Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

Sh2 -132 is an extensive emission nebula visible in the constellation Cepheus. It is located on the southern edge of the constellation, a short distance from the border with Lacerta, along the plane of the Milky Way; the best period for its observation in the evening sky falls between the months of July and December and is considerably facilitated for observers located in the regions of the northern hemisphere. Sh2-132 is located at a distance of almost 10400 light-years, placing it within the Perseus Arm, in the region of Cepheus OB1, a large and bright OB association. The stars responsible for the ionization of its gases are very hot and massive; in particular, two Wolf-Rayet stars have been identified , known by the acronyms HD 211564 and HD 211853 (the latter also having the acronym WR 153), as well as a star of spectral class O8.5V and about ten stars of class B. It is believed that chain star formation processes took place in the past in the nebula; at present these processes seem to be suspended, since there is no trace of recent activity. Imaging telescope:​ Takahashi FSQ130ED Imaging camera: ASI 2600MM Mount: JTW Trident P75 ​Guiding telescope: Takahashi FS60CB Guiding camera: QHY 5L II M Focal Extender / Reducer: 0.73X Software: Sequence Generator Pro SGP (for capture) PHD 2 (guiding), Astro Pixel Processor, PixInsight. Filters: Astrodon Ha (3nm), Astrodon OIII (3nm), Astrodon SII (3nm), Astrodon RGB. Accessories: Robofocus Focuser controlled by Lunatico Armadillo, ATIK EFW 3, RB Focus Gaius, RB Focus Excalibur. Dates: 30th Jun - 5th Jul 2025 Frames: (Total) ​​Astrodon Ha 48 x 600" Astrodon OIII 60 x 600" Astrodon SII 42 x 600" Astrodon LRGB 4 x 60 x 60" Total integration = 29 Hours .