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Object Information: The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) and its companion galaxy, NGC 5194 (Lower Left) are an interacting galactic pair located approximately 23 million light years from earth. It is believed that the enhanced spiral structure of M51 is caused by its gravitational interactions with its companion. This galaxy is located just above the last tail star of the big dipper and can be observed visually with a modest telescope.
Photograph Information:
Exposures: 20×300s Luminescence, 3×150s ea RGB Channel for a total of 1.5 hours of exposure time.
Telescope: Astrotech 6” F/9 Ritchey-Chrétien
Camera : Meade DSI III PRO
Mount : Orion Atlas
Guiding : William Optics ZS66 with Meade DSI Pro I
Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago at 2:50 am. Add a comment
Please click here for full resolution image.
Object Information: “The Virgo Cluster” of which the above image is a small part, is a cluster of galaxies roughly 60 million light years from our own. It represents the heart of our own “Local Super Cluster” and our galaxy orbits this distant core of galaxies as part of our own “Local Group.” While clusters such as these are common throughout the Universe, the Virgo Cluster is particularly special in that it lies far outside the plain of our own Galaxy’s disk. This enables observers on earth to view its many bright Galaxies with reasonably sized instruments. Under the dark skies of West Texas, the four brightest galaxies in this image were even visible through an eyepiece, using the same 4” refractor through which these images were taken! This is a must see object for anyone finding themselves in dark skies.
Scope: APM 105 @ f/3.1 (“Scopestuff .5x focal reducer”)
Mount: Takahashi EM-11
Camera: Meade DSI III Pro
Exposure Info: 100×30s Lum, 20×30s ea 2×2 binned Meade RGB
Other Details: This image was taken on the fly and since we lacked the equipment to guide on Don Sannes’ Takahashi Mount, we elected to stretch the exposure as far as we could without guiding. This seemed to be between 30 seconds and 120 seconds. We chose the shorter range in order to get the best possible set of data for later processing. In all, we were able to keep over 90% of the sub exposures we collected.
Flat fields were not taken. Partially, this was due to the generosity of the dark skies at the Texas Star Party and the other half of the equation was lack of equipment. However, there is some evidence in the left side of the field that this image would have benefited from flats.
Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago at 6:15 am. Add a comment
I was inspired to take this comet image after reading this article about this particular comet blowing up, just a week before I took my image:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1260049/Exploding-comet.html?ITO=1490
In reviewing my data, I do not think I see the "chunk" that was observed coming off the comet on March 24, 2010.
Here is my image:
Compared to the image taken by Nick Howes obseved the small chunk coming off of the comet on March 24, 2010 (He took the image below):
Posted 5 months, 1 week ago at 12:14 am. 1,010 comments
Information: “The Horsehead Nebula” or “Barnard 33″ (right) is a “dark nebula” seen against a red emission nebula (IC 434) background. “The Flame Nebula” or “NGC 2024″ (left) is a “reflection nebula” made up of dust particles which reflect nearby bright starlight such that we can see it from earth (the dust itself does not glow). “The Flame Nebula” is among the brightest reflection nebulae to be seen from Earth.
Exposure Information: Total of 3 hours of exposure time via Red/Green/Blue Channel Imaging with Meade DSI III Pro Camera through an Orion 80ED Refracting Telescope @ f/4. Processing with maximDL, Adobe Photoshop, and “Astronomy Tools” photoshop plugin.
Posted 6 months, 3 weeks ago at 9:41 pm. 23 comments
Information: Intermediate Elliptical/Spiral Galaxy located in the constellation Centaurus. Very strong source of radio emission. Image taken in Moorook, Australia courtesy of “Global Rent-a-scope” service.
Imaging System Used: SBIG STL-1001E NABG Camera through RCOS 16″ Ritchey-Chrétien Telescope @ f/9.0. Total 2 hours of exposure time via LRGB monochrome imaging.
Posted 6 months, 3 weeks ago at 5:54 am. 2 comments
Exposure Info:
10×300s Luminescence, unbinned
8×300s each RGB channel, binned 2×2.
Orion Skyglow Imaging Filter was used in all exposures.
Camera:
Cooler Enhanced Meade DSI III Pro with Antares .5x focal reducer at 20 degrees Fahrenheit
Scope:
Orion 80ED
Mount:
“Hypertuned” Orion Atlas
Guiding:
PHD Guiding using Meade DSI Pro through 2x barlow and William Optics ZS66 Apochromatic Scope.
Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago at 11:52 pm. 7 comments
