Yer a Wizard Nebula, Harry: Capturing NGC 7380 with the Askar 103APO
It’s not often we get those perfect clear nights, but when they happen, you have to seize the opportunity! After a couple of weeks of cloudy skies, I was finally treated to a crystal-clear night and decided to point my Askar 103APO telescope towards the magnificent NGC 7380, affectionately known as the Wizard Nebula.
This image is the result of a dedicated six-hour capture session, starting around 9:45 PM and running through the night while I got some much-needed rest. The setup for this shot included:
- Telescope: Askar 103APO with a 0.8x reducer, resulting in a focal length of 560mm at f/5.4.
- Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme filter for enhanced narrowband imaging.
- Main Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro.
- Autoguiding: ZWO Mini Guide Scope with a ZWO ASI120MM guide camera.
- Mount: ZWO AM5N mount for stable tracking.
- Control: ZWO ASIAir and ZWO EAFN for automated focusing.
The processing workflow was similar to a previous Cygnus Wall image, employing PixInsight. This time, I opted for GradientCorrection instead of GraXpert to refine the background.
What truly excites me is the prospect of the upcoming week. I'll be venturing to a Bortle 1 dark sky site, a stark contrast to my usual Bortle 7 environment. I’m eagerly anticipating what new celestial wonders I can capture with such pristine dark skies!
Have you captured the Wizard Nebula? Share your experiences and any tips you might have in the comments below!
