Imaging telescopes or lenses: Stellarvue SVX102T-R · Explore Scientific 152 mm Carbon Fiber
Imaging cameras: ZWO ASI1600MM-Cool
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach 1 GTO · Orion Atlas Pro AZ/EQ-G
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Stellarvue 50mm Guidescope · Orion 80mm Short Tube
Guiding cameras: ASI224MC · Starlight Xpress Lodestar x2
Software: Photoshop CC · PHD2 · Sequence Generator Pro · PixInsight
Filters: Astronomik Deep-Sky R · Astrodon Ha 5nm · Astrodon OIII 3nm
Accessory: ZWO 8x 1.25" Filter Wheel (EFW) · QHYCCD PoleMaster · Hotech 2" SCA Self-Centering Field Flattener
Dates:Sept. 22, 2018 , Oct. 9, 2018 , Oct. 31, 2020 , Nov. 2, 2020 , Nov. 8, 2020 , Nov. 24, 2020
Frames:
Astrodon Ha 5nm: 483x120" (gain: 201.00) -20C bin 1x1
Astrodon OIII 3nm: 841x120" (gain: 200.00) -20C bin 1x1
Astrodon OIII 3nm: 571x120" (gain: 201.00) -20C bin 1x1
Astronomik Deep-Sky B: 60x60" (gain: 0.00) -20C bin 1x1
Astronomik Deep-Sky G: 60x60" (gain: 0.00) -20C
Astronomik Deep-Sky R: 60x60" (gain: 0.00) -20C bin 1x1
Astronomik Ha 6nm 1.25'': 816x120" (gain: 200.00) -20C bin 1x1
Integration: 93.4 hours
Darks: ~50
Flats: ~50
Bias: ~250
Avg. Moon age: 12.56 days
Avg. Moon phase: 68.79%
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 8.00
Astrometry.net job: 4040959
RA center: 3h 3' 31"
DEC center: +64° 55' 22"
Pixel scale: 1.106 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 275.536 degrees
Field radius: 0.380 degrees
Resolution: 1654x1841
Locations: Backyard White Zone Observatory, Taylor, MI, Michigan, United States
Data source: Backyard
This was one of the most challenging objects I have processed even with as much integration time I captured from 2018 and this year combined together. It was about on par with my processing of Ou4 back in 2017 and my processing skills are much better than then just a year into deep space astrophotography:
https://www.astrobin.com/315318/
My first attempt at HFG1 was just okay. I was hoping for way better results. I think I have reached my limits with my skies and my aperture. Here was my first attempt back in 2018:
https://www.astrobin.com/371109/
HFG1 was discovered in the Milky Way Emission Line Study in 1982 by Heckathorn, Fesen and Gull (A&A, 114, 414, 1982). It is defined as a type F planetary nebula by Tweedy and Kitter (Astrophys. J Supp Series 107, 255-262, 1996) meaning that is appears to be uniformly filled. Its mag. 14.5 central star is a close, precataclysmic binary, V664 Cas. One report suggests that V664 left a trail at least 20′ long of ~10,000 year old shocked material as it ejected matter and moved through the interstellar medium (ISM).
HFG1 has an interesting structure. It has a narrow rim approx. 14.5′ in diameter surrounding a 9′ diameter central region with an intervening gap. The rim is brightest in the south, suggesting that it interacted with the ISM. The rim is not complete and becomes too faint for our system to detect in the northeast. The core has three bright lobes toward the south and a central opening nearly devoid of emission. As shown in POSS II plates, blue (from OIII) shows more strongly that red (H-a), but still, both are described as faint. There appears to be a gradation from stronger OIII in the southern lobes of the core to stronger Ha toward the north.
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