VdB14 & VdB15 in Camelopardalis

VdB15 is the larger nebula on the left, VdB14 is the wisp of a nebula on the right just above the bright star

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VdB 14 and VdB 15 are faint but beautiful reflection nebulae located in the constellation Camelopardalis. Both nebulae are cataloged in the Van den Bergh catalog of reflection nebulae, which lists interstellar clouds that shine by reflecting the light of nearby stars rather than emitting their own light.

  • VdB 14 is a delicate, wispy nebula surrounding a bright B-type star. Its subtle glow is caused by the scattering of starlight off interstellar dust, giving it a soft, ethereal appearance. It is relatively compact but stands out against the darker regions of the Milky Way.

  • VdB 15, located nearby, is slightly larger and also illuminated by a young, hot star. Its light is bluish due to the preferential scattering of shorter (blue) wavelengths of starlight by dust particles. VdB 15 often appears connected to VdB 14 through faint extensions of nebulosity, forming a charming duo in deep-sky images.

Both nebulae are faint and generally require long-exposure photography to reveal their full structure. They are excellent targets for astrophotographers interested in exploring subtle dust clouds and the interplay of starlight and interstellar matter in the Perseus region.

Technical Details

The image was created by combining two panels.

Telescope: Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED Refractor

Auto Focus: ZWO Electronic Auto Focuser

Astronomy Camera: ZWO ASI071MC Pro

Panel 1 Filter: Optolong UV-IR  cut filter; 1,680 exposures @ 60 seconds each (28 hours) 

Panel 2 Filter: Optolong UV-IR  cut filter; 1,680 exposures @ 60 seconds each (28 hours)

Pane 1 Filter: Antlia ALP-T Dual Narrowband Ha/Oiii Filter; 168 exposures @ 5 minutes each (14 hours) 

Pane 2 Filter: Antlia ALP-T Dual Narrowband Ha/Oiii Filter; 168 exposures @ 5 minutes each (14 hours)

Total Integration Time per Panel: 42 hours

Auto Guiding: William Optics Uniguide 50mm Guide Scope

Auto Guiding Camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini Guide Camera

Auto Guiding Software: PHD2

Telescope Mount: Celestron CGX Equatorial Mount

Telescope Computer: BeeLink GK-55 Mini PC / Windows 10 Pro

Wireless Communication: GL-iNEt Beryl Travel Router

Telescope Control & Image Capture Software: Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy (N.I.N.A.)

Image Integration Software: Astro Pixel Process, by Aries Productions

Image Post Processing Software:  PixInsight, by Pleiades Astrophoto

Images captured: Palm Springs, CA during October 2024. Dark sky classification = Bright suburban sky (Bortle 6)

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