Chris Jensen
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brisbaneastro.bsky.social
Chris Jensen
@brisbaneastro.bsky.social
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Astrophotographer imaging from my backyard in Brisbane, Australia. Selected prints available https://displate.com/brisbane_astro?art=6687b3b5a08c5&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAab0_m41kUz2FGEnlQtBsEPuA-7aGcTJbVisEOe2LxFnZCOMSHBs3elSeMI_aem_hP9STM5kdcA7LtEWj5JL
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brisbaneastro.bsky.social
Chris Jensen @brisbaneastro.bsky.social · Dec 24
My current rig. Edge HD8 with ASI1600MM Pro and ZWO LRGB, Sii, Ha and Oiii filters. Eagle 5S PC and a William Optics Z61 with ASI533MC Pro and Antlia Quad Band filter. Allows me to image in wide field and close in on the same rig. Scope are not quite aligned yet to do both at the same time.
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
Moon pics everywhere
November 6, 2025 at 6:54 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
NGC288 is a globular cluster located roughly 28,700 light-years away. Compared to denser globulars like 47 Tucanae, NGC 288’s lower stellar density reveals internal structure and sparse halo, making it an excellent target for small-to-medium telescopes. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
NGC 288 — Globular Cluster in Sculptor NGC 288 is an ancient globular cluster located roughly 28,700 light-years away in the constellation Sculptor. With an age of around 12 billion years, this loose and sparsely concentrated cluster contains hundreds of thousands of stars bound together by gravity, orbiting the Milky Way’s halo. Compared to denser globulars like 47 Tucanae, NGC 288’s lower stellar density reveals its delicate internal structure and sparse halo, making it an excellent target for small-to-medium telescopes. Imaging details Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8" Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Filter: UV/IR cut Exposure: 87 × 180 s subs Integration time: 4 hours 21 minutes Captured under Bortle 6 skies near Brisbane.
November 5, 2025 at 10:53 PM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
NGC 1261 is an ancient globular cluster lying around 53,000 ly from Earth. Containing hundreds of thousands of stars bound tightly by gravity, this cluster is part of the Milky Way’s outer halo, a relic from the early epochs of galactic formation. #astrophotography
@kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
NGC 1261 — Ancient Stars in Horologium NGC 1261 is a dense globular cluster located roughly 53,000 light-years away in the southern constellation Horologium. Containing hundreds of thousands of ancient, metal-poor stars, it belongs to the Milky Way’s outer halo — a population of clusters thought to have formed during the early assembly of our Galaxy more than 10 billion years ago. The cluster spans about 50 light-years and exhibits a prominent core rich in evolved red giants and horizontal-branch stars. These low-mass, hydrogen-depleted remnants trace some of the oldest stellar populations still visible today, offering a glimpse into conditions in the early universe. Imaging details • Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8" • Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro • Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro • Filter: UV/IR Cut • Exposure: 87 × 180 s (4 h 21 m total) • Processing: PixInsight
November 5, 2025 at 10:22 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
First clear skies in three weeks and its a full moon. What do you do? Image the moon or globular clusters. My chosen target is behind trees, so hello Mr. Moon. Tycho crater is looking fine tonight. Imaged with an ASI533MC Pro camera and a Celestron Edge HD8 telescope. #astrophotography
November 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
Messier 27, often called the Dumbbell Nebula, is a planetary nebula about 1,360 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. This image maps light emitted by Sii, Hα, and Oiii gas. The shock-excited structures expanding at roughly 30 km/s. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
Messier 27, often called the Dumbbell Nebula, is a planetary nebula about 1,360 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. It marks the final evolutionary stage of a sun-like star, which has expelled its outer layers after exhausting its nuclear fuel. The exposed core — now a white dwarf with a surface temperature near 85,000 K — energises the surrounding gas, causing it to glow in distinct emission lines. This image maps light emitted by ionised sulphur (S II), hydrogen (H α), and oxygen (O III). The outer filaments trace slower, cooler ejecta rich in sulphur and hydrogen, while the inner lobes shine strongly in oxygen, revealing shock-excited structures expanding at roughly 30 km/s. Imaging details: Telescope: 800 mm Newtonian Reflector Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Filters: ZWO S II (7 nm), H α (7 nm), O III (7 nm) Integration time: 4.5 hours per channel (13.5 hours total) Acquisition: N.I.N.A. Processing: PixInsight The Dumbbell Nebula offers a glimpse of what awaits our own Sun in several billion years — a fading ember surrounded by the beautiful debris of its former self, slowly dispersing into the interstellar medium.
