irregular structure and high rate of star formation suggests past interactions or mergers with other galaxies, contributing to its dynamic appearance. But paradoxically NGC 1313 appears to be an isolated galaxy without any nearby neighbours or evidence of past mergers. The origin of its chaotic appearance therefore remains unclear.

Image details:
Date: Jan-Feb 2024
Exposure: L R G B Ha OIII: 945:180:175:175:135:210 mins, total 30 hours 20 mins @ -25C
Telescope: Homebuilt 12.5" f/4 Serrurier Truss Newtonian
Camera: QSI 683wsg with Lodestar guider
Filters: Astrodon LRGB E-Series Gen 2, Astrodon 3nm Ha & OIII
Taken from my observatory in Auckland, New Zealand

IC 4603 - The Turbulent Heart of the Scorpion
http://www.rolfolsenastrophotography.com
Copyright: Rolf Wahl Olsen Link to full image details and hi-res version: https://www.rolfolsenastrophotography.c ... /i-sn6sPbP

This image is an updated version of my 2014 APOD and shows the core region of the Rho Ophiuchi Complex, centered around the prominent blue reflection nebula IC 4603. This is one of the nearest star forming regions and the intricacies of the dense interstellar dust clouds in the area provide a spectacular display of light and shade; the contrasting hues making this one of the most dramatic and colourful patches of the entire night sky. The area exhibits a range of colors due to different processes happening in its various regions. Reflection nebulae, for example, scatter the light of nearby stars, mostly producing a blue glow. Emission nebulae, on the other hand, emit their own light, often in shades of red.

Even the brightest parts of this dusty nebulousity is barely noticeable when viewed through large amateur telescopes. This deep exposure brings out the full splendour of the scene and shows the delicately swirling clouds like an expressionist painting on a giant interstellar canvas.

The bright star near the centre is 7.9 magnitude SAO184376 which is the main source of light for the blue reflection nebula. The contrasting red and yellow areas are primarily illuminated by the red supergiant star Antares, which lies just outside the field of view.
Antares has been referred to as the heart of the scorpion since antiquity, and we now know that it is one of the largest stars in existence.

The dense nebulousity blocks the usual sprawling star fields that are normally seen near the galactic plane. Instead the area is littered with dim reddish young T Tauri stars. Such stars are among the youngest visible stars with masses comparable to our Sun. Because they have only recently condensed out of the surrounding molecular clouds their core temperatures are not yet high enough for hydrogen fusion. Instead they are powered by heat released from gravitational contraction, which lasts until the star reaches a density where the fusion process ignites. For these stars this initial stage of stellar evolution takes approximately 100 million years. In contrast, the process is much faster for blue giant stars which evolve and burn their hydrogen at a furious pace before exploding as brilliant supernovae.

Image details:
Date: May - June 2023
Exposure: LRGB 723:195:175:180 mins, total 21hrs 13mins @ -25C
Telescope: 12.5" f/4 Homebuilt Serrurier Truss Newtonian
Camera: QSI 683wsg with Lodestar guider
Filters: Astrodon LRGB E-Series Gen 2
Taken from my observatory in Auckland, New Zealand

Milky Way with Villarrica Volcano in Chile.
Copyright: Marcelo Maturana Rodríguez (@matuutex)
Location: Pucón, Aracania Region, Chile
Date: 13 May 2024
Instagram: @matuutex
Nikon d5600, Tokina lens 14/20mm (14mm) f2 iso 1600 15 segs
180 degrees panorama (18 photos)

This capture was made in the Villarrica national park, 10 km from the city of Pucón, in the ninth region in the south of Chile, the actively erupting volcano named Villarrica or in the native peoples Ruka Pillán, or house of the pillán (spirit ), is a stratovolcano of 2947 meters above sea level. high, adjacent to lakes Villarrica and Calafquén, it is one of the most active in South America and has an almost perfect conical shape.

In the photograph we can see the Magellanic clouds aligned with the active eruption of the Rukapillan volcano (Villarica) where its incandescence welcomes the constellations, we can also appreciate the green airglow present in the scene along with the arc of the Milky Way.

