First image from Night Sky Observatory

On September 14, 2026, I completed the majority of the build of my POD-S and installed most of the equipment. The first imaging run in the new obsy was the northern sky object NGC 7822, the Question Mark Nebula.

NGC 7822 - September 14-15, 2026
GT102/ASI1600mm SHORGB - 6h 47m integration time

NGC 7822 is a vast star-forming complex in the constellation Cepheus, containing dense clouds of gas and dust sculpted by the intense radiation of young, massive stars. Bright emission nebulae and dark dust lanes weave together across this region, creating a dramatic landscape that reveals the ongoing cycle of stellar birth.

This image was captured with a William Optics GT102 refractor using a relatively short total integration time. This was not intended to be a ‘showcase’ image, but more of a test of operating my new observatory in manual mode. Yet I was surprised that even with limited exposure the rich hydrogen emission and intricate structure of the nebula are evident, showcasing the impressive sensitivity of modern imaging equipment. If I had planned the FOV better I could have captured most of the ‘question mark’ in this Question Mark Nebula ☺️.

This image was taken in the SHO, Hubble Palette, NB (NarrowBand). For comparison, the image below is the standard RGB image (what you might see with the naked eye if the nebula was brighter). Since stars in the NB palette have distorted colors, I replace the NB stars with stars from the RGB image.   

Although I have completed the build of my SkyShed POD-S, the automated control system hasn’t been installed yet (hopefully in the next couple of months) and so imaging runs require me to manually rotate the dome during the night. I picked this object since it has a high declination value and as it was located just east of north the apparent motion was essentially up with little movement expected in azimuth. That should have enabled up to two hours without having to rotate the dome. However, since I have the GT102 piggyback on top of my Edge, and I was using a guide scope on top of the GT102, the offset from the mount meant that the guide scope view was obscured prior to the telescope view. Can’t wait to get the electronics added so that complete automation/autonomous imaging will be possible.