Messier 27 (Vulpecula)
Fig. 1 - One of the easiest of all planetary nebulae to observe: Messier 27 in Vulpecula, photographed with an 8-inch f/5 Newtonian reflector on a ZWO AM5 mount. Messier 27 is the result of an old star that has shed its outer gas layers.
| Object name: | Constellation: | Coordinates: | Apparent size: | Visual brightness: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Messier 27 (= NGC 6853) | Vulpecula | 20h00m / +22°43' | 8.0' x 5.7' | 7.5 mag |
The planetary nebula Messier 27 (NGC 6853, "Dumbbell nebula") in the constellation of Vulpecula. The gaseous remains of a red giant star are 1,360 light-years from Earth and were discovered by Charles Messier in 1764 (source: Wikipedia).
Thirty-eight 3-minute exposures (114 minutes total exposure) at gain 100 and -10°C, taken on July 8 / 9, 2024, were added for this shot with Astro Pixel Processor (APP) software and the final image processing was done in Photoshop. Darks, flats, bias and darkflats were used.
Equipment: Cooled ASI 2600MC Pro camera, TeleVue Paracorr Type II coma corrector, 8" f/5 "ONTC" Newtonian telescope riding on a ZWO AM5 Strain Wave Mount, ZWO OAG-L off axis system, ASI 174MM Mini guide camera, ASIAIR Plus.
Fig. 2 - Search chart for Messier 27. Copyright 2024 'The Mag-7 Star Atlas Project', www.siaris.net.