NGC 6888, better known as the Crescent Nebula, sits in the constellation Cygnus and is one of those deep sky objects that rewards persistence. Over three consecutive nights (10th, 11th and 12th July 2025) I set out to gather as much data as I could using the Seestar S50.
Last night I added another four hours of subframes to the original dataset, bringing the total integration time to just over ten hours. In total, I captured 1,945 subs, each one 20 seconds long, under a Bortle 5 sky. While the Seestar isn’t a large telescope by any stretch, with enough time and a bit of care in processing, it’s surprising what can be pulled from the data.
I stacked the frames using PixInsight (WBPP) and then moved into Photoshop for the finishing touches, with subtle tweaks to the black point, highlights and overall balance. As with most of my recent images, I added a touch of StarSpikes Pro to give the stars a bit more presence without overpowering the nebula itself.
The Crescent has a delicate structure that benefits from longer integration, especially when trying to bring out those fainter outer regions. I’m really pleased with how much extra depth the additional data has revealed, and it’s one of those targets that makes me want to revisit it again in future under darker skies.