Helix Nebula (NGC 7293)

[Bill Richards]

I posted a version of this two years ago but was able to gather more data on it last week and use improved processing techniques to obtain a much improved result. The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), affectionately known as the "Eye of Sauron", is a colorful planetary nebula about 650 light-years away, formed by a star which shed its outer layers near the end of its life. The remnant central stellar core will eventually become a white dwarf. The observed glow of the central star is so energetic that it causes the expelled gases to brightly fluoresce. From Earth's perspective, those gases appear as a helix structure.

This is the result of over 12.5 hours of exposure time taken on 2023-09-15, 2024-09-27, 2024-10-04, and 2026-09-11.

Equipment and Software:
=======================
Mount: iOptron CEM40 w/iPolar and 10Micron GM1000HPS w/PoleMaster
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8 w/0.7x focal reducer
Auto-Focuser: Rigel Systems nFOCUS
Imaging Camera: ASI2600MC-Pro and ASI2600MC-Duo
Filters: AstroHutech IDAS NBZ and Optolong L-Ultimate dual band
Guide Camera: ASI174MM-Mini on OAG
Imaging Software: NINA
Guiding Software: PHD2
Image Processing Software: PixInsight

Exposure Details:
=================
Camera Temperature -10C
Bias: 50
Gain: 100
39 x 240s & 120 x 300s
Plus 32x Darks, Flats, and Dark Flats

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[JimFox]

Love it Bill! It's awesome you got more detail on this. You have the eyebrow showing, that's always a good sign that the level of detail is in the acceptable range.

You are using the 2600mc-Duo now? How are you liking it?

 

[Bill Richards]

Thanks, Jim. Yes, I have the Duo as well as the Pro. The Duo, being newer, has a lower noise floor than my 5-year old 2600-Pro, so I've been using it mostly. But with a focal reducer installed on either the EdgeHD or the Esprit 100, the image circle is too small to adequatly illuminate the guide sensor in the 2600-Duo - I only get stars in about half the frame and they are badly mis-shapen. So I still use the OAG in those configurations. But it works great with both telescopes at their native focal lengths.

It's really a shame that ZWO didn't place the guide camera sensor closer to the imaging camera sensor in the Duo model. It seems that they could have done a better job in that regard.

Bill

 

[JimFox]

Thanks, Jim. Yes, I have the Duo as well as the Pro. The Duo, being newer, has a lower noise floor than my 5-year old 2600-Pro, so I've been using it mostly. But with a focal reducer installed on either the EdgeHD or the Esprit 100, the image circle is too small to adequatly illuminate the guide sensor in the 2600-Duo - I only get stars in about half the frame and they are badly mis-shapen. So I still use the OAG in those configurations. But it works great with both telescopes at their native focal lengths.

It's really a shame that ZWO didn't place the guide camera sensor closer to the imaging camera sensor in the Duo model. It seems that they could have done a better job in that regard.

Bill

I hadn't heard that it had a lower noise floor. That's really awesome. I had heard about the image circle issue with some setups. And yeah, that's a shame, and it does limit it's usefulness.

 

[Comet Hunter]

Eye's on you..... Nicely Done

 

[Bill Richards]

Hi Jim,

The sensor is exactly the same in both cameras, it's just that the duo is newer.

Bill

 

[Mike Lewis]

Very nice Bill - like thew amount of green that has been rertained which to my eye makes the color transitions look very natural and provides extra pop and visual interest. Great job!

ML