November 3, 2025 at 7:26 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
4 years of astrophotography effort October 2021 to October 2025.
October 31, 2025 at 11:08 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
One of the coolest things about astrophotography is that you can go pack to old data and reprocess it once your skills improve. These two images are the same data, the first processed in April 2023 and the second processed now. When it is cloudy, you can always go back and play with old data.
October 22, 2025 at 8:12 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
The Small Magellanic Cloud is a satellite galaxy to the Milky Way located about 200,000 ly from Earth. This image is a 6-panel mosaic with a total of 42 hours of imaging time. Captured using my Z61 scope, AIS533MC Pro camera and Antlia quad band filter. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) — a dwarf irregular galaxy adrift on the Milky Way’s frontier, roughly 200,000 light-years away in the constellation Tucana. This image is a 6-panel mosaic captured with my William Optics Zenithstar 61II, ZWO ASI533MC Pro, and Antlia Quad Band filter, combining 70 × 360-second exposures per panel for a total integration time of 42 hours. The SMC spans about 7,000 light-years in diameter and is one of our galaxy’s most prominent satellites. Its distorted structure and extended gas stream trace the gravitational interplay between the SMC, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and the Milky Way — interactions that have drawn out vast bridges of hydrogen gas. Within its irregular framework lie active star-forming regions, including NGC 346, where clusters of young, hot stars illuminate surrounding hydrogen clouds. The SMC’s chemical composition is about one-fifth that of our Sun, offering astronomers a window into the conditions of the early universe. Imaging such a broad and faint structure under Bortle 6 skies demanded long integration and careful blending across panels — but the result reveals one of our nearest galactic neighbours in vivid emission detail.
October 6, 2025 at 4:31 AM
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This image shows NGC 6979, Pickering's Triangle, a part of the larger Veil Nebula complex in Cygnus. It is the remnant of a massive star that exploded as a supernova between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
This image features NGC 6979 (Pickering’s Triangle), a striking filamentary section of the Veil Nebula in the constellation Cygnus. The Veil is the remnant of a massive star that went supernova between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago, an event that would have blazed as brightly as the full Moon in Earth’s sky. What we see today are the shock fronts and ionised gas clouds left behind as the stellar explosion continues to expand into the interstellar medium. NGC 6979 is one of the most intricate regions, its lace-like filaments shaped by turbulent interactions between the shock wave and varying densities of surrounding gas. The glowing colours correspond to different elements excited by the blast: Hydrogen (Hα) produces red emission, Doubly ionised oxygen (O III) glows blue-green, Sulfur (S II) contributes deeper red tones. Together, they reveal the composition of the progenitor star and its environment, and provide insight into how supernovae enrich the galaxy with heavy elements — the building blocks of new stars, planets, and even life. The entire Veil Nebula complex spans nearly 110 light-years across and lies at a distance of about 2,400 light-years from Earth. Imaging details Telescope: William Optics ZenithStar 61II Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Filter: Antlia Quad Band Light Pollution filter Integration: 103 × 360s exposures, total 10.5 hours
October 2, 2025 at 2:43 PM
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This image shows NGC 6992, the Eastern Veil Nebula, a bright arc of the larger Veil Nebula complex in Cygnus. It is the remnant of a massive star that exploded as a supernova between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago. #astrophotography
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This image shows NGC 6992, the Eastern Veil Nebula, a bright arc of the larger Veil Nebula complex in Cygnus. It is the remnant of a massive star that exploded as a supernova between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago, leaving behind these intricate filaments of ionised gas as its shockwave continues to expand through the surrounding medium. NGC 6992 spans about 48 × 6 arcminutes on the sky, corresponding to ~50 light years across at a distance of 2,400 light years. The entire Veil structure extends more than 130 light years, one of the best-studied examples of a galactic supernova remnant. The colours trace specific emission regions: Hydrogen-alpha (Hα) shows as deep red filaments. Doubly ionised oxygen (O III) glows in teal-blue, particularly along the sharper shock fronts. Although its integrated magnitude is ~7, its low surface brightness (~14.4 mag/arcmin²) means it requires long integration to reveal the fine filamentary detail. Imaging details Scope: William Optics Zenithstar 61 Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Filter: Antlia Quad Band Light Pollution Filter Exposure: 70 × 360 sec Total integration: 7 hours Catalogued as Caldwell 33, Sharpless 103, Simeis 3-188, and LBN 191, the Eastern Veil is best observed in narrowband imaging, where its complexity and depth become most apparent.
