u/spidermanbyday

Engulfed in dark molecular clouds of interstellar dust and surrounded by other deep space objects such as the Ghost Nebula (Sh 2-136), the Iris Nebula makes a stunning statement with its beautiful blue hues. A bright flower in a garden of irradiated soil.

1,600 years ago, as the Roman Empire was collapsing and the Mayan Dynasty was born, the light in this photo began its journey to my telescope. This is the second time I’ve captured it — the first time being when I was just dipping my toes into astrophotography. After 8 months in the hobby, I’ve learned so much and expanded my understanding in ways I never anticipated.

Check out the full frame photo on Astrobin: https://app.astrobin.com/i/bnxk6c

Total integration time: 160 subs x 180s = 8h (2 nights)

Equipment:

• Telescope: William Optics Pleiades 111
• Main camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
• Mount: ZWO AM5N
• Accessories: ZWO EAF Pro
• Guidescope: William Optics Guide Star 61
• Guide camera: ZWO ASI220MM Mini

Processing:

• Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
  • RC Astro BlurXTerminator
  • RC Astro NoiseXTerminator
  • RC Astro StarXTerminator
• Adobe Photoshop 2026

2,700 years ago in Mesopotamia, Babylonian astronomers were recording the movements of the planets and tracking lunar eclipses. They compiled catalogs of celestial “omens”, and laid the mathematical and observational groundwork for modern astronomy.

At that time photons of light were emitted by the ionized gases of the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula, which I captured this month in the picture you see here. The nebula has been continuously evolving and emitting light ever since, in a vast region of star formation within our Milky Way.

Check out the full frame photo on Astrobin: https://app.astrobin.com/i/su2elz

Total integration time: 96 subs x 300s = 8h (over 3 nights... yay early summer!)

Equipment:

• Telescope: William Optics Pleiades 111
• Main camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
• Mount: ZWO AM5N
• Filter: Optolong L-Ultimate 2"
• Accessories: ZWO EAF Pro
• Guidescope: William Optics Guide Star 61
• Guide camera: ZWO ASI220MM Mini

Processing:

• Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
  • RC Astro BlurXTerminator
  • RC Astro NoiseXTerminator
  • RC Astro StarXTerminator
• Adobe Photoshop 2026

2,700 years ago in Mesopotamia, Babylonian astronomers were recording the movements of the planets and tracking lunar eclipses. They compiled catalogs of celestial “omens”, and laid the mathematical and observational groundwork for modern astronomy.

At that time photons of light were emitted by the ionized gases of the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula, which I captured this month in the picture you see here. The nebula has been continuously evolving and emitting light ever since, in a vast region of star formation within our Milky Way.

Check out the full frame photo on Astrobin: https://app.astrobin.com/i/su2elz

Total integration time: 96 subs x 300s = 8h (over 3 nights... yay early summer!)

Equipment:

• Telescope: William Optics Pleiades 111
• Main camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
• Mount: ZWO AM5N
• Filter: Optolong L-Ultimate 2"
• Accessories: ZWO EAF Pro
• Guidescope: William Optics Guide Star 61
• Guide camera: ZWO ASI220MM Mini

Processing:

• Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
  • RC Astro BlurXTerminator
  • RC Astro NoiseXTerminator
  • RC Astro StarXTerminator
• Adobe Photoshop 2026