

Masters of PixInsight + SWOS
World-Class Imaging Data, Now Available to Our Subscribers
Masters of PixInsight is proud to partner with SWOS (Stan Watson Observatory South) to bring our subscribers access to some of the finest deep-sky imaging data in the world.
About SWOS
Located under the pristine skies of the Chilean Andes, SWOS is equipped with a PlaneWave 24” CDK telescope mounted on a PlaneWave L-600 direct drive mount, paired with a Moravian C5 or SBIG 16803 camera. At 2x2 binning, the system delivers an extraordinary 0.39 arcseconds per pixel, making it possible to capture the finest details of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters in the southern hemisphere. In addition to Chilean data, we're also offering data sets from the old SWOS observatory in New Mexico. Data was acquired with a 24” PlaneWave, PlaneWave A200HD mount, SBIG 16803; 17” PlaneWave, PlaneWave A200HD mount, and SBIG 16803.
This observatory is managed by award-winning astrophotographer, Mark Hanson (hansonastronomy.com), known worldwide for his dedication to quality and his stunning astrophotography portfolio.
SWOS - Chile
NGC 55

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
NGC 55, also known as The Whale Galaxy and designated Caldwell 72, is a barred irregular spiral galaxy in the constellation Sculptor. Due to its nearly edge-on orientation, the galaxy appears asymmetrical, resembling a cigar. Its bulge is diffuse, broad, and slightly elongated. Notably, this image highlights a prominent hydrogen outflow emanating from the galaxy's core.
NGC 300

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
NGC 300, also known as Caldwell 70 or the Sculptor Pinwheel Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Sculptor, approximately six million light-years from Earth. It is one of the nearest galaxies to the Local Group, lying between it and the Sculptor Group, and is the brightest of five major spiral galaxies in that direction.
NGC 3621

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Far beyond the local group of galaxies lies NGC 3621, some 22 million light-years away. Found in the southern constellation Hydra. This interesting spiral galaxy has beautiful winding spiral arms, Luminous blue star clusters, pinkish star forming regions and wonderful dust lanes.
NGC 2014

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, NGC 2014 is the large red nebula in this frame with NGC 2020 shining blue shaped by a huge Wolf Rayet star that has ejected its outer layers. The Wolf Rayet star that lights NGC 2020 shines 200,000 times brighter than our sun. NGC 2014 contains a group of large bright stars which are 10 to 20 times larger than our sun.
NGC7582, 7590, 7599 Grus Trio

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
The Grus Trio of galaxies is in the Constellation of Grus, some 60 million light-years from Earth. The group is often referred to as The Grus Quartet, but NGC 7552 is out of this field of view. This galaxy triplet lies in the southern constellation of Grus and the three spiral galaxies (NGC 7582, 7590, 7599) exhibit telltale signs of gravitational interactions.
NGC 6357 War and Peace

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Also called the Lobster Nebula, it houses the open star cluster Pismis 24 near its center–a home to unusually bright and massive stars. The overall blue glow near the inner star-forming region results from the emission of ionized hydrogen gas.
Cat's Paw–NGC 6334

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
At 5,500 light-years distance, the Cat's Paw is an emission nebula with a reddish color that originates from an abundance of ionized hydrogen atoms. Alternatively known as the Bear Claw Nebula, stars nearly ten times the mass of our Sun have been born there in only the past few million years.
NGC 1808

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
NGC 1808 is a barred spiral galaxy some 35,000 light-years across, and located about 40 million light-years away in the southern constellation, Columba. Rarely imaged outer arms, star-forming regions, plus an active core, make this a wonderful object.
NGC 6559

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
NGC 6559 is a textbook star-forming region. Visible are red glowing emission nebulae of hydrogen, blue reflection nebulosity of dust, and dark absorption nebulae.
Henize 70

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Henize 70 (also known as N70 and DEM301) is a luminous superbubble of interstellar gas about 300 light-years in diameter, blown by winds from hot, massive stars and supernova explosions, with an interior filled with hot and expanding gas.
NGC 1313

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Usually, galaxies this topsy-turvy result from a recent collision with a neighboring galaxy. Spiral galaxy NGC 1313, however, appears to stand alone. Brightly lit with massive, new blue stars, star formation appears so rampant that it has been labeled a 'starburst galaxy.'
M17

