Cepheus Dust – LDN 1251, LDN 1235, and VdB 152

Image Title: Cepheus Dust

Copyright: Simone Curzi

Date image was taken: July 24, 2025

Location: forca canapine Italy

Data Acquisition Method: Personal Telescope Setup

Description and Details: Cepheus Dust – LDN 1251, LDN 1235, VDB152 and more!
This time I really pushed my setup to its limits: a wide-field view of the dusty regions in the constellation Cepheus, focusing on three stunning deep-sky subjects: LDN 1251, LDN 1235, and VDB152.
Such a wide field was made possible by the RedCat51 + ASI6200MM full-frame combo, which allowed me to capture all these objects in a single frame, without the need for a mosaic.
The idea came from having just a few days under a good mountain sky — I wanted to bring home as much as I could, and I did. I would have loved to go beyond the 11h OIII, 12h Hα, 6h Luminance, and 6h RGB, but the weather was a relentless adversary this time.
This image is also special for another reason: it’s my last one with the RedCat51. After more than two years together, my “red cat” will soon move to a new owner. Light yet precise, it has been my inseparable companion through countless nights under the stars.
Switching to a full-frame ASI6200MM, a fantastic but demanding camera, pushed me to upgrade my wide-field setup… and new things are coming soon.
For the processing, not only PixInsight: Photoshop has now become a stable part of my workflow, perfect for quickly and effectively refining those small details that make all the difference.
Clear skies, everyone!
Telescope: William Optics RedCat 51 II
Camera: ZWO ASI6200MM Pro
Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6
Filters:
Antlia EDGE Hα 4.5nm: 79×600″ → 13h 10′
Antlia EDGE OIII 4.5nm: 64×600″ → 10h 40′
Antlia Luminance: 70×300″ → 5h 50′
Antlia V-Pro RGB: 60×300″ → 6h 00′
Total integration: 35h 40′
Software: PixInsight (Pleiades Astrophoto), Adobe Photoshop

Name: Simone Curzi

Website or Facebook Profile: http://app.astrobin.com/u/MRWSKYLOVER