September 22, 2025 at 12:01 AM
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NGC6960 is a bright filament of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant in Cygnus. This frame captures the complex, filamentary arcs of ionised gas — oxygen atoms glowing blue-green and hydrogen shining red — shaped by the expanding shock front. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
NGC 6960 – The Western Veil Nebula NGC 6960, often referred to as the Western Veil or Witch’s Broom Nebula, is a bright filament of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant in Cygnus. The entire Veil structure spans over 100 light years and lies about 2,400 light years from Earth. It is the aftermath of a massive star that exploded between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago, its shockwave still driving through the interstellar medium and lighting up the gas clouds we see today. This frame captures the complex, filamentary arcs of ionised gas — oxygen atoms glowing blue-green and hydrogen shining red — shaped by the expanding shock front. Prominent in the image is the bright star 52 Cygni, which lies only ~210 light years away and is unrelated to the nebula itself, yet provides striking contrast against the faint supernova filaments behind it. Imaging details Telescope: William Optics ZenithStar 61 II Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Filter: Antlia Quad Band light pollution filter Exposures: 105 × 360s Total integration: 10.5 hours The Western Veil is just one part of the much larger Cygnus Loop complex, a vivid reminder of the vast scales of stellar death and renewal in our galaxy. What we see here are the delicate shockwave filaments from a star that ended its life in a catastrophic explosion, enriching the surrounding space with heavier elements that will seed the next generation of stars and planets.
September 16, 2025 at 3:19 AM
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This image showcases NGC 1788, the Cosmic Bat Nebula, together with the faint dusty emission region LBN 923. Both lie on the western side of Orion’s giant molecular cloud complex, roughly 1,300 light years away. #astrophotography
@kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
This field showcases NGC 1788, the Cosmic Bat Nebula, together with the faint dusty emission region LBN 923. Both lie on the western side of Orion’s giant molecular cloud complex, roughly 1,300 light years away. NGC 1788 is a compact reflection nebula, its bright blue interior illuminated by a cluster of embedded young stars that remain partly obscured by dust lanes. These stars are estimated to be only a few million years old, making the nebula an active site of stellar formation. The light we see is primarily starlight scattered by fine interstellar dust particles, producing the characteristic blue hue at the nebula’s heart. Surrounding this core, the extended structure LBN 923 becomes visible as faint, wispy filaments of dust and glowing hydrogen emission. These features trace the turbulent edges of the cloud, where stellar radiation is beginning to erode the surrounding material. The reddish hydrogen glow captured here reflects low-level ionisation from nearby stars, contrasting against the dark, opaque dust lanes. Together, NGC 1788 and LBN 923 illustrate the transition from dark, starless clouds into illuminated nebulae as star formation progresses. Capturing this region requires long exposure time to reveal the tenuous outer shells and diffuse dust structures. The delicate interplay of reflection, emission, and absorption makes this a challenging target under suburban skies, but also one of Orion’s most rewarding lesser-known features. Capture details Telescope: William Optics ZenithStar 61II Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Filters: UV/IR cut, Antlia Quad Band Total integration: 22.25 hours
September 12, 2025 at 4:02 AM
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NGC362 is a globular cluster about 27,000 ly from Earth. It is relatively young cluster and is also unusually metal-rich for a halo cluster, suggesting it may have originated in a dwarf galaxy that was later accreted into the Milky Way. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
