Amateur astrophotographer Tim Henderson captured stunning images of three breathtaking nebulas in the pristine skies above the Central Australian Desert. The trio includes the Carina Nebula, NGC 6188, and Sh2-1.
To capture these complex scenes, Henderson used an Askar SQA55 scope coupled with a high-end astronomy camera and mount. He took 50 separate exposures of up to 240 seconds each to reveal the vast filaments of dust and gas in the emission nebula NGC 6188. The Carina Nebula, located 4,000 light-years from Earth, is a vast stellar nursery that’s home to at least a dozen stars with masses between 50-100 times that of our sun.
The intense radiation from these stars ionizes the surrounding nebula, causing it to glow. Henderson was thrilled to find that his view of the Carina Nebula resembled Australia, thanks to its unique positioning. The Sh2-1 emission nebula, located 7,500 light-years from Earth, features complex cloud-like structures and cavities in the constellation Scorpius.
Henderson’s setup allowed for easy access to power, internet, and clear skies near his remote wildlife station cabin. This enabled him to work on astrophotography projects during nights when animals he works with were nocturnal.
Source: https://www.space.com/stargazing/amateur-astrophotographer-captures-trio-of-breathtaking-nebulas-from-the-central-australian-desert-photos