NGC 7814 and Supernova SN 2021rhu — Four Years Later

This image, captured four years ago, showcases the brilliant supernova SN 2021rhu in the distant galaxy NGC 7814 in the Pegasus constellation — a spectacular stellar explosion that briefly outshone its entire host galaxy. Observations like this allow us to study the life cycles of stars, trace the evolution of galaxies, and deepen our understanding of the dynamic universe we inhabit. Even years later, moments like these remind us of the fleeting yet powerful phenomena that light up the cosmos.

Image data was captured between 8–26 July 2021 from my balcony under a Bortle 7 sky (red light-polluted area).

Gear used:

• Sky-Watcher MAK180 Maksutov–Cassegrain telescope with Celestron 0.63× focal reducer (effective focal length 1800 mm, f/10)
• Atik 414EX monochrome camera
• Astro-Tech AT6IN Newtonian reflector with Sky-Watcher 0.9x coma corrector
• ZWO ASI183MC Pro color camera
• QHY mini guide scope and QHY5L-II guide camera
• Celestron CG5 with Asterion upgrade kit (EQStar system)

Acquisition details:

• Luminance channel was captured with the MAK180 telescope and Atik 414EX camera — 168 × 60s subexposures stacked.
• Color data was captured with the AT6IN telescope and ASI183MC Pro color camera — 53 × 4min frames stacked.

Funny enough, when I first captured this shot, I had no idea I was photographing a supernova. I honestly thought it was just an ordinary bright star against the galaxy. Only later did I realize that I had caught SN 2021rhu barely a week after its discovery — completely by accident.