NGC 6302 is also known as the Bug Nebula, Butterfly Nebula, or Caldwell 69 and is a bipolar planetary nebula in the constellation Scorpius. Although quite bright, with an apparent size of just 5' X 1.5' NGC 6302 is a relatively small object and requires good seeing conditions** to reveal the internal details well. With just 1120mm of focal length, good seeing is even more important!
This is a hybrid Narrowband/true colour image, created without RGB filters. To reveal the extensive faint Halpha in the area, the background was processed to appear as a more traditional RGB image, so the Ha appears red, while NGC6302 itself was processed as an SIIHaOIII combination.
*NB: No Blur Exterminator or other AI based sharpening, was used on this data.
Orion Optics UK AG12 F3.8
Starlightxpress TRIUS PRO-694 Midi Combi PRO Blue Edition incl.CFW & OAG unit
FLI Atlas Focuser
SIIHaOIII = 105min 110min 150min, combined total exposure = 6hrs
Astronomik 6nm NB filters
-20C chip temp, flats used but no dark frames.
Focal length 1120mm
Image scale 0.84"/pix
Guide Camera: Starlightxpress Lodestar PRO
Data collected 23 June 2023, full Moon, excellent seeing
(FWHM of raw sub frames, per MaximDL: 1.4" - 1.6" across the whole 6hrs of exposure!)
Taken from Eagleview Observatory:
pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/eagleview_observatory
Equipment setup:
pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/173097781/original
Some links to equipment used to take this image:
Sidereal Trading
www.siderealtrading.com.au/
StarlightXpress CCD Cameras and imaging equipment
www.sxccd.com/products
Finger Lakes Instrumentation CCD cameras:
www.flicamera.com/
Gerd Neumann and Astronomik filters:
www.astronomik.com/en/home
www.gerdneumann.net/
MSB Software & Astroart Camera control and Image processing software
www.msb-astroart.com/ 