StarCatcher 🇨🇦
@starcatcherjohn.bsky.social
Exploring the universe through my telescopes. Astrophotographer, foodie, and lover of all animals, often more than humans. #Astrophotography #DeepSpace #Astronomy My images: https://telescopius.com/profile/jean_legros
🧵(1/2) IC 1396 is an emission nebulae, located in the constellation Cepheus about 2,400 light years away from Earth. Reprocessed 26-08-01, shot taken on 25-09-19 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Red Cat 61 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 + L-Extreme Exposure: 3h45 #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
![Image of The Elephant's Trunk Nebula (IC 1396A) is a concentration of interstellar gas and dust within the much larger ionized gas region IC 1396 located in the constellation Cepheus about 2,400 light years away from Earth.[1] The nebula is a dark, dense globule that gets its name from its appearance at visible light wavelengths, where there is a dark patch with a bright, sinuous rim. The bright rim is the surface of the dense cloud that is being illuminated and ionized by a very bright, massive multiple star (HD 206267) that is just to the east of the Elephant's Trunk Nebula . The entire IC 1396 region is ionized by the massive star, except for dense globules that can protect themselves from the star's harsh ultraviolet rays.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreib2v3lsl3qzp523swiqicj65moeonwvtdk333pspqsftenhspvgsu)
The image was taken with this rig
StarCatcher 🇨🇦@starcatcherjohn.bsky.social · 2w ago(1/2) The Bubble Nebula, is an emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia. The bubble is created by the stellar wind from a massive hot, young central star Shot from my backyard 26-07-24 🔭 WOptics Pleiades 111 📷 QHY Mini8 EVO Exposure 4h 35 mins #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
(1/2) The Bubble Nebula, is an emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia. The bubble is created by the stellar wind from a massive hot, young central star Shot from my backyard 26-07-24 🔭 WOptics Pleiades 111 📷 QHY Mini8 EVO Exposure 4h 35 mins #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
(1/2)The Veil Nebula, a cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus. A supernova remnant, many parts of which have acquired their own names. Shot from my backyard 26-06-23 🔭 WOptics Pleiades 111 📷 ASI2600 MC Exposure: 25 mins #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
Reprocess of my data for The Pinwheel Galaxy from last weekend. More emphasis on the Ha data, in return, see more detail in the core of the galaxy. Shot from my backyard 26-06-08 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 📷 MiniCam8 Exposure: 1h35 minutes #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
![The Pinwheel Galaxy (also known as Messier 101, M101 or NGC 5457) is a face-on, counterclockwise intermediate spiral galaxy located 21 million light-years (6.4 megaparsecs)[5] from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781[a] and was communicated that year to Charles Messier, who verified its position for inclusion in the Messier Catalogue as one of its final entries.
On February 28, 2006, NASA and the European Space Agency released a very detailed image of the Pinwheel Galaxy, which was the largest and most detailed image of a galaxy by Hubble Space Telescope at the time.[10] The image was composed of 51 individual exposures, plus some extra ground-based photos.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreibi3nlwmkw562uerqau4ba4wgzjckixvuilf7uoltxyjmhqjhblwi)
The Pinwheel Galaxy is a face-on, counterclockwise intermediate spiral galaxy located 21 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. Shot from my backyard 26-06-08 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 📷 MiniCam8 Exposure: 1h35 minutes #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
The Whirlpool Galaxy, Messier 51 is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy . It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici. It is 31 million light-years away. Shot from my backyard 26-06-07 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 📷 MiniCam8 Exposure: 2h10mi #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
![The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a (M51a) or NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy.[9] It is 31 million light-years (9.5 megaparsecs/Mpc) away and 23.58 kiloparsecs (76,900 ly) in diameter.
