2019-08-23 / Click on image to enlarge
galacticsights
astrophotography
M27, Dumbbell Nebula
Technical Details
| Location | Zollikerberg, Switzerland |
| Camera | Nikon DSLR D810A |
| Telescope | TS ONTC 12" f/4 Carbon Newton |
| Optics | APM Coma Correcting Telecentric 1.5x Barlow Lens |
| Focal Length | 1800mm |
| Mount | iOptron CEM60 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount |
| Autoguiding | Lacerta MGEN2 (Autoguiding, Dithering) |
| Focuser | Moonlite |
| Planetarium Software | Stellarium | Image Session Control | APT - Astro Photography Tool v3.7, ASCOM Platform 6 |
| Lights | 52 x 120s (total 1h44'), ISO-1600, additional Biases, Flats, no Darks |
| Stacking Software | Pixinsight 1.8, Drizzle 2x |
| Image Processing | Pixinsight 1.8 |
The Dumbbell Nebula (M27 or NGC 6853) is a typical planetary nebula and is located in the constellation Vulpecula (The Fox). The distance is rather uncertain, but is believed to be around 1,200 light-years. It was first described by the French astronomer and comet hunter Charles Messier who found it in 1764 and included it as no. 27 in his famous list of extended sky objects. It was the first planetary nebula ever discovered.
The Dumbbell Nebula is a typical planetary nebulae, formed by a central star that illuminates its expanding shell of gas, expelled by the star after it had used up all of its nuclear fuel. The central white dwarf in M27 is just the core left from the original star and it is extremely hot. Planetary nebulae are the final stage of stellar evolution. This will be the fate of our Sun in roughly five billion years.