Here is a look at my deep sky astrophotography setup pointed towards the Helix Nebula in the backyard. This was a creative choice based on my personal preferences, and may not be the direction you choose when processing the Helix for yourself. I made a slight color adjustment (selective color) to the red channel data to achieve a more golden color to the outer ring of the Helix. Processing the color channels in Adobe Photoshop. The red channel contained the majority of the signal in this object, which is often the case when capturing targets containing hydrogen gas. To process the image, I separated each color channel and applied adjustments to each color independently. The use of dark frames and flat frames helped to calibrate the image so that I could process the data naturally in Adobe Photoshop. I collected 20 x 5-minute images using a one-shot-color camera and stacked the data in an application called DeepSkyStacker. For my image, an Optolong L-eXtreme dual bandpass filter was used to collect signal in the h-alpha, and OIII wavelengths.
To photograph the Helix Nebula, you may benefit from using narrowband filters that isolate certain gases. The Camera used to capture my image of the Helix Nebula (QHY268C). This telescope has a focal length of 1050mm, which is a great fit in terms of magnification for a target like the Helix Nebula. For example, the image above was collected using a small 150mm refractor on an equatorial telescope mount. The image consists of 20 x 5-minute exposures using a dedicated astronomy camera.Īmateur astrophotography enthusiasts are able to capture the Helix Nebula using modest telescope equipment. The photograph below was taken from my backyard using a camera and a refractor telescope. The star map below shows the location of NGC 7293 from my latitude in August. In the summer months, look towards the constellation Aquarius to the south, using the bright star Fomalhaut (magnitude 1.72) in Piscis Austrinus as a reference. From my backyard at 43 degrees north, the Helix Nebula doesn’t quite reach 30 degrees over the horizon. Location in the Night Skyįrom mid-northern latitudes, the Helix Nebula does not rise very high in apparent altitude into the sky.
The outermost ring of the “eye” shape is roughly 25 arc-minutes in diameter. The Helix Nebula has been referred to as the “ Eye of God“, due to its appearance of a human eye in space. This planetary nebula will appear as a hazy, greenish cloud, similar to the visual appearance of the Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula. For the best view, be sure to be well away from city light pollution, and during the New Moon phase. Through binoculars or a small telescope, the Helix Nebula can be observed under the right conditions. Other well known planetary nebulae include the Dumbbell Nebula and the Cat’s Eye Nebula. It is similar in appearance to the Ring Nebula in Lyra and is one of many well photographed planetary nebula in the night sky. The remnant stellar core (the planetary nebula nucleus) will eventually become a white dwarf star. It was formed when the star shed its outer layers near the end of its evolution and expelled the gases into space.
This nebula was created when a star (similar to our own Sun) nears the end of its life. The Helix Nebula photographed using a QHY268C camera and telescope. Whether you have seen the incredible images of the Helix Nebula captured using the Hubble Space Telescope,or are lucky enough to have observed this nebula through the eyepiece of a telescope yourself, NGC 7293 is one of the most iconic deep sky objects in the night sky. Of all of the known planetary nebulae in the night sky, the Helix Nebula is one of the brightest, and closest to Earth. The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Aquarius.