Conquering Light Pollution: The Wizard Nebula from Bortle 9

Even with the challenges of severe light pollution, amateur astronomers can still achieve remarkable results. This post showcases the beauty of the Wizard Nebula, captured under notoriously difficult Bortle 9 skies with a compact and accessible telescope.

The Challenge: Bortle 9 Skies

Bortle 9 is the darkest category on the Bortle scale, indicating the presence of significant light pollution from urban areas. For astrophotography, this presents a major hurdle, making it difficult to capture faint celestial objects and often resulting in washed-out images.

The Equipment and Setup

Despite the challenging conditions, the photographer utilized the following equipment:

• Telescope: Seestar S50
• Exposure: Approximately 10 hours total, with 30-second sub-exposures.
• Mode: EQ mode
• Filter: Light Pollution (LP) filter
• Location: Bortle 9 zone with heavy streetlight pollution.

The Processing Pipeline

Achieving this result required careful post-processing. The steps involved:

1. Stacking: All 30-second sub-exposures were stacked using PixInsight.
2. RC Astro Tools: Specialized tools from RC Astro were employed for initial processing.
3. Channel Extraction and Stretching: H-alpha data was used for the red channel, and OIII data for the blue and green channels. These were stretched separately to enhance specific details.
4. Recombination: The stretched channels were then recombined to form the final image.
5. Final Touches: Google Photos App was used for minor adjustments and finishing touches.

The Result

The outcome is a testament to the dedication and skill involved in modern astrophotography. Capturing such a detailed image of the Wizard Nebula from a Bortle 9 location with a small telescope is truly impressive, demonstrating that even the most light-polluted skies don't have to deter aspiring astronomers from exploring the cosmos.

Overcoming Obstacles

This project highlights the importance of using appropriate filters and mastering post-processing techniques. The success of this image serves as an inspiration for others who might be facing similar light pollution challenges.