M1, the Crab Nebula. M103, the Christmas Tree Cluster. Two of my favorite objects. I’ve imaged the M103 cluster several times before but it remains one of my favorites. The obvious grouping of this open cluster gives it a triangular shape and the varied color remind many Westerners of a Christmas Tree. Given that …
Cities are the bane of the amateur astronomer. Light pollution continues to grow at an astonishing rate as our cities increase in size and population. That doesn’t mean astronomy is impossible, just more challenging. The use of filters designed specifically to quench low pressure sodium and mercury vapor lights has gone a long way. Enjoy …
Finally got some good data on M27 after years of missed attempts. I collected this data from the back yard in Allen, TX. Camera was a Canon T2i with the IR cut filter removed and a custom white balance on a Celestron EdgeHD 8″ guided with a Meade DSI Pro in an Orion MiniGuider. 86 …
While I was setting up last night I pointed at the moon to see what it looked like through the EdgeHD 8 on the T2i. Backyard EOS has a planetary mode so I cranked that up and did a couple of quick series. Aligned and stacked with Registax this afternoon and this is the result …
Its the end of the calendar year and Orion is high in the sky at a reasonably early hour for urban astronomy. It clears the house around 9:00 so with sunset at 6:30 or so, you can have your high accuracy drift alignment completed by the time Orion is visible over the houses. I took …
Messier 27 shot on September 22, 2013 from Allen, TX. 36 exposures of 60 seconds each through a Celestron EdgeHD 8 and collected by a modded Canon T2i (550D) DSLR.
Messier 2 taken on 5 July 2013 from Copper Breaks State Park outside of Vernon, Texas. Shot with a Celestron Edge HD 8″ Schmidt-Cassegrain mounted on a Celestron Advanced VX. 60 subframes of 60 seconds unguided
A quick stack of M57. Decided to shoot this after a PEC training session. 60 x 1 minute exposures, no flats yet.
Celestron Advanced VX, Edge HD 8. Canon 20D guided by a Meade DSI Pro in an Orion 50mm mini guidescope. No flats, no LPR filter (dang it!). Basically no processing.
Messier 27, the Dumbbell Nebula, taken from suburban Dallas on a night with 80% – 90% humidity with the object in the light dome of a massive shopping complex just a mile away. Yes, you can practice astrophotography in the city! This image was built from 41 minutes worth of 60 second sub-exposures stacked …
Read more “Through the Soup: Messier 27 on a humid night over a brightly lit city”