View allAll Photos Tagged skyglow
Quite possibly one of my favorite night images I've taken to date.
Most definitely my favourite taken with the 6d
The urban glow from across Lake Erie, the subtle colours and reflection in the water, and the almost minimalist transition from the water below to the heavens above, the percussion tubes (not really) and the milky way converge at the same end point. Everything seemed to work for this image... including the high ISO performance of the camera
Alaskan Encounters Series
Best viewed LARGE
Park Deck for 5th Avenue Mall, Anchorage, Alaska
28 January 2011
Ambient Temp at the time about 20ºF (–7ºC) (historic data Alaska Climate Research Center).
Hand-held.—Nikon D300 with Nikkor 18-200mm VR.—from the Archives
© Dirk HR Spennemann 2013, All Rights Reserved
Weather has been down right crappy here in Pennsylvania, so I've been playing with some old data. Here is a photograph I captured in April 2014 showing the constellation Leo rising above the trees, you can also see the planet Mars (brightest light right over the left tree). Some light cloud cover helped the shot. I then added an engraving from the 17th century Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia star atlas by Johannes Hevelius of Leo, hope you like it! Credit to the U.S. Naval Observatory and the Space Telescope Science Institute for the graphic.
Imaging telescopes or lenses: Meade Starfinder 8
Imaging cameras: ZWO ASI1600 cooled mono
Mounts: Losmandy GM-8
Guiding telescopes or lenses: 60mm Finder Guidescope
Guiding cameras: ZWO ASI120MM
Software: Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4
Filters: Blue · Green · Red · Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter
Accessory: Rigel Systems Focuser · Baader MPCC coma corrector
Dates:April 19, 2021
Frames:
Blue: 45x75" bin 2x2
Green: 45x75" bin 2x2
Red: 45x75" bin 2x2
Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 189x75" (gain: 139.00) -10C bin 2x2
Integration: 6.8 hours
Darks: ~200
Bias: ~100
Avg. Moon age: 6.65 days
Avg. Moon phase: 42.26%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: None
Resolution: 4262x3203
Data source: Backyard
This evening's 1.2 day old moon, 2% illuminated, from Weatherly, PA. Inset picture taken with 12" Meade telescope.
NGC 7822 is a young star forming complex in the constellation of Cepheus approximately 2900 light years from Earth.
A mosaic of 6 panels to capture the entire nebula group of NGC 7822 and CED 214 using the Esprit 100ED and the ASI2600MC camera at Turismo Astronómico, Los Coloraos, Gorafe, Spain.
The total size of the image is over 100 M pixels giving fine details of the central portion of NGC 7822.
Each panel was imaged over 13 nights in narrowband with the Optolong L-Ultimate filter and for stars, the Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow filter. With around 10 hours of narrowband and 1.5 hours of RGB per panel, the total integration is over 68 hours.
A real challenge to assemble and process, but PixInsight's mosaic tools make the job so much easier now.
A very high resolution image with imaging details can be found on my Astrobin page at: astrob.in/5aco87/0/
Technical summary:
Captured: 13 Nights in August and September 2024
Telescope: Skywatcher Esprit 100ED
Camera: ZWO ASI 2600MC
Location: Turismo Astronómico, Los Coloraos, Gorafe, Spain
Bortle Class: 3
Total Integration: 68 hours 4 mins
Filters Optolong L-Ultimate and Baader Neodymium Moon and Sky Glow
Looking due north, with the Big Bear (Ursa Major) at the bottom and the Little Bear (Ursa Minor) towards the top. The green skyglow was not seen visually, but is on this long exposure. Look close and you'll se a couple faint meteors as well.
From Houghton County, MI
The Trumpler catalog, created by Robert Trumpler, is a collection published in 1930 of 37 open star clusters used to help determine the size of the Milky Way. Tr2 is a relatively bright cluster detectable by naked eye in under a dark sky.