Milky Way with Villarrica Volcano in Chile. by Marcelo Maturana, en Flickr

The Large Magellanic Cloud and its dusty surroundings



The Large Magellanic Cloud and its dusty surroundings by .zombi., on Flickr

Imaging telescopes: Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC
Imaging cameras: Canon EOS 6D (modified)
Mounts: Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi
Software: PixInsight Ripley · Adobe Photoshop

Frames: 44×120″ (1h 28′) ISO1600 f/2.4

Photographic technique: DSLR/RGB

Integration: 1h 28′
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 1/2

Location: RPA - Blesfontein Guest Farm
Dates: April 18, 2023

Description:
Picture taken in April during an astrophotography safari in South Africa.

Image Credit & Copyright: Przemysław Ząbczyk

Links:
http://www.astrobin.com/users/zombi/
https://www.astropolis.pl/tags/zombi/

Taken over three days without clouds, Northern Lights and almost no moon from my Bortle 2 backyard in Sheldrake, QC, Canada, WR-134 is here processed with a Foraxx HOO palette. This is the first piece of a large mosaic I hope to finish by September (not sure about which year...)

Equipment: Celestron C11XLT+ HyperstarV4, Camera Zwo ASI2600MC, Mount Celestron CGX-L, Filter Antlia ALT-P HaOIII
Total Acquisition time: 5h50min (70x300)
Software: Pixinsight, Blurx, GraXpert, DXO Photolab



Image Credit and copyright: Ben de Mulder

NGC 2359 - The Helmet Thor never really wore


NGC 2359 - The Helmet Thor never really wore by Ali Alobaidly, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/537 ... 75b6_o.jpg

Description:
NGC 2359, famously known as Thor's Helmet Nebula, a celestial masterpiece that resides approximately 15,000 light-years away in the constellation Canis Major. This cosmic gem, imaged with narrowband techniques, showcases the intricate dance of elements and forces that shape our universe. The nebula earned its dramatic moniker due to its striking resemblance to the legendary helmet worn by the Norse god of thunder, Thor, in modern artistic renditions. Though in mythology Thor never wore a winged helmet, it became synonymous with his name. However, beyond its mythical association, the nebula is a real-life spectacle of astrophysical wonders.

At its heart lies a Wolf-Rayet star, WR7, an extremely massive and hot star that expels its outer layers in a stellar wind, creating the breathtaking bubble-like structure we observe. The expelled material forms the nebula's intricate filaments and dynamic appearance. The intense radiation emitted by WR7 interacts with the surrounding interstellar medium, illuminating the nebula's features in a stunning display of cosmic artistry. The vibrant hues of red and blue in the image represent ionized hydrogen and oxygen, providing valuable insights into the elemental composition and temperature of the nebula.

Equipment:
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 9.25" with 0.7 reducer
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro

Filters:
Chroma LRGB 36 mm
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 36 mm ·
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 36 mm


Acquisition details
Dates: Jan. 17 - 18, 2024

Frames:
Chroma Blue 36 mm: 20×30″(10′)
Chroma Green 36 mm: 20×30″(10′)
Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 36 mm: 46×300″(3h 50′)
Chroma OIII 3nm Bandpass 36 mm: 72×300″(6h)
Chroma Red 36 mm: 20×30″(10′)

Integration: 10h 20′
Avg. Moon age: 7.20 days
Avg. Moon phase: 48.08%

Locations: Al Salmy Desert, Al Jahra Governorate, Kuwait

Thank you for taking the time to consider my image,

Clear Skies,

Ali.

______________________________________________________
My Socials:

Email: astrapharmaq8@gmail.com
Website: https://astrapharmaq8.com/
Instagram: @astrapharma_q8

M16 - Eagle Nebula...A widefield image.
A mixed palette image using HST & Foraxx palettes......just to be different!
Click on above to enlarge.

Full info and higher resolution @ https://www.kinchastro.com/ngc-6611m-16 ... field.html

LDN 1251
Full version : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/vDbJ6Pj ... TZ0INm.jpg

The dark nebula LDN 1251 is an active star-forming region around 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus, part of a much larger cloud of gas and dust.
Much more distant galaxies also lurk in the nebula's background.

TEC140 (f/7) - EM200 Tema 2 - ASI6200MM
L : 322 x 120s
R : 32 x 120s
B : 32x 120s
G : 32 x 120s
Total : 13h56
23/09 - 14/10/2023 - Corsica (France)
Pixinsight & PS

Copyright: Team OURANOS (Jean-Baptiste Auroux, Jean Claude Mario, Mathieu Guinot & Matthieu Tequi).
https://team-ouranos.fr/
https://www.astrobin.com/users/Team_OURANOS/

The Belt of Venus at Prim Point PEI.

