I imaged this last year for nearly 8 hours and only got a hint of the squid, this year's result is
somewhat better!
Discovered in 2011 by French astro-imager Nicolas Outters, the Squid Nebula's alluring bipolar shape
is distinguished here by the telltale blue-green emission from doubly ionized oxygen atoms. Though
apparently completely surrounded by the reddish hydrogen emission region SH2-129, the true distance
and nature of the Squid Nebula have been difficult to determine. A recent investigation suggests Ou4
really does lie within SH2-129 some 2,300 light-years away. The Squid Nebula is estimated to nearly
50 light-years across.
Information Credits: BAA
British Astronomical AssociationTelescope: Meade 6000 80mm APO Refractor f/6.0 (480mm Focal Length)
Meade X0.8 Reducer f/4.8 (385mm Focal Length)
Mount IOptron CEM40
Camera ZWOASI6200MC-Pro Temp -10C, Binning 1 x 1, Gain 100 Offset 50
ZWO EFW
11 X 300 Second Exposures W/Astrodon OIII Filter (3nm)
14 X 600 Second Exposures W/Astrodon OIII Filter (3nm)
7 X 600 Second Exposures W/Optolong L-Extreme Filter (6nm)
88 x 300 Second Exposures W/Optolong L-Extreme Filter (6nm)
50 Dark Frames/50 Flats
Total Integration Time: 11 Hours 45 Minutes
Acquisition with SharpCap
Stacked with Astro Pixel Processor
Guiding PHD2
Processed with Astra Image
Photo taken from Seven Lakes, NC Bortle 4.5
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