NGC 362 – Globular Cluster in Tucana NGC 362 is a compact globular cluster about 27,000 light-years away in the constellation Tucana. Although it lies close in the sky to the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), it is a foreground object belonging to the Milky Way’s halo population. At ~10–11 billion years old, NGC 362 is relatively young compared with most Galactic globular clusters, many of which exceed 12 billion years. It is also unusually metal-rich for a halo cluster, suggesting it may have originated in a dwarf galaxy that was later accreted into the Milky Way. Its chemical composition and stellar ages have made it the subject of detailed spectroscopic studies. NGC 362 is classified as a post-core-collapse cluster, with an exceptionally dense and luminous core. Its half-light radius is only about 2.8 arcminutes, corresponding to ~22 light-years across. Hubble Space Telescope imaging has revealed hundreds of blue stragglers, stars that appear younger and hotter than the cluster’s main sequence. These likely formed through stellar mergers or mass transfer in binaries—processes enhanced by the high stellar densities in the cluster’s core. Variable stars are also abundant here, with over 40 RR Lyrae stars identified. These pulsating stars are critical standard candles for calibrating distances within the Milky Way and beyond. Imaging details: Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8" Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Exposure: 60 sec × 189 frames (~3.1 hours total) Filter: UV/IR cut Location: Bortle 6 skies, Brisbane, Australia This capture shows the dense, collapsed core of NGC 362 set against the southern sky—an object that not only enriches our understanding of globular cluster evolution but also links the history of the Milky Way to its interactions with nearby satellite galaxies.
September 4, 2025 at 12:11 AM
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NGC6397 is a 13.4 billion year old globular cluster about 7,800 ly from Earth. The cluster contains hundreds of thousands of low-metallicity Population II stars, including many faint red dwarfs and white dwarfs #astrophotography
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NGC 6397 – One of the Nearest Globular Clusters NGC 6397 is a dense globular cluster in the constellation Ara, lying about 7,800 light-years away. This makes it the second closest globular cluster to Earth after Messier 4, and one of the most accessible to southern observers. With an estimated age of ~13.4 billion years, it is nearly as old as the Milky Way itself. The cluster contains hundreds of thousands of low-metallicity Population II stars, including many faint red dwarfs and white dwarfs. Hubble Space Telescope studies of NGC 6397 provided the first direct evidence of white dwarf cooling sequences, enabling astronomers to independently determine the cluster’s age. Its collapsed core and high stellar density make it a valuable target for studying stellar interactions and the dynamics of dense star systems. Imaging Details: Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8" Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Filter: UV/IR Cut Subframes: 182 × 60 sec Total Integration: 3 hr 2 min Location: Bortle 6 skies, Brisbane, Australia NGC 6397 remains an important laboratory for understanding the early Universe, stellar evolution, and the long-term fate of star clusters in our galaxy.
September 3, 2025 at 3:14 PM
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The Corona Australis molecular cloud complex is an active star-forming region about 420 light years from Earth. Spanning over 10lys, the complex contains filaments of molecular hydrogen and cold dust, giving rise to the striking dark nebulae seen here. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
Corona Australis Molecular Cloud Complex – Star Formation Close to Home The Corona Australis molecular cloud complex is one of the nearest star-forming regions to Earth, lying ~420 light-years away in the southern constellation Corona Australis. This widefield image shows the striking contrast between dark molecular clouds, blue reflection nebulae, and embedded young stars. The dusty filaments seen here obscure background starlight and host protostars and T Tauri stars in their earliest stages of evolution. The region is home to the Coronet Cluster, a compact group of young stars including the variable star R Coronae Australis. Surrounding the cluster, the bright reflection nebulae NGC 6726, NGC 6727, and NGC 6729 glow blue as starlight scatters off interstellar dust. The complex also contains numerous Herbig–Haro objects (e.g., HH 100), formed where jets from newborn stars collide with surrounding gas, marking areas of active star formation. Infrared and radio observations from Spitzer, Herschel, and ALMA have revealed dense pre-stellar cores and protoplanetary disks, making Corona Australis an important laboratory for studying the earliest stages of planetary system formation. Adding depth to the scene, the globular cluster NGC 6723 appears at upper right. Though unrelated and ~28,000 light-years away, its ancient stars (over 11 billion years old) contrast with the few-million-year-old stars forming nearby. This mosaic highlights the dynamic interplay of dust, reflection light, and stellar birth, revealing one of the southern sky’s most scientifically rich and visually striking complexes. Capture Details Telescope: William Optics ZenithStar 61 II Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Filter: UV/IR Cut Exposure: 2363 × 60s (≈39.4 hrs) Mosaic: 5 × 2 panels, 240 min each Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Software: NINA, PixInsight Location: Bortle 6 skies, Brisbane, Australia
