Pickering's Triangle: A Hauntingly Beautiful Nebula

This image showcases the mesmerizing Pickering's Triangle, a celestial wonder brought to life through advanced astrophotography techniques. The processing, primarily in HOO with RGB stars, highlights the intricate details and vibrant colors of this distant nebula.

Acquisition Details

Acquired on July 12, 2025, from a backyard Bortle 5 location, the data for this image was captured using NINA and PHD2. The following filters and exposure times were used:

• Ha: 15 x 300” (1h 15m)
• OIII: 15 x 300” (1h 15m)
• R: 16 x 30” (8m)
• G: 16 x 30” (8m)
• B: 16 x 30” (8m)

Camera settings included a gain of 200, an offset of 55, and a temperature of -5°C. Calibration frames consisted of 50 darks, 30 flats, and 30 dark flats.

Equipment Used

The detailed capture of Pickering's Triangle was made possible by the following equipment:

• Telescope: GSO RC6
• Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
• Filters: Antlia V-Series LRGB and SHO 3nm Narrowband Filters, 2” Mounted
• Filter Wheel: ZWO Filter Wheel
• Focuser: ZWO EAF
• Mount: iOptron GEM 28
• Off-Axis Guider: ZWO OAG-L with ASI174MM Mini

Processing Workflow

The image was processed using DSS and Photoshop, following these steps:

1. Stacked the individual sub-frames with DSS.
2. Performed a first stretch of the stacked image in Photoshop.
3. Removed stars using StarXTerminator.
4. Executed a second stretch on the starless image to reveal target details.
5. Adjusted curves for enhanced contrast.
6. Fine-tuned saturation and color balance.
7. Applied noise reduction with NoiseXTerminator.
8. Sharpened the image using the Smart Sharpen filter.
9. Reintroduced RGB stars using a screen layer.

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