Astral Imaging at Dogwood Ridge Observatory

Latitude: 37°48'51.0" N"
Longitude:78°23'41.0"W
Scottsville, Virginia 24590

 

 

 

 

   

NGC7293 - The Helix Nebula

Image Information

Quoted from SEDS:

Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding before 1824.

Overlooked by previous astronomers, notably F.W. Herschel, this nebula was discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding in the course of his sky surveys before 1824 (Harding 1824).

The Helix Nebula is one of the closest of all planetary nebulae: Lying at a distance of perhaps 450 light years, it is the only planetary nebula for which a parallax could be obtained by ground-based observations. Nevertheless, its distance is quite uncertain: The first determination by A. Van Maanen yielded about 85 light-years, Becvar (1961) has 590, L. Kohoutek (1962) 280, I.S. Shlovskii (1956) and P.A. Ianna & H.A. McAlister (1974) 160, the Sky Catalogue 2000.0 gives about 300 ly, and C.R. O'Dell (1963) obtains 450 light-years.

It is also one of the apparently largest planetaries known: Its apparent size covers an area of 16 arc minutes diameter, more than half of that of the full moon; it halo extends even further to 28 arc minutes or almost the moon's apparent diameter (These dimensions were taken from Stephen J. Hynes who quotes AAT and ESO photos). Although the nebula is quite bright, its light is spread over this large area so that it is not an easy object for visual observing; the Herschels have apparently never cataloged or observed it.

The popular name Helix Nebula refers to the nebula's appearance on photographs.

 

 

800(68K)  1600 (176K)

Full  (306K) 

 

This image is compiled from 13 - 15 minute R, G, & B images.  A total of 9.75 hours of data was used. All data was acquired using MaxImDl/CCD version 5 using ACP.   Images were reduced, De-Bloomed, Auto Star Aligned, average combined and saved in MaxImDl version 5.  The master images were combined, registered and the color image created. Photoshop CS 3 was used for cleanup of blooms, curves, and  levels.  The image data was collected over September 2-4, 2008.

 

Equipment and Location Information

Date September 2-4, 2008        
Location Dogwood Ridge Observatory
Optics Takahashi FSQ-106
Mount Astro Physics AP1200GTO
Camera SBIG ST10XME
Conditions Temperature middle  60's -  low 70's with very moderate  seeing. Transparency good to moderate.

    
  Last Modified :08/26/08 09:25 PM