The galaxy and its companion, NGC 5195, are easily observed by amateur astronomers, and the two galaxies may be seen with binoculars. The Whirlpool Galaxy has been extensively observed by professional astronomers, who study it and its pair with dwarf galaxy NGC 5195 to understand galaxy structure (particularly structure associated with the spiral arms) and galaxy interactions. Its pair with NGC 5195 is among the most famous and relatively close interacting systems, and thus is a favorite subject of galaxy interaction models.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreigqfvr4mrpjkie3jipjd7hvgvgfdk5ozl77b3tcox4kyvm64rh7hi)
Messier 106 (NGC 4258) is a stunning, bright spiral galaxy located roughly 23.5 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici. Shot from my backyard 2026-05-22 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 Mount WD-20P 📷 QHY MiniCam8 Exposure: 3h20min #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
Tonight didn’t go as planned — I was aiming for a thin crescent moon. Instead, I found Venus shining brilliantly in the sky. Sometimes the best shots are the ones you don’t expect. ✨ Second image = Telescope used, SCT8+ASI2600 MC 75% best of 12 000 frames #Astrophotography #Space #Venus #Astronomy
Our Sun, up close ☀️ Captured from my backyard with my telescope—never gets old. Sunspots, texture, and constant motion—all from 150 million km away. Zoom in and check out the details Shot May 9th, 2026 🔭 SCT 8 @ ƒ6.3 📷 ZWO 2600 25% best of 1500 frames #Astrophotography #Space #Sun #Astronomy
Pointed my telescope at the Sun yesterday and caught this. It’s a high‑detail image, meant to be explored. Zoom in—there’s a lot happening on that surface. ☀️ 🔭 SCT 8 📷 ZWO 2600 50% best of 1000 frames #Astrophotography #Space #Sun #Astronomy
Pointed my telescope at the Moon tonight and couldn’t stop staring. This is a full‑resolution capture—zoom way in and explore the surface. 🌕 Space is wild. Moon Illumination 87.7% 🔭 SCT 8 📷 ZWO 2600 50% best of 1000 frames #Astrophotography #Space #MoonHour #Astronomy
(1/4) Leo’s Triplet, Light from three galaxies—M65, M66, and NGC 3628—finally reached my telescope tonight. What we’re seeing here started its journey long before humans looked up. 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 📷 QHY MiniCam8 Exposure: 4h 10min #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
(1 of 2) Tonight’s target: the Moon🌙. Captured through my telescope—every crater a reminder that space isn’t smooth, quiet, or distant… it’s textured and alive. Shot taken 2026-04-24 🔭 WO Pleiades 111 (528mm) 📷 QHY MiniCam8 50% best of 1000 frames #Astrophotography #Space #MoonHour #Astronomy
Another crack at Jupiter 🔭 Definitely an improvement over my last attempt. Seeing conditions were average. I’m happy with the result for an 8" SCT. Shot from my backyard. 🔭 8" SCT+2x Barlow (4000mm focal length ) 📷 ASI 678MC 10% best of 5000 frames #Astrophotography #Space #Jupiter #Astronomy
First Jupiter shot in a while 🔭 Collimation isn’t quite dialed in yet, but I’m really happy to be back imaging. Shot from my backyard. 🔭 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain+2x (4000mm focal length ) 📷 ASI 678MC 50% best of 4000 frames #Astrophotography #Space #Jupiter #Astronomy
(1 of 2) Our natural satellite, the Moon 🌙 Captured Feb 21, 2026 at 19:46 — 22.6% illumination, from my backyard. 🔭 WO Pleiades 111 (528mm) 📷 ASI 2660MC 50% best of 2000 frames #Astrophotography #Space #MoonHour #Astronomy
(1 of 2) The Cone Nebula A.K.A The Fox Fur (NGC 2264) in Hα/OIII/SII with the RedCat 61mm and QHY MiniCam8—shot from my backyard. Another step in my "imaging in narrow band" journey. 🔭 William Optics RedCat 61 📷 QHY MiniCam8 Total exposure: 3 h 05 min #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
(1 of 2) First narrowband attempt! 🌌 Rosette Nebula in Hα/OIII/SII with the RedCat 61mm and QHY MiniCam8—shot from my backyard. A rewarding step in my astro journey. More to come! 🔭 William Optics RedCat 61 📷 QHY MiniCam8 Total exposure: 2 h 25 min #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
(1 of 2) Another night out The Rosette Nebula (NGC 2238), located near a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy. Shot from my backyard on 2025-12-27. 🔭 William Optics RedCat 61 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 Exposure: 2 h 05 min #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
