Recent Activity

I recently acquired a Celestron Motorfocus. What a great accessory. Aside from allowing more precise focusing there is no need to touch the scope (causing shake) or reposition one's self to access a focus knob. One can also enter previously determined number to get close to the focus for a particular optical configuration.  Cool. 

For the first time I visited one of my choice darkish sites it Maryland i.e. McCoy's Landing. It's not as dark as I had hoped thanks to increasing excessive LED street and security in nearby cities but it's better than trying to image from champion light polluter Frederick Maryland. The main target for the night was NGC2359 (Thor's Helmet ). The result below is a start that I hope to improve on when Canis Major returns in late 2022. Also, imaged that night were M48, M67, M81 and Sharpless 274.

NGC2359 (Thor's Helmet)

Messier 48

Messier 67

Messier 81 (Bode's Galaxy)

Sharpless 274

M81, M82, M51, NGC2841

It's Spring and with Coma Berenices with its accompanying cluster of galaxies it's the beginning of galaxy season. I thought I would get a head start  practicing on with three of my favorite galaxies M81, M82 and M51. NGC2841 is thrown in as a bonus. These won't be my only  visits to these non-Coma Berenices targets as they grace my northern hemisphere zenith during the next month or so. The Coma cluster requires I get out of heavily light polluted Frederick Maryland  to one of my darkish sites and when the galaxies are highest in the southern sky. 

Sadly, as I write this, the world is in the midst of a crippling, deadly pandemic due to the covid-19 corona virus. The effects on public health and the world economy are still to be played out. I'm fortunate, a lifelong saver/investor to be in a decent financial position despite taking a hit in the stock market. I can also be grateful for a mind engaging hobby, this one, to distract me from the current goings on. Folks, follow the experts, hand washing, social distancing, staying at home if you can. We're in for pain but will get through this. 

M81 -- 15x120s @bin1

M82 -- 15x180s @bin1

M51 -- 12x180s @bin1

NGC2481 -- 10x180s @bin1

Recent and not so recent DSO images

These images were typically acquired using a Celestron 0.63x focal reducer with or without a diagonal. With the diagonal a non optimal F/4 focal ratio is achieved. With my typical straight through configuration with 108 mm gap between the focal reducer and the sensor yields ~F/6.3. Imager was ZWO ASI294MC-Pro @0C or 10C depending on ambient temperature.

Processing is with AutoStakkert for averaging subframes, Paintshop Pro X9 for image processing. In some cases the minimalist Fix app built into Window 10 Photo Gallery was used to tweak the image.

NGC 6960 - Western Veil Nebula

NGC6888 -Crescent Nebula

 

Messier 81- Bode's Galaxy

Messier 27 - Dumbell Nebula

NGC6992 - Eastern Veil Nebula

Messier 8 - Lagoon Nebula

Messier 31- Andromeda Galaxy

Messier 16 - Eagle Nebula

Messier 17 Omega Nebula