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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 12/04/2025

Stellar Sculptors of Star Cluster NGC 346 in Tucana. imgCredit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Nota, P. Massey, E. Sabbi, C. Murray, M. Zamani / April 4, 2025 #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astropix #Astropixels #Astroshot #Astrophoto #Astronomy #Space #Universe #Stars #Galaxy #Nightsky 🪐🌌🔭

Stellar Sculptors of Star Cluster NGC 346 in Tucana | Hubble
FriendsofNASA.org | High-res image: https://www.friendsofnasa.org/2025/04/stellar-sculptors-in-star-cluster-ngc.html

This new image showcases NGC 346, a dazzling young star cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud. The Small Magellanic Cloud is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, located 200,000 light-years away in the constellation Tucana. The Small Magellanic Cloud is less rich in elements heavier than helium—what astronomers call metals—than the Milky Way. This makes conditions in the galaxy similar to what existed in the early universe.

Although several images of NGC 346 have been released previously, this view includes new data and is the first to combine Hubble observations made at infrared, optical, and ultraviolet wavelengths into an intricately detailed view of this vibrant star-forming factory.

NGC 346 is home to more than 2,500 newborn stars. The cluster’s most massive stars, many times more massive than our Sun, blaze with an intense blue light in this image. The glowing pink nebula and snakelike dark clouds are the remnant of the birthsite of the stars in the cluster.

The inhabitants of this cluster are stellar sculptors, carving out a bubble from the nebula. NGC 346’s hot, massive stars produce intense radiation and fierce stellar winds that pummel the billowing gas of their birthplace and begin to disperse the surrounding nebula.

The nebula, named N66, is the brightest example of an H II (pronounced ‘H-two’) region in the Small Magellanic Cloud. H II regions are set aglow by ultraviolet light from hot young stars like those in NGC 346. The presence of the brilliant nebula indicates the young age of the star cluster, as an H II region shines only as long as the stars that power it—a mere few million years for the massive stars pictured here.

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 18/09/2024

Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #64,419!

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 09/09/2024

Soul & heart Nebula in the constellation of Cepheus. (ImgCredit/Alt: Rolando Ligustri) #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astrophoto #Astronomy #Space #Galaxy #Nebula 💥🌌🔭

In italian by Rolando Ligustri:

“dopo le nebulose anima e cuore, oggi vi posto un'altra nebulosità nella costellazione del Cefeo che circonda un ammasso aperto : IC 1396. E' una vasta nebulosità che si può solo fotografare, si notano diversi globuli di Bock ,regioni della nebulosa particolarmente concentrate dove avviene la formazione di nuove stelle, inoltre c'è una particolare e famosa nebulosa oscura (in centro a destra) vdb 142 conosciuta anche come "proboscide d'elefante". Ha una dimensione , l'anello di gase e polveri, di circa 80 anni luce e dista da noi 3000 anni luce. Dal New Mexico, apo 106/530 ccd STL11002 Red=6x300 GB=300sec L=4x300s”

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 27/08/2024

“A large floating prominence at the edge of the Sun, photographed today (26th Aug 2024) at 09:59 UTC. It was made with an H-alpha solar telescope, the image is a false colour image.“ ImgCredit: Robert Schumann #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astropixels #Astrordinary #Astrophoto #Astronomy 🌞🪐🔭

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 28/07/2024

Chinese Dragon Nebula 🇨🇳🐉🌌🔭 (ImgCredit: Mazin Bashir) #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astrophoto #Nebula

Chinese Dragon Nebula
26.07.2024
ASI 2600MC Duo
Skywathcher Quattro 8 f4
IOptron GEM45
34 x 300s
No filters
Processed in DSS, PixInsight
Southern Morocco

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 15/07/2024

The Dark Tower🗼in Scorpius (ImgCredit: Wolfgang Promper) #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astrophoto 🪐🌌🔭

The Dark Tower in Scorpius
Here is a new one of this in my opinion very beautiful object.
I did it two years ago but it was just a short RGB under not so good seeing conditions.
This time I went for a LRGB especially because there is a lot of reflection nebulosity, and the seeing was pretty good as well.
Hope you like it.
Image data and better resolution: https://www.astrobin.com/b5e5yw/
Wolfgang

