AP IMAGES

This page will be regularly updated with pictures of my AP targets. I’ll also revisit some old targets and pictures as my skills in AP and post-processing increase.

Click on an image or description to learn more about the targets and see some of the pre/post-processed images.

Sh 2-155 - The Cave Nebula in SHO.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 31 August - 03 September 2025

  • Setup: ASI6200MM, Askar 151PHQ, Losmandy G11G

  • Filters: Antlia LRGB and SHO 3nm

  • Exposures: 60x30s(L),20x30s(R),20x30s(G),20x30s(B),25x600s(S),54x600s(H),23x600s(O)

  • Total Time: 18 hours

  • Processing: PixInsight, Affinity Photo 2

IC 1805 and IC 1848 - The Heart and Soul Nebula’s.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 02-03 September 2025

  • Setup: ASI2600MC, WO SpaceCat 51, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: Optolong L-Ultimate and Altair Astro SII/OIII 3nm

  • Exposures: 20x600s (L-Ultimate) and 22x600s (Altair)

  • Total Time: 7 hours

  • Processing: PixInsight, Affinity Photo 2

IC 5070 - Pelican Nebula and part of the North America Nebula (NGC 7000). HDR with multiple exposure times. Shot with Ha/OIII and in HOO color scheme.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 29 July - 11 August 2025

  • Setup: ASI2600MC, Esprit 100ED, G11G

  • Filters: Optolong L-Ultimate

  • Exposures: 29x120s 27x180s 31x300s 54x600s 22x1000s

  • Total Time: 20 hours 40 minutes

  • Processing: PixInsight

NGC 6888 - Crescent Nebula. Shot with Ha/OIII and SII/OIII narrowband filters.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 12-15 July 2025

  • Setup: ASI2600MC, Esprit 100ED w/ Apex-L, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: Optolong L-Ultimate and Altair Astro SII/OIII 3nm

  • Exposures: 59x600s (L-Ultimate) and 25x600s (Altair)

  • Total Time: 14 hours

  • Processing: PixInsight

NGC 7000 - North America Nebula. Shot with Ha/OIII and SII/OIII narrowband filters. Quite a difference from my first go at the target and processing in Siril.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 8-10 July 2025

  • Setup: ASI2600MC, Esprit 100ED w/ Apex-L, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: Optolong L-Ultimate and Altair Astro SII/OIII 3nm

  • Exposures: 55x300s (L-Ultimate) and 39x300s (Altair)

  • Total Time: 7 hours and 50 minutes

  • Processing: PixInsight

IC 1396 - Elephant’s Trunk Nebula. Shot with Ha/OIII and SII/OIII narrowband filters.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 28 June - 06 July 2025

  • Setup: ASI2600MC, Esprit 100ED w/ Apex-L, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: Optolong L-Ultimate and Altair Astro SII/OIII 3nm

  • Exposures: 27x600s and 151x300s (L-Ultimate) and 42x600s (Altair)

  • Total Time: 24 hours and 5 minutes

  • Processing: PixInsight

NGC 7000 - North America Nebula. First attempt with the ASI2600MC after imaging with the ASI1600MM. Captured both the Cygnus Wall and Pelican Nebula (IC 5070).

  • Acquisition Date(s): 22-23 June 2025

  • Setup: ASI2600MC, Esprit 100ED w/ Apex-L, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: Optolong L-Ultimate

  • Exposures: 33x600s (L-Ultimate)

  • Total Time: 5 hours and 30 minutes

NGC 6960 - Western Veil Nebula revisited with image processing. Used HDR in PixInsight to combine multiple different exposure times and tried for better colors.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 19-22 June 2025

  • Setup: ASI2600MC, Esprit 100ED w/ Apex-L, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: Optolong L-Ultimate

  • Exposures: 250x60s 40x180s 27x300s (L-Ultimate)

  • Total Time: 8 hours and 15 minutes

  • Processing: PixInsight

M101 - Pinwheel galaxy. Very rough post and a frustrating learning experience using Siril.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 13 June 2025

  • Setup: ASI1600MM, Esprit 100ED, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: ZWO Red, Green, Blue, Luminescence

  • Exposures: 31x300s (Red), 30x300s (Green), 22x300s (Blue), and 46x300s (Luminescence)

  • Total Time: 10 hours and 45 minutes

  • Processing: ASIStudio and Siril

M101 - Pinwheel galaxy revisited with image processing using PixInsight. Tried doing my best with the data I had from the session. Definitely an improvement over the first iteration. The full image had lots of artifacts due to bad calibration frames and overall poor data.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 13 June 2025

  • Setup: ASI1600MM, Esprit 100ED, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: ZWO Red, Green, Blue, Luminescence

  • Exposures: 31x300s (Red), 30x300s (Green), 22x300s (Blue), and 46x300s (Luminescence)

  • Total Time: 10 hours and 45 minutes

  • Processing: ASIStudio and Siril

NGC 7000 - North America Nebula. Definitely an improvement over my first photos. I was still struggling with Siril and couldn't assign colors to the narrowband filters.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 09 June 2025

  • Setup: ASI1600MM, Esprit 100ED, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: ZWO Ha, SII, OIII

  • Exposures: 30x180s (Ha), 30x180s (SII), and 25x180s (OIII)

  • Total Time: 4 hours and 15 minutes

  • Processing: ASIStudio and Siril

NGC 7000 - North America Nebula revisited with image processing using PixInsight. The workflow I followed had issues with the SII bands so the reds did not come through. I’ll give it another shot in the future. Interesting to see the halos which might be the filters or possibly bad calibration frames.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 09 June 2025

  • Setup: ASI1600MM, Esprit 100ED, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: ZWO Ha, SII, OIII

  • Exposures: 30x180s (Ha), 30x180s (SII), and 25x180s (OIII)

  • Total Time: 4 hours and 15 minutes

  • Processing: PixInsight

M92 - Globular cluster in the Hercules constellation. Second target with the AP setup. Definitely a better visual target with the dob and the Morpheus 12mm/9mm.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 02 June 2025

  • Setup: ASI1600MM, Esprit 100ED, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: ZWO Red, Green, Blue, Luminescence

  • Exposures: 4x300s (Red), 4x300s (Green), 4x300s (Blue), and 4x300s (Luminescence)

  • Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

  • Processing: ASIStudio and Siril

M81, M82, NGC 3077 - Bode's and Cigar galaxies. First light with the brand new AP setup. Great visual targets with the dob, but I was never able to resolve NGC3077 with my light polluted skies and eyepieces.

  • Acquisition Date(s): 01 June 2025

  • Setup: ASI1600MM, Esprit 100ED, EQ6-R Pro

  • Filters: ZWO Luminescence

  • Exposures: Unknown

  • Total Time: Unknown

  • Processing: ASIStudio and Siril