NGC 7380: My "Wizard Nebula" Backyard Adventure

What an incredible journey it was capturing the NGC 7380, affectionately known as the Wizard Nebula! As an amateur astrophotographer, venturing into the night sky from my Bortle 6-7 backyard presents unique challenges, but the rewards are always immense. This time, I wanted to push my Skywatcher Star-Adventurer GTI mount and Meade 6000 80mm Triplet APO telescope to their limits.

The Target: The Wizard Nebula

The Wizard Nebula is a truly captivating celestial object. Its distinct shape, with a prominent bubble at its center, makes it a fascinating target for imaging. I was eager to see how it would render in my processed images.

Wizard Nebula

The Setup and the Challenge

My equipment for this imaging session included:

Mount: Skywatcher Star-Adventurer GTI
Telescope: Meade 6000 80mm Triplet APO
Camera: ZWO ASI183MC-PRO
Autoguiding: ZWO ASI120MM with ZWO OAG
Filters: Askar Color Magic C1/C2 Dual Duoband Filters

I utilized the Askar Color Magic C1/C2 filters, dedicating 25x300s subs with the C1 Ha/OIII and 75x300s subs with the C2 SII/OIII. This brought my total integration time to around 8 hours, culled from over 14 total imaging hours.

One of the biggest hurdles I faced was the longer sub-exposure of 300 seconds. With my rig sitting right at the 11 lb weight cap for the GTI mount, 300s subs proved to be a bit too much. I noticed a fair amount of softening and lost detail due to this, but by the time I realized it, I had already committed two nights to capturing data.

Exploring the SHO Palette

This was my first attempt at using the SHO (Sulphur, Hydrogen, Oxygen) palette. It's a fantastic way to bring out the vibrant colors hidden within nebulae. While I may have pushed some of the color processing a bit too far, resulting in some unwanted purple and pink hues, I'm still very happy with the overall result. The distinct nature of the nebula and that central bubble really shine through.

Looking Ahead

Despite the minor challenges, this experience has been incredibly valuable. I'm excited to refine my techniques for longer exposures and further explore the beauty of nebulae like NGC 7380. I truly hope to see more images of this magnificent target shared on the sub!

Clear Skies!