M8 Lagoon Nebula: A Stunning Wide-Field View from Rural France
Here's a recent capture of the magnificent Lagoon Nebula (M8), taken from a Bortle 2 sky in the heart of France. It's always a special feeling to pull out the intricate details of these distant cosmic nurseries from a dark sky site.
The Capture
This image was made possible with a setup that balances portability and capability:
- Telescope/Lens: Samyang 135mm at f/2.8
- Mount: Star Adventurer GTI
- Camera: ZWO 533MC with Optolong L-enhance filter
- Guiding: ZWO 120mm guide scope
- Acquisition Software: NINA, GSServer, and PHD2
Acquisition Details:
- 120 x 30-second exposures at Gain 150 and -10°C
- 20 flat frames
Post-Processing
The journey from raw data to the final image involved careful steps:
- Stacking & Initial Processing: HaOIII extraction, stacking, and initial processing were performed in Siril.
- Final Touches: Fine-tuning of the starless image was completed in Lightroom.
As someone relatively new to astrophotography, I'm thrilled with how this turned out and hope you enjoy this glimpse into the Lagoon Nebula!
Let me know what you think in the comments below!
