The NGC 7822 Nebula, also cataloged as Sh2-171 in some databases, is a young star-forming complex situated about 2,800 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Cepheus. The nebula's name comes from its catalog designation in the New General Catalogue, a prominent catalog of deep-sky objects.

The star-forming activity in NGC 7822 is a consequence of the gravitational collapse of its intricate web of gas and dust, sculpted by stellar winds and radiation from nascent stars. Its age, being relatively young on an astronomical scale, provides a fascinating contrast to older, more settled regions in our galaxy.

With a diameter spanning tens of light-years across, NGC 7822 is not the largest star-forming region in our galaxy but stands out due to its distinctive structures and active star formation. The total mass contained within NGC 7822, primarily in the form of gas, dust, and young stars, is a fraction of our Milky Way's, but its importance in understanding stellar birth processes is paramount.

The radiant glow of NGC 7822, particularly in narrowband images, reveals the ongoing battle between forming stars and the surrounding interstellar medium. While not visible to the naked eye like the Andromeda Galaxy, NGC 7822 is a treat for amateur astronomers equipped with telescopes under dark skies, providing a window into the dynamic processes of star birth.

Image Details

📷 Exposure: (Ha, OIII, SII)

Hα, bin 1, 120x 300s
OIII, bin 1, 75 x 300s
SII, bin 1, 100 x 600s

🔭 Equipment
Mount: RainbowAstro RST-135E 
Telescope: Refractor Borg 107FL f/3.9 Astrograph, aperture 107mm, 417mm focal length
Camera: QSI 6120 wsg (Sony ICX834 sensor) 
Filters: 8-positions filter wheel integrated in camera
Guidescope: NA (off-axis auto guider)
Guiding camera: QHY 5-II

💻 Software: 
(Windows 10) Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, SkySafari, ASCOM drivers
(Mac OSX) PixInsight