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 30/06/2024

Emission Nebula (NGC 7822), ImgCredit: Vincenzo Massa #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astrophoto #Nebula 🪐🌌🔭

NGC 7822 is an emission nebula visible in the constellation Cepheus.
It is located in the eastern part of the constellation Cepheus, about 9° north of the bright star Caph, in a stretch of the Milky Way strongly obscured by interstellar dust and unlit nebulae; the most suitable period for its observation in the evening sky falls between the months of July and December and is considerably easier for observers located in the regions of the Earth's northern hemisphere, where it is circumpolar up to the warm temperate regions.

Integrated hours 13h55'

-Skywatcher Eq5 Synscan mount
-Askar FMA 180Pro optics
-Acquisition of Asiair mini
-Asi 294MC Pro camera
-Svbony 60/240 Guide Telescope
-Guide camera 120mc-s color
-Optolong L-enhance filters
-Darks, Flats
-Processing with DSS, Pixinsight and Photoshop
Shots taken over several nights from the balcony of the house.

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 26/06/2024

Statue of Liberty Nebula (NGC 3576) ImgCredit&ALT: Jake Cravino #Astro #Astrostills #Astrordinary #Astromeka #Astrophoto #Nebula 🪐🌌🔭

“I couldn't be happier with this one, I think it's my best photo yet.

I usually take it slow with astrophotography, but this time I took it extra slow. I spent over 50 hours collecting data on this nebula, and then I threw the majority of that away, to keep only the highest quality frames.”

I give you the Statue of Liberty Nebula (NGC 3576) in the Hubble colour palette (SHO).

____

Technical info

The ATLAS Observatory

Celestron CGX mount
Celestron C11 EdgeHD at native focal length
QHY268M main camera
ZWO ASI 120 mm guide camera
Atik 7nm narrowband filters -- Ha, OIII, SII

Main camera:

1300 second exposure
35 gain
-15°C
DSO mode
16 bit full capture area
1x1 binning

The final image is made up of:

Ha: 12 * 1300s
SII: 16 * 1300s
OIII: 18 * 1300s

Total Integration Time: ~16.6 hours

Colour: SHO

Processed in PixInsight and PhotoShop (Frame selection, calibration, integration, alignment and colour creation/correction). NoiseX and BlurX were used.

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 23/06/2024

Mosaic in Swan constellation 🦢 (ImgCredit: François Breárd) #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astrophoto #Constellation #Space #Galaxy 🪐🌌🔭

“Hello,

Here is the mosaic of the Swan constellation, made up of 6 panels spanning approximately two hours over four nights, an integration of 12:45 am. This is the V1 as I would like to add more panels but hey summer went way too fast..”

The Astrobin photo (22 MB)
https://www.astrobin.com/0ta2o8/

The acquisition data

100% image is 15874 x 16276 pixels for 3GB
Lens: Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM (Art) at F/2 - Focus ZWO
Camera : ZWO ASI 6200MC Pro ( -10°c )
Frames: Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi (Following PHD2 RMS 0.9)
Guidance: Soldiers FMA180/ ASI 120mn
Filter : IDAS NBZ-II
Photos: total 12:45 with 153 x 300 seconds
Sessions from 8-9 and 12-13/06/2019 to Roscoff in Brittany - France
Acquisition : N.I.N.A
The treatments: Pixinsight - Lightroom

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 16/06/2024

Theta Muscae Supernova Remnant ImgCredit: Andy Campbell #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astrophoto #Space 🌌🌠🪐🔭

Theta Muscae Supernova Remnant
Credit: Andy Campbell

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 12/06/2024

🦋 The Butterfly Nebula in Cygnus (ImgCredit: Tommy Lease) #Astro #Astrostills #Astrophoto #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Nebula 🪐🌠🌌🔭

The Butterfly Nebula in Cygnus

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colorado_astro/
Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/30fch9/

Equipment:
ASI2600MM-Pro
Antlia 36mm SHO,RGB
Orion 6-inch Newtonian
Starizona Nexus Reducer at f/3
EQ6R-Pro

