M1, (Crab Nebula)

Date: January 12, 2026

Name: Crab Nebula

Constellation: Taurus

Distance from Earth: ~6,300 ly.

Fun Facts: Chinese astronomers actually witnessed the star explosion in the year 1054.

The “M1” label comes from Charles Messier who was a fellow in France hunting for comets in the late 1700’s. He was getting many false positives from other fuzzy objects, such as galaxies and globular clusters. So…in an effort to remove the confusion and make record of previous observations he started naming the objects M1, M2 etc. There are a total of 110 Messier objects, with the vast majority located in the northern hemisphere. I believe C.M. resided near Paris.

IC410, (The Tadpole Nebula)

Date: February 11, 2026

Name: The Tadpole Nebula

Constellation: Taurus

Distance from Earth: ~12,000 ly.

Capture Details: This image consists of 170, 2-minute exposures captured over two evenings in early February using an Ha/OIII narrowband filter. The frames were stacked and processed in PixInsight.

M16, (The Eagle Nubula)

Date: July 08, 2026

Name: The Eagle Nebula

Constellation: Serpens

Distance from Earth: ~5,700 to 7,000 ly.

Capture Details: This image consists of 150 x 2-minute exposures captured over two evenings in early July  using an Ha/OIII narrowband filter. The frames were stacked and processed in PixInsight. 

Fun fact: M16 is a classic mid-summer target located low in the southern sky, reaching a maximum altitude of only about 30 degrees. Imaging it goes against one of my cardinal rules: never image objects below 45 degrees. Every rule has its exceptions, though, and the Eagle Nebula is certainly one of them. Despite its low altitude, it’s a spectacular target that’s well worth the effort.

NGC6914

Date: July 16, 2026

Name: NGC6914

Constellation:  Cygnus,

Distance from Earth: ~6,000 ly.

Capture Details: This image consists of 160 x 2-minute exposures captured over two evenings in early July  using an IR-Cut filter. The frames were stacked and processed in PixInsight. 

Fun fact: NGC6914 is a reflection and emission nebulae.

NGC6960

Date: August 05 and 06, 2026

Name: NGC6960, (also known as the Western Veil Nebula or the Witch’s Broom)

Constellation:  Cygnus

Distance from Earth: ~2,400 ly.

Acquisition & Processing Details:

  • Total Exposure: ~10 hours (300 frames x 120 seconds) captured over two consecutive, crystal-clear nights.
  • Filter: Antlia ALP-T Dual-Band 3nm Ha & OIII.
  • Software: Processed entirely in PixInsight.

 Fun fact: NGC6960 is a  supernova remnant and  is part of a larger structure known as the Cygnus Loop. It is essentially a vast cloud of heated, ionized gas, primarily oxygen, sulfur, and hydrogen, intertwined with interstellar dust.

SH2-103

Date: August 05 and 06, 2026

Name: SH2-103, (Cygnus Loop)

Constellation:  Cygnus

Distance from Earth: ~2,400 ly.

Acquisition & Processing Details:

  • Total Exposure: ~10 hours (300 frames x 120 seconds) captured over two consecutive, crystal-clear nights.
  • Filter: Antlia ALP-T Dual-Band 3nm Ha & OIII.
  • Software: Processed entirely in PixInsight.

 Fun fact: This wide-field shot of the entire Cygnus Loop (Sh2-103)—including both the Eastern and Western Veil Nebula was captured using my ZWO ASI2600MC Pro camera riding on the ZWO AM5 mount. This portable powerhouse setup yields a staggering 4° x 6° field of view, allowing me to easily frame the massive supernova remnant in a single, breathtaking frame.

NGC6888, (Crescent Nebula).

Date: August 14, 2026

Name: NGC6888, (Crescent Nebula)

Constellation:  Cygnus

Distance from Earth: ~5,000 ly.

