Bubble & Lobster Claw Nebula Astrophotography
The Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) is a striking emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia, formed around a massive young star whose powerful stellar wind has carved a bubble into the surrounding gas and dust.Just below it lies the much larger Sh2-157, commonly known as the Lobster Claw Nebula. Together, they form a rich region of emission nebulosity, dark dust and dense star fields — making this a particularly rewarding wide-field target for a small telescope.
Capturing the Bubble & Lobster Claw Nebula
This image was captured over several nights during September and October 2026 from a Bortle 4.5 sky.The final image consists of 135 × 200-second exposures, giving a total integration time of approximately 7.5 hours. The extended integration helped reveal the faint emission surrounding the Bubble and Lobster Claw regions while retaining detail across the brighter areas of the nebulae.
Equipment Used on Bubble & Lobster Claw Nebula
The image was captured using an Askar 71F telescope at 490mm focal length, mounted on a Sky-Watcher EQ-AL55i PRO. Imaging was performed with a cooled ZWO ASI2600MC P colour camera and ZWO DB2 Duo-Band filter.
Guiding was provided by a ZWO 30mm F5 APO Mini Guide Scope, with acquisition and mount control handled through the ZWO ASIAIR Mini.
Processing the Bubble & Lobster Claw Nebula
The image was processed in PixInsight using a combination of Seestar Astro’s ABE (Automatic Background Extraction) and the RC-Astro suite of processing tools.
Close Up of Bubble & Lobster Claw Nebula
Detailed crops and close-up views highlighting features within the final image. My close up doesnt come close to a NASA image but its still nice to see.