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Meade Starfinder 8 f/6 Newtonian OTA
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI1600MM
Mounts
Losmandy GM8 / GM8G
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · Meade Blue 2" · Meade Green 2" · Meade Red 1.25"
Accessories
Baader 2" MPCC Mark III Newton Coma Corrector (2458400A) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller · Rigel Systems Stepper motor
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Dates:
Sept. 5, 2022
Frames:
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 100×120″(3h 20′) bin 2×2
Meade Blue 2": 30×120″(1h) bin 2×2
Meade Green 2": 30×120″(1h) bin 2×2
Meade Red 1.25": 30×120″(1h) bin 2×2
Integration:
6h 20′
Darks:
100
Bias:
100
Avg. Moon age:
9.28 days
Avg. Moon phase:
69.64%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 6427832
RA center: 02h36m45s.6
DEC center: +55°52′48″
Pixel scale: 0.640 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 189.958 degrees
Field radius: 0.516 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 4651x3472
File size: 16.0 MB
Data source: Backyard
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Meade Starfinder 8 f/6 Newtonian OTA
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI1600MM
Mounts
Losmandy GM8 / GM8G
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · Meade Blue 2" · Meade Green 2" · Meade Red 2"
Accessories
Baader 2" MPCC Mark III Newton Coma Corrector (2458400A) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller · Rigel Systems Stepper motor
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Frames:
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 20×10″(3′ 20″)
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 150×120″(5h)
Meade Blue 2": 20×120″(40′)
Meade Green 2": 20×120″(40′)
Meade Red 2": 20×120″(40′)
Integration:
7h 3′ 20″
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 9565618
RA center: 13h42m09s.8
DEC center: +28°24′10″
Pixel scale: 0.641 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 192.285 degrees
Field radius: 0.534 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 4719x3696
File size: 11.8 MB
Data source: Backyard
Description
My yearly run at M3.
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Meade Starfinder 8 f/6 Newtonian OTA
Imaging Cameras
QHYCCD QHY163C · ZWO ASI1600MM
Mounts
Losmandy GM8 / GM8G
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · Meade Blue 2" · Meade Green 2" · Meade Red 2"
Accessories
Baader 2" MPCC Mark III Newton Coma Corrector (2458400A) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller · Rigel Systems Stepper motor
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Frames:
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 135×120″(4h 30′)
Meade Blue 2": 30×120″(1h)
Meade Green 2": 30×120″(1h)
Meade Red 2": 30×120″(1h)
Integration:
7h 30′
Resolution: 3533x4717
File size: 15.0 MB
Data source: Backyard
***************************************************************************
Photographed 40 km south of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, between 19.36 and 19.39 CAST (Central Australia Standard Time)
* Observing site: Long. 133.69° E. | Lat. 23.98° S. | Elev. 612m
* Altitude above the horizon of the top and bottom of the frame at the time of exposures: ~30° and ~6°
* Total exposure time: 2 minutes
* 50 mm focal length lens
___________________________________________
Description:
Perhaps the most exciting time for an observational astronomer is the hour or so after sunset, when the sky darkens, evening twilight falls, and the first stars begin to appear.
On this evening in the centre of Australia, the familiar shape of the Southern Cross (below centre in this view) and the brilliant stars Alpha and Beta Centauri (top of the frame, one above the other), made their appearance while there was still discernible skyglow in the west from the setting Sun.
Alpha Centauri (its proper name is Rigil Kentaurus) is the third brightest star in the sky (not counting our own Sun), and is outshone only by Sirius and Canopus. Beta Centauri (Hadar) is the 12th brightest star.
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@N06/49012167568
Here is a photo of the gear that used for astrophotography on this trip:
www.flickr.com/photos/97587627@N06/49017804808
______________________________
Technical information:
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens on Nikon D810a camera body, mounted on iOptron CEM40 equatorial mount
Four stacked frames; each frame:
50 mm focal length
ISO 2000; 30 seconds exposure at f/4; unguided
Stacked and minimally processed in Photoshop CS6 (brightness, contrast, bright star size reduction)
***************************************************************************
The gas giant was at opposition on this night - so worth an imaging session. Left to right we have Io, Ganymede, & Europa.
