Night Sky Gems

Here are my latest imaging efforts...
M1: The Crab Nebula (Revisited), NGC 7331(Revisited), NGC 2372 and NGC 2392

Image Details:
M1
14x480s=1.86hrs.
NGC 7331
15x340s=1.4hrs
NGC 2372
4x480s=32min.
NGC 2392
1x480s, 1x240s, 4x30s=14min.

Equipment Details:
10” Reflector
Atlas EQ-6
DSIc
900NC
EQMOD
PHD
PSE 2.0*PixInsight*Registax4

Conditions:
Clear*Mid 30’s*Calm Winds*Fair Seeing and Transparency

NGC 6946: The Fireworks Galaxy

Here is my latest imaging effort. NGC 6946 (The Fireworks Galaxy). This face on galaxy approximately 10 million light-years away, boarders between constellations Cepheus and Cygnus.

Conditions: High thin clouds and fair seeing

Image Details:
11x240s
10” Reflector
Atlas EQ-G
DSIc
Autoguided (Web cam)
PSE 2.0*PixInsight*Registax4

M1 & M82

Here are my latest imaging attempts. M1 (The Crab Nebula) and M82 (Cigar Galaxy) The conditions last night were not favorable for imaging, but I was testing some PEC software that I was unable to get to work…

Details:

M1
23x120s=43min. Guided Post processed in PSE 2.0 & PixInsight LE

M82
4x30s=2min. Un-guided Post processed in PSE 2.0 & PixInsight LE

NGC 7635 & M27

Here are my latest imaging targets NGC 7635 (The Bubble Nebula) and M27 (The Dumbbell) The Bubble consist of a total 35x120s Subs and the Dumbbell is 15x120s Subs. Both images were taken under clear skies and fair seeing.

NGC 7331

Here is my latest imaging target. NGC 7331 (Deer Lick Group) I’m not very happy with my results though… I captured 15x120sec. Subs and thought with 30min of exposures would reveal more detail. I suppose the bright moon had some to do with it.

Autoguiding Finally!

Here are a couple of my first Autoguided images. M57 taken a few nights ago was mostly an attempt to figure out the PHD software. The image is 10x60sec. subs. and star trails were caused by the lack of good balancing and I eventually had to add another 7lb. counterweight. M74 was captured last night and it consist of 4x120sec subs. I did a better job at balancing and polar alignment this time. I captured second image of M74 but it consisted of 30x120sec. subs and for some reason the image did not turn out, it looked like I adjusted the brightness down to about 3%..?? Hopefully on my next session I’ll be able to take longer subs and get more data.

Faint Fuzzies

Here are a few unguided images of Galaxy M74, NGC 772 and NGC 891. All were 20x30 sec. Subs. Post processed with PSE 2.0 and NEAT

M16

M16 (The Eagle Nebula) has got to be the strangest thing out there… and probably the most famous as well. This image consists of 15x30sec. Subs unguided. Captured low in the horizon, through the light polluted skies of Bentonville. Post processing was a nightmare on this target and I’m not too impressed with my Photo Shop skills.

The Learning Curve

My second DSO imaging attempt...

M42, M33 and NGC 869 all are 30 sec. subs unguided. M42 is a total of 5 images at 15x30 subs each, then merge using Autostitch to create this partial mosaic. I was hoping to complete the mosaic, but I ran out of steam at 5:30am this morning.

The Ring and Dumbbell Nebulas

Here are my first long exposure attempts. Both images are 25x15sec. Subs stacked. I am pretty please with the final outcome considering all the guesswork I had to take not knowing the camera and software. Hopefully on my next attempt, I will do a better job at polar alignment and balancing.

The Ring Nebula and a Point & Shoot

After weeks of lousy weather ending with the grand finale of Gustav, I finally got some afocal imaging with my new reflector. This 10” Newtonian F/4.7 is a true power house and the mount I’ve attached it to is solid as a rock. This afocal image consist 10x15 sec. subs unguided using our point & shoot camera and a steady pix mount. Stacking the 10 subs in Registax4 I used PSE 2.0 for final processing. This scope and mount will definitely keep my busy for years to come, especially once I begin upgrading my imaging equipment to match its true performance…

Animated Jupiter, GRS and RS Jr.

Here is some animated gif web cam images of Jupiter, GRS and RS Jr.

Click on images to start animation

Animated Jupiter, IO and Europa

This is my first attempt for an animated GIF file. Captured with a web can on 7/19/08 this image is 360 sec. 4-90 sec. subs back to back. On my next session, I will attempt twice as many subs with more time in between them. That should show excellent planet rotation.

Click on image to start animation!

Waning Gibbous 16.52 days old

This a web cam mosaic of 11 images consisting of 7800 subs stacked and merged. Taken 11:30 PM CDT 7/19/08

Jupiter, IO & Europa

Here is a web cam image taken last night at 10:30 PM CDT. This was my first attempt to capture the planet and some of it's moons. Seeing and transparency was above average, so I pushed up the power to 100x per inch. The final image is 790 frames stacked and used PSE 2.0 for final processing. Europa is the moon on the lower left.

Waxing Gibbous 84% 10.97 days old

Taken July 13th. This is one afocal shot through a 40mm EP.

