To enhance our amateurs’ abilities of astro-observation and astrophotography, to stimulate the public’s imagination and creativity, and to better feel the beauty of the stars, universe and science. We have the ASIWEEK ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY now. We sincerely invite global astronomers and photographers to participate.
Here are the fantastic works from the 29th edition of 2019 ASIWEEK ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION. Let’s take a look!
It is Nicola Calabrese and his target NGC 7023 captured with ZWO ASI294MC Pro that won the championship.
The winning entry:
Photographer: Nicola Calabrese
Target: NGC 7023
Equipment: GSO RC8 f / 8 Carbon, ZWO 60/280, ZWO ASI294MC Pro, ZWO ASI224 MC
NGC 7023 is a bright reflection nebula and Caldwell object in the constellation Cepheus. It is actually the cluster within the nebula, LBN 487, and the nebula is lit by a magnitude +7 star, SAO 19158. It shines at magnitude +6.8. It is located near the Mira-type variable star T Cephei, and near the bright magnitude +3.23 variable star Beta Cephei (Alphirk). It lies 1,300 light-years away and is six light-years across.
Entries from other photographers:
Photographer: Ben Marks
Target: M8
Equipment: Skywatcher EQ6-R, ZWO ASI1600MM Pro
M8 (also known as the Lagoon Nebula) is a giant interstellar cloud in the constellation Sagittarius. It is classified as an emission nebulaand as an H II region. It was discovered by Giovanni Hodierna before 1654 and is one of only two star-forming nebulae faintly visible to the eye from mid-northern latitudes. Seen with binoculars, it appears as a distinct oval cloudlike patch with a definite core. Within the nebula is the open cluster NGC 6530.
Photographer: Brendan Chen
Target: NGC 6188
Equipment: ZWO ASI1600MM Cool, ZWO 7nm 1.25” Narrowband filters, AZ-EQ6, TSA120 with reducer, ZWO OAG, ZWO Helical Focuser
NGC 6188 is an emission nebula located about 4,000 light-years away in the constellation Ara. The bright open cluster NGC 6193, visible to the naked eye, is responsible for a region of reflection nebulosity within NGC 6188.
It is a star forming nebula, and is sculpted by the massive, young stars that have recently formed there – some are only a few million years old. This spark of formation was probably caused when the last batch of stars went supernova.
Photographer: Tommaso Massimo
Target: M20/NGC6514
Equipment: Sky-Watcher Italia 200/800 Wide Photo, ZWO ASI224MC, Canon 700D, Sky-Watcher Italia AZ-EQ6 GT
M20(also known as and as the Trifid Nebula or NGC 6514) is an H II region located in Sagittarius. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. Its name means ‘divided into three lobes’. The object is an unusual combination of an open cluster of stars; an emission nebula (the lower, red portion), a reflection nebula (the upper, blue portion) and a dark nebula (the apparent ‘gaps’ within the emission nebula that cause the trifurcated appearance; these are also designated Barnard 85). Viewed through a small telescope, the Trifid Nebula is a bright and peculiar object, and is thus a perennial favorite of amateur astronomers.
Photographer: Gary Plummer
Target: B72
Equipment: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro
B72 is a dark nebula in the Ophiuchus constellation. It is a small but readily apparent S-shaped dust lane that snakes out in front of the Milky Way star clouds from the north-north-west edge of the bowl of the Pipe Nebula. Its thickness runs between 2′ and 3′ and runs around 6′ in the north-west / south-east orientation. A good view in a 4″ to 6″ telescope requires clear dark skies.
Photographer: Martin Junius
Target: M65/M66/NGC 3628
Equipment: IAS Observatory Hakos, Namibia, 21.8 mag/”220″ AK3 Newtonian Astrograph, 4″ Wynne Coma Corrector, 1923mm f/3.8English mount with FS2 Off axis guiding with Lodestar X2, ASI294MC Pro
This small group of galaxies consists of the Messier objects M65 (NGC 3623) and M66 (NGC 3627) as well as NGC 3628. All galaxies of the Leo Triplet are Sb type spirals, but they are seen at different angles. M66 has spiral arms which are among those most easily seen visually, but at least 10 inch of aperture will be needed to discern them well. M65 appears much flatter as the disk’s galaxy is more inclined to the line of sight and features several dust lanes. NGC 3628 is seen edge-on with an almost central dust lane. It is one of the sky’s best edge-on galaxies, though its surface brightness is considerable lower than NGC 4565 in Coma Berenices.
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