Sh2-101 Tulip (Emission) Íebula in Cygnus

Dear friends,

Lats night I sat down to finish some business with Sh2-101 in Cygnus
and which is perhaps more commonly known as the Tulip Nebula.

I imaged this gem two years ago but never circulated the result due to
the noise result which was produced by my ST-2000XM (at least when
looking at the hires version). Last night was prime for a repeat visit
due to the fact that I had very good transparency as well as very good
seeing.

My only apprehension was the fact that there are two bright stars
within the central portion of the field of view and which somehow ties
my hands in relation to how deep I can go with my (blooming) ST-10XME.
Unfortunately I had to restrict me integrations to six minutes and in
contrast to my desired 10- or 15-minute subs.

For a result based on four hours total time, I kindly refer you to
http://www.perseus.gr/Astro-DSO-Nebulae-Sh2-101.htm for the RRGB
result (120:60:60:60) and please make sure you click on the
hyperlinked image for a larger version of the same. I hope to revisit
this target with a better ABG camera and deeper integrations at some
point in the future.

Clear skies.

Anthony.

A Home Of Tolerance


Media speculation since the horrific terrorist attacks on America has
pointed the finger at Muslims and the Arab world, and that has meant
ordinary citizens of the US and other Western countries becoming easy
prey for anti-faith hooligans. Shame. Sadly, the latest horror to hit
the US looks to have been caused by people of Middle Eastern origin,
bearing Muslim names. Again, shame. This fuels more hatred for a
religion and a people who have nothing to do with these events. This
is why I want to explain some basic facts about this noble way we call
Islam, before, God forbid, another disaster occurs - next time
probably aimed at Muslims.

I came to Islam in my late 20s, during my searching period as a
wandering pop star. I found a religion that blended scientific reason
with spiritual reality in a unifying faith far removed from the
headlines of violence, destruction and terrorism. One of the first
interesting things I learned in the Koran was that the name of the
faith comes from the word salam - peace. Far from the kind of Turko-
Arab-centric message I expected, the Koran presented a belief in the
universal existence of God, one God for all. It does not discriminate
against peoples; it says we may be different colors and from different
tribes, but we are all human and "the best of people are the most God-
conscious".

Today, as a Muslim, I have been shattered by the horror of recent
events; the display of death and indiscriminate killing we've all
witnessed has dented humanity's confidence in itself. Terror on this
scale affects everybody on this small planet, and no one is free from
the fallout. Yet we should remember that such violence is almost an
everyday occurrence in some Muslim lands: it should not be exacerbated
by revenge attacks on more innocent families and communities.

Along with most Muslims, I feel it a duty to make clear that such
orchestrated acts of incomprehensible carnage have nothing to do with
the beliefs of most Muslims. The Koran specifically declares: "If
anyone murders an (innocent) person, it will be as if he has murdered
the whole of humanity. And if anyone saves a person it will be as if
he has saved the whole of humanity."

The Koran that our young people learn is full of stories and lessons
from the history of humanity as a whole. The Gospels and the Torah are
referred to; Jesus and Abraham are mentioned. In fact there is more
mention in the Koran of the prophet Moses than of any other. It
acknowledges the coexistence of other faiths, and in doing so
acknowledges that other cultures can live together in peace.

"There is no compulsion in religion," it states, meaning that people
should not be compelled to change their faith. Elsewhere it states,
"To you, your religion; to me mine." Respect for religious values and
justice is at the Koran's core. The Koranic history we teach our young
provides ample examples of inter-religious and international
relationships; of how to live together. But some extremists take
elements of the sacred ******ures out of con****. They act as
individuals, and when they can't come together as part of a political
structure or consultative process, you find these dissident factions
creating their own rules, contrary to the spirit of the Koran - which
demands that those recognized as being in charge of Muslims must
consult together regarding society's affairs.

There is a whole chapter in the Koran entitled Consultation. Communal
well being is central to human life, so there is a concept in Islam
called Istihsan, which means "to look for the common good". Even
though the Koran may lay down a diktat, scholars are also supposed to
consider the circumstances prevalent at the time. Sometimes that means
choosing the lesser of two evils or even suspending legislation if
necessary: for instance, a person who steals bread during a famine is
not treated as a thief.

Once I wrote in a song, "Where do the children play?" Our sympathy and
thoughts go out to the families of all those who lost their lives in
this tragic act of violence, as well as all those injured. But life
must go on. Children still need to play, and people need to live and
learn more about their neighbors so that ignorance doesn't breed more
blind fanaticism. Moderation is part of faith, so those who accuse
Muslim schools of fostering fanaticism should learn a bit more about
Islam.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Ruined are those who insist on
hardship in faith," and, "A believer remains within the scope of his
religion as long as he doesn't kill another person illegally." Such
knowledge and words of guidance are desperately needed at this time,
to separate fact from falsehood, and to recognise the Last Prophet's
own definition of that which makes a person representative, or
otherwise, of the faith he lived and the one we try to teach.
by Yusuf Islam (formerly the singer Cat Stevens)