An Accidental Discovery: Minkowski 2-51 and NGC 7235

Target Acquisition: Manually found using remote observation.
Exposure: 240 x 1-minute exposures (4 hours total).
Stacking Software: Deep Sky Stacker (DSS).
Processing: Gradient extraction with Graxpert, star removal with Starnet.

Sometimes, the most rewarding scientific endeavors come from unexpected detours. For astrophotographer /u/Astrylae, a night dedicated to capturing the Elephant's Trunk Nebula took an unforeseen turn, leading to the accidental discovery and imaging of two celestial wonders: Minkowski 2-51 and NGC 7235.

The Unexpected Journey

The plan was set: hours of data acquisition for the Elephant's Trunk Nebula. Despite a somewhat uncertain weather forecast, the gamble paid off with a clear night. However, as often happens in the world of astrophotography, equipment glitches can throw a wrench into the best-laid plans. A loose screw on the RA mount threatened to derail the entire session.

After a manual adjustment to tighten the screw, the target was reacquired. Or so it seemed. Unbeknownst to the photographer, the telescope was not pointing at the intended nebula. Four hours of exposure later, the realization dawned: a completely different area of the sky had been captured.

Initially, disappointment set in. Four extra hours of data, and for the wrong target? But as the data was processed, something remarkable emerged. Amidst the unexpected field of stars, a beautiful planetary nebula was revealed. Further investigation revealed it was Minkowski 2-51, an object not readily labeled on Stellarium, leading to a fleeting thought of a personal discovery, only to find it was cataloged in 1947.

This story is a charming reminder that even with technical challenges and missteps, the universe has a way of offering breathtaking sights, often when we're looking in the wrong direction.