Big Jupiter

This was taken a couple of nights ago. With good seeing conditions and very clear skies, I push up the magnifcation to 100x per inch. The final image consisted of 750 frames stacked in Registax4 and some touch up in PSE 2.0

Jupiter at 28º

I decided to take some web cam images of our Jovian neighbor last night. Even though the high clouds were thick, I managed to capture the GRS and what I think is the Red Spot Jr. Seeing was pretty good, but a 3-4/5 at best. This image consist of 850 frames stacked, with some PSE 2.0 touch ups.

Ring Nebula

Here is my first attemp of M57 in two years. Although it did not turn out like I hoped... This image is 40 out of 98 15 sec. out of focus afocal exposures taken through a 40mm ep. After the stacking process, I cleaned up the camera noise with Neat Image to complete the final image.

Early Morning Jupiter & Luna

I finally had the opportunity to image Jupiter with the GRS on the earth side of the planet and I must say, it was one of my most difficult images to capture! Once this giant gas ball cleared our trees, as usual, things went down hill in a hurry... I'm not saying I regret the session, especially after all the terrible weather we've been having for over a month! I'm just saying things could have been better. To make a long story short, these images were captured through thick high clouds, 2/5 seeing and using my wife's hair dryer to keep the dew from totally soaking the lens. I'm talking 97% humidity, dew point of 66 and the air temp of 65 deg. Yup! it was starting to fog like nobody's business! I was was wore out after 56 2-3 minute captures on both the planet and on the moon. With that being said, here is the best I could muster up 3AM Sunday morning...

Waxing Gibbous 99.6% 14.30 days

Both images were captured Tuesday night with less than desirable conditions. Seeing was 2/5 at best, with high clouds thickening, but after 5 weeks of clouds and rain... I was just happy to get the equipment out of the garage! The first pic is one afocal shot through a 32mm ep and the second consist of 7800 sub web cam frames stacked to generate the 7 sections I targeted for stitching of the final mosaic image. Copernicus and the Kepler crater rays are easy to spot along with Aristarchus above and left. Click the images to see full size!

Waxing Crescent

This mosaic consits of 12500 out of 18000 web cam frames of 15 sections of the moon. Stacked using Registax4 and merged in PSE2.0 Click the image to see full size!

Big Scope

My family and I visited a local astronomy club observatory Saturday Night and all I can say is WOW! They have this pier mounted 14" Go-To SCT that produced the most amazing views I have ever seen. The combination of dark skies and that monster of a scope allowed me to actually see the spiral arms of M51 and with adverted vision I could make out the bridge!! We saw Saturn and 5 of it's moons too. When we got back late that night, I decided I would try to image Jupiter the next morning. So I got out the Mak, polar aligned it and took a peek at a few targets before I called it a night. Man, what a let down, after looking thru a 14" scope then my 5" it's definitely all about aperture.

Jupiter Today

This is the best 850 out of 1200 web cam frames at 10 fps stacked with Registax4. Captured this morning around 5AM with average seeing, extremely heavy near freezing dew on the lens and very clear skies.

Cassini, Vallis Alpes and Aristillus

These are a couple of merged web cam images from February of this year. Click image to see full size!

Gas Giants

These were taken around 4 hours apart last weekend. Seeing was below average on both occasions and with high clouds.

Mosaic Cropped

From the image below, I've croped and changed a few things with Photoshop. Click image to see full size!

Mosaic Moon 2nd Attempt

I thought I had this one completed, but as you can see, I missed a tad. Maybe the 3rd. time will be the charm? This image consist of 24 areas with 900 usable stacked web cam frames each, that's 21600 frames!

54% Moon

This particular web cam image consist of 9 different areas along the terminator. Processed and stacked 4500 frames in Registax4, then finalized in PhotoShop. Seeing was average at best, with occasional passing clouds.

Saturday Night Saturn

Jupiter...Spotless

After two weeks, I finally was able to get the Mak under clear skies. I brought the scope out last night, did some tweaking with the focus, got it polar aligned and left it out for this morning. It was 5:22AM when the planet had finally cleared the trees. Unfortunately the spot was not in view at this time, may be in a week or so it will be possible to capture it, darn trees..!

This image is 1000 frames stacked, seeing was good, but not great and it was crystal clear with heavy freezing dew. I resized it along with some PS touch up.

97% Waxing Gibbous Moon

When the moon is bright as it was Wednesday night, there is not much else to observe with a 5" Mak, so you have to make the best of it. This image is one afocal shot using a 32mm EP and my Fuji F10 point & shoot. I resized it and sharpend in Registax4.

Peak-a-Boo!

After what seemed like eternity, I finally was able to get the telescope out last night and snap a few pics. The skies were clear, seeing was good and the Moon was ridiculously bright....works for me! This particular web cam image is 1110 frames stacked. Near the center of the picture is the Pythagoras crater (I have no idea how its pronounced) and its 1.5km tall central peak poking out into the sun light.

Plato

At center stage is the crater Plato. This image was captured through pretty thick clouds and some how I managed to get 900 usable frames to stack.

Our Neighbor Above

Here is a couple of images I stitched in Photo Shop. A total of 1200 out of 1700 frames capture with my web cam.