Acquisition & Processing Details:

    • Total Exposure: ~8.5 hours total integration time. 250 frames at 120 seconds per sub-exposure, over a single night, running continuously from astronomical dark to astronomical dawn.
    • Filter: Antlia ALP-T Dual-Band 3nm Ha & OIII.
    • Software: The data was calibrated, registered, integrated, and processed via PixInsight.

This stunning emission nebula is a cosmic bubble spanning roughly 25 light-years across. The nebula is powered by the intense stellar wind of the massive Wolf-Rayet star WR 136, which is violently colliding with and ionizing the slower-moving gas cast off by the star earlier in its life cycle. 

IC5070 and NGC7000

Date: August 22, 2026

Name: IC5070 (the Pelican Nebula) and NGC7000 (the North America Nebula).

Constellation:  Cygnus

Distance from Earth: ~5,000 ly.

Acquisition & Processing Details:

  • Telescope: William Optics RedCat 71 WIFD
    • Camera: ZWO ASI2400MC Pro
    • Filter: Antlia ALP-T Dual-Band 5nm Ha & OIII
    • Integration: ~10 hours (300 x 120s subs, one night nautical dark to nautical dawn)
    • Software: Calibrated, stacked, and processed in PixInsight 

These massive emission nebulae are part of the same interstellar cloud of ionized hydrogen. While they appear separated, they are actually divided by a dark, dense band of obscuring dust known as the Atlantic Canyon. This entire complex is an active star-forming region powered by the intense ultraviolet light of nearby massive stars. 

NGC 7635 and Sh2-157

Date: September 04,  2026

Name: NGC 7635 (the Bubble Nebula) and Sh2-157 (the Lobster Claw Nebula)

Constellation:  Cepheus

Distance from Earth: ~7,200 ly.

Acquisition & Processing Details:

  • Telescope: William Optics RedCat 71 WIFD
  • Camera: ZWO ASI2400MC Pro
  • Filters: Antlia ALP-T Dual-Band 5nm (H-alpha & OIII / SII & Hb)
  • Integration: ~15.5 hours total (470 x 120s subs) gathered over three nights (August 28th, September 3rd, and September 4th)
  • Software: Calibrated, stacked, and processed in PixInsight using the Hubble Palette (SHO)

This framing captures a dynamic cosmic neighborhood glowing roughly 7,200 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus. On one side sits the iconic Bubble Nebula, carved out by the fierce stellar winds of a massive O-type star millions of times more luminous than our Sun. Right beside it stretches the Lobster Claw Nebula, an expansive stellar nursery who’s intricate “claws” are illuminated by clusters of hot young stars and a turbulent Wolf-Rayet star, (look up Charles Wolf and Georges Rayet here). Together, they beautifully showcase the incredible power of stellar winds shaping the interstellar medium.

NGC7023

Date: September 25,  2026

Name: NGC 7023, (Iris Nebula)

Constellation:  Cepheus

Distance from Earth: ~1,300 ly.

Acquisition and processing specifications:

  • Telescope: William Optics RedCat 71 WIFD
  • Mount: ZWO AM5N
  • Camera: ZWO ASI2400MC Pro (Full-Frame Colour)
  • Filters: Antlia ALP-T Dual-Band 5nm (H-alpha & OIII / SII & Hb)
  • Integration Time: ~17 hours total exposure
  • Sub-exposures:
    • 255 x 120s subs (H-alpha & OIII)
    • 255 x 120s subs (SII & Hb)
  • Capture Dates: Gathered over three nights (September 19th, 24th, and 25th)
  • Software: Calibrated, stacked, and processed in PixInsight and Affinity Photo

This striking reflection nebula is located roughly 1,300 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus. What makes this region especially captivating is the vast complex of dark nebulae and dense interstellar dust clouds that frame the bright blue core.

Breaking one of my cardinal astrophotography rules, I captured this data during or near a full moon. Luckily, because Cepheus sits close to the celestial pole, I was able to maintain about a 70-degree separation from the moon. This separation was absolutely critical as it kept the worst of the light gradient wash at bay and allowed those subtle, dusty gold structures to survive the bright moonlight.