Capturing the Sadr Region: A Widefield Mosaic in Broadband
This week, we're diving into the breathtaking beauty of the Sadr region, a celestial tapestry woven with gas and starlight located in the constellation Cygnus. Our featured astrophotographer has managed to capture this vibrant area with an impressive widefield view, and even experimented with a creative mosaic.
The Sadr Region Revealed
The image showcases the Sadr region, with the star Sadr (Gamma Cygni) playing a central role. While Sadr itself appears to illuminate the surrounding gas with a beautiful red hue, it's actually a hidden hot blue star behind dust clouds that provides the primary illumination. This interplay of light and dust creates the stunning visual spectacle we see here.
An Experimental Mosaic
Beyond the initial widefield capture, our astrophotographer also experimented with reinterpreting the colors. By splitting the image into Red, Green, and Blue channels and then recomposing them with a specific assignment (R=B, G=B, B=R), they aimed to recreate an OSH color palette. The results are striking, offering a unique perspective on the Sadr region, even without specialized equipment.
Behind the Lens: The Equipment and Process
This stunning capture was made possible with the following equipment:
- Camera: Canon EOS 60D
- Lens: Canon EF 85mm F/1.8 at F/4.0
- Mount: SWSA GTi
The integration time totaled approximately 172.5 minutes, with the following subs:
- Lights: 115 x 90s
- Darks: 21
- Biases: 55
- Flats: 50
The data was processed using Siril for stacking and stretching, with Graxpert used for further processing. The color channel splitting and RGB compositing for the mosaic were also performed in Siril.
This project is a testament to the dedication and creativity within the astrophotography community, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with accessible equipment. Keep looking up!
