Christmas Tree Nebula – Featured in AMATEUR ASTRONOMER Issue #6

Target: Christmas Tree Nebula
Photographer: He Yang
Equipment:
- Camera: ToupTek Astro ATR2600M
- Telescope: Takahashi e-130d
- Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro
- Filters: Optolong SHO Filters

Exposure Details:
- Ha: 300s × 50 shots
- Sii: 300s × 50 shots
- Oiii: 300s × 50 shots
- Exposure Time: 12.5h

At a distance of 3,000 light-years, a beautifully adorned Christmas tree stands in space, captured by ToupTek Astro user "He Yang" using the ATR2600M deep sky camera. This stunning work has graced the pages of the June issue of AMATEUR ASTRONOMER ,the earliest and most influential popular astronomical science journal in China, bringing the vibrant and spectacular universe to star lovers.
The Christmas Tree Cluster, located in the constellation Monoceros, consists of numerous stars, interstellar dust, and gas, forming an active stellar nursery. Observed by the Spitzer Space Telescope, this glowing cloud of dust is home to dozens of protostars. Over the past 2-3 million years, it has birthed hundreds of new stars and planetary systems. Young stars emit intense light, illuminating the surrounding gas and dust, creating a unique conical structure resembling an inverted Christmas tree. The surrounding stars twinkle like holiday lights, adding a festive sparkle to this distant cosmic scene.
When capturing such a beautiful and complex celestial object, a high-performance astro camera is indispensable. The ATR2600M is precisely the tool designed for deep sky astrophotography.

The ATR2600M features the Sony IMX571 back-illuminated mono sensor, boasting an APS-C format and 3.76um pixel size. Its zero-glow and low readout noise ensure clarity and quality, with readout noise as low as 0.883e- in high gain mode, crucial for capturing faint and distant nebulae.

With a native 16-bit ADC offering 14 stops of dynamic range, the camera can perfectly render details from the brightest stars to the faintest nebulas. The ATR2600M's efficient and precise cooling system, with a cooling delta of up to 42°C and a temperature control deviation of ±0.1°C, allows the sensor to maintain stable operation during long exposures. Its built-in four-stage adjustable anti-dew heater prevents condensation within the sensor chamber.

In terms of full well capacity, the ATR2600M reaches 51ke- in standard mode and up to 100ke- in high full well mode, excelling in high dynamic range imaging. HCG mode offers a higher signal-to-noise ratio, providing clean and clear images even under high gain. Its high-resolution design makes it compatible with most refractor telescopes, offering an unparalleled deep sky imaging experience for astrophotographers.

We invite all astrophotographers to share your images and using experiences of our cameras with us.

If your astrophotography works using ToupTek Astro products has won awards or received high praise in astronomy communities, platforms, or photography contests, please send your submissions to: marketing@touptek.com.

We look forward to exploring collaborative opportunity and communicate with you!

 

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