The Elephant's Trunk Nebula in SHO: A Stunning Astrophotographic View
What a difference a new camera makes! This incredible image of the Elephant's Trunk Nebula (IC 1396A) showcases the power of narrowband imaging and a dedicated monochrome camera.
This image was captured under Bortle 5 conditions, utilizing 7 hours of integration time with 300-second exposures in Sulfur, Hydrogen, and Oxygen filters. The telescope setup included a SVBONY SV503 80ED doublet with a flattener, paired with a QHY miniCAM8 monochrome camera and SHO filters.
The imaging train was managed by a robust EQ6-R Pro mount, with guiding handled by a ZWO mini guide scope and an ASI120MM-mini guide camera. The entire process was orchestrated with NINA (Next IMaging in Astronomy).
Processing Workflow
Post-processing was performed using PixInsight, with a detailed workflow including:
- Weighted Batch PreProcessing (WBPP)
- SetiAstro AutoDBE for background neutralization
- SetiAstro Star Stretch for dynamic range enhancement
- SetiAstro palette picker for color selection
- Narrowband normalization
- Adding stars back using PixelMath
- BXT for noise reduction
- NXT for further noise reduction and detail enhancement
The upgrade from a QHY 533MC Pro color camera to the monochrome QHY miniCAM8 with SHO filters has truly brought the optical performance of the doublet telescope to life, revealing stunning detail in the nebula's structure. The improved Hydrogen-alpha collection compared to a DSLR is particularly noticeable.
