The best images of dark nebulae are from dark skies, but can you get a decent image of one from suburban skies? I had several clear, moonless nights recently, and by imaging several dark nebulae when they were high in the sky I think I’m able to say that the answer is “yes.” My skies are not great–I’d say Bortle 5-ish. I usually focus on narrowband imaging or bright galaxies, but some of the dark nebulae in Cepheus are just too pretty not to try. Barnard 150 is just a stunning object, and I’m happy to have added it to my collection.
Modern noise reduction and particularly starless processing techniques allow you to squeeze more out of less than perfect data. I’m fairly pleased with how this turned out, and I am already working on several more dark nebulae projects. I still wish I had darker skies, though…
- Exposures (-10ºC):
- L: 90×90s; R, G, B: 40×90s each (gain=0)
- Total exposure time: 5.25 hours
- Taken from Doylestown, PA, Sep 14, 2023
- Telescope: TS-Optics Photoline 130 w/ 0.8x reducer (f/5.6)
- Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM-Pro with Astrodon filters
- Mount: iOptron CEM60
- Guiding: ZWO ASI174MM (off-axis)
- Acquisition: NINA + PHD2 and ASTAP
- Processing: AstroPixelProcessor, PixInsight
Deep-sky Imaging 