![The Rosette Nebula (also known as Caldwell 49) is an H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy. The open cluster NGC 2244 (Caldwell 50) is closely associated with the nebulosity, the stars of the cluster having been formed from the nebula's matter.The cluster and nebula lie at a distance of 5,000 light-years from Earth[7] and measure roughly 130 light years in diameter. The radiation from the young stars excites the atoms in the nebula, causing them to emit radiation themselves producing the emission nebula we see. The mass of the nebula is estimated to be around 10,000 solar masses.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreid3y7vnznj6oi2g7llz2k3nawnlmlbm7ovmdr2vtlgz5atv3s7tai)
(1 of 2) Finally, a night out The Flaming Star Nebula and the Tadpole Nebulae are emission and reflection nebulae located in the constellation Auriga. Shot from my backyard on 2025-12-25. 🔭 William Optics RedCat 61 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 Exposure: 1 h 10 min #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
![Bottom object in the image:
IC 405 (also known as the Flaming Star Nebula, SH 2-229, or Caldwell 31) is an emission and reflection nebula[1] in the constellation Auriga north of the celestial equator, surrounding the bluish, irregular variable star AE Aurigae. It shines at magnitude +6.0. Its celestial coordinates are RA 05h 16.2m dec +34° 28′.[2] It is located near the emission nebula IC 410, the open clusters M38 and M36, and the K-class star Iota Aurigae.
The nebula measures approximately 37.0' x 19.0', and lies about 1,500 light-years away from Earth.[2] It is believed that the proper motion of the central star can be traced back to the Orion's Belt area.[2] The nebula is about 5 light-years across.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreifpwrj3kms5qgutkgzxfszok2mumelgmxgr4ajnem6rc5524kvele)
🧵(1/2) Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon.I reprocessed my data to extract more of the tail. It's slightly better. Shot taken on 2025-10-11 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 Total exposure: 31 x 30s (15m30s) #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Comet #Astronomy
![C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is a non-periodic comet discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in images obtained on 3 January 2025. It has an inbound orbital period of about 1,350 years and will pass perihelion on 8 November 2025 when it will be 0.53 AU (79 million km; 49 million mi) from the Sun. This perihelion passage will reduce the orbital period to about 1,150 years. It makes its closest approach to Earth on 21 October 2025 and may be visible to the naked eye 42 degrees from the Sun after sunset. As of 24 October 2025, the comet is about apparent magnitude 4.2,[3] and the nucleus and coma are visible in binoculars about 12 degrees above Arcturus and near the magnitude 2.5 star Izar. (The handle of the Big Dipper points towards Arcturus.) Both Arcturus and the comet may be visible in the same field of view using low power binoculars such as 7x35s.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreigq6orjub7reelwqiugmdq2kbkoeny3pnqzhwh4jhrqm6kjnoegyu)
The Pleiades (M45) AKA the Seven Sisters, in the northwest constellation Taurus. It is also the inspiration for the Subaru logo. Shot taken on 2025-10-11 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 Total exposure: 45 x 120s (1h30) #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
🧵(1/2) Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon is a non-periodic comet discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey on 3 January 2025. Shot taken on 2025-10-11 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 Total exposure: 31 x 30s (15m30s) #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Comet #Astronomy
![C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is a non-periodic comet discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in images obtained on 3 January 2025. It has an inbound orbital period of about 1,350 years and will pass perihelion on 8 November 2025 when it will be 0.53 AU (79 million km; 49 million mi) from the Sun. This perihelion passage will reduce the orbital period to about 1,150 years. It makes its closest approach to Earth on 21 October 2025 and may be visible to the naked eye 42 degrees from the Sun after sunset. As of 12 October 2025, the comet is about apparent magnitude 5.6,[6] and is visible in binoculars about 15 degrees (approximately one and a half fists) below the cup of the Big Dipper. It is currently about 2 degrees southwest of the star Psi Ursae Majoris.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreidp6cmbwr464kygmuzq2f72k6azorsjbssfjpfa5mldh22byia5su)