Skywatcher 200P
ZWO ASI120MC
Baader IR-Pass filter
3x Barlow
Stacked in Registax
Colour data taken from a single frame using:
ZWO ASI120MC
Baader Skyglow Filter
2x Barlow
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Astro-Tech AT66ED
Imaging Cameras
QHYCCD QHY163C · QHYCCD QHY163M
Mounts
Meade LX70
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2"
Accessories
Astro-Tech .8x Reducer/Field Flattener · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller · Rigel Systems Stepper motor
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Frames:
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 150×120″(5h)
Integration:
5h
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 7855131
RA center: 19h19m33s.1
DEC center: +37°48′46″
Pixel scale: 1.882 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 182.134 degrees
Field radius: 1.670 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 5159x3766
File size: 22.9 MB
Data source: Backyard
These images blow my mind. There are the three more obvious galaxies (NGC 4889, 4874, 4921), but there are so many beyond that the mind reaches saturation. This image has more galaxies than stars.
It wasn't that long ago when we humans thought the Milky Way was the entire universe and not too far beyond that when our concept of the universe shrunk to well within our own solar system. Beyond that it shrunk to a few spheres hovering over the Earth.
I think Carl Sagan said astronomy is a humbling pursuit.
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Meade Starfinder 8 f/6 Newtonian OTA
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI1600MM
Mounts
Losmandy GM8 / GM8G
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · Meade Blue 2" · Meade Green 2" · Meade Red 2"
Accessories
Baader 2" MPCC Mark III Newton Coma Corrector (2458400A) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller · Rigel Systems Stepper motor
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses
SVBony SV106 60mm Guide Scope
Guiding Cameras
ZWO ASI120MM
Acquisition details
Dates:
Jan. 28, 2023 · Jan. 29, 2023
Frames:
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 76×120″(2h 32′) bin 2×2
Meade Blue 2": 60×120″(2h) bin 2×2
Meade Green 2": 30×120″(1h) bin 2×2
Meade Red 2": 60×120″(2h) bin 2×2
Integration:
7h 32′
Avg. Moon age:
7.71 days
Avg. Moon phase:
53.49%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 7091159
RA center: 13h00m00s.7
DEC center: +27°59′09″
Pixel scale: 0.637 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 106.509 degrees
Field radius: 0.509 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 3353x4667
File size: 12.6 MB
Data source: Backyard
Celestron 127SLT Mak with Baader Planetarium skyglow filter
Altair 183C camera
2000 frames taken and stacked by Registax for best of 10% which means only 200 frames stacked.
The shadow of Europa transit over Jupiter with the presence of the great red spot. 27.07.2019 at 9:30 pm
Constellation: Pegasus (Peg) · Contains: NGC 7331 · NGC 7335 · NGC 7337 · NGC 7340
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Meade Starfinder 8 f/6 Newtonian OTA
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI1600MM
Mounts
Losmandy GM8 / GM8G
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · Meade Blue 2" · Meade Green 2" · Meade Red 2"
Accessories
Baader 2" MPCC Mark III Newton Coma Corrector (2458400A) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller · Rigel Systems Stepper motor
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Dates:
July 30, 2022
Frames:
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 74×120″(2h 28′) -10°C bin 2×2
Meade Blue 2": 21×120″(42′) bin 2×2
Meade Green 2": 21×120″(42′) bin 2×2
Meade Red 2": 21×120″(42′) bin 2×2
Integration:
4h 34′
Darks:
100
Bias:
100
Avg. Moon age:
1.60 days
Avg. Moon phase:
2.89%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 6466740
RA center: 22h37m01s.7
DEC center: +34°25′04″
Pixel scale: 0.641 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 279.926 degrees
Field radius: 0.506 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 3402x4559
File size: 14.9 MB
Data source: Backyard
Messier 42 Orion Nebula
October 16th 2010
30 x 1min + flats
iso 800
I have stretched the image to show the running man nebula a little brighter. Some skyglow/gradient due to lots of light pollution. Overall I am pretty happy with the image considering I shot this from a "redzone"..
