I have been in love with astrophotography of deep sky objects forever. The images are just awesomely beautiful! After years of admiring other people's images I took the plunge and purchased a new telescope suitable for astrophotography and all the other gear required. I started my journey of learning how to take and process these beautiful images in early 2024. Whilst collecting the gear I watched and read many tutorials to prime me with the knowledge required, but it is a steep learning curve that requires lots of practice.

I am getting better at capturing and processing images. There is a lot of work and practice involved but it is so rewarding to see the final product. I am hoping to build a small roll-off roof observatory in my backyard to make it easier to image. Living close to the coast means I have lots of clouds to contend with, and it takes a while to set up equipment ready to image. Having everything set and ready to go when we have clear sky windows would be wonderful.

IC4628 - The Prawn Nebula

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 31st August 2026

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 9hr 54mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Sigma Octantis - Polaris Australis

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 31st August 2026

Possibly the most important boring star you'll ever see. This is Sigma Octantis (Polaris Australis). For the naked eye it’s faint, hard to find, and looks like nothing special. But for Southern Hemisphere astrophotographers, it’s our entire world. While the North gets a bright Polaris, we obsess over this dim magnitude 5.4 dot to get our polar alignment perfect. Every tracking shot, every nebula, and every galaxy we capture depends entirely on tracking down this exact star. Can you find which star it is in this starfield?

(Click on the image to see the plate solved version to see how good your polar alignment is)c exp). Stacked in App, Processed in PI & PS

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 5hr 2mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

M42 - Orion Nebula & NGC 1977 - The Running Man

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 30th August 2026

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 1hr 12mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Messier 22 - The Great Sagittarius Cluster

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 30th August 2026

One of the brightest globular clusters in night sky.

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 1hr 8mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Messier 55 - Globular Cluster

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 16th August 2026

This globular cluster holds 100,000 stars, including 55 variable stars whose brightness changes

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 41mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Comet 10P - Tempel 2

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 16th August 2026

Fresh off its closest approach to Earth, this periodic comet was captured moving through Piscis Austrinus (The Southern Fish) near the lenticular galaxy NGC 7203.

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 51mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 17th August 2026

Riding high after its recent dramatic outbursts, it was imaged gliding through the constellation Cetus (The Whale), right near the faint deep-sky object IC 1868

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 1hr 49mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Comet 220P - McNaught

MW9 - Mandel Wilson 9 / Southern Celestial Serpent

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 10th August 2026

Located near the south celestial pole, this stunning structure isn't lit by a single star, but by the combined glow of our entire galaxy. It's a rare, faint cosmic dust cloud known as an Integrated Flux Nebula (IFN)

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 12hr 26mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

M4 - Globular Cluster

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 10th August 2026

Agiant ball of old stars in the constellation Scorpius. It is the closest globular cluster to Earth at about 5,500 to 7,200 light-years away. It holds over 100,000 ancient stars and shines with an apparent magnitude of 5.9

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 51mins (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Comet 10p / Tempel 2

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 7th Aug 2026

A large, short-period Jupiter-family comet with an orbital period of approximately 5.4 years. It recently reached its perihelion (closest point to the Sun) on August 2, 2026, and made its closest approach to Earth on August 3, 2026

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 6min (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

NGC 7293 - The Helix Nebula / Eye of God

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 27th July 2026

A bright planetary nebula located about 655 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius. It formed when a dying, Sun-like star expelled its outer gas layers into space, leaving behind a hot white dwarf core.

