Objects that sit low on the horizon suffer from poor atmospheric seeing and refraction.įrom my location, in southern Ontario, I have found May-July to be the best time to take pictures of the Iris Nebula, as it rises high above the horizon to over 60° in apparent altitude. At 43° north, my backyard fits into this category, although it is too low in the sky to photograph “properly” during the winter season.
The location of the Iris Nebula in the night sky ( Sky and telescope).įrom latitudes north of 22°, the Iris Nebula is a circumpolar object, which means that is visible all year round. From my latitude, the Iris Nebula reaches an altitude of 30° just after midnight by May. Because the Iris Nebula lies so close to the north celestial pole, it spends long periods of time in the same general vicinity of the sky. You’ll need an unobstructed view to the north. This will, of course, depend on the obstructions in your yard, as it sits lower in the sky in April and May.
Location and when to photograph itįrom the northern hemisphere (My backyard is at 43° north), the best time to photograph the Iris Nebula is May-July. The deep sky astrophotography setup used for my image of the Iris Nebula. The ZWO ASIair WiFi device is used to automate the imaging sequence and perform helpful tasks such as focus and star alignment. This should be considered to be an intermediate-level deep-sky imaging rig and is quite beginner-friendly in many ways.