Humans have used the northern star to help safely navigate for thousands of years. But what if I said that there is a nebula hiding near Polaris, and now a photographer has managed to capture a beautiful image of that nebula?
Photographer Harry Jones recently shared his capture of Polaris’ hidden nebula on both Reddit and Instagram. He also has a print available for sale on his website, showcasing the full beauty of the faint nebula that was first discovered in 2005 by amateur astronomer Steve Mandel.
Now, almost twenty years later, Jones has captured the faint outline of that nebula while studying the northern star. Jones didn’t share much about how he captured the image, aside from sharing his equipment and acquisition details in the Reddit post. He also noted that it took him roughly four hours of exposure time to capture the image completely.
If you are interested in capturing photography like this photo of Polaris’ hidden nebula, then there are several ways to get your feet wet and give it a try. Not only can you look at the equipment list that photographers like Jones rely on, but you can also look at the equipment used by other established astrophotographers like Andrew McCarthy, who captured a ridiculously detailed photo of the Moon last year.
You can see the full resolution photo of the nebula around Polaris by heading over to Jones’ website, where you’ll also find some of his other photography on display. Jones also showcases his work on his Instagram, which can be found embedded above. He recently held an event at Falmouth University, where he showcased several images based on the theme “Into the Cosmos,” including the image of the Polaris’ nebula.
Jones has also captured photos of other cosmic targets, as well as photos of landscapes and other beautiful scenery, all of which you can see on his Instagram.
