2018 May 17 ~ The tail of the constellation Scorpius

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Photographed 25 km east of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, long. 134.04° E., lat. 23.76° S., between 23.24 and 23.46 CAST (Central Australian Standard Time)

 

* Altitude of centre of frame at time of exposures: 40-43°

* Temperature 12° C.

* Total exposure time: 10 minutes

* 105 mm focal length lens

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Description:

 

The star pattern in the constellation Scorpius (The Scorpion) is one of the most recognizable in the sky. The lower part of this pattern - the tail of the scorpion - lies very low in the sky as seen from the northern hemisphere. From southern latitudes, however, this part of the sky is directly overhead during nighttime hours in the months of April-July.

 

Our home galaxy, the Milky Way, passes through Scorpius, as can be seen in this view. Numerous pink hydrogen gas clouds and many star clusters are concentrated in this part of the sky as well.

 

This is the telescope and mount that I used for my astrophotography on this trip:

www.flickr.com/photos/97587627@N06/28602350028

 

For a version of this photo WITH LABELS, click on your screen to the RIGHT of the photo, or click here:

www.flickr.com/photos/97587627@N06/40663302100

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Technical information:

 

Nikkor AF-S 70-200 mm f/2.8 G ED VRII lens on Nikon D810a camera body, mounted on Sky-Watcher HEQ5 equatorial mount with Kirk Enterprises ball head

 

Seven stacked subframes; each frame:

ISO 3200; 1 minute exposure at f/4.5, 105 mm focal length, unguided (with LENR - long exposure noise reduction)

 

Subframes stacked in RegiStar;

Processed in Photoshop CS6 (levels, brightness, contrast)

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Done