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 6hrs 41min (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

NGC 6559 - The Chinese Dragon Nebula

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 27th July 2026

Is an interstellar cloud of gas and dust located at a distance of around 5,000 light years in the constellation Sagittarius

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 6hrs 15min (60 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

M17 - The Omega / Swan Nebula

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 23rd July 2026

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 2hrs 9min (30 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

M16 - The Eagle Nebula

Nebula Nest - Antwerp, Vic 19th July 2026

This is my Seestar S30Pro's NebulaNest Debut (unfortunately only 3 hours before clouds closed the roof 🙄 ...but it was pretty much smooth sailing - capturing & retrieving the data). I don't know about you but I always see a woman blowing a kiss - rather than an Eagle when I look at this nebula

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 3hr (30 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

IC 4604 / IC 4605 - Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex

Mortlake 23rd Jun 2026

Captured over several nights, total of 6hr 45min of usable subs (30sec) Seestar s30pro.
Includes: IC 4604 (The Rho Ophiuchi Nebula), Antares Nebula (vdB 107), Messier 4 (M4), NGC 6144, IC 4603, IC 4605, Barnard 42, Antares, Rho Ophiuchi
Captured from Mortlake, Vic
Stacked in App Processed in PI & PS

Mortlake 18th Jun 2026

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 2hr 20Min (30 sec exposures)

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

IC 4604 / IC 4605 - Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex

NGC 4592 - The Blue Horsehead Nebula

Mortlake 14th Jun 2026

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 6hr 18Min (30 sec exposures)

• 2 Panel Mosaic

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

M8 & Co. - The Lagoon, Triffid & Chinese Dragon Nebulas

Mortlake 11th Jun 2026

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 14h 17m (30 sec exposures)

• 2 Panel Mosaic

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

The Cats Paw & Lobster Nebulas

Mortlake 21st May 2026

• Seestar S30Pro

• Total Integration 6hrs 42min (30 sec exposures)

• 2 Panel Mosaic

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos

Mortlake Feb 2026

Imaged from the back yard (13/2/26) with a cameo appearance from NGC 300 The Sculptor Pinwheel Galaxy.

NGC 300 is a beautiful, nearly face-on spiral galaxy located in the constellation Sculptor. It lies about 6 million light-years away, making it one of our relatively close galactic neighbours and a member of the Sculptor Group. This comet likes to share the limelight, NGC 300 is about the 6th bright galaxy in the Grus-Sculptor region to be photo-bombed by it!

• Nikon D850, Nikkor 180mm F2.8

• Lights 20x60sec

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Wide Field of Centaurus & Carina Constellations

Mortlake Feb 2026 (Work in progress)

• Rokinon 135mm F2, Nikon D850

• Asiair Plus.

• Skywatcher GTI

• Lights: 116x60 sec

• Rokinon 135mm F2, Nikon D600 (Full Spec Mod)

• STC Multispectra filter

• Asiair Plus.

• Skywatcher GTI

• Lights: 2766x60 sec plus darks, flats, & dark flats

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

NGC 1763 - The Bean Nebula

Mortlake Jan 2026

• Seestar S50

• 5168 x 10 sec exposures

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

NGC 3324 - Gabriella Mistral Nebula

Mortlake 23rd, 25th, 26th March 2025

• Askar FRA400, ZWO ASI533MC pro

• Askar Colour Magic D2 Filter Oiii/Sii

• Asiair Plus.

• NEQ6 pro.

• Lights: 180x300 sec plus darks, flats, & dark flats

• Askar SQA55, ZWO ASI183MC Pro

• SV220 Ha/Oiii filter

• Asiair Plus

• NEQ6 Pro

• Lights: 180x300 sec plus darks, flats, & dark flats

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & PS

Southern Supercluster Collaboration

Data collected dec 24 - Feb 25 I participated in a project with some other members of the Astronomical Society of Victoria where we combined out=r data of the LMC. More than 10 different scopes (SCTs, refractors and camera lenses) and ten different cameras were used to produce this dataset. Here is my interpretation of the combined data, featuring the Tarantula Nebula, The Cosmic Reef and many other nebulae in that area. This is the Ha (262hrs) & OIII (259hrs) data presented in Forax/Hoo palette. This is also my first foray processing images with PixInsight so still much to be learnt there.

