Witness the Majesty of the Ring Nebula: 100% Crop & (Nearly) Full Frame

In summary, after 40 days and 40 nights of rain, a ball of fire appeared in the sky followed by a shimmering black velvet curtain of night. Using a 800/5.6 lens with 10s ISO 2000 exposures, the ring nebula was captured with a FWHM of 4.4 pixels, close to diffraction limited imaging. The central star was also visible and even IC 1296 could be pulled out of the noise. This impressive image showcases the capabilities of backyard astronomy and the joy of learning and experimenting.
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Andy Resnick
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And lo, after 40 days and 40 nights of rain, a ball of fire in the sky did appear, and after it, a shimmering black velvet curtain of night.

Ring nebula: 100% crop and (nearly) full frame:

ringu_x3_zpsxeoj2a7u.jpg


Ringu%2056m_zpsfe89krmb.jpg


Deets: 800/5.6, 10s ISO 2000 exposures (total integration time 56 minutes). This is the first time I've gotten a clear image of the central star, my best image in the stack has a FWHM of 4.4 pixels- pretty close to diffraction limited imaging. I'm almost able to pull IC 1296 out of the noise...
 
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VERY cool. thanks for posting. I'm sure the Hubble can do better but I think it's wonderful that folks here on the forum get some pics for us showing what you can do in your back yard.
 
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totally agree phinds

its all in the fun learning and experimenting :smile:well done Andy
 
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phinds said:
VERY cool. thanks for posting. I'm sure the Hubble can do better but I think it's wonderful that folks here on the forum get some pics for us showing what you can do in your back yard.

Right-o. The joy is in the making.
 
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Pulling out the central star in the ring nebula is a feat most visual observers would envy.
 
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Very nice Andy. I am definitely envious. :smile:
 
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1. What is the Ring Nebula?

The Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57 (M57) or NGC 6720, is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Lyra. It is one of the most famous and studied objects in the night sky.

2. How was the image of the Ring Nebula captured?

The image of the Ring Nebula was captured by using a telescope and a camera. The telescope collects the light from the nebula and the camera captures the image. The image shown is a composite of multiple images with different filters to enhance the details.

3. How far away is the Ring Nebula?

The Ring Nebula is approximately 2,300 light-years away from Earth. This means that the light we see from the nebula today has traveled for 2,300 years before reaching our eyes.

4. Why does the Ring Nebula have a ring shape?

The ring shape of the Ring Nebula is due to its structure. It is formed when a star similar to our Sun runs out of fuel and starts to expand, shedding its outer layers. The gas and dust from the star are blown away, creating a spherical shell of material. As the star continues to expand, it illuminates the shell, creating the ring shape we see today.

5. What can we learn from studying the Ring Nebula?

Studying the Ring Nebula can help us understand the life cycle of stars. It also gives us insight into the chemical composition of the universe, as planetary nebulae like M57 are enriched with elements created inside stars. Additionally, studying the Ring Nebula can help us understand the dynamics of gas and dust in space and how they form into structures like this beautiful ring.

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