Documented imaging sessions on galaxies, nebulae, and deep-sky targets. Every post includes exact capture settings, sky conditions, processing workflow, and what the data revealed.
Each post in this section is a complete session report. The format is consistent: target identification, capture parameters, sky conditions, processing workflow, and an honest assessment of the result. Settings are not estimates — they are the exact values used during the session.
All results on this site are produced with a single DWARFLab DWARF 3 unit from New England (Bortle 6) and Monaco (high light pollution). No post-processing enhances resolution beyond what the data contains. No AI upscaling is applied.
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Galaxies
M81 and M82
Integration: 15h 14m
Filter: Astro
Location: New England Bortle 6
M106
Integration: 15h 31m
Filter: Astro
Location: New England Bortle 6
M101 Pinwheel Galaxy
Integration: 6h 18m
Filter: Astro
Location: New England Bortle 6
Emission Nebulae
M42 Orion Nebula
Integration: 2h 39m
Filter: Duo-Band
Location: New England Bortle 6
Rosette Nebula
Integration: 2h 21m
Filter: Duo-Band
Location: Monaco Bortle 6.6
Horsehead and Flame Nebula
Integration: 2h 54m
Filter: Duo-Band
Location: New England Bortle 6
Heart Nebula IC 1805
Integration: 3h 52m
Filter: Duo-Band
Location: New England Bortle 6
Helix Nebula NGC 7293
Integration: 1h 46m
Filter: Duo-Band
Location: New England Bortle 6
Frequently Asked Questions
What deep sky objects can the DWARF 3 capture?
The DWARF 3 can image galaxies, emission nebulae, reflection nebulae, dark nebulae, planetary nebulae, and star clusters. The 2.93 by 1.65 degree field of view suits most standard targets. Very large objects such as the full Veil Nebula or the entire Orion Molecular Cloud require a mosaic approach. Very small objects such as compact planetary nebulae do not benefit from the focal length.
How faint can the DWARF 3 image?
From Bortle 6 skies with the moon near full and 15 hours of integration, the DWARF 3 detected UGC 5210 at approximately magnitude 14.88 in the M81 field. This is documented in the M81 15-hour session report on this site. Faint detection limits improve with darker skies, longer integration, and better seeing conditions.
How long should a DWARF 3 deep-sky session run?
A single session of 2 hours is enough to confirm a bright target is present and capture usable data. For rich detail and faint structure, 4 to 6 hours per session produces noticeably better results. Galaxies and dark nebulae benefit most from extended integration across multiple nights using the Stellar Studio Mega Stack function.
Can the DWARF 3 image from light-polluted skies?
Yes. The Monaco sessions on this site were conducted from a heavily light-polluted coastal urban environment. The Duo-Band filter is the primary tool for working under light pollution. It blocks broadband sky glow while passing H-alpha and OIII emission from nebulae. Galaxies are more challenging under light pollution because the Astro filter cannot selectively reject sky glow the way the Duo-Band can for emission targets.
What is the faintest object documented on this site?
UGC 5210, a background galaxy at approximately magnitude 14.88, detected in the M81 field from Bortle 6 skies with the moon near full during a 15-hour integration. This result is documented in full in the M81 session report.