August 31, 2025 at 9:53 AM
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At just 430–460 light-years away, the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is one of the closest stellar nurseries to Earth. This is a 16 panel mosaic image captured using my Z61 360mm refractor scope and an ASI533MC Pro camera. 64 hours of total imaging time. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex – A Nearby Stellar Nursery At just 430–460 light-years away, the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is one of the closest stellar nurseries to Earth. This vast network of dark molecular clouds, blue reflection nebulae, and golden dust clouds spans roughly 50 light-years, sitting at the boundary between the constellations Ophiuchus and Scorpius. In this image, the blue reflection nebulae on the left are illuminated by the hot B-type star ρ Ophiuchi and its stellar companions. The golden-yellow dust to the right surrounds the bright star Antares (Alpha Scorpii), a red supergiant whose warm light is scattered by interstellar dust. Just above Antares, the globular cluster M4 appears as a densely packed ball of ancient stars. Faint red emission filaments can be seen above ρ Ophiuchi, caused by excited hydrogen gas interacting with nearby stellar radiation. Across the field, the dark lanes are catalogued as Barnard objects and mark the densest regions of cold gas, where new stars continue to form in cores such as L1688 and L1689. The close proximity of this region allows astronomers to study star formation in detail, from deeply embedded Class 0 protostars to pre-main-sequence T Tauri stars. Rho Ophiuchi remains a benchmark object for understanding the interplay of dust, gas, and newborn stars. Imaged under Bortle 6 skies as a 16-panel mosaic, with 4 hours integration per panel for a total of 64 hours. Captured using a UV/IR cut filter to preserve the natural colour balance of the reflection and emission components. Equipment Telescope: William Optics Zenithstar 61 Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Filter: UV/IR Cut Accessories: ZWO EAF, ECCO 2, Primaluce Lab EAGLE5S Software: NINA, PixInsight
August 14, 2025 at 1:34 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
NGC7793 is a galaxy 12.7 mly from Earth. NGC 7793 displays a patchy, fragmented structure. These irregular arms host numerous Ha regions, where ongoing massive star formation is ionising the surrounding hydrogen gas. These are the bright red regions. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
NGC 7793 – A Star-Forming Flocculent Spiral in the Sculptor Group NGC 7793 is a flocculent spiral galaxy located in the southern constellation Sculptor, at a distance of approximately 12.7 million light-years. It is one of the brightest and nearest members of the Sculptor Group, a loosely bound collection of galaxies situated just beyond the Local Group. Unlike grand-design spirals, which feature prominent, symmetrical arms, NGC 7793 displays a patchy, fragmented structure — characteristic of flocculent spirals. These irregular arms host numerous H II regions, where ongoing massive star formation is ionising the surrounding hydrogen gas, producing strong Hα emission detectable through narrowband imaging. NGC 7793 is also home to an unusually rich population of X-ray binaries and supernova remnants. Among the most notable features is S26, a microquasar powered by a stellar-mass black hole expelling jets at relativistic velocities. S26 is one of the few known extragalactic microquasars and is an important laboratory for studying black hole feedback in a galactic context. Kinematic studies suggest that NGC 7793’s asymmetric structure may be influenced by past tidal interactions — possibly with the Sculptor Dwarf Irregular Galaxy (SDIG), which lies nearby. Despite these interactions, NGC 7793 has largely retained a stable disk and exhibits relatively undisturbed rotation, making it a benchmark target for understanding disk galaxy evolution in low-density environments. 🔭 Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8" 📷 Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro 🎯 Filters & Exposure: • ⚪ Luminance: 636 × 60 sec (10.6 hr) • 🔴 Red: 60 × 180 sec (3.0 hr) • 🟢 Green: 60 × 180 sec (3.0 hr) • 🔵 Blue: 60 × 180 sec (3.0 hr) • 🔴 Hα (7nm): 90 × 420 sec (10.5 hr) 📍 Total Integration Time: 30.1 hours 🌌 Constellation: Sculptor 📏 Angular Size: ~9.3 × 6.3 arcmin 🌠 Distance: ~12.7 million light-years 🌀 Morphology: SA(s)d — flocculent spiral 🧪 Notable Feature: S26 microquasar, active H II regions
