The Owl Nebula, also known as Messier 97 (M97), is a captivating planetary nebula located in the constellation Ursa Major, approximately 2,030 light-years from Earth. Named for its resemblance to an owl's face, with two dark circular features resembling eyes, M97 is one of the more complex and studied planetary nebulae. This nebula represents the final stages of a star similar in mass to our Sun, which has expelled its outer layers, leaving behind a hot, dense white dwarf at its center.

M97 spans about 3.4 light-years in diameter and is notable for its intricate structure and varying emission lines, which provide insights into the composition and dynamics of the ejected material. The "eyes" of the Owl Nebula are believed to be regions with less dense gas, allowing us to see deeper into the nebula. Observations in various wavelengths, including optical and infrared, have revealed details about the chemical abundances and physical conditions within M97, offering valuable clues about the processes involved in the late evolutionary stages of stars.

The Owl Nebula, also known as Messier 97 (M97, NGC 3587, PN G 148.4+57.0), is a planetary nebula located in Ursa Major.

L-channel - 20 x 300 sec. bin 1x1;R-channel - 14 x 600 sec. bin 1x1;G-channel - 14 x 600 sec. bin 1x1;B-channel - 14 x 600 sec. bin 1x1;OIII- 40 x 900 sec. bin 2x2.Total integration time about 18:40 hours.

My setup: Telescope 8" Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain (SCT) CPC800 GPS (XLT) on the equatorial wedge, focal reducer Starizona 0.75x, Feq.= 1626mm, camera Starlight Xpress Trius SX694, SX mini filter wheel, filters Astrodon LRGB E-series gen.2, Astrodon OIII 3nm.Capture and processing software: MaxIm DL6, PHD2, PixInsight, StarTools, Photoshop CC, Zoner photo studio 14.North at the top.

Copyright: Boris Vladimirovich