M37 Open Cluster with obscure Planetary Nebula
Deep sky objects in Auriga
Uploaded 12/12/25

 

            
Here is a very deep
            shot taken with two separate astrographs in separate parts of
            Arizona to complete. The primary target is M37 in Auriga, a splashy
            bright open cluster that has been known and imaged thousands
            of times for over a hundred years. The planetary nebula PN IPHASXJ055226.2+323724
            is extremely faint and will challenge your imaging skills to
            the highest levels. It was discovered only in 2005 because it
            is so faint, and is only the third example known of a planetary
            inside a star cluster.

            
The entire field is
            glowing red from patches of hydrogen which is very common in
            Auriga as it is within the Milky Way.

            
Technical Data: M37
            + PN IPHASXJ055226.2+323724, 2h total exposure time with a 10"
            f/3.8 Newtonian (stars) and a RASA 11 f/2.2 (nebula) from Payson
            and Happy Jack Arizona.

            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1600 x 1290


Instrument:  10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian with Baader MPCC + RASA11 f/2.2 in Happy Jack
Mount:  Astrophysics 1200 QMD
CCD Camera:  ATIK 16200 
Guider: ASI290  w/80mm WO Zenithstar 81 piggyback refractor
Exposure:  2 hours HaRGB
Astronomik  RGB Combine Ratio:  1: 1.05: 1.5
Location:  Payson, Arizona, Elevation:  5150 ft. and Happy Jack, 7000 feet
Sky:  Seeing FWHM = 3 arcsec , Transparency 9/10
Outside Temperature:  5 F
CCD Temperature:  -30 C
Image Processing Tools: 
Maxim DL6:  Calibration, PixInsight:  All Remaining processing, Photoshop CS2: Production finishing 

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