| Date 2013/08/02 Observation place Spain |
Technical
| Telescope | Takahashi TOA-150, 150mm, f / 7,3 |
| Mount | Paramount ME |
| Imaging camera | SBIG STL-11000M - regulated at -20o Celsius |
| Image type | L (RGB) (Vs for synghetic green) |
| Exhibition | Luminance (11 x 10 'bin 2 × 2), RB (4 x 5' bin 3 × 3 each) |
| Pretreatment | Maxim DL |
| Treatment | Photoshop and PixInsight |
| Specific treatment | Create a synthetic green image |
Object description
| Object type | Emission nebula "The Witch's Broom Nebula" |
| Constellation | Swan |
| Visual magnitude | - |
| Distance | 1500 light years |
| Dimension seen from Earth | 70 x 6 arc minutes |
| NGC6960 is nicknamed the Witch's Broom Nebula. It is part of a vast cloud of gas and dust, called the Swan Veil Nebulae, listed by several nebulae. It is referred to as the Little Swan Lace or the Witch's Broom Nebula. The NGC6960 nebula is not visible in a small telescope because it is very dark. To see it in a telescope with a large diameter (8 '' and more), you need a sky that is very little polluted by city lights. Also since it is very dark, it is difficult to photograph. It takes a long exposure time per photo and the integration of several images. To bring out the beautiful blue tones of the nebula, I was content to simply use a clear filter as the luminance image instead of an H-Alpha filter, as the latter is sensitive only in the red spectrum of the nebula. It was therefore not appropriate for this object. Also, to bring out the very beautiful blue and red shades of the nebula, I did not use narrow band filters, because the observation site is in an environment without light pollution. The veil nebulae, of which NGC6960 is a part, represent the remains of several exploded supernovas. A remnant of supernovae is the final evolutionary state of a massive star (more than 6 times the mass of the Sun) that ends its existence with a huge explosion. After the explosion, only a rapidly expanding cloud of gas remains surrounding the star's residue. This gigantic gas cloud (of which we see only a part) is conducive to the formation of future planets. The stars which surround it go by gravity, appropriate these gases and dust. This dust will then orbit around these stars. Subsequently, this dust will assemble by gravity to form future planets. It is a superb anthill for the creation of planets. Perhaps, one of them will be conducive to the creation of life! |
| Richard Beauregard Sky Astro - CCD My impression "We cannot be alone in this gigantic universe" |