The Cygnus Loop Supernova Remnant (Optolong L-Enhance)
This latest capture from Grand Mesa Observatory’s system 4 (available on our subscriptions from October 1st) using a QHY367C full frame One Shot Color CMOS camera on a Takahashi E-180 F2.8 Astrograph with an Optolong L-Enhance dual-band pass Filter that we are testing for Optolong.
I wanted to compare the performance of the Optolong L-Enhance filter with the Williams Optics STC, the differences between the filters is the L-E is claimed to be capturing H-Alpha, H-Beta and OIII whereas the William Optics STC is claimed to be capturing H-Alpha and OIII
For the capture the seeing conditions were 4 out of 5 under bortle 2 skies, the WO STC was captured on a moonless night but the Optolong capture was captured with a 60% illumination (over half full)
For the comparison I acquired the exact same number and length of exposures, both were pre processed in Pixinsight using dark, bias and flat frames for each filter, no further work was carried out in pixinsight and following the stacking I saved each file as a 16 bit TIF file. I re processed the first capture using the WO STC filter and Post processed in Photoshop side by side with the Optolong filter. First doing linear stretching and balancing in levels followed by identical nonlinear stretching in curves then shadows and highlights, match color. Following this on each image I used Starnet star removal and replaced the stars for this final result.
In conclusion on this particular target I’m seeing that both filters are producing some incredible signal with the QHY367C One Shot Color CMOS camera that are comparable with images captured using monochrome cameras. It is my opinion that the William Optics filter has far more signal in OIII than the Optolong L-E but the stronger H-Alpha and H-Beta signal is obvious with the Optolong L-E.
When the moon wanes I’ll be capturing the Veil once again in Broadband for a further comparison (with only the UV/IR cut filter necessary on my sample of the QHY367C to prevent star bloating).
For comparison in high resolution:
WO STC Version
www.flickr.com/photos/terryhancock/48683636067/in/album-7...Total Acquisition Time 4.08 hours
Image capture details
By Terry Hancock
Location: GrandMesaObservatory.com Purdy Mesa, Colorado
Dates: 7th September 2019
Color 245 min, 49 x 300 sec
Camera: QHY367C
Offset 76, Gain 2850 Calibrated with flat, Dark & Bias
Optics: Takahashi E-180 F2.8 Astrograph
Filter: Optolong L-Enhance Duo-Narrowband
Mount: Paramount GT1100S
Image Acquisition software Maxim DL6.0
Pre Processed using Pixinsight
Post Processed using Photoshop CC
Some of my previous images of The Cygnus Loop
www.flickr.com/photos/terryhancock/albums/72157656480303673About The Cygnus Loop
Containing many components such as The Eastern & Western Veil Nebulae NGC6960, NGC6992, NGC6995, IC1340, Pickerings Triangle, NGC6974 and NGC6979. Cygnus Loop is a supernova remnant, the expanding cloud of diverse elements created in the most powerful of explosions; a supernova.
As a Massive star nears the end of its life, it runs out of hydrogen fuel and begins fusing helium. After exhausting its supply of helium it begins to fuse heavier elements until finally, the star's core can no longer exert enough outward pressure and it collapses. A shock wave rebounds through the star so fierce that the star is shredded and leaves behind a small but extremely dense body; either a neutron star or a black hole.
The progenitor of this supernova remnant exploded more than 5,000 years ago and over the course of the past 5 millennia, the material has been racing away in all directions. The Cygnus loop now occupies a vast region of sky, equal to 36 full moons!
A Supernova seeds the interstellar medium with all types of heavy elements. In fact, every single atom of elements heavier than iron was created in this type of event, including many in your own body.
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