2018-10-14 / Click on image to enlarge
galacticsights
astrophotography
IC59, IC63
Technical Details
| Location | Zollikerberg, Switzerland |
| Camera | Nikon DSLR D810A |
| Telescope | TS ONCT 12" f/4 Carbon Newton |
| Special Lense | TS 2,5" Wynne Coma Corrector |
| Mount | iOptron CEM60 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount |
| Autoguiding | Lacerta MGEN2 (Autoguiding, Dithering) |
| Focuser | Moonlite |
| Planetarium Software | Stellarium | Image Session Control | APT - Astro Photography Tool v3.5, ASCOM Platform 6 |
| Lights | 83 x 120s (total 2h46'), ISO-1600, additional Biases, Flats, no Darks |
| Stacking Software | Pixinsight 1.8, Drizzle 2x |
| Image Processing | Pixinsight 1.8 |
IC 59 and IC 63 are located about 600 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia. IC 63 — the brighter of the two and slightly closer to Gamma Cassiopeia (y Cas) than IC 59 — is a combination of an emission and reflection nebula. Unlike a reflection nebula which appears blue, the glowing hydrogen gas appears red. IC 59 is primary a reflection nebula, showing much less red hydrogen, and is appearing blue of dust reflected starlight that is passing through it. The bright, hot star Gamma Cassiopeia (y Cas) is located only 3 to 4 light-years from the nebula. This remarkable star is partly unstable and is known as a "shell star". It is the brightest star in Cassiopeia.