Sh2-124 (2025)

This is my version of Sharpless 124 (Sh2-124) which is a dim emission nebula located in the constellation of Cygnus. It lies approximately 8500 light-years from us meaning the light began its journey when humans were shifting from hunting and gathering to agriculture. The nebula is composed mostly of hydrogen gas but there was a fair amount of oxygen and sulfur as well. Originally I planned on doing just hydrogen and oxygen but I have to thank astrophotographer Rodd Dryfus (image) who recommended including sulfur since it provided more depth than just the Ha and OIII (he had done it both ways).

There are a lot of dark nebulae in this region as well as unnamed dustlanes which I really like. There is a small Planetary Nebula, PN G094 +00.8, on the left central region of my image. I see a small round red blue splotch that looks like it could be a PN but charts indicate the PN is just above that. Not sure if the charts are off or if one of the tiny stars above is the PN. Lastly, this region sits in a heavy starfield and although I prefer not to do star reduction, sometimes it is necessary. The starfield is still quite colorful and rich.

Higher Quality:
https://www.astrobin.com/680c5k/?nc=collection&nce=712

Sh2-124 (2025)
Dates: 7-4-25, 7-6, 7-15, 7-18, 7-21, 7-22, 7-28, 7-29, 8-3 
Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM-Pro
Telescope: Astro-Tech AT115EDT 115mm Refractor Telescope
Barlow: None
Focal Length: 805mm (644mm w/ FR)
f/7 (f/5.6)
Focal Reducer: 0.8x AstroTech Field Flatterner/Focal Reducer
Mount: Orion Sirius
Filter Wheel: ZWO
EFW 8 x 1.25"
Filter: Antlia Ha, OIII, SII; ZWO R, G, B
Focuser: ZWO EAF
Autoguiding: ASI120 Mini attached to an Agena 50mm Guide Scope/ZWO 60mm Guidescope
Exposure: Ha 138 x 300, OIII 127 x 300, SII 120 x 300 R 57 x 90, G 39 x 90, B 41 x 90 (35h 30m)
Gain: 139
Offset 20
Sensor Temp: 0 C
Processing: NINA, PixInsight, Photoshop, BlurXTerminator, StarXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GraXpert, Bill Blanshan Star Reduction, Bill Blanshan Color Masks, Bill Blanshan Stretching, Topaz Denoise.

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