Secret Still Observatory

'Star, star teach me how to shine, shine'

SH2-86 - NGC6823

Mark

3 minute read

Details

    Integration time (running total):
    * SII 25 x 300s (205m)
    * Ha 21 x 300s (175m)
    * OIII 23 x 300s (200m)
    * Total: 855m/14h15m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 20 hours
    * Progress: 71%

From latitude 52° North this target is at it optimum altitude now and will continue to be available for several hours per evening well into the darker nights of autumn.

SH2-86 altitude chart

SH2-86 altitude chart

Notes

6th August 2022 Another good imaging night with only one dropped frame (the first frame as it often seems to be).

  • SII 19 x 300s (95m)
  • Ha 16 x 300s (80m)
  • OIII 20 x 300s (100m)
  • Total: 275m/4h35m

Next session: Prioritse HA.

5th August 2022 A few frames were dropped at the start of the evening due, I think, to the slightly turbulent atmosphere - Arcturus was twinkling like crazy. Gathered an additional four hours of data. The OIII and SII channels are very weak.

  • SII 16 x 300s (80m)
  • Ha 14 x 300s (70m)
  • OIII 17 x 300s (85m)
  • Total: 235m/3h55m

19th July 2022 After a day of extreme temperatures (the observatory reached 38.7° during the day inspite of the extra reflective sheeting which I added to the dark roof and the east-facing outer wall), the night settled down to be remarkably stable. The camera managed quite comfortably to cool to -15°, slightly greater than 40° below the ambient temperature last night. Approx. 30 mins of subs were scrapped due to cloud and cloud-induced guide errors which left the following usable data:

  • SII 14 x 300s (70m)
  • Ha 7 x 300s (35m)
  • OIII 13 x 300s (65m)
  • Total: 170m/2h50m

Next session: add more HA and decide on the proportions of SII/OIII to HA. The former have very little signal from the nebulosity.

16th July 2022
Started a new project last night on the faint emission nebula SH2-86 containing the reflection nebula NGC6820 and the open cluster NGC6823 in the constellation Vulpecula. Nautical dusk is already 20 minutess earlier than at the solstice so gradually night is lengthening!

There was only one dropped frame due to poor star shape.

  • Integration time:
    • SII 11 x 300s (55m)
    • Ha 14 x 300s (70m)
    • OIII 10 x 300s (50m)
    • Total: 175m/2h55m

15th July 2022
Fixed the focuser issue where, all of a sudden, Windows 11 could not find the COM port. This was done by swapping with an identical item which was in use on the guide scope. The unfindable focuser works fine, receives power and focuses manually so I am unsure why it was no longer available to Windows. Another niggling problem to follow up.

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