A Bucks County photographer recently caught one of the most beautiful pictures one the local night sky with some high-tech equipment.

Spilios Asimakopoulos, a Bucks County resident, runs a social media page called “Stars Over Bucks”, where he posts high-resolution photos of stars, constellations, and other outer space phenomenon that cannot be see by the naked eye. Most recently, he caught a wonderful picture of the “Ghost of Cassiopeia (IC 63)”, a constellation that looks like a figure, very similar to the Milky Way and Orion’s Belt.

“This hydrogen gas cloud lies 550 light years from Earth and very close to the bright star Gamma Cassiopeiea seen to the left,” the local photographer said of the unique contestation.

“γ Cassiopeiea is the middle star in the bright W that makes up the constellation. The star is 10 times wider and 34,000 times brighter than the Sun and radiation from it causes the hydrogen gas to glow in its characteristic ghost shape.”

To capture this image, Asimakopoulos used these pieces of photo-technology and astrological equipment:

• Telescope: 8” RASA f/2
• Camera: Zwo ASI2600MC Pro
• Exposure: 190 x 4min
• Mount: EQ6R Pro
• Guiding: Meade ASI120mini, 60mm scope
• Filter: IDAS NBZ
• Software: APT, DSS, Pixinsight

“There is also dust in the nebula that appears blue/ green which is reflected light from the star. I took this over two nights with a full moon out using a narrowband filter to bring out the gases and block the moonlight.”

Learn more about Asimakopoulos’ latest find at Stars Over Bucks.