M27, the Dumbbell Nebula |
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| M27 is one of the planetary nebulae that don't
require a long-focal length scope to shoot well. Nevertheless,
for objects like this a long focal length is still desirable. M27 lies in Vulpecula, a little "fox" of a nebula giving chase to Cygnus. It is one of the largest and brightest planetary nebulae visible, and shows well even from my backyard. Its apple-core shape shows distincly through an 8" telescope. It owes its brightness mainly to its relative proximity to our location. This image was taken from a telescope that I am renting from an individual at New Mexico Skies. |
| Constellation: Cygnus |
| When Visible: July - November |
| Distance: 1,250 Light-years |
| Date: July 2009 |
| Location: New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, NM |
| Exposure Details: H-Alpha: 18 x 20 Minutes Binned 1x1 R: 6 x 15 Minutes binned 1x1 G: 6 x 15 Minutes binned 1x1 B: 6 x 15 Minutes binned 1x1 |
| Equipment used: RCOS 10" on a Paramount ME. SBIG ST-10XME with 5-position filter wheel and Astrodon HaLRGB filters. AO-8 adaptive optics unit. Guided using the camera's built-in guide chip and AO-8 unit. |
| Acquisition Software : MaximDL, TheSky6, ACP |
| Processing Software: MaximDL, Photoshop CS, IrFanView |
| A prior version of this nebula can be seen here. This was shot with a Takahashi Mewlon 210 on a Takahashi EM200 Temma-2 mount. Camera was an SBIG ST-8XE with Astrodon LRGB filters. RGB data was acquired in Highland County, Ohio. Luminance data was acquired in West Chester, Ohio. |