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This is an experimental image of the Vela supernova remnant (SNR) in the southern constellation of Vela.
The image data set consisted of 1-hour and 35-min of H-alpha, Oxygen III and Sulphur 2 filters. The S2 was data was not used though. Imaged with a Takahashi FSQ 106 refactor and SBIG STL-11000M CCD camera.
The Vela SNR is quite diffuse in surface brightness and is the left overs of an explosion that occured some 11,000 years ago in our own Milky Way galaxy. It is located around 850 light years from Earth.
In order to point the telescope and camera at the correct part of the sky the coordinates were acsertained using a number of sources online and also the SkyX plantarium software. A script was written using these coordinates as well as number of exposures, filter types for each, duration of exposures and binning. Once all of the information was entered, the image run was scheduled to proceed and the data was collected.
The image was processed by Ron Brecher (astrodoc.ca) and myself. We tried different approaches to working with the limited data. In the end we chose to produce this bi-colour image using the Ha and O3 data. There wasn’t enough S2 data collected to make adding it beneficial as it would only increase noise within the image while adding very little to the overall appearance of the supernova structure itself.
This image is considered experimental for a couple reasons. Pointing of the telescope and camera on the correct location of the sky framing and imaging. As well as, to get an idea of how bright the features would appear in the images and final processing. This will help determine what will be needed when I return to this object to collect more data.
Thanks for reading and clear skies!
Technical:
Takahashi FSQ ED 106mm refractor at F5.0 (530mm)
SBIG STL-11000M CCD (10.7 mega pixels)
Paramount ME EQ mount
Maxim DL Pro 5 for camera control, acquistion and guiding. Focusmax for autofocusing.
8 x 5min Ha / 8 x5min O3 / 3 x 5min S2 (not used) – 80min total data.
Processed in Pixinsight by Ron Brecher and Shawn Nielsen.
Imaged remotely using the iTelescope T12 at the Siding Springs Observatory in Australia.
My story began more than 40 years ago looking up at the Moon with a small telescope my Father had. Encouraged by my parents, who bought me my very own telescope, a 4.5″ reflector, I began to explore the night sky from my family home backyard. Today I do astrophotography from my home in Kitchener, Ontario and also with remote telescopes located in New Mexico and Australia. Some of my images have won awards and have been featured online and in magazines.
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