This area in Cygnus that contains the circular Cocoon Nebula, aka IC 5146, located at the end of the long dark nebula called the Dark Cigar but officially is Barnard 168. The nebulas are flanked by two open star clusters: NGC 7209 at far left just over the border in Lacerta, and Messier 39 at far right. NGC 7209 barely stands out amid the rich starfield here, just below an orange star, while M39 is bright but sparse at right. The clusters and dark nebula stand out well in binoculars but the Cocoon Nebula is a challenge to see in telescopes. This is a stack of 6 x 6-minute exposures with the William Optics RedCat 51mm astrographic refractor at f/5 and the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 800 with LENR on as it was the warmest night of the summer, August 18, 2020. Aligned, stacked and median combined in Photoshop to eliminate some satellite trails. Autoguided with the ZWO ASIAir and ASI120MM guide camera with the RedCat on the Astro-Physics Mach1 mount. No filters employed here.
This is a wide-field framing of the heart of the Coma-Virgo cluster of galaxies in the northern spring sky, with galaxies galore in the frame, including a dozen Messier objects. The field is 7.5° by 5°, so similar to binoculars. The faintest galaxies here are about 12th magnitude. Just below the centre is the Marakarian's Chain of galaxies including the Messier galaxies M84 and M86. The giant elliptical M87 (famous for having its central black hole imaged) is below and to the left of the Chain. There are many other Messier objects in the field — At top right around the blue star 6 Comae is the trio of M98 (at the far edge), M99 (below and right of 6 Comae) and M100 (at top). At left are M88, M91, M90 amd M89. At bottom left is M58 and M59. M60 just squeaks onto the frame. This is a stack of 10 x 6 minute exposures with the SharpStar 61 EDPH II refractor at f/4.5 and the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 100. This is a single framing, not a mosaic. Taken from home April 24, 2022. Haze moving in spoiled exposures taken after this set. Dithered with MGEN3 autoguider; no darks applied.
A wide-field image of the Coma-Virgo Galaxy Cluster including the Messier galaxies around the star 6 Comae at top right, down to the galaxies of Markarian’s Chain at bottom left, including several other Messiers. The field is about 4 degrees high and 6 degrees wide. This is a stack of 5 x 8-minute exposures through the SharpStar 76mm EDPH refractor and with the SharpStar flattener/reducer for f/4.5, and with the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 800. An additional exposure taken through light cloud layered in added the star glows. Clouds prevented more exposures.
