C68 / NGC 6729
| Designation(s) | C 68, NGC 6729 |
| Object Type(s) | Reflection Nebula |
| Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Caldwell, NGC |
| Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 09', 073° 72' |
| Constellation | Corona Australis |
| Date and Time Observed | 2025-09-19 20:20:00 |
| Instrument | Askar V 80mm w extender f7.5-600mm FL |
| Camera | ASI2600MC-Pro |
| Image Details | Up is 268.5 degrees E of N. Transparency: Good. Seeing: Good. Total integration time was 6m 40s. Exposures 20ss@250g, UV/IR Cut Filter. Dithered and recentered in SharpCap. No guiding. |
| Description | I traveled to Lake Taghkanic "dark site" in order to attempt this target, which peaked at transit at 8:02 PM at 10.7° elevation. This was the evening of the MHAA monthly star party, and I figured I could sneak it in over its low Southern Horizon. I didn't realize that there's a substantial light dome in that direction, affecting the sky below 20°. Nor did I expect to have an audience of about 10 people peppering me with questions. I don't have any appropriate light pollution filters. In the original SharpCap capture, the sky appeared as a light, muddy-brown color with just the barest hint of blue reflection nebula. Considering the handicaps and limited integration time, this is a remarkable image. It was re-stretched using the linear stack saved by SharpCap to produce a processed .tiff with help from a friend who owns Pixinsight. I then finished it in Affinity Photo using two James Ritson macros to brighten the blue nebulosity. |
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