License: CC0
Original Size: 3000 × 2000 pixels
Description: NGC 7293 / C 63 / The Helix Nebula
The Helix Nebula is a planetary nebula located about 650 light years away. This beautiful object demonstrates the inescapable death of a star as it expels its atmosphere into space at the end of its life. The exposed core of the dying star can be seen in the nebula’s center, ionizing the surrounding shell with powerful ultraviolet radiation. The blue-green color comes from doubly ionized oxygen and the red from ionized hydrogen. Inevitably, our Sun will suffer a similar fate in a few billion years.
I’m finally back with another deep-sky astrophoto. The data for this image has been sitting in the archives since 2020, I just never had the time and energy to focus on it until now. My image processing skills (and the tools in PixInsight) have improved dramatically over the last 4 years, so it was worth waiting!
Total integration: 22 hours 45 minutes (1365 minutes from 884 subs) 2019/08/25: 106 x 60 seconds ISO800 [Bortle 6] 2019/08/29: 116 x 60 seconds ISO800 [Bortle 6] 2019/08/30: 111 x 60 seconds ISO800 [Bortle 6] 2019/08/31: 135 x 60 seconds ISO800 [Bortle 6] 2019/09/04: 87 x 60 seconds ISO800 [Bortle 6] 2019/10/03: 42 x 120 seconds ISO400 [Bortle 6] 2019/10/04: 110 x 120 seconds ISO400 [Bortle 6] 2019/10/24: 60 x 120 seconds ISO400 [Bortle 6] 2019/10/28: 79 x 120 seconds ISO400 [Bortle 6] 2020/10/14: 38 x 360 seconds ISO1600 [Bortle 4.5]
Location: Charlottesville, VA and Simeon, VA SQM: 19.22 mag/arcsec^2 and 20.38 mag/arcsec^2 (Bortle 6 and Bortle 4.5) Camera: Canon T3i (stock/unmodified) Telescope: Explore Scientific ED80 f/6.0 Apochromatic Refractor (with ES field flattener) Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G Guide scope: Svbony 50mm f/4.0 Guide Scope Guide camera: Orion StarShoot AutoGuider Capture software: N.I.N.A., ASTAP, PHD2
Processing software: PixInsight