Fun facts
Sh2-132 is a large emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus. It is located on the southern edge of the constellation, a short distance from the boundary with the Lizard, along the plane of the Milky Way. Sh2-132 is located at nearly 3200 parsecs (almost 10400 light-years), placing it within the Milky Way’s Perseus Arm. The stars responsible for the ionization of its gas are very hot and massive; in particular, two Wolf-Rayet stars have been identified, known as HD 211564 and HD 211853 (the latter also having the abbreviation WR 153), as well as a spectral class O8.5V star and about ten B-class stars.
Other Catalog Designations: LBN473
Subtype: HII region
Distance from Earth: 10,400 light years
Apparent Size: 1°20’ x 1°10’
Constellation: Cepheus
{Target information derived from: https://telescope.live/gallery/sh2-132-lion-nebula and Stellarium }
Capture Notes
This image is the product of three night’s imaging from my front patio in Colorado Springs, Colorado (29-31 August 2023 – YES in the midst of the full Blue Moon!). This was the first time I’ve used my ZWO ASI2400MC camera on Big Bertha (RC-8” telescope). Thus, as is common when we change things, there were three lessons learned over the three nights of imaging. The full story is in the blog section of this website, (https://beersastrophotography.com/photography-journals/new-equipment-configuration-learning-experience/) but the short story is: 1) this configuration needs more backspacing to focus with another extension tube piece; 2) this configuration does NOT need a field flattener; and 3) when the car battery used for DC power dies, if will give you zero warning. There was also a wonderment, yet to be solved/learned from…when you have three different places to set a parameter in your control software, there’s no telling which one the SW will chose to use during execution!
Equipment
Polar alignment: QHYCCD camera (controlled by Polemaster)
Imaging: (Big Bertha) Orion 8″ f/8 Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph Telescope, ZWO ASI2400MC imaging camera, Optolong LeXtreme light pollution filter
Mount: SkyWatcher EQ6‑R PRO Synscan mount (controlled by ASCOM driver)
Autoguider: Orion 60mm Multi-Use Guide Scope, Orion StarShoot AutoGuider Pro Mono Astrophotography Camera (controlled by PHD2)
All equipment controlled by HP Probook running Sequence Generator Pro v4.2
Capture & processing notes
Sequence plan (29Aug2023): Gain: 158, Temp: -0°C, offset=30; 73x5min. Total exposure time: 6:05hrs. (With field flattener: 38x5min; 3:10hrs.; Without field flattener: 35x5min, 2:55hrs.)
Sequence plan (30Aug2023): Gain: 158, Temp: -0°C, offset=30; 36x5min. Total exposure time: 3hrs.
Sequence plan (31Aug2023): Gain: 158, Temp: -0°C, offset=30; 57x5min. Total exposure time: 4:45hrs.
Total Capture: Captured 29, 30, & 31 August 2023. Total exposure time in image (not including the with field flattener images): 10:40hrs.
Shooting location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Processing: Stacked in APP, star removal with Starnet++, processed in LR/PS.