August 6, 2025 at 3:48 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
NGC6822, Barnard's Galaxy is a dwarf galaxy 1.6 million ly from Earth. It is part of the local group of galaxies with the Milky Way. It features several prominent emission nebulae where ionised hydrogen glows red, marking ongoing stellar birth. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
NGC 6822 – Barnard’s Galaxy: A Nearby Dwarf with Galactic Secrets NGC 6822 is a barred irregular dwarf galaxy located ~1.6 million light-years away in Sagittarius. Discovered by E. E. Barnard in 1884, it's part of the Local Group and is gravitationally bound to the Milky Way. Despite its proximity, its low surface brightness makes it a challenging but rewarding target for amateur astrophotography. Spanning ~7,000 light-years, NGC 6822 contains both ancient Population II stars and actively forming stars within rich H II regions. It features several prominent emission nebulae—such as Hubble V and Hubble X—where ionised hydrogen glows red, marking ongoing stellar birth. These regions are akin to mini versions of the Orion Nebula but embedded within an external galaxy. NGC 6822 is metal-poor, similar to early-universe galaxies. Its simple structure and isolated nature make it an ideal laboratory for studying star formation, feedback, and chemical evolution in low-mass systems. It also contains a well-defined halo of old stars and extended neutral hydrogen gas beyond the optical disk, hinting at complex dynamical history and gas accretion. Captured with my Celestron Edge HD8 and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro under Bortle 6 skies. Total integration: 15 hours, broken down as: Luminance: 300s × 60 (5 hrs) Red: 180s × 60 (3 hrs) Green: 180s × 60 (3 hrs) Blue: 180s × 60 (3 hrs) Hydrogen-alpha: 420s × 34 (4 hrs) The added Ha channel accentuates ionised gas regions, revealing active star formation across the galaxy’s faint arms. RGB stars were preserved with natural colour balance, while luminance brought out the faint halo and dust lanes. NGC 6822 stands as one of the closest and most studied dwarf galaxies beyond the Magellanic Clouds—an important stepping stone in understanding how galaxies evolve across cosmic time.
July 24, 2025 at 12:44 AM
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Caldwell49, the Rosette Nebula is an immense emission nebula located approximately 5,900 ly from Earth. Imaged using SHO filters to show how stellar winds from new stars shape the nebula gases and regulate further star formation. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
Rosette Nebula (Caldwell 49 / Sharpless 275) in SHO Palette Spanning over 130 light-years across, the Rosette Nebula is an immense emission nebula situated approximately 5,200 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros. This H II region is part of a larger molecular cloud complex and is actively forming stars, particularly in its dense peripheral regions. At the core lies NGC 2244, an open cluster just a few million years old. The high-energy ultraviolet radiation from its O-type and B-type stars ionises the surrounding hydrogen gas, creating a central cavity approximately 30 light-years wide. Stellar winds from these massive stars drive powerful shock fronts, shaping the surrounding interstellar medium and regulating further star formation through a process known as radiative feedback. This image was captured in the SHO palette, mapping narrowband emission lines as follows: Sulfur-II (SII, 672.4 nm) → Red Hydrogen-alpha (Ha, 656.3 nm) → Green Oxygen-III (OIII, 500.7 nm) → Blue These emissions trace regions of differing ionisation energy: SII highlights lower-energy ionisation zones near molecular boundaries Ha traces the extensive hydrogen envelope OIII maps high-energy regions closer to the ionising stars Together, they provide insight into the nebula’s ionisation structure and energy distribution, revealing the interplay between newly formed stars and the cloud that birthed them. Acquisition Details: 🔭 Telescope: William Optics ZenithStar 61 (f/5.9 APO refractor) 📷 Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro (mono CMOS) 🎯 Filters: ZWO 36 mm narrowband SII, Ha, OIII 🕒 Integration: 4.5 hours per channel | Total: 13.5 hours 🌌 Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro 📍 Conditions: Bortle 6 suburban skies 🖥 Processing: PixInsight This image reveals not only the Rosette’s structural beauty, but also the astrophysical processes at work in one of the Milky Way’s most iconic stellar nurseries.