As the sun sets on a clear crisp day, a watercolour pink band of light can be seen rising in the east, opposite the setting sun. The "belt" belongs to the goddess Aphrodite and is not named after the planet Venus. This atmospheric phenomenon is caused by scattering light from the sun which has passed below the visible horizon. Below the pink band the shadow of the earth rises, slowly sending us into night.

The belt of Venus is seen here with the historic Point Prim Lighthouse on Prince Edward Island. The first and oldest lighthouse on the island, it is so far out in the ocean that the light circles a full 360 degrees, warning the ships and guiding them safely into Charlottetown harbour.

Shot June 6th 2024
Nikon Z6ii Laowa 15mm lens

Belt of Venus over Prim Point by Andrea Girones, on Flickr

Rho Ophiucci Molecular Complex

Author: Fermin Jiménez Najar
Best quality in the link
https://astro.najar.ca/en/gallery-en/de ... plex-v5-en

This image was taken in 2 nights from Ahualulco del Mercado, Jalisco, Mexico.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CzyCdXsW4748TuXG6

June from 5th to 6th, 2024
8 hours 55 min exposure,

Technical Data
Gain: 0 Offset: 50 Temp. Sensor: -10 C
Exposure: 107 shots x 5 min (8 h. 55 min)
Aperture: f/2.0
Camera: ZWO ASI 2600 MC PRO
Lens: Samyang 135 mm
Mount: Celestron AVX
Ahualulco del Mercado, Jalisco, Mexico
https://astro.najar.ca/images/astrofoto ... w_apod.jpg

M101 or the Pinwheel galaxy is a face on spiral galaxy that's about 21 Million light years distant. It's about twice the diameter of our Milky way galaxy. A popular target for amateur astrophotographers, it looks an easy target, but the very large dynamic range, from bright blue massive stars and star formation areas to faint wispy arms make this more of a challenge. As with many deep sky galactic images, my favorite part is looking at the hundreds of background galaxies some of which are hundreds of millions of light years away if not billions.
Tech stuff:
Location Animas, NM, USA
Telescope. Planewave CDK14
Mount Astro-Physics 1600 GTO AE
Camera QHY 600
LRGB Image ( Ha would not register )
Lum 124 x3 min
Red 34 x5 min
Green 24 x5 min
Blue 24 x5min
All unguided
Processed in Pixinsight and tweaked in Photoshop

A Space Bubble!

Also known as NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula is an emission nebula located in the constellation Cassiopeia and approximately 1 1,000 light-years from Earth. The Bubble Nebula looks like a gigantic soap bubble. Hence its quirky nickname.

The outer shell is the result of a powerful flow of gas - known as a stellar wind - from the bright star visible just to the right of centre in this image. The star, SAO 20575, is between 10 and 20 times the mass of the Sun.

Equipment:

Telescope: Celestron Edge HD 8"
Mount : Zwo AM5
Camera: Zwo 294mm Pro
Filters: Astronomik SHO
Integration: 20 hrs.
Full details on my Astrobin : https://www.astrobin.com/f865gp/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/p/C7_8_HqMZNz/

AstroDarks

A Moon over the Hut

A full moon rising behind the Luigi Brioschi Hut on top of Mount Grigna Settentrionale (2,410m Lombardy, Italy). Built in 1985 as a mountain hut and meteorological observatory, the hut was destroyed by Nazi-Fascists at the end of World War II and rebuilt shortly afterwards thanks to a subscription from the citizens of Milan and members of the local Italian Alpine Club. Its isolated position allows the visitors a wide view of the Alps, stretching all the way to the Apennines.
The photo was taken with a telephoto lens with teleconverters from the summit of Mount San Primo (1666 m) 13 km far.



https://www.instagram.com/azonzoperlemontagne/

My name is Ali Al Obaidly

This is my submission for APOD, captured in Al Salmy, kuwait.

Links to the Image: https://flic.kr/p/2pWEKQ3


The Trifid Nebula - When in doubt, mix it all up by Ali Alobaidly, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/537 ... 8bfe_o.jpg

Description:
The Trifid Nebula, also known as M20 or NGC 6514, is a beautiful and complex interstellar cloud located in the constellation Sagittarius. It is approximately 5,200 light years away from Earth and spans an area of about 40 light years in diameter.

The nebula is composed of a mix of gas and dust, with pink emission nebulae representing ionized hydrogen gas excited by hot, young stars and blue reflection nebulae reflecting the light of these same stars. The dark regions in the middle of the nebula are dust lanes that absorb light and make it difficult to see deeper into the cloud.

