LDN 1147 (Dark Nebula) & NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula)

Image Title: LDN 1147 (Dark Nebula) & NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula)

Copyright: Alexandre Capdevila Corral

Date image was taken: July 17, 2026

Location: Albatàrrec , Lleida ( Spain)

Data Acquisition Method: Personal Telescope Setup

Description and Details: Cosmic dust clouds sprawl across this remarkably deep field in the constellation Cepheus. At the center lies LDN 1147, a dense, dark molecular cloud that acts as a cosmic veil, completely absorbing the light from background stars. This dark nebula appears to flow like a river across the interstellar medium, eventually leading the eye toward the vibrant blue glow of the Iris Nebula (NGC 7023), a reflection nebula illuminated by a hot, young star.
To capture both the expansive cosmic landscape and the intricate, three-dimensional filaments of the dark dust, this image is the result of a meticulously planned 65-hour integration using two different telescopes. A 115mm refractor was focused directly on the heart of LDN 1147 to resolve the finest structures and high-resolution details of the opaque filaments. Next, a 55mm wide-field astrograph was used to capture the broader environment, organically connecting the dark dust complex to the Iris Nebula. Both datasets were captured using the same dedicated astronomy camera to ensure perfect color and signal coherence, revealing a breathtaking depth to our local Milky Way.

Acquisition & Technical Details:
Objects: LDN 1147 (Dark Nebula) & NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula)
Capture Dates: May 2026 – July 2026
Total Integration: 65 hours, 20 minutes (824 total frames: 122x 300s, 322x 300s, 330x 300s, and 50x 60s)
Telescopes: TS-PhotoLine 115mm (with 0.79x reducer & ZWO EFW) & Askar SQA 55
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC
Mount: ZWO AM5
Guiding: Evoguide 50ED + ZWO ASI385MC / OAG + ZWO ASI220MM
Control System: ZWO ASIAIR Pro
Filters: Optolong L-Quad Enhance
Processing: PixInsight, Photoshop
(Bortle 5)

Name: Alexandre Capdevila Corral

Website, Instagram or Facebook Profile: https://www.instagram.com/alex.c.c_astrophotography/