July 23, 2025 at 2:27 AM
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Another image from the past. NGC2451 is an open star cluster in the constellation of Puppis. The brightest star, c Puppis, is a red giant. You can also see the diffuse galactic hydrogen alpha gas in the background. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
NGC 2451 – A Foreground Cluster Framing the Galactic Plane NGC 2451 is an open star cluster located in the constellation Puppis, approximately 600 light-years from Earth. Once thought to be a single cluster, it was later resolved into two separate groups—NGC 2451A and NGC 2451B—aligned along the same line of sight but at different distances. The cluster imaged here is dominated by bright, young Population I stars scattered across a rich background of the southern Milky Way. Unlike more compact clusters, NGC 2451 spans a wide field of view, with its loosely bound stars gradually dispersing as they orbit the Galactic Centre. The brightest member, c Puppis, is a red giant that provides striking colour contrast against the surrounding blue-white stars. Capture Details: Telescope: 800mm Reflector Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Filters: RGB and Ha Total Integration Time: 2.5 hours Processing: PixInsight
July 22, 2025 at 10:46 AM
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RCW134, is a faint emission nebula in the southern Milky Way and a candidate supernova remnant. Its filamentary structure and dominant hydrogen-alpha emission suggest ionised gas expanding, likely from an ancient stellar explosion. Captured in RGB & Ha #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
RCW 134 – Filamentary Remains of a Dying Star RCW 134, also catalogued as Sharpless 2-92, is a faint emission nebula in the southern Milky Way and a candidate supernova remnant. Its filamentary structure and dominant hydrogen-alpha emission suggest ionised gas expanding into the interstellar medium, likely from an ancient stellar explosion. The region lies near the galactic plane, blending emission from H II regions and possible shock-excited remnants. This image was captured using my 800mm reflector, combining narrowband and broadband data to highlight both emission structure and star field context. Capture Details Telescope: 800mm Reflector Camera: ASI1600MM Pro Filters: Ha, Luminance, R, G, B Total Integration Time: 3.52 hours
July 21, 2025 at 3:25 AM
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RCW 85 is an emission nebula located in the constellation Centaurus, approximately 5,900 light-years from Earth. Imaged using SHO and RBG filters to capture the nebula and the stars. The nebula is shaped by ultraviolet radiation from nearby massive stars #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
RCW 85 – A Chaotic Bubble in the Galactic Plane RCW 85 is an emission nebula located in the constellation Centaurus, approximately 5,900 light-years from Earth. This turbulent H II region is shaped by intense ultraviolet radiation from nearby massive stars, which ionise the surrounding hydrogen gas and sculpt the nebula's structure. The bubble-like morphology and complex filaments suggest the presence of stellar feedback from winds or past supernova activity. Also catalogued as G305.1+0.2, RCW 85 resides within a rich star-forming complex in the southern Galactic plane. The dominant emission in this false-colour image comes from doubly ionised oxygen (O III), with additional structure revealed in sulphur (S II) and hydrogen-alpha (Hα) wavelengths. Star colours are rendered using RGB broadband data to preserve natural hues. Total Integration Time: 18.4 hours • 🔴 S II: 96 × 240s • 🔴 Hα: 77 × 240s • 🔵 O III: 129 × 240s • ⭐ R: 32 × 60s • ⭐ G: 32 × 60s • ⭐ B: 32 × 60s Captured using: • Telescope: 800mm Reflector • Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro • Filters: Narrowband (S II, Hα, O III) for nebula, RGB for stars • Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro • Software: NINA, PixInsight
July 20, 2025 at 12:58 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
