Lagoon Nebula – M8

In Astrophotography by Matt Shetzer

Lagoon Nebula

Click image for detailed view

A mere 4,000-6,000 light years away, the Lagoon Nebula contains many Bok globules (dark collapsing clouds). At the nebulas center is a structure known as the Hourglass Nebula named by John Herschel, which provides direct evidence of active star formation.

Photographed in LRGB and Hydrogen-Alpha, this target never exceeded 27 degrees on the horizon, thus making it a difficult subject to be photographed from Colorado.

 

ObjectLagoon Nebula
Linkhttps://www.shetzers.com/lagoon-nebula-m8/
Wiki Linkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagoon_Nebula
HemisphereNorthern
ConstellationSagittarius
Other Names contained in imageMessier 8, M8, NGC 6523, Sharpless 25, RCW 146, Gum 72
Imaging telescopes or lensesTakahashi FSQ -106ED4
Imaging camerasQHY268M
MountsSoftware Bisque Paramount MYT
Focal reducersNone
SoftwareSoftware Bisque The Sky X, PHD Lab PHD2, NINA, Viking,  PixInsight, Photoshop, Lightroom
FiltersAstrodon LRGB Gen2 E-Series Tru-Balance  36mm unmounted. Chroma Technology Narrowband 3nm Ha, SII, OIII – 36mm Unmounted
AccessoriesMoonlite NightCrawler 35 focuser, Maxdome II, Digital Loggers Pro Switch, Sky Alert Weather Station, Pegagsus Ultimate Powerbox v2, Starlight Xpress filter wheel.
Guiding Telescope or LensesOrion 60mm Guide Scope
Guiding CameraZWO ASI224MC Guide Camera
Imaging Dates6/2/22, 6/3/22, 6/11/22, 6/13/22, 6/21,22, 7/2/22
FramesLuminance: 27×300″ (2.25h)  Gain 25, Photographic Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Red: 16×300″ (1.3h) Gain 25, Photographic Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Green: 16×300″ (1.3h) Gain 25, Photographic Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Blue: 16×300″ (1.3h) Gain 25, Photographic Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Ha: 28×600″ (4.6h) Gain 60, High Gain Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Integration10h 45′
Darks50
Flats20 per Filter
Flat Darks40
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale:2
RA center270.946407
DEC center-24.379102
Pixel scale3.76
Resolution6280 x 4210
LocationsSirus 3.5m Observatory, Carbondale Colorado
Data sourceBackyard
SeeingAverage
Bortles2
Post Processing TechniquesPixInsight to Photoshop to Lightroom
Median FWHM PixelsL 3.266, R 3.186  G 3.188  B 3.323  Ha 3.559
Lagoon Nebula – M8 was last modified: January 23rd, 2023 by Matt Shetzer