The North America Nebula (NGC 7000) in SHO

A Deep Narrowband View Captured Under an 80% Moon

Captured all in a single night on July 30, 2026, from my front yard in Mars Hill, NC, this image shows the intricate glowing gas structures and dark dust lanes of the North America Nebula (NGC 7000) in the constellation Cygnus. Despite an 80% illuminated moon in the sky, using narrowband filters allowed me to cut through the lunar wash and pull out rich contrast and detail across the region.

Image Details & Technical Specs

• Target: North America Nebula (NGC 7000)

• Date: July 30, 2026

• Location: Mars Hill, NC (Bortle 4)

• Conditions: 80% Moon

• Telescope / Optics: Askar FMA180 Pro

• Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro

• Total Integration Time: ~5.25 Hours

• Exposures: 63 × 5-minute sub-exposures (~21 subs per filter for $\text{H}\alpha$, $\text{OIII}$, and $\text{SII}$)

• Palette: Hubble Palette ($\text{SII} = \text{Red}$, $\text{H}\alpha = \text{Green}$, $\text{OIII} = \text{Blue}$)