THE CRESCENT NEBULA
THE SOAP BUBBLE NEBULA
- Deepspace object LHOO, 1665mm
- Constellation Cygnus

NGC 6888, also known as the "Circle Nebula," "Crescent Nebula," or "Crescent Nebula," is a remarkable astronomical object in the constellation of Cygnus, about 4700 light-years from Earth and spanning 25 light-years. This emission nebula is the product of a fascinating cosmic choreography in which a massive star ejects its outer layers into space at the end of its life cycle. The result is an impressive cloud of luminous gas extending in a striking circular structure.

The luminous nebula is excited to glow by intense radiation from the central Wolf-Rayet star, designated WR 136, causing it to shine in a variety of colors. The star is losing its outer shell due to strong stellar winds - every 10,000 years WR 136 becomes lighter by one solar mass. WR 136 is also a hot candidate for an upcoming enormous supernova, because it burns its nuclear fuel insanely fast. The characteristic red hues come from hydrogen atoms excited by the star's energy, while the brilliant blue indicates the presence of oxygen. The combination of these colors gives the nebula a fascinating and aesthetically pleasing appearance.

The circular shape of the nebula is created by the interaction between the ejected gases of the dying star and the interstellar material in the surrounding area. This leads to the formation of a hollow structure with a luminous disk in the center - a distinctive feature that has earned the nebula its nickname, the "Circle Nebula."



A little off to the left, a small planetary nebula discovered as recently as 2009, the Soap Bubble Nebula. It glows so faintly that you have to invest several hours of exposure time to make it visible. 
The faint colors of the nebula, ranging from soft pinks to shimmering blues to delicate greens, reveal the chemical composition and physical processes taking place in this cosmic bubble. The Bubble Nebula reminds us how stars can eject their last reserves of energy into space, transforming their surroundings into a luminous work of art.



Optics: AG10 CDK F6.7 f=1665mm (AFIL-1 Insight Observatory)
Camera: ZWO ASI6200MM Pro / Filters Astrodon
Mount: SkyWatcher EQ8RH
Obsrver: Alpha Zhang
Lights: 12x LUM, 12x Red, 13x Green, 15x Blue each 180s Bin 1x1
Lights: 14x Red, 13x Green, 14x Blue each 600s Bin 1x1
Lights: 13x LUM each 1800s Bin 1x1
Lights: 62x hA, 104x OIII each 1800s Bin 1x1
Location: Gemini Observatory - Lijiang, China
Date: 2022-05-25 to 2022-11-01

Acquired imageset taken by Insight Observatory (Alpha Zhang), Image Processing - Thomas ArtOfPix Grossschmidt.

Image Processing:
Primarily Pixinsight, Photoshop, Lightroom, GraXpert, BTX Blur Terminator, Noise Terminator, Star X Terminator.