nPAE 2024 World Champion
It’s that very special time of year again! When you the astronomer public get to choose who is the nPAE 2024 World Champion Astrophotographer.
We have here 3 amazing images from 3 great guys. To get to this level is not an ordinary achievement. First you need the ability to enter one of the hemisphere stages. Then you need to win it! Now the winners of the 2024 North and South stages go head to head with the previous nPAE World Champion in a public vote to decide who walks away with the title. The World Champion is then invited to complete the World Champion Interview.
The Defender
The current holder of the nPAE World Champion is Gerald from South Africa with The Omega Nebula. Taken with a ZWO ASI294MM Pro, AT127EDT triplet refractor, Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro mount, ASI290MM mini mono guide camera and an Orion 60mm Guide scope. Stacked and processed in PixInsight. Gerald processed the narrowband images starless and then combined them in the SHO Hubble pallet. Then separately captured RGB stars were added back as the last stage of processing.
The 2024 Northern Hemisphere Winner
Simone from Italy, The Witch’s Gaze. Equipment used: William Optics RedCat 51 II – ZWO ASI2600MM Pro – Sky-Watcher EQ6 – Antlia EDGE H-alpha 4.5nm 2″ · Antlia Luminance 2″ · Antlia V-Pro Blue 2″ · Antlia V-Pro Green 2″ · Antlia V-Pro Red 2″. This image is so good at multiple levels and this is the reason it won. The Witch’s gaze, the reflection nebula IC2118, staring toward the star Rigel in Orion is stunning in of itself. An examination of the close ups and there are pin sharp stars across the field, Rigel is amazing and the top of the witch’s head has superb nebulosity. There are even spiral armed galaxies to be made out in the far background.
The 2024 Southern Hemisphere Winner
Ali from Australia with “The fish and the bull skull”. Known by its catalogue numbers G296.5+10 and ESO 217-25. The Betta fish nebula and the neighbouring unnamed SNR are fragments of a 14,000 year old supernova remnant G296.5+10 or ESO 217-25 only visible from the Southern hemisphere. This target was quite tricky to capture as it is very dim even in dark sky conditions. Taken on a Founder Optics 106 F6 triplet with these cameras: ZWO 2600mm Pro, ZWO EFW EAF, ZWO AM3. Captured over 27 hours across multiple nights with Ha and O3 filters. Processed as HOO image. Stacked and processed in Pixinsight.
It’s not an easy decision, so consider carefully. Click on each image to view the full size on screen by itself. Only one person takes away the nPAE World Champion title and you only have one vote!
https://www.npae.net/npae-2024-world-champion
great challenge with great colleagues! good luck to everyone and may the best win
Hello!
Good cheer to all on this beautiful day!!!!!
Good luck 🙂