🌌 SH2-202: A Symphony in Hydrogen and Starlight

This is first light for my newly configured small scope. I've swapped the cameras and filters on both rigs. My plan is to send down the imaging rig to Star Front Observatories in Texas for remote imaging from Bortle 1 skies.

⚫ Hydrogen-Alpha (Ha) Only

SH2-202

Welcome to the cosmic canvas of SH2-202, a sprawling emission nebula nestled in the constellation Auriga. This region is a quiet powerhouse of hydrogen emission, subtle star fields, and delicate structure—often overlooked, but never underwhelming.

The purpose of choosing this target was to capture the oft neglected region of Hydrogen Alpha. The bright region to the right is the Head of the Soul Nebula.

Ha Description:
This pure Ha image strips away the stars and color, revealing SH2-202’s intricate hydrogen structures in stunning detail. Filaments, knots, and arcs leap out in grayscale, showing the nebula’s true architecture. I thought about spending more time on it to make a brighter impact but there are other objects I'd like to capture with my converted set up.

Annotated

🔴 Red Channel Only

Photo Capture Info:

(37) 3 minute exposures for just ~1.65 hours

Optical Equipment Used:

FILTERS:

Baader - Red, Green, Blue

Scope: William Optics Zenithstar 61II APO Refractor
Camera: ZWO 2600MM Pro
Guide scope: William Optics 32mm Guide scope
Guide camera: ZWO ASI120mm-mini

Computerized Equipment and Software:

Mount: iOptron GEM 28
Beelink Mini PC S Intel 11th Gen
Focuser: ZWO EAF (Electronically Assisted Focuser)
Filter Wheel: ZWO 7 Position
SVBony 241 Pro Hub
NINA 3.2 used for capture
PixInsight for Processing

Description:

This image isolates the red channel from the RGB data, offering a faint whisper of SH2-202’s presence. Compared to the Ha image, the nebula here is barely a murmur—its structure hinted at but not fully revealed. The hydrogen emission is present, but subdued, like a pencil sketch waiting for ink.

Psalm 19: 1-2 | Colossians 1:15-17

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