Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cepheus (Cep)  ·  Contains:  HD215588  ·  HD215605  ·  HD215806  ·  HD215835  ·  HD215907  ·  HD216248  ·  HD216411  ·  HD216448  ·  HD216533  ·  HD216712  ·  HD240047  ·  HD240068  ·  LBN 506  ·  LBN 511  ·  LBN 513  ·  LBN 516  ·  NGC 7380  ·  PK107-00.1  ·  Sh2-142  ·  Sh2-143  ·  Sh2-147  ·  Sh2-148  ·  Sh2-149
Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
Wizard nebula,  NGC 7380, Duane Melvin
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Wizard nebula, NGC 7380

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
Wizard nebula,  NGC 7380, Duane Melvin
Powered byPixInsight

Wizard nebula, NGC 7380

Equipment

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Acquisition details

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Description

EXPOSURES:           600-Second subs   18 of them   3 hours open shutter in Bortle 6 sky   10-23-2022

FILTER:                     Antlia 3nm 2-inch diameter Ha filter in single Starizona magnetic tray

CAMERA:                 QHY 294 M Pro  4/3 sensor  12 bits  2.3u pixels  46MP mode     gain = 400

CALIBRATION:        10 Darks  -18 degrees Centigrade

MAIN SCOPE:          Esprit 100ED triplet refractor 100mm aperture F/5.5 on EQ6R PRO mount

GUIDESCOPE:          Orion short refractor 80mm x 300mm doublet & Starshoot TM camera ST4 direct

SCOPE HEAT:          SVBony wrap heaters

SOFTWARE:             PHD, APT Capture, Pixinsight, StarXterminator, Photoshop, StarSpikes4, Lightroom
REGISTRATION:      Deep Sky
STACKING:               Deep sky

NCP ALIGNMENT:      The amazing Polemaster RA axis camera system          This sees Polaris before I do.


NGC 7380 is a young open cluster of stars in the northern circumpolar constellation of Cepheus, discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1787. The surrounding emission nebulosity is known colloquially as the Wizard Nebula, which spans an angle of 25′.  Emitting photons 8500 Light Years from our sun and 20 light-years in width,  the very photons hitting my 4/3 camera sensor began the trip toward Earth many years before the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza was even a first thought in the human mind. 

it is a relatively dim object and extremely difficult to observe visually, usually requiring very dark skies and perhaps the use of an O-III filter.  The pinpoint stars in my rendition are made possible by the tiny error of + - 0.2-pixel guiding (or approximately 1u error) thanks to the EQ6 R PRO  mount accuracy.  Further clarity occurs with an unlocked mode feature within the CCD QHY294M Pro camera which allows pixels normally operating in sets of 4 to be divided up into single pixels of 2.3u.  The brightness available in this photo is possible due only to the ability to shoot 10-minute long subs with no fear of star streaking - all due to the guide performance achieved.  Clear Skies and thanks for looking!

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Wizard nebula,  NGC 7380, Duane Melvin