Thor was one of the mightiest Norse gods, wielding his great hammer with a fiery vengeance and slaying countless foes. At the center of Thor’s Helmet, or NGC 2359, is a star of equal strength and fury: WR7, a Wolf-Rayet star that burns at 112,000 degrees Kelvin and is 229,000 times brighter than our own sun. Over thousands of years, this star has released ferocious winds which have ionized the surrounding dust and gas, transforming Thor’s Helmet into the lovely emission nebula we see today.
Acquisition Dates: February 16, 2022–February 23, 2022
Acquisition Site: Backyard
Image Specs: 182 x 300s (15h 10m)
Equipment: ZWO ASI2600MC-Pro, Takahashi TOA-130NFB, AP1200GTO mount, Radian Triad Ultra Filter
Software: PixInsight, Apple Photos, Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2