This is Messier 97, better known as the Owl Nebula in Ursa Major. This objects is a planetary nebula located approximately 2,030 light years from Earth. When William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, observed the nebula through his Leviathan telescope in 1848, his hand-drawn illustration resembled an owl’s head. It has been known as the Owl Nebula ever since. The nebula is approximately 8,000 years old.
Here’s a close cropped image of the nebula.
Click on the images for larger versions.
Image Info
Canon 60D with an Astronomik CLS filter, at the prime focus of the KPO 18″ Reflector. 57 subframes of 120 seconds each, for a total integration time of 114 minutes, just shy of 2 hours. Captured and stacked in Nebulosity, processed in StarTools, and finished in Aperture.
Very nice picture
Thank you, Pete!