Image Details:
S- 50x180s, gain 100, bin 1x1, -10c
H- 50x180s, gain 100, bin 1x1, -10c
O- 50x180s, gain 100, bin 1x1, -10c
R- 60x60s, gain 100, bin 1x1, -10c
G- 60x60s, gain 100, bin 1x1, -10c
B- 60x60s, gain 100, bin 1x1, -10c
Total Integration: 11 hrs

Location: Elizabeth, CO, USA Bortle 4 sky
Image dates: 6/5-6/9/2024

Acquisition and processing:
Acquired in NINA, Processed in Pixinsight
#ASIWEEK

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 28/05/2024

The Mermaid Nebula 🧜🏻‍♀️ (ImgCredit: Logan Carpenter) #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astrophoto #Nebula 🧜🏻‍♀️🌌🔭

The Mermaid or Betta Fish Nebula
The supernova remnant G296.5+10.0, located in Centaurus, spans a vast area exceeding 1 degree near Rho Centauri and was initially discovered in 1974.
It's exact origin still remains a mystery.
The first image captured of the greater extent of this SNR was by Marco Lorenzi in Feb this year.
I was immediately taken by the area described as looking like the Betta Fish (Siamese fight fish) and when oriented more horizontally, bore a striking resemblance to a Mermaid as described by Andrew Murrell in his image.
For my image, I concentrated on the area resembling the Betta fish or Mermaid (depending on your sea creature preference).
This is 45 hrs of Ha and OIII as an HOO along with data for RGB stars.
Equipment:
Telescope: SkyWatcher Esprit 120ED
Camera: ASI2600mmPro
Filters: Optolong 3nm Ha and OIII plus Baader RGB
Mount: iOptron CEM120
Location: Auckland (home backyard)

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 24/05/2024

This captivating image from the Hubble Space Telescope reveals not a fuzzy caterpillar, but rather a runaway star forging its path through dense interstellar gas. As the star speeds through the region, it generates striking structures and luminous trails. ImgCredit: Hubble Space Telescope #Astro

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 22/05/2024

Cosmic Chaos in Cygnus (📸 by Astrobackyard) #Astro #AstroPhoto #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Cygnus 🌌🛸👽🪐🔭

Cosmic Chaos in Cygnus 📸 by Astrobackyard

“My take on the intense nebulae surrounding the center of Cygnus' cross.

This is a great target for almost any camera/telescope combination. It's big and bright and shows up well with a duo-narrowband filter.

This is 6 hours of total exposure using my camera and telescope in the backyard!”

Camera: https://bit.ly/3ISZcsY
Telescope: https://bit.ly/3S9hnQi
Mount: https://bit.ly/4aP85jG

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 15/05/2024

What happens on 🌞, stays on it. (ImgCredit: Łukasz Sujka) #Astro #Astrostills #Astrophoto #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Sun ☄️🌞🔭

“I named this photo "Hyperloop" - you probably know why.
Active area AR3664 - the cause of last weekend's visual confusion - is slowly leaving the visible part of the Sun's shield, but still can't forget about itself.
In the h-alpha band, beautiful plasma loops trapped in the powerful magnetic field of this extremely active region are perfectly visible.

Teleskop Bresser Messier 152/1200 Lunt mod + barlow TV x2 + ZWO ASI 178MM-C (false color)

🇬🇧
I called this photo "Hyperloop" - I think you know why :)
Active region AR 3664 - creator of biggest aurura event from last week - slowly dissapearing from visible Sun shield. But still it is very interesting - showing us beautiful pasma loops chained in extremly strong magnetic field.

