I also intend to test other stacking applications in the very near future as I'm aware DSS is getting on and doesn't deliver the best results anymore. I intend to investigate more thoroughly in future but it's a tricky issue to tackle so I'm content to just dither in the meantime. No darks this time as I'm not too sure about how consistent the temperature of my sensor is despite it's cooling apparatus. Stacking was done in DSS with my usual process: Lights with kappa-sigma clipping + flats + bias. I was able to get through a much more thorough processing workflow for this image, at least compared to what I've done in the past. These objects are located in Sagittarius and near the core of the Milky Way, hence why there are so many stars in the image that seem to cohere into dusty orange objects of their own. While it may seem something of a feat to have 3 messier objects in one image, we are, in fact, in a very busy part of the night sky. It has no relation to the other objects in the image, apart from its relative proximity to them from our perspective, and it's stars are much older than the Trifid nebula itself. All in all, its any easy object for anyone to appreciate its beauty.Īn honorable mention should go to the open star cluster M21 which is visible in the bottom left of the image. Closer examinations progressively pull you further and further in as new details emerge just as appealing as the last. Small pillars and strings of dark nebula serve only to accent its features rather than distract or conceal. The thick walls and ridges of colourful cloud that carve out its border envelop an interior of smooth, gently curving sheets of bright nebulosity. It's large, bright and has it's own open star cluster nestled in the heart of it. The Lagoon nebula, on the other hand, is a true superstar of the night sky. It adds some drama to an object otherwise all too symmetrical and grants it its namesake: 'Trifid', derived from latin 'Trifidus' meaning 'divide into three'. Not just with regard to colour, where the red and blue collide pleasantly, but also in a luminous sense where the filaments of dark nebulosity crack the brightest part of the object like a lightning strike. The Trifid is neither the largest or brightest nebula in the sky but I think it's contrasting features give it a unique visual appeal. The dark vein-like filaments are 'dark nebula' which are simply the silhouettes of clouds of dust. The red area is 'emission nebula' and its light is emitted by hydrogen gas rather than reflected. The blue area is 'reflection nebula' where it's light comes from dust that is illuminated by the stars around it. The Trifid Nebula is known for being a great illustration of the 3 types of nebulae. Read on to learn more about the objects and the processing applied to get the result. I probably would've caught on sooner if the bloody thing just didn't work at all but it seems the minor details of the setup ritual can slip after being away from observatory for a while! All said and done I ended up capturing 1hr of exposures under clear, moonless skies and it was definitely worth it! I'm happy with the final image but I learned so much while processing. Of course, when I was about to chalk it up as broken and head inside, I realised I hadn't plugged my usb hub into the mains! My camera's powered via the hub but it still sorta half works when the hub is only powered by it's usb connection to my laptop. Much of the opportunity was squandered as I burned a couple hours fretting over my camera which refused to fire its shutter consistently. Right: M8 Lagoon Nebula.įor full resolution & technical specs see the astrobin page here.Ĭlear nights have been pretty sparse this winter but the start of the month offered one sandwiched between days of cloud and howling winds. Trifid and Lagoon Nebula astrophoto + workflow and review Left: M20 Trifid Nebula.
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