M27 - The Dumbbell Nebula
| Polish version is here |
The Dumbbell Nebula, also known as M27, is one of the most fascinating objects in the night sky. It is located in the constellation Vulpecula, against the star-rich backdrop of the Milky Way. As a planetary nebula, it represents the final evolutionary stage of a star similar to the Sun. Situated approximately 1,360 light-years from Earth, its striking appearance resembles a pair of dumbbells used for weightlifting, hence its popular name. It is also sometimes referred to as the Apple Core Nebula.
Interestingly, another nebula with a similar name can be found in the catalog—the Little Dumbbell Nebula M76.
Observations
July 27, 2022, around 11:00 PM – Jaworzno (Poland), garden
urban conditions, high level of light pollution
The first independent observations of the Dumbbell Nebula, conducted in July 2022, yielded valuable, albeit not entirely satisfactory, results. Besides urban light pollution, atmospheric conditions at the time were suboptimal, mainly due to occasional cloud cover. These factors significantly limited the exposure time, resulting in a less distinct image of the nebula and making it difficult to capture finer details.
Despite these challenges, the initial observation session provided valuable experience and served as further inspiration for refining image acquisition techniques.
Observations
August 4, 2024, around midnight – Katowice (Poland)
urban conditions, very high level of light pollution
A more recent observation in August 2024 took place under significantly better atmospheric conditions. Despite the urban environment, the sky was noticeably clearer thanks to more stable air, lower humidity, and minimal cloud cover. These favorable conditions—relatively rare in summer—allowed for capturing an image of the nebula with significantly better contrast and richer detail.
These observations highlight how crucial optimal atmospheric conditions are for the quality of astrophotography. Using appropriate light filters and advanced signal processing can largely mitigate the effects of urban light pollution.
Photo 1 Parameters:
- Total exposure time: 20 minutes (stack of 40 RAW frames at 30s each, using an appropriate number of dark, bias, and flat frames)
- ISO: 1600
- Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope (100/1400), prime focus exposure
- A filter was used to reduce the effects of artificial light pollution and atmospheric glow
- Mount: equatorial mount with tracking, aligned using the drift method and controlled by a custom-built system.
Photo 2 Parameters:
- total exposure time: 50 minutes (stack of 50 RAW frames at 60s each, using an appropriate number of dark, bias, and flat frames)
- ISO: 1600
- Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope (100/1400), prime focus exposure
- A filter was used to reduce the effects of artificial light pollution and atmospheric glow
- Mount: equatorial mount with tracking, aligned using the drift method and controlled by a custom-built system.
Further readings:
- Desselberger J., Kalendarz astronomiczny. Letnio-jesienne mgławice, Urania – Postępy Astronomii, 2015, 4(778), pp. 56
- O'Dell C. R., Balick B., Hajian A. R., Henney W. J., et al., Knots in Nearby Planetary Nebulae, Astronomical Journal, 2002, 123(6), pp. 3329–3347
- Benedict G. Fritz, McArthur B. E., Fredrick L. W., Harrison T. E., et al., Astrometry with The Hubble Space Telescope: A Parallax of the Central Star of the Planetary Nebula NGC 6853, Astronomical Journal, 2003, 126(5), pp. 2549–2556
Marek Ples