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For an annotated image click here: VDB123 annotated
VdB 123 and the Serpens molecular cloud
About this object
VdB 123 is a reflection nebula discovered by the Canadian Astronomer Sydney Van Den Bergh. It's the blue reflection nebula just below the bright blue star near the center of the image. In the larger context this area is part of the Serpens molecular cloud which extends much beyond the field of view of the image. It's a dusty area which is also reddened due to the dust. This area contains other reflection nebula and Herbig-Haro (HH) objects which are star forming regions within the thick dust. I love these types of reflection nebula and dusty regions but it was tough getting enough contrast vs. noise in this image to adequately show everything as this was taken from my sea level and light polluted sky but with enough exposure time I was able to reduce a lot of the noise to manageable levels. Processing was done using PixInsight.
VdB 123 is a reflection nebula discovered by the Canadian Astronomer Sydney Van Den Bergh. It's the blue reflection nebula just below the bright blue star near the center of the image. In the larger context this area is part of the Serpens molecular cloud which extends much beyond the field of view of the image. It's a dusty area which is also reddened due to the dust. This area contains other reflection nebula and Herbig-Haro (HH) objects which are star forming regions within the thick dust. I love these types of reflection nebula and dusty regions but it was tough getting enough contrast vs. noise in this image to adequately show everything as this was taken from my sea level and light polluted sky but with enough exposure time I was able to reduce a lot of the noise to manageable levels. Processing was done using PixInsight.
Image Details
- Optics : Stellarvue SVX 152T refractor @f6 900mm FL
- Mount: Paramount MYT
- Camera: QSI 683
- Filters: Astrodon Gen 2
- Exposure (min): 180min L, 430min Red, 420min Green, 450min Blue
- Camera/Mount Control: The Sky X, CCD Auto Pilot 5
- Guiding: Lodestar X2
- Processing: PixInsight
- Location: Stark Bayou Observatory, Ocean Springs, MS
- Sky: Typical SQM 19.6-20.0, Bortle 5, Suburban
- Date: July 2019