ASV Southern Supercluster collective, Project coordinator: Eddie Pang, Members: E.Pang, R.Wiltshire, P.Lieverdink, A.Campbell, O.White, M.Tymms, B.Jurkowicz, A.Latta, S. de Lisle, J.Wilson, P.Milvain, J.Morley, K.Chandrashekar, R.Carroll, S.Markus, T.Graziani, S.Wilkins, A.Haskian, J.Bordignon, C.Hill, A.Paulin, S.Nikolaou, and G.Dite

Large Magellanic Cloud

Comet - C/2024 G3 (Atlas)

NGC 6604 - Open Cluster in Serpens

Mortlake 28/5/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SV220 Ha/OIII filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 48 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril, GraXpert & PS

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) Comet

Fosterville 7/6/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• Antlia Quad Band Filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 60 X 60 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril, GraXpert & PS

M8 - The Lagoon Nebula

Fosterville 7/6/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SVbony SV220 NB filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 32 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril, GraXpert & PS

NGC2467 - The Skull & Crossbone Nebula

Mortlake 26/05/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SVbony SV220 NB filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 23 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril, GraXpert & PS

NGC2070 - The Tarantula Nebula

Mortlake 06/05/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SVbony SV220 NB filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 51 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril, GraXpert & PS

Processed in HOO

Mortlake Captured between Dec 24 - Jan 25

• Askar FRA400, ZWO ASI183MC Pro

• SVbony SV220 NB filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 161 X 300 sec exp + darks, flats & dark flats

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in APP, GraXpert & PS

NGC6357 & NGC6334 - War & Peace & Cats Paw Nebulas

Mortlake 06/05/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SVbony SV220 NB filter & Askar Colour Magic C2 filter

• Asiair Plus.

• SV220: 25 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• Askar C2: 25 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril, GraXpert & PS

NGC3277 - Eta Carina

Mortlake 06/05/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SVbony SV220 NB filter & Askar Colour Magic C2 filter

• Asiair Plus.

• SV220: 40 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• Askar C2: 20 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril, GraXpert & PS

Processed in SHO

Processed in Ha

Processed in HOO

IC 4628 - The Prawn Nebula

Mortlake 06/05/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SVbony SV220 NB filter & Askar Colour Magic C2 filter

• Asiair Plus.

• SV220: 76 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• Askar C2: 27 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril, GraXpert & PS

Processed in Ha/OIII

Processed in SHO

NGC6188 - The Rim Nebula / The Fighting Dragons of Ara

Mortlake 14-15/04/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SVbony SV220 NB filter & Askar Colour Magic C2 filter

• Asiair Plus.

• SV220: 55 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• Askar C2: 30 X 300 sec exp + darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril & PS

Processed in HOO

Processed in SHO

IC2944 - The Running Chicken Nebula

Mortlake 12/03/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• SVbony SV220 NB filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 60 X 300 sec exp + 30 each of darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in Siril & PS

Mortlake 06/04/24

• Additional 30 x 300 sec exp using Askar Colour magic C2 filter

• SHO image

• Processed in Siril & PS

IC2177 - The Seagull Nebula

Mortlake 11/01/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• Optolong L'Enhance filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 76 X 180 sec exp + 50 each of darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in APP & PS

Mortlake 15/01/24

• Askar FRA400, Nikon D5100 - Full Spectrum Modified

• Optolong L'Enhance filter

• Asiair Plus.

• 80 X 180 sec exp + 20 each of darks, bias & flats,

• NEQ6 pro.

• Processed in APP & PS

C49 - The Rosette Nebula

Mortlake 19/04/24

• Reprocessed data from 15/01/24 using HOO

Mortlake 23rd, 25th, 26th March 2025

• Captured using EQ mode with Mosaic Framing

• 3 sessions for a total of 8 hours total integration

• Processed in APP, PixInsight & Photoshop

Eta Carina Nebula

Sol 21/12/23 (First Light)