R Aquarii is a variable star in the constellation Aquarius, the main red ring is 2 arc min in
diameter. R Aquarii is a symbiotic star believed to contain a white dwarf and a Mira-type variable
in a binary system. The orbital period is approximately 44 years.
Note the thin faint loop of Ha extending below the red ring and an even fainter broader and much
larger OIII loop above the star and skewed slightly to the left in the image, like the band of a ring.
The faint features are more easily seen in the Ha+OIII monochrome version and more so in the
stretched version. The location of these features is indicated in the lower right image.
The monochrome images consist of 7.5hrs each of Ha and OIII combined into a master
Luminance image and each square frame is 18 X 18 arc min.
Orion Optics AG12 F3.8
Starlightxpress SXVF-H694, SX USB CFW, SX OAG unit + Atlas Focuser
HaOIIIRGB = 7.5hrs 7.5hrs 1hr 1hr 1hr = 18hrs total exposure (bin 1X1)
New Deep-Sky RGB Astronomik filters
-20C chip temp, flats used but no dark frames.
Focal length 1120mm
Image scale 0.84"/pix
Guide Camera: Starlightxpress Lodestar
Comments
Taken over 4 nights between 2 Oct and 3 Nov 2016 in average seeing
Equipment setup:
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/sxvrh694_gear
Some links to equipment used to take this image:
StarlightXpress CCD Cameras and imaging equipment
http://www.sxccd.com/products
Finger Lakes Instrumentation CCD cameras:
http://www.flicamera.com/
Astro Shop (Aus)
http://www.astroshop.com.au/
Astro-Elecronic FS2 scope GOTO controller:
http://www.astro-electronic.de/
Gerd Neumann and Astronomik filters:
http://www.astronomik.com/en/home
http://www.gerdneumann.net/
MSB Software & Astroart 5
http://www.msb-astroart.com/
Catseye Collimation
http://www.catseyecollimation.com/
STAR Atlas:PRO planetarium software:
http://www.staratlaspro.com/