I’m incredibly excited to announce a powerful new addition to the online version of Nova DSO Tracker: the Northern Sky Narrowband Survey (NSNS) is now fully integrated into the Framing Assistant!
This is a game-changer for anyone imaging from the northern hemisphere, especially those of us who love shooting in narrowband.
Why This is a Big Deal
For years, our framing tools have relied on fantastic broadband (RGB) surveys like the DSS2 and PanSTARRS. While great for seeing stars and galaxy cores, they often fail to show the faint, sprawling emission nebulae that are prime targets for our H-alpha, OIII, and SII filters.
This means we often have to guess where the most interesting nebulosity is, hoping our framing is correct.
Not anymore.
The NSNS is a state-of-the-art survey that specifically maps the sky in the H-alpha line. Now, when you plan your shot, you can see the actual nebulosity you’re trying to capture. No more guesswork—you can perfectly frame your target based on the glowing hydrogen gas itself.
A Gift to the Astrophotography Community
I want to extend a huge and very public thank you to the creator of the Northern Sky Narrowband Survey (NSNS) project. This integration is only possible because of his monumental effort.
Creating a survey of this depth and quality is a massive undertaking, involving meticulous data processing and a deep passion for the hobby. It is a state-of-the-art resource that they have shared with the community, and it’s already proving to be an invaluable tool for imagers around the world. His work is a testament to what dedicated individuals can contribute to astronomy.
How to Use It in Nova
I’ve integrated the NSNS (specifically, the H-alpha, H-alpha+Continuum, and True Color versions) in two ways in the Framing Assistant:
- As a Base Survey: You can select it from the “Survey” dropdown to see the narrowband sky on its own. This is perfect for exploring large nebulae complexes.
- As a Blend Layer: This is my favorite way to use it. Keep your base survey as DSS2 or PanSTARRS (to see the stars) and select “NSNS (H-alpha)” from the “Blend with” dropdown. You can then use the opacity slider to fade in the nebulosity on top of the star field. This gives you the best of both worlds: you can see your guide stars andperfectly frame the nebula.
Try It Today!
This new feature is live right now on the Nova DSO Tracker website. While it’s not in a downloadable release just yet, you can access it immediately by using the online version.
Go to the Framing Assistant, pick a big nebula like the Cygnus Loop or the Soul Nebula, and try blending the NSNS layer. I think you’ll be blown away by the clarity it provides for your planning.
Clear skies, and thank you again to the NSNS creator for his outstanding contribution to our hobby!
Anton