Part of the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex. I am working on a 16-panel mosaic of the region, and this is the first eight panels. TH complex is located between 400-600 ly from us and is a combination of reflection nebulae, dark clouds, and emission nebulae. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex Constellation: Ophiuchus Distance: ~400 light-years This image captures the intricate interplay of reflection nebulae, dark molecular clouds, and star-forming regions within the Rho Ophiuchi complex — one of the closest stellar nurseries to Earth. The striking contrast between blue reflection nebulae (e.g. IC 4604 around ρ Oph), ochre dust lanes, and surrounding interstellar matter highlights ongoing low-mass star formation throughout the LDN 1688 region. 📷 Acquisition Details Telescope: William Optics Zenithstar 61 Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro Filter: UV/IR cut Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Exposure:  8-panel mosaic  Each panel: 60s × 240 subframes  Total integration: 32 hours Software: NINA (acquisition), PixInsight (processing) 🪐 This field includes: IC 4604, IC 4603, IC 4605 (reflection nebulae) Barnard 44, 45, 59, 68 (dark nebulae) LDN 1688 and 1689 (dense cores) Portions of the Pipe Nebula complex along the southern edge This mosaic was shot over several nights under Bortle 6 skies, with an emphasis on preserving natural color balance and dust structure across the full field.
July 18, 2025 at 1:51 AM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
NGC4038 & NGC4039 - The Antenna Galaxies that I captured back in 2023. Captured using my old 800m reflector telescope and recently reprocessed to better deal with the blotchy background that my poor imaging practices produced in the raw data. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
NGC 4038 & NGC 4039 – Galactic Merger in Progress Located ~60 million light-years away in the constellation Corvus, NGC 4038 and NGC 4039 form one of the nearest and most well-studied examples of a major galactic collision. Collectively known as The Antennae Galaxies, this interacting pair is in the midst of a slow, gravitationally bound merger that began a few hundred million years ago and will eventually result in a single elliptical galaxy. The long tidal tails, which give the system its insect-like name, are composed of stars and interstellar gas flung outward by the gravitational interaction. These features trace the violent reshaping of stellar orbits over cosmic time. At the overlapping cores, intense starburst activity is triggered as gas clouds are compressed, giving rise to dense clusters of massive young stars. Observations across optical, infrared, and X-ray wavelengths reveal super star clusters, dust lanes, and shock fronts indicative of extreme dynamical evolution.
July 15, 2025 at 11:09 PM
brisbaneastro.bsky.social
Messier 14 is a moderately concentrated globular cluster located in the constellation Ophiuchus, approximately 30,300 ly from Earth. The cluster spans about 100 light-years in diameter and has an estimated age of 13.25 million years. #astrophotography @kat-astro-bot.bsky.social
Messier 14 – Metal-Poor Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus Messier 14 (NGC 6402) is a moderately concentrated globular cluster located in the constellation Ophiuchus, approximately 30,300 light-years from Earth. With an estimated age of ~13.25 billion years, it is a representative example of the old, metal-poor stellar populations that inhabit the Galactic halo. The cluster spans about 100 light-years in diameter and contains several hundred thousand Population II stars. Its low metallicity ([Fe/H] ≈ –1.28) reflects a formation epoch early in the history of the Milky Way. M14 is classified as a Shapley-Sawyer Class VIII cluster and exhibits a relatively diffuse outer halo surrounding a dense core. More than 70 RR Lyrae variable stars have been identified within the cluster, making it useful for refining distance measurements through the period-luminosity relation. In 1938, a nova event was recorded on photographic plates, one of the few confirmed nova eruptions within a globular cluster. Imaging Details: Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8" Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Filters: ZWO Red, Green, Blue (36mm) Exposure: Red: 96 × 60 sec Green: 90 × 60 sec Blue: 90 × 60 sec Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Software: NINA (acquisition), PixInsight (processing) This image resolves the core and extended halo of M14 in broadband RGB. The cluster’s structure and variable population contribute to studies of globular cluster dynamics, distance calibration, and the early chemical evolution of the Milky Way.
July 14, 2025 at 12:09 AM