UAE astrophotographer captures stunning image of Crescent Nebula from mountainous region

The Emirates Astronomical Society (EAS) announced a new achievement, adding to the accomplishments of its member astrophotographers. Tamim Al Tamimi, a member of the Society, successfully observed and captured a high-resolution image of the Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888) from the eastern mountainous regions of the UAE.

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, President of the EAS, stated to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the Crescent Nebula—also known as Caldwell 27 or Sharpless 105—is located in the constellation Cygnus, approximately 5,000 light-years from Earth.

This Nebula was formed by powerful stellar winds from a Wolf-Rayet star (WR 136), which collided with material previously ejected during the star’s red giant phase. This interaction created a large bubble of ionized hydrogen and oxygen gas, which is revealed in striking detail when photographed using narrow-field imaging techniques.

He added that the observation process spanned more than 10 hours, utilizing hydrogen-alpha (H-alpha) and oxygen-trivalent (OIII) filters. The final image was processed using the scientific HOO color palette, which distinctly highlights the chemical composition within the nebula. The images were captured using a cooled ZWO ASI183MM Pro camera, paired with the Explore Scientific 152mm David H. Levy Comet Hunter Maksutov-Newtonian telescope mounted on an iOptron HAE43 mount. Orientation was managed via ASIAir Plus, and post-processing was completed using PixInsight and Photoshop.

Al Jarwan praised this achievement as a significant contribution to documenting celestial objects from the UAE's skies. He highlighted the dedication of Emirati astrophotographers who continue to pursue deep-sky targets despite the climatic challenges in mountainous and desert regions, where nighttime temperatures during the photography period can range between 36°C and 40°C.

He emphasized that such efforts strengthen the UAE’s standing on both the Arab and international astronomical stage and support the promotion of astronomy culture while inspiring new generations to explore the mysteries of the universe.