The Flickr Southernpleiades Image Generatr

This is the final version of the series. It took 3 successive nights to obtain the data, and I could enjoy processing them for a week. I put 60-second and 240-second frames taken with clear filter on HII OIII enhanced starless frame. It resulted in this dust and gas enhanced and stars smaller and crisp image. I could make this deeper image with the gimmick easily. I am happy at the final result.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter or Clear Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5 with NB12 Filter and 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5 with Clear Filter

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

This is the final version of the series. It took 3 successive nights to obtain the data, and I could enjoy processing them for a week. I put 60-second and 240-second frames taken with clear filter on HII OIII enhanced starless frame. It resulted in this dust and gas enhanced and stars crisp image. Great Carina Nebula was bright here.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter or Clear Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5 with NB12 Filter and 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5 with Clear Filter

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Vela SNR got clearer with dual narrowband filter.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter or Clear Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5 with NB12 Filter and 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5 with Clear Filter

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Vela SNR got clearer with dual narrowband filter.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter or Clear Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5 with NB12 Filter and 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5 with Clear Filter

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Vela SNR got clearer with dual narrowband filter. Stars near left upper corner trailed due to differential atmospheric refraction near the horizon.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter or Clear Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5 with NB12 Filter and 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5 with Clear Filter

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Vela SNR got clearer with dual narrowband filter. Stars near left upper corner trailed due to differential atmospheric refraction near the horizon.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter or Clear Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5 with NB12 Filter and 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5 with Clear Filter

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Vela SNR got far clearer with the filter and starless conversion. It was visible clearly that oxygen III clouds of Vela SuperNova Remnant were distributed faintly and widely toward west. I hope to image the area again with longer optics.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Vela SNR got far clearer with the filter and starless conversion. It was visible clearly that oxygen III clouds of Vela SuperNova Remnant were distributed faintly and widely toward west. I hope to image the area again with longer optics.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Vela SNR got clearer with the filter. Stars near left upper corner trailed due to differential atmospheric refraction near the horizon.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Vela SNR got clearer with the filter. Stars near left upper corner trailed due to differential atmospheric refraction near the horizon.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art," IDAS NB12 Dual Narrowband Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 9 times x 1,800 seconds, 8 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 12 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5

site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.78 at the night.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art" and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5

site: 2,560m above sea level at lat. 24 23 21 South and long. 70 12 01 West near the peak of Cerro Ventarrones Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.77 at the night.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art" and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5

site: 2,560m above sea level at lat. 24 23 21 South and long. 70 12 01 West near the peak of Cerro Ventarrones Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.77 at the night.

Equipment: Sigma 28mmF1.4 "Art" and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 7 times x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5

site: 2,560m above sea level at lat. 24 23 21 South and long. 70 12 01 West near the peak of Cerro Ventarrones Chile

Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild, and guide error RMS was 0.73". Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.77 at the night.

This frame was taken with clear filter without dual narrow band filter. Focus got off in longer exposure frames.

Equipment: Sigma 35mmF1.4 DG HSM Art, IDAS Clear Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 4 times x 60 seconds, 5 x 240 sec, and 12 times x 600 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.2

site: 2,430m above sea level at lat. 24 38 55 South and long. 70 16 52 West near Cerro Armazones Chile
SQML was 21.55 at the night. Ambient temperature was around 6 degrees Celsius or 43 degrees Fahrenheit.

This frame was taken with clear filter without dual narrow band filter. Focus got off in longer exposure frames.

Equipment: Sigma 35mmF1.4 DG HSM Art, IDAS Clear Filter, and EOS R6-SP5, modified by Seo San on ZWO AM5 Equatorial Mount, autoguided with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, and PHD2 Guiding

Exposure: 4 times x 60 seconds, 5 x 240 sec, and 12 times x 600 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.2

site: 2,430m above sea level at lat. 24 38 55 South and long. 70 16 52 West near Cerro Armazones Chile
SQML was 21.55 at the night. Ambient temperature was around 6 degrees Celsius or 43 degrees Fahrenheit.

Other than the region of the Milky Way around the Galactic Centre in Sagittarius and Scorpius, this is arguably the richest area of the Milky Way for showpiece nebulas and star clusters. This two-segment telephoto lens panorama extends from the colourful stars of Crux, the Southern Cross at left, to Carina at right — from the dark Coal Sack Nebula to the bright Carina Nebula.

At lower centre is the Running Chicken Nebula made of IC 2944, IC 2948, and the smaller Gum 39 and Gum 41 nebulas.

