M51

M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy) and its companion NGC5195 galaxy are located 23 million light years away in the constellation Canes Venatici.  The red/pink areas of the galaxy are star forming HII regions.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C

Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO

Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM

Guiding Camera:  SBIG ST-i

Filters Astrodon  S2, Ha & O3

Location:  Deerlick Astronomy Village & Roswell Georgia

Exposure Details

Ha = 435 Minutes (mapped to red)

L = 310 Minutes

RGB = 200 Minutes Bin 2x2

M16

Lots of wind and cold weather at DAV this weekend, but I was finally able to get enough data to finish M16.

Young star cluster M16 is surrounded by clouds of cosmic dust and glowing gas also known as The Eagle Nebula.  The Eagle Nebula is part of a diffuse emission nebula, or H II region, which is catalogued as IC 4703. This region of active current star formation is about 6,500 light-years distant in the Constellation Serpens.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C

Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO

Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM

Guiding Camera:  SBIG ST-i

Filters Astrodon  S2, Ha & O3

Location:  Deerlick Astronomy Village

Exposure Details

S2 = 240 Minutes (mapped to red)

Ha = 195 Minutes (mapped to green)

O3 = 165 Minutes (mapped to blue)

All sub-exposures were 15 Minutes.

NGC2237

Radiation from young stars in NGC2237 makes the nebula shine by exciting its atoms to emit radiation. The dark nebula, consisting of cooler gases and dust, is highlighted against this glowing background.  This picture is a small 22’x16’ arc minute view of a portion of the Rosette Nebula located 5,200 light years away from our home in the Constellation Monoceros. 

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 = 345 Minutes (mapped to red)

Ha = 180 Minutes (mapped to green)

O3 = 180 Minutes (mapped to blue)

All sub-exposures were 15 Minutes.

M76

The Little Dumbbell Nebula, also known as Messier 76, is a planetary nebula located 2,500 light years away in the constellation Perseus.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C

Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO

Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM

Guiding Camera:  SBIG ST-i

Filters Astrodon  Ha, O3, Red, Green and Blue

Location:  Roswell, Georgia

Exposure Details

Ha = 510 Minutes (mapped to green)

O3 = 360 Minutes (mapped to blue)

RGB = 30 Minutes for Star Color

M82

Messier 82 (also known as NGC 3034, Cigar Galaxy or M82) is a nearby starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

Optics:  Deep Sky Instruments RC10C

Mount:  Astro-Physics AP900GTO

Camera:   SBIG ST2K XM

Guiding Camera:  SBIG ST-i

Filters Astrodon:  Luminance, Red, Green and Blue

Location:  Deerlick Astronomy Village

Exposure Details

L = 210 Minutes

RGB = 240 Minutes Bin 2x2

Ha = 540 Minutes (mapped to red