Celestial Dance: Unveiling the Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae
Under the dark skies of Pender Island, British Columbia, a breathtaking celestial vista was captured – the magnificent Lagoon Nebula (M8) and the intricate Trifid Nebula (M20).
The Astronomical Subjects
The Lagoon Nebula, cataloged as M8, is a prominent H II region in the constellation Sagittarius. It's a stellar nursery where new stars are born, characterized by its vast, glowing gas clouds and dark dust lanes.
Close by, the Trifid Nebula, M20, also in Sagittarius, is a striking example of a nebula with three distinct lobes, giving it its name. It's a complex region of both emission and reflection nebulae, showcasing vibrant colors and intricate structures.
The Capture: Technical Details
This stunning image was achieved using a modified Canon 6D camera, operating at ISO 1600. The setup included a Redcat 51 WIFD telescope mounted on a Skywatcher Adventurer GTI equatorial mount. The acquisition consisted of 22 lights, each exposed for 75 seconds, complemented by 17 dark frames of the same duration.
The session took place at 17°C under Bortle 4 light pollution conditions, offering a clear view of the celestial wonders. Unfortunately, the capture window was limited due to the rising trees, and flat frames were not utilized for this particular session.
Processing Workflow
The raw data underwent a meticulous processing pipeline. Stacking was performed using DeepSkyStacker (DSS). Subsequent enhancements and color balancing were carried out in PixInsight, Siril, and GIMP to bring out the intricate details and vibrant colors of these nebulae.