The region contains the sky's finest open star clusters:
- the Jewel Box, NGC 4755, beside Becrux, the left star of the Southern Cross
- the Pearl Cluster, NGC 3766, above the Running Chicken
- the Football, aka Black Arrow, Cluster, at upper left of the Carina Nebula
- the Gem Cluster, NGC 3293, above right of the Carina Nebula
- the Southern Pleiades, IC 2602, below the Carina Nebula
- and the unnamed NGC 3114 cluster at far right

Above it at upper right is the pink arc of the Southern Crescent Nebula, NGC 3199, created by winds from a hot Wolf-Rayet star. At centre is the pair of nebulas NGC 3603 and NGCC 3579, with the former being the redder of the two as it is farther away and is more obscured by interstellar dust.

The Coal Sack below Crux is a region of nearby dense interstellar dust that obscures what is farther away behind it.

Technical:
This is a panorama of two segments, each a stack of 12 x 2-minute exposures with the Canon RF135mm lens at f/2 and on the red-sensitive Canon Ra at ISO 800. The lens was equipped with a mild broadband light pollution reduction filter, the 95mm URTH Night. The camera was on the Astro-Physics AP400 mount, for tracking but no guiding. Stacked in Photoshop and stitched in Adobe Camera Raw using Boundary Warp to straighten the fields.

Taken March 12, 2024 from the Warrumbungles Mountain Motel at the OzSky star party, held annually near Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia.

This is a framing of the most spectacular area of the southern Milky Way, from Centaurus at left, to Carina at right, with Crux, the Southern Cross, at centre.

In this field are arguably the sky's finest examples of various classes of celestial objects:
- the finest telescopic double stars: Alpha Centauri at far left and Acrux at the bottom of the Southern Cross
- the finest globular star cluster: Omega Centauri at top left
- the best dark nebula: the Coal Sack beside Crux (at bottom is the long "Dark Doodad" in Musca)
- the best emission nebula: the Carina Nebula at right (to the left of it is the Lambda Centauri nebulosity)
- the best open star cluster: NGC 3532 or the Football Cluster to the left of the Carina Nebula, with IC 2602, the Southern Pleiades below the nebula a fine runner up. Many other superb star clusters populate this field such as the Jewel Box, NGC 4755, beside Crux.

This is a stack of 8 x 4-minute exposures with the Canon RF28-70mm lens at 48mm and f/2.8, on the Canon Ra at ISO 800, with an URTH light pollution filter to help increase contrast. All on the MSM Nomad tracker. Taken from Mirrabook Cottage near Coonabarabran, Australia on a superb night March 5, 2024.

A mosaic of the amazingly rich area of Carina and Centaurus with their many superb nebulas and star clusters in this southernmost area of the Milky Way.

The Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) is at upper right while the Running Chicken Nebula (IC 2948) is at lower left (aka the Lambda Centauri Nebula). The small red and magenta nebulas at centre are NGC 3603 and NGC 3576.

The Southern Pleiades cluster (IC 2602) is at bottom right. The Pearl Cluster (NGC 3766) is above the Running Chicken at left. The cluster IC 2714 is to the right of the Chicken amid dark nebulas. The Gem Cluster (NGC 3324) is above and right of the Carina Nebula but small and unresolved here. The Football Cluster (NGC 3532) is top centre, though partly lost amid the rich starfield.

This is a mosaic of three segments, taken with the camera in portrait orientation, stitched with Photoshop to make a square framing of the area. Each segment was a stack of 4 x 2-minute exposures at f/2.8 with the 200mm Canon L-series EF lens and filter-modified (by AstroHutech) Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2500. Tracked on the AP400 mount but unguided. Shot from Tibuc Gardens Cottage, Coonabarabran, Australia in April 2017. Reprocessed in 2023.

When things don't look very good around us, it is better to look at the beauty of a starry sky

Den Sternenhimmel genießen

Image of the beautiful Southern Sky that I took a few years ago, stacked and post-processed with an evaluation version of PixInsight and enhanced with Photoshop.
I added some annotations for the main sky objects to facilitate their identification

72 lights, 20 darks, 5sec each, ISO 3200
Sony A7iii, Sigma lens f1.4/20mm

New processed photo - Part of the southern Milky Way with the Southern Cross, the pointer stars (Alpha & Beta Centauri), Southern Pleiades and the Carina Nebula

[Canon EOS 1000Da, Canon EF 28 mm f/2.8 bei f/3.5, ISO-800, 15 x 7 Min., Cokin P820, on Astrotrac, APP & Photoshop CC - Astrofarm Tivoli, Namibia, Mai 2014]