Friday, December 30, 2011

IC 1848



This photo is a small part of the IC 1848 emission nebula located in Cassiopeia.  This image so reminds me of the “Time Portal” from Star Trek series “The City on the Edge of Forever”.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM
Guiding Camera:  SBIG ST-i
Filters Astrodon  S2, Ha & O3
Location:  Roswell, Georgia

Exposure Details
S2 = 540 Minutes (mapped to red)
Ha = 480 Minutes (mapped to green)
O3 = 450 Minutes (mapped to blue)

Monday, December 19, 2011

M42



M42 is located approximately 1350 light years from our home in the constellation Orion.  This photo is a small portion of the dim outer arm of this nebula.  The imaged was processed to accent the wispy almost smoke like features of this region.  Hope that you enjoy.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM
Guiding Camera:  SBIG ST-i
Filters Astrodon  Ha & O3
Location:  Roswell, Georgia

Exposure Details
Ha = 375 Minutes (mapped to red)
O3 = 375 Minutes (mapped to both blue and green)

Monday, December 5, 2011

Abell 779


Abell Galaxy Cluster #779 is located in the Constellation Lynx.  This galaxy cluster is less than one degree SSW of Alpha Lynx.  Its brightest member is 12th magnitude NGC 2832 with several faint companions. The cluster is relatively far away at an estimated 700 million light years.   MegaStar V5 was used to label some of the faint background galaxies to 17 magnitude.  I inverted the image to make it easier to view the faint background galaxies. 

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM
Filters Astrodon:  Luminance
Location:  Roswell, Georgia

Exposure Details
L = 200Min (5 Min exposures)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Melotte 15



Melotte 15 is centered in the Heart Nebula IC1805 and is located about 7,500 light years away in the constellation Cassiopeia.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM
Guiding Camera:  SBIG ST-i
Filters Astrodon  S2, Ha & O3
Location:  Roswell, Georgia

Exposure Details
S2 = 450 Minutes
Ha = 525 Minutes
O3 = 405 Minutes

M27



M27, the Dumbell Nebula, is a beautiful planetary nebula located in the constellation Vulpecula.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM
Guiding Camera:  SBIG ST-i
Filters Astrodon  Ha & O3
Location:  Roswell, Georgia

Exposure Details
Ha = 300 Minutes
O3 = 300 Minutes

Thursday, October 27, 2011

IC5070


The misty mountains of IC5070 are located in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan) very close to the star Deneb. 

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM
Filters Astrodon S2, Ha & O3
Location:  Roswell, Georgia

Exposure Details
S2 = 660 Minutes
Ha = 390 Minutes
O3 = 540 Minutes

Saturday, October 8, 2011

NGC281



I had a wonderful time at the Peach State Star Gaze this year - Seeing old friends and meeting new ones under the dark skies at the Deerlick Astronomy Village.  Also thanks again to Rich Simons of Deep Sky Instruments for the use of his exceptional 10” Ritchey-Chrétien Astrograph.  The optics and engineering of this scope are simply amazing.  NGC 281 is an H II region in the constellation of Cassiopeia and part of the Perseus Spiral Arm.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM
Filters Astrodon S2, Ha & O3
Location:  Deerlick Astronomy Village

Exposure Details
S2 = 435 Minutes
Ha = 165 Minutes
O3 = 210 Minutes

Waxing Cresent Moon on 10-1-11



Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM
Filters Astrodon HA
Location:  Deerlick Astronomy Village

Exposure Details
HA = 1 second

Thursday, October 6, 2011

NGC206



NGC 206 is a bright star cloud in the Andromeda Galaxy. Total exposure time was a little over 7 hours.

Optics: Deep Sky Instruments RC10C
Mount: Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera: SBIG ST2K XM
Filters Astrodon L, R, G, & B
Location: Deerlick Astronomy Village

Exposure Details
L = 315 Minutes
RGB = 150 Minutes Bin 2x2

Arcturus



Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Boötes. Look to the west this month at sunset to see this beautiful star - Love those diffraction spikes!

Friday, July 8, 2011

SH2-239

Optics: Takahashi FSQ-106
Mount: Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera: SBIG ST2K XM
Filters Astrodon L, R, G, & B
Dates: November 11, 2010
Location: Deerlick Astronomy Village

Exposure Details
L = 240 Minutes
RGB = 150 Minutes

Monday, June 27, 2011

IC4603

Optics: Takahashi FSQ-106
Mount: Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera: SBIG ST2K XM
Filters Astrodon L, R, G, & B
Dates: April 12, 2010 through May 9, 2011
Location: Deerlick Astronomy Village

Exposure Details
L = 120 Minutes
RGB = 360 Minutes

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Moon 5-6-11



Waxing Cresent Moon from the evening of 5-6-11 at Deerlick Astronomy Village in Sharon, Georgia.

M65, M66 & NGC3628



Galaxies M65 at the upper right, M66 at the lower right and NGC3628 at the lower left are often referred to as the Leo Triplet. The group of galaxies is approximately 35 million light years from our home planet in the constellation Leo.

Optics: Takahashi FSQ-106
Mount: Astro-Physics AP900GTO
Camera: SBIG ST2K XM
Filters Astrodon L, R, G, B & Ha
Dates: February 29, 2009 through May 7, 2011
Location: Deerlick Astronomy Village

Exposure Details
Ha = 600 Minutes
L = 240 Minutes
RGB = 180 Minutes