Astronomy Picture of the Day: 17/01/2026
- Jan 17
- 2 min read
Object Name: IC5148 (Spare Tyre Nebula)
Copyright: Mike Manning
Location: Marian QLD, 4753
Skill level: Professional (10+ years)
Image Title
IC5148 (Spare Tyre Nebula) imaged from Marian Qld
Artists' statement
Here is my latest edit of the Spare Tyre nebula, imaged under Bortle 4 skies west of Mackay. At just under 19 hours of subs, many faint background galaxies have shown up in this difficult target.
How This Image Was Captured
Gear used
ASI2600MC Pro, Skywatcher Quattro 300P 12" F4, JTW Astronomy Trident GTR (24 bit encoders), Antlia Triband RGB Ultra (version 1), ASI220MM Guide camera on ZWO OAG
Exposure details
227x300s, gain 100, 0C temperature, 1x1 binning
Processing notes
50 darks, 25 flats, 50 bias. Stacked in DSS and edited in Pixinsight, BlurX, NoiseX and StarX used.
Exploring IC5148
IC 5148, also known as the Spare Tyre Nebula , is a planetary nebula located in the southern constellation Grus, positioned west of Lambda Gruis.
The nebula was discovered in 1894 by Australian amateur astronomer Walter Frederick Gale, who visually identified several nebulae from New South Wales using modest telescopes.
Planetary nebulae represent a late stage in the evolution of Sun-like stars. In the case of IC 5148, the progenitor star has expelled its outer layers of gas and dust into space. The exposed stellar core has since evolved into a hot white dwarf, whose intense ultraviolet radiation ionizes the surrounding material, causing the nebula to glow.
Although IC 5148 appears largely circular in small telescopes, deep imaging reveals radial filaments and faint extensions, giving rise to its “spare tyre” appearance.
Behind the Selection
This image shows a combination of technical mastery with refined artistic restraint to reveal the delicate beauty of the Spare Tyre Nebula. The photographer has successfully captured the extremly faint and challenging planetary nebula with exceptional clarifty, preserving its subtle shell structure and soft oxygen-rich glow without overprocessing.
The image also has acurate star control, a clean and neutral background, and a thoughfully balanced composition that allows the nebula to stand out naturally within a rich stellar field. The image demonstrates deep integration, careful calibration, and a strong understanding of both the science and aesthetics of astrophotography, resulting in an image that is visually elegant and quietyly compelling.
By preserving the background galaxies, the image conveys a powerful sense of cosmic scale, placing the nearby planetary nebula in context against a far more distant extragalactic backdrop.
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