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Messier 17, or as it’s more famously known, the Omega Nebula (or Swan Nebula), is considered one of the brightest and most massive star-forming regions in our galaxy. Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, this stellar nursery is 5,500 light-years away in the Sagittarius constellation.
NGC 253

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
The Sculptor Galaxy (also known as Silver Coin, Silver Dollar, and Caldwell 65) is an intermediate spiral, galaxy with a 'starburst' core, which means that it's currently undergoing a period of intense star formation.
NGC 247 Needle’s Eye Galaxy

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
NGC 247 is a spiral galaxy smaller than our Milky Way, and is measured to be only 11 million light-years distant. Tilted nearly edge-on from our perspective, it dominates this telescopic field of view toward the southern constellation, Cetus. The pronounced dark void on the bottom side of the galaxy's disk recalls for some, its popular name, the Needle's Eye galaxy.
M8

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
The Lagoon Nebula (catalogued as Messier 8 or M8, NGC 6523, Sharpless 25, RCW 146, and Gum 72) is a giant interstellar cloud in the constellation Sagittarius. It is classified as an emission nebula and as an H II region.
NGC 6744

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
NGC 6744 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located 30 million light years away in Pavo. The galaxy is considered to be similar although larger than the Milky Way and it exhibits an elongated core with flocculent arms.
SWOS - New Mexico
IC 1871

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Zooming in on the northeastern part of the Soul Nebula, this image shows a few groups of bright rimmed globules that are catalogued as IC 1871 (left) and SFO 12 (right). Their gaseous forms are sculpted by UV radiation and stellar winds from hot, young stars in the star cluster associated with the Soul Nebula.
NGC 7023–Iris Nebula

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
This deep, telescopic view shows off the Iris Nebula's range of colors and symmetries in impressive detail. Within the Iris, dusty nebular material surrounds a hot, young star. The pretty blue 'petals' of the Iris span about six light-years.
NGC 4725

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
While most spiral galaxies, including our own Milky Way, have two or more spiral arms, NGC 4725 has only one. In this color composite image, the one arm seems to wind from a prominent ring of bluish, newborn star clusters and red-tinted star-forming regions.
Simeis 3-210

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
The Leaping Leopard Nebula (Simeis 3-210) is a section of the larger supernova remnant, The Veil Nebula in the constellation of Cygnus, featuring long, thin filaments of Oxygen III and Hydrogen.
NGC 5566

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Along with NGC 5560 and 5569, NGC 5566 forms a trio of interacting galaxies almost 90 million light-years away, toward the constellation Virgo. On the left, two, spiky, foreground Milky Way stars echo the trio of galaxy's hues, a reminder that stars in our own galaxy are like those in these distant island universes.
NGC 4151

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
NGC 4151 is a Seyfert galaxy, hosting one of the brightest, active galactic nuclei (AGN) at X-ray wavelengths. The super-massive black hole lying at the center of NGC 4151 has a mass of about 50 million solar masses.
NGC 6960

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
The Witch’s Broom is part of the expansive Veil Nebula supernova remnant in Cygnus. The imaging data provided here are masters from a carefully merged mosaic, ensuring seamless coverage of this sprawling target, while preserving the finest details across the field.
M95

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
M 95 is a barred spiral galaxy 35 million light years away in Leo. The galaxy features a prominent star forming ring. It was also the site of a supernova observation in 2016.
M49

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
M49 is a large elliptical galaxy with a tenuous diffuse tidal shell structure. With a magnitude of 9, it is easily observable by visual observers. It is located 56 million light years away and forms a magnificent if unappreciated galaxy group.
NGC 3077

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Towards the direction of Ursa Major in the sky, NGC 3077 is the unappreciated and forgotten third member of the M81 trio of galaxies along with M82. Consisting of chaotic and disordered structure, its appearance immediately hints at its turbulent history.
M85

The link below provides all of the the technical data for each image: Date, filter information, number of exposures with length, camera, scope, and location. This is a free download.
Messier 85 (also known as M85 or NGC 4382 ) is a lenticular galaxy, or elliptical galaxy, in the Coma Berenices constellation.