vdB 152 (Wolf's Cave Nebula) and LDN 1221

Image Title: vdB 152 (Wolf's Cave Nebula) and LDN 1221

Copyright: Deval Singh

Date image was taken: September 10, 2026

Location: Hanle, Ladakh (india)

Data Acquisition Method: Personal Telescope Setup

Description and Details: Silent and ancient, a cosmic serpent glides through the northern sky. Caught in the delicate interplay between dust and starlight, the reflection nebula vdB 152 glows like a celestial torch at the tip of a towering, opaque dust lane known as LDN 1221. Here in the Cepheus Flare, cosmic dust grains scatter the soft light of the embedded star BVD 111, painting the dark canvas of space with vivid shades of blue. Surrounding this stellar sanctuary, dense interstellar dust clouds cloak the background stars, weaving intricate dark lanes that reveal the quiet, ongoing birth of stars within our Milky Way.

Captured under the pristine Bortle 1 skies of the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve in Ladakh, India, this image highlights the incredible transparency of high-altitude night skies. Even without the aid of dual-narrowband filters, the ultra-dark conditions allowed a standard broadband setup to reveal not only the subtle brown dust and blue reflection details, but also the faint background H-alpha filaments and delicate OIII emissions woven throughout the region.

Acquisition Details:
Targets: vdB 152 (Wolf's Cave Nebula) and LDN 1221
Location: Hanle Dark Sky Reserve, Ladakh, India (Bortle 1)
Event: HDSR Hanle Star Party (September 2026)
Telescope: Askar SQA55
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Air
Mount: ZWO AM5
Filter: ZWO IR/UV Cut
Integration: 7h 30m (150 x 180 sec)
Calibration: Darks, Flats, and Biases

Name: Deval Singh

Website, Instagram or Facebook Profile: instagram : @Rtastronomy, facebook : Deval SIngh