Telescope Bresser Messier 152/1200 Lunt mod + barlow TV x2 + ZWO ASI 178MM-C (false color)”

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 13/05/2024

This is K2-18b, a potentially habitable Planet covered with oceans and about 2.6 times the size of Earth. JWST has just detected carbon dioxide and methane in its atmosphere and it lies within the habitable zone. #Astro #Earth #Planet #Space #Astrordinary #Astromeka #Astrostills 🌏🪐🛸👽👨🏼‍🚀🔭🌌🔭

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 08/04/2024

Solar eclipse as seen from Ohio (ImgCredit: Astrofalls) #Astro #SolarEclipse #Moon #Sun 🌞🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

“DIAMOND RING! This is the start of the great American eclipse seen from Ohio.” Captured by Astrofalls

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 31/03/2024

Galileo's Europa (APOD: 2024 Mar 29) Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, SETI Institute, Cynthia Phillips, Marty Valenti apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap24032... #Astro #Astrostills #Astrophoto #Astromeka #Astrordinary 🪐🌌🔭

$Explanation: Looping through the Jovian system in the late 1990s, the Galileo spacecraft recorded stunning views of Europa and uncovered evidence that the moon's icy surface likely hides a deep, global ocean. Galileo's Europa image data has been remastered here, with improved calibrations to produce a color image approximating what the human eye might see. Europa's long curving fractures hint at the subsurface liquid water. The tidal flexing the large moon experiences in its elliptical orbit around Jupiter supplies the energy to keep the ocean liquid. But more tantalizing is the possibility that even in the absence of sunlight that process could also supply the energy to support life, making Europa one of the best places to look for life beyond Earth. The Juno spacecraft currently in Jovian orbit has also made repeated flybys of the water world, returning images along with data exploring Europa's habitability.$

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 15/03/2024

Comet 12/P Pons-Brooks captured on March 7. (ImgCredit: Giuseppe Pomelari) #Astro #Astrostills #Astromeka #Astrordinary #Astrophoto #Comet ☄️💫🌌🔭

Comet 12/P Pons-Brooks captured on March 7.
Sigma150/600(600mm)+Asi294MCPRO
UltraGuide120mm+Asi120MMmini
Optolong L-PRO Filter
ZWO AM5 mounting
AsiairPlus
20 shots of 300"+DARK+FLAT.

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 03/03/2024

A Long Snaking Filament on the Sun. Image Credit & Copyright: Alan Friedman (September 13, 2022) #Astro #Astrophoto #Astrostills #Astrordinary #Astromeka #Sun

“Earlier this month, the Sun exhibited one of the longer filaments on record. Visible as the bright curving streak around the image center, the snaking filament's full extent was estimated to be over half of the Sun's radius -- more than 350,000 kilometers long. A filament is composed of hot gas held aloft by the Sun's magnetic field, so that viewed from the side it would appear as a raised prominence. A different, smaller prominence is simultaneously visible at the Sun's edge. The featured image is in false-color and color-inverted to highlight not only the filament but the Sun's carpet chromosphere. The bright dot on the upper right is actually a dark sunspot about the size of the Earth. Solar filaments typically last from hours to days, eventually collapsing to return hot plasma back to the Sun. Sometimes, though, they explode and expel particles into the Solar System, some of which trigger auroras on Earth. The pictured filament appeared in early September..”

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Astrostills🪐🌌🔭 @astro.st · 10/02/2024

The Witch's Head 🧙‍♀️ Nebula and Rigel (ImgCredit: Simone Curzi) #Astro #Astrophoto #Astrostills #Astromeka #Space #Nebula 🪐🌌🔭

“The Witch's Head Nebula and Rigel proved to be a real challenge in my astrophotography journey. The many hours of integration were collected in the months of November, December and January under the sky (bortle 4/5) of my small home observatory on the Adriatic coast. The processing was carried out using Pixinsight, and Bill Blanshan 's pixelmath formulas for both mixing the ha all rgb and stellar reduction were decisive for the result. The biggest obstacle turned out to be Rigel which, placed in the corner of my shooting frame, created some reflections due to my filters, especially on L,G and B. Clear skies to all!!”

Integration: 44h 10′

Antlia EDGE H-alpha 4.5nm 2": 140×600″(23h 20′)

Antlia Luminance 2": 130×300″(10h 50′)

Antlia V-Pro Blue 2": 40×300″(3h 20′)

Antlia V-Pro Green 2": 40×300″(3h 20′)

Antlia V-Pro Red 2": 40×300″(3h 20′)

Redcat51

Eq6r pro

Zwo Asi 2600mm

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