🧵(1/2) NGC 7822 is a star-forming emission nebula located in the constellation Cepheus, ~3,000 light-years from Earth. Shot taken on 2025-10-05 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Red Cat 61 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 + L-Extreme Total exposure: 13 x 600s (2h10) #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
The Moon this evening at 57% illumination (Waxing Gibbous 8.01 days old). 🔭 🧪 🎨 Shot taken on 2025-09-31 from my backyard. Moon Distance: 395,789.39 km Telescope: SCT 8 in Camera: ZWO 2600 MC OSC 50 best of 500 exposures stacked #Astrophotography #Space #Moon #MoonHour #Planetary #Astronomy
🧵(1/2) The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) our neighbour, located about 2.5 million light-years away. This is a work in progress. Shot taken on 2025-09-21 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Red Cat 61 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 Total exposure: 30 x 180s (1h30) #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
🧵(1/2) IC 1396 is an emission nebulae, located in the constellation Cepheus about 2,400 light years away from Earth. Shot taken on 2025-09-19 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Red Cat 61 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 + L-Extreme Total exposure: 45 x 300s (3h45) #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
![IC 1396 is a large emission nebulae, a region of ionized gas, located in the constellation Cepheus about 2,400 light years away from Earth.[1]
IC 1396 is illuminated and ionized by a very bright, massive multiple star HD 206267 at its center, except for dense globules that can protect themselves from the star's harsh ultraviolet rays. This hierarchical triple star system has two members that form a spectroscopic binary that orbit each other with a period of 3.7 days, while a third member lies further away—it is unclear whether this third member is gravitationally bound to the pair. The system is emitting a stellar wind that reaches an exceptional velocity of 3,225 km/s, among the highest measured for stars of this type.[2]
Jutting from the rim of the nebula is IC 1396A, commonly called the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, a dark, dense globule with a bright, sinuous rim being illuminated by HD 206267.[3]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreigbv6j4j3ns5ibvn4xsbzkau5lsaoe63wmy4jqgkwmplduvir6s2y)
🧵(1/3) NGC 7000, The North American Nebula + the Pelican Nebula are emission nebulae located in the constellation Cygnus. Shot taken on 2025-09-16 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Red Cat 61 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 Total exposure: 32 x 300s (2h40) #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
🧵(1/2) IC 1848, also known as the Soul Nebula, is an emission nebula located in Cassiopeia. Shot taken on 2025-08-31 from my backyard. 🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111 📷 ZWO ASI 2600 Total exposure: 42 x 300s (3h30) #Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
![Westerhout 5 (Sharpless 2-199, LBN 667, Soul Nebula) is an emission nebula located in Cassiopeia. Several small open clusters are embedded in the nebula: CR 34, 632, and 634[citation needed] (in the head) and IC 1848 (in the body). The object is more commonly called by the cluster designation IC 1848.
Small emission nebula IC 1871 is present just left of the top of the head, and small emission nebulae 670 and 669 are just below the lower back area.
The galaxies Maffei 1 and Maffei 2 are both nearby the nebula, although light extinction from the Milky Way makes them very hard to see. Once thought to be part of the Local Group, they are now known to belong to their own group- the IC 342/Maffei Group.
This complex is the eastern neighbour of IC1805 (Heart Nebula) and the two are often mentioned together as the "Heart and Soul".](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dksfsl7lygnhrmfxsxcznf3u/bafkreiecflvg52e6rorjtjcfrp66jd2oafhpl77n3ab7oux75ppsjsuyki)