A long wait. It doesn't rise until 10:18 PM. And, by that time, the sky transparency is supposed to be below average:

www.cleardarksky.com/c/CrnrBrkNFkey.html?1

But Jupiter rises at 6:15 PM and Saturn at 2:15 AM, so may get lucky.

When you consider that it would take 109 earths to stretch across the diameter of the sun, it isn't actually that small, I suppose. But there are much larger. These days it would be rare to see them, though, since the sun has entered a period know as the solar minimum.

First time I've had the Coronado SolarMax 70mm out in ages. The reason? Any day we haven't had snow or flurries the sky has been completely white. The color blue has been missing for months on end. But not today. So in spite of having other things to do, I decided to take advantage of the completely clear skies.

Jupiter has 79 moons. 53 are named and 26 are awaiting official names. The four pictured here with Jupiter are ... from the left... Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

This was taken at 7:46 PM local time ... 10:16 PM Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on October 18, 2020.

It is a composite image. When the exposure allowed the moons to be visible, Jupiter was completely overexposed. When the exposure allowed some detail to be seen on Jupiter, the moons were not visible at all. So, I combined both images in Photoshop. Of course, through the eyepiece of the scope, both the planet and moons are visible. An amazing sight!

You may ... or may not ... think so, but this really is a pretty crappy photo! The night I took this, the sky transparency and seeing were terrible. Hopefully, one of these days I will be able to do better. Most nights now, though, it is completely clouded over. If fact, last night we got our first snowfall ... with more flurries forecasted for tonight.

#M31 #Andromeda Galaxy and #M110 (14.08.2021)

Distance to earth is around 2,5 MIllion light years

20 Lights 720 sec + 69 x 180Sec

20 darks

30 bias

50 flats/darkflats

#optolonglenhance + IDAS D2 Filter

#qhy268c #Hyperstar f2 #c11 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universet

Elephants trunk nebula IC1396 Elephant’s Trunk nebula (13.06&14.062021) as a mosaic captured with a C11 & Hyperstar V3. It’s is a combination of h-alpha, O3 and RGB data. Postprocessed in APP & Photoshop

#idaslpsd2 & #lEnhance Filter

#qhy268c #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astromaniacmag #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography

Markarians Chain (13.05.2021)

M84 aka NGC4374

M86 aka NGC4406

It includes also

the galaxies:

NGC4435 The Eyes (Copelands Augen) ~52 mly distance

NGC4438 The Eyes (Copelands Augen) ~52 mly distance

NGC4402~ 50 mly distance, 55 kly diameter

NGC4425 ~83 mly distance, 70kly diameter

NGC4413 / NGC4407 2 mly distance (ignoring redshift),

NGC4387 18mly distance 120kly diametr

IC3303

IC3393

IC3355

IC3333

IC3315

The bigger Stars:

HD108450

HD108285

HD108091

40 lights 180 sec. Gain26

30 darks

30 bias

30 (dark) flats

#idaslpsd2 Filter

#qhy268c f4 #celestroncgxlmount #

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astromaniacmag #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography

I know the real time video is fast, but even so, seeing one of these zip across the computer screen for the very first time is a pretty amazing experience! Everything is set up ... you trust the transit finder has picked the right time and that you've used your GPS to find the right place ... but still you're standing there wondering if it's really going to happen. And then ... there it is! Amazing! And great fun! Almost as satisfing as hooking a big fish on a fly rod. Almost. :-)

#M106 cluster

Final version

It includes also the galaxies: #NGC4248, #NGC4231, #NGC4232, #NGC4217, #NGC4226

55 lights 180 sec. Gain26 + 80 Lights 240 sec Gain 26

30 darks

30 bias

30 (dark) flats

#idaslpsd2 Filter

#qhy268c f4 #celestroncgxlmount#

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography

#M104 #SombreroGalaxy (04.04.2021)

It has a diameter of approximately 49,000 light-years anderen 30Million ly disrance to earth.

