PHOTO OF THE MONTH
The Clamshell Nebula
Nicole Poersch, Prestwick, South Ayrshire, UK, 15 September 2024–21 January 2025
Nicole says: “The Clamshell Nebula in Cygnus is often overlooked due to its proximity to the North America and Pelican Nebulae. It’s also very faint: this image required over 63 hours of exposure, spread over 22 nights.”
Equipment: ZWO ASI1600MM camera, William Optics Zenithstar 73 II refractor, iOptron CEM25P mount
Exposure: R 55× 40”, G 50× 40”, B 50× 40”, Ha 149× 600”, OIII 110× 600”, SII 113× 600”
Software: PixInsight
Nicole’s top tips: “I began astrophot ography in 2021, knowing it would take trial and error. I never imagined one of my photos would appear in a magazine, let alone win Photo of the Month! My top tips: believe in yourself,…