The Trifid Nebula is like the cosmic version of a poorly made tricolor sandwich. Imagine a chef in space who couldn't decide whether to make a PB&J, a cucumber tea sandwich, or a chocolate spread delight. So, they just slapped all three together, and voila! You get the Trifid Nebula: a cosmic snack that’s part red (emission nebula), part blue (reflection nebula), and part dark (dark nebula).

Next time you look at it through a telescope, think of it as the universe's way of saying, "When in doubt, mix it all up!"

Acquisition details:
Gain 100 (Session 1) - Gain 0 (Session 2) - Sensor temperature (0°C)
Dates: June 16, 2023 · June 23, 2023

Frames:
Chroma Blue 36 mm: 20×180″(1h)
Chroma Green 36 mm: 20×180″(1h)
Chroma Lum 36 mm: 60×180″(3h)
Chroma Red 36 mm: 20×180″(1h)
Total Integration: 6h
Avg. Moon age: 16.38 days
Avg. Moon phase: 13.57%

Equipment:
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 9.25"
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
Mounts: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro + Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro

Filters:
-Chroma Blue 36 mm
-Chroma Green 36 mm
-Chroma Luminance 36 mm ·
Chroma Red 36 mm

Accessories:
-Celestron 0.7X Reducer
-ZWO EFW 7 x 36mm

Window to the Universe

https://www.instagram.com/max.nti/

Copyright: Max Inwood

Date: 3 June 2024
Location: Lake Pukaki, New Zealand

While out shooting the sky a few nights ago, i decided to try photographing a mirror that somehow found its way into my car. The Southern Cross (Crux) and Carina region was directly overhead, so i lined them up in the reflection and captured this image.

This is an authentic image, focus stacked from two 10 second exposures. The fast aperture meant it was impossible to focus the stars and foreground simultaneously.

Higher resolution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/199702830 ... ateposted/
Annotated: https://www.flickr.com/photos/199702830 ... otostream/

Looks like a pencil drawing - where one might shelter under the rocks. But Williamina Fleming saw it differently. (Some will know exactly where this is!)
Click on above to enlarge.


Actually a "negative" image - 2½ hours of OIII data.

Moon, Seven Sisters, Jupiter and Mercury Conjunction.

Picture taken in South Africa's Waterberg/Limpopo region near Bela Bela in a morning of 5th June 2024. It was a great ending of a very beautiful astronomy night under the southern sky.
Credit: Ireneusz Nowak

Author Astrobin link: https://www.astrobin.com/users/iro/

Trifid Nebula by Blake Estes, on Flickr

Equipment used:
Paramount ME
PlaneWave CDK 17
ZWO6200MM
Astrodon Filters
Red: 6x120s
Green: 6x120s
Blue: 6x120s

My name is Ali Al Obaidly

This is my submission for APOD, captured in Al Salmy, kuwait.

Links to the Image:

Flicker: https://flic.kr/p/2pX56XF
Astrobin: https://astrob.in/s8r1qg/0/


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/537 ... 9241_o.jpg
Rho Ophiuchi - A phoenix from the ashes! by Ali Alobaidly, on Flickr

Description:
The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, nestled about 460 light-years away in the constellation Ophiuchus, is an astrophotographer's dream. This vibrant nebula, a stunning mix of blues, oranges, and dark browns, is one of the closest star-forming regions to Earth. Its captivating beauty stems from a blend of reflection, emission, and dark nebulae, showcasing the birthplace of new stars. The cloud's ethereal glow and intricate dust lanes make it a tantalizing subject, promising both a visual feast and a scientific treasure trove for those aiming to capture the cosmic nursery where stellar dreams are born. Imaginatively, the nebula resembles a celestial phoenix with outstretched wings, its vibrant plumage glowing as it rises from a dark cosmic sea, embodying the cycle of stellar rebirth and transformation.

Technical Information:

Dates: April 18, 2023
Frames: 87×120″(2h 54′) f/2.8
Integration: 2h 54′


Equipment:

Lens: Rokinon 135mm f/2.0 ED UMC
Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
Mount: ZWO AM5
Accessories: ZWO ASIAIR Plus · ZWO EAF


______________________________________________________
My Socials:

Email: astrapharmaq8@gmail.com
Website: https://astrapharmaq8.com/
Instagram: @astrapharma_q8