59 lights 180 sec. Gain26

30 darks

30 bias

30 (dark) flats

#idaslpsd2 Filter

#qhy268c f4 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astromaniacmag #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography

#NGC7635 #BubbleNebula from 21.07.2021). The bubble in the middle has a diameter of ~10 lightyears.

The moon was over 90%.

Lights 68 x 180

Darks 30 x 180

Flats 30 x

Darkflats 30x

Bias 30 x

#lEnhance C11 f6.3 1764mm

#qhy268c #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astromaniacmag #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography

#M63 aka #NGC5055 #SunflowerGalaxy has approximately 400 billion stars.

40 lights 180 sec. Gain26

30 darks

30 bias

30 (dark) flats

#idaslpsd2 Filter

#qhy268c f4 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astromaniacmag #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography

#NGC2359 Thor’s Helmet in the constellation of #canisMajor

Distance to earth ~12000 lightyears

60 lights 75 Seconds

20 darks

20 bias

30 flats

30 darkflats

#optolonglenhance FIlter

#qhy268c # f2 #c11 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #longexpo_additction #landscape_captures #milkywaychasers #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography_ #ic_longexpo #fs_longexpo #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #celestronrocks

#NGC7023 aka Iris Nebula

85 lights 300sec. Gain0

30 darks

30 bias

30 (dark) flats

#idaslpsd2 Filter

#qhy268c f4 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astromaniacmag #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography

Mind blowing 900 Million light years of distance - the galaxy #UGC6211. You can see it in the middle of the bottom.

#M97 OwlNebula #M108 aka NGC3556

31 lights 180 sec. Gain26

30 darks

30 bias

30 (dark) flats

#idaslpsd2 Filter

#qhy268c f4 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astromaniacmag #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography

Still one of my favorites!

#IC434 HoreseHead Nebula (01.03.2021) in the constellation of #Orion

Distance to earth ~1500 lightyears

Diameter ~3 light years

75 lights 300 sec

30 darks

30 bias

50 flats/darkflats

#IDAS Filter

#qhy268c #Hyperstar f2 #c11 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starscape #longexpo_additction #landscape_captures #milkywaychasers #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography_ #ic_longexpo #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #celestronrocks

This is a widefield image contains amongst others the following galaxies:

#M81 Bodes Galaxy contains ~200.000.000.000 stars

#M82 Cigar Galaxy

#NGC2976

#NGC3077

#NGC2959 is 200.000.000 light years away

#NGC2961

#UGC5302

#UGC5210

#UGC5247

70 lights 240 seconds

30 darks

30 bias

30 flats

#UHC Filter

#qhy268c # f6.3 #c11 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #longexpo_additction #milkywaychasers #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium

#NGC2359 Thor’s Helmet in the constellation of #canisMajor

Distance to earth ~12000 lightyears

60 lights 75 Seconds

20 darks

20 bias

30 flats

30 darkflats

#optolonglenhance FIlter

#qhy268c # f2 #c11 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #longexpo_additction #landscape_captures #milkywaychasers #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography_ #ic_longexpo #fs_longexpo #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #celestronrocks

North America Nebula

#NGC7000 North America Nebula (11.07.2021)

40 lights 300 sec

30 darks

30 bias

50 flats/darkflats

#IDAS Filter

#qhy268c #Hyperstar f2 #c11 #celestroncgxlmount

1 Billion Star Hotel

#M101 Pinwheel galaxy (02.04.2021)

A spiral galaxy around 21 Million light years distance to earth in the constellation Ursa Major .

59 lights 180 sec. Gain26

30 darks

30 bias

30 (dark) flats

#idaslpsd2 Filter

#qhy268c f4 #celestroncgxlmount #youresa

#astrophotography #universetoday #milkyway #astrophoto #astrography #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #starscape #natgeospace #starrynight #longexposure #astro_photography #deepsky #galaxy #neustadtanderweinstrasse #astromaniacmag #celestronrocks #astrobin #baaderplanetarium #jw #jwphotography