AAPOD2 Image Archives
Wizard Nebula (Sh2-142)
Image Description and Details : A seasonal classic, the Wizard nebula, in a bicolor HOO version with RGB stars.
The Wizard Nebula, cataloged as Sh2-142 (Sharpless2 142) is a diffuse HII region in the constellation Cepheus associated with the star cluster NGC 7380.
Konus 200/1000 @960mm, f4.8
Qhy168c @-5 °C
Sky-Watcher Eq6r Pro
Optolong L_eXtreme 128x300"
SvBony UV/IR-cut 60x60"
Kstars/ekos, APP, PixInsight, PS
Copyright: Massimo Di Fusco
Double cluster in Puppis (M46 and M47) and their little companion NGC 2438 (with particular)
Image Description and Details :
In the direction of the constellation of the Puppis there is this pair of open clusters cataloged by Charles Messier as M46 and M47. On closer inspection, in the direction of M46 there is a very small planetary nebula cataloged as NGC 2438, the remnant of a stellar explosion that left a white dwarf at its center. NGC 2438 is 2900 light years away from us and has an extension of "just" 4.5 light years.
Scope: Skywatcher ED80 reduced @480mm, f6.0
Camera: Qhy168c @-15°C, gain 10, offset 50, with reducer DELUXE Artesky 0.8x and Optolong L_Pro filter
Guide: finderscope Konus 50/180 and Asi224Mc
Mount: Skywatcher Eq6r Pro
Accessories: Zwo EAF
Management system: Raspberry PI4 with Stellarmate OS remotely controlled with Windows 10
Acquisition software: Kstars/Ekos
Frames: 18x300" calibrated with flat, dark and bias
Stacking and post-production softwares: AstroPixelProcessor, Pixinsight and Photoshop
Location: Ferrara (Italy), Bortle 6, SQM 19,22
Copyright: Massimo Di Fusco
NGC 7814 & SN 2021 RHU - Little Sombrero and its Supernova
Image Description and Details : NGC 7814 is sometimes called the Little Sombrero for its resemblance to the brighter more famous M104, the Sombrero Galaxy. Both Sombrero and Little Sombrero are spiral galaxies seen edge-on, and both have extensive halos and central bulges cut by a thin disk with thinner dust lanes in silhouette. In fact, NGC 7814 is some 40 million light-years away and an estimated 60,000 light-years across. That actually makes the Little Sombrero about the same physical size as its better known namesake, appearing smaller and fainter only because it is farther away. In this view, NGC 7814 is hosting a newly discovered supernova, cataloged as SN 2021rhu, the stellar explosion has been identified as a Type Ia supernova, useful toward calibrating the distance scale of the universe.
Scope: Skywatcher 254/1000 reduced @960mm, f3.8
Camera: QHY8L @-10°C, gain 10, offset 113, with coma corrector Tecnosky 0.95x and Optolong L_pro filter
Guide: Skywatcher 70/500 with Asi120MM and UV/IR-cut filter Svbony
Mount: Skywatcher Eq6r Pro
Accessories: Zwo EAF
Management system: Raspberry PI4 with Stellarmate OS remotely controlled with Windows 10
Acquisition software: Kstars/Ekos
Frames: 144x300" calibrated with flat, dark and bias
Stacking and post-production softwares: AstroPixelProcessor, Pixinsight and Photoshop
Location: Ferrara (Italy), Bortle 6, SQM 19,22
Copyright: Massimo Di Fusco