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Celestron EdgeHD 8"
Imaging Cameras
QHYCCD QHY163M
Filters
Astronomik H-alpha CCD 12nm 2" · Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · Meade Blue 2" · SVBony OIII 7nm 2"
Accessories
Celestron 0.7X Reducer EdgeHD800 (94242) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Dates:
Sept. 8, 2022
Frames:
Astronomik H-alpha CCD 12nm 2": 30×120″(1h) bin 2×2
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 90×120″(3h) -10°C bin 2×2
Meade Blue 2": 30×120″(1h) bin 2×2
SVBony OIII 7nm 2": 30×120″(1h) bin 2×2
Integration:
6h
Darks:
100
Bias:
100
Avg. Moon age:
12.62 days
Avg. Moon phase:
94.90%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 6543125
RA center: 01h58m17s.3
DEC center: +55°30′54″
Pixel scale: 0.518 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 252.441 degrees
Field radius: 0.393 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 4444x3190
File size: 13.1 MB
Data source: Backyard
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Star Instruments Rich Field 6"
Imaging Cameras
Canon EOS 500D / Rebel T1i / Kiss X3
Mounts
Celestron CG-4 MotorDrive
Filters
Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter
Accessories
SharpStar MPCC 0.95X · Raspberry PI 4B Astroberry · OnStep GoTo Controller
Software
Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4
Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses
MEADE 50mm Finder Guidescope
Guiding Cameras
ZWO ASI120MM
Acquisition details
Dates:
June 22, 2022
Frames:
31x120" (1h 2')
Integration:
1h 2'
Avg. Moon age:
23.48 days
Avg. Moon phase:
36.04%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 5905528
RA center: 20h34m28s.8
DEC center: +28°17′13″
Pixel scale: 1.708 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 344.223 degrees
Field radius: 1.353 degrees
I went to the 200 foot high Revis Hill Prairie on this night to try to shoot the Milky Way. There is a great view to the south and I thought it would look amazing at night. But I was disappointed to see the light pollution from Springfield 30 miles away washed out most of the galaxy. Since there is not a trail to the top I had to walk through a lot of brush. A deer tick attached itself to my side and later gave me lyme disease. Thankfully I didn't have many symptoms and it's better now. But I don't think I will be returning here, at least not until all the bugs die out.
If you want to find a dark place to shoot the stars, check out this website I just launched: darksitefinder.com
You can use it to find maps of the light pollution in your area.
Campfires were lit. Tents were up and dinner was served. Everything looked good but no one noticed that the constellation had disappeared from the night sky. There used to be more but with light pollution quality of the night sky has gradually degraded over the years. Now only the brightest stars are visible. This is a well-known phycological effect called shifting baseline. Something I learned at International Dark-Sky Association Under One Sky Global Conference!
The night is often more alive than the day. As Carl Sagan once said, “Even today the most jaded city dweller can be unexpectedly moved upon encountering a clear night sky studded with thousands of twinkling stars.” But imagine the experience if there was no SkyGlow, the night sky will be filled with millions of stars. Everyone’s a happy camper then!
Contains: IC 310 · IC 312 · IC 313 · NGC 1260 · NGC 1265 · NGC 1267 · NGC 1272 · NGC 1275 · NGC 1278 · NGC 1282 · Perseus A
On a small screen the galaxies are most likely lost. Even on a large screen they are still rather small, but there are a lot of them!
This was captured back in fire season and the smoke was limited the transparency, but the atmosphere was very stable.
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Apertura 6" f/5 Imaging Newtonian
Imaging Cameras
Canon EOS 550D / Rebel T2i / Kiss X4 (modified)
Mounts
Meade LX70
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2"
Accessories
GSO 2" Photo-Visual Coma Corrector · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP)
Acquisition details
Dates:
Sept. 24, 2022
Frames:
169×60″(2h 49′)
Integration:
2h 49′
Avg. Moon age:
28.14 days
Avg. Moon phase:
2.18%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 6837782
RA center: 03h19m15s.4
DEC center: +41°33′03″
Pixel scale: 1.047 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 259.775 degrees
Field radius: 0.809 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 4629x3081
File size: 13.9 MB
Data source: Backyard
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Meade Starfinder 8 f/6 Newtonian OTA
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI1600MM
Mounts
Losmandy GM8 / GM8G
Filters
Astronomik H-alpha CCD 12nm 2" · Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · SVBony OIII 7nm 2"
Accessories
Baader 2" MPCC Mark III Newton Coma Corrector (2458400A) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller · Rigel Systems Stepper motor
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Frames:
Astronomik H-alpha CCD 12nm 2": 200×120″(6h 40′)
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 41×120″(1h 22′)
SVBony OIII 7nm 2": 137×120″(4h 34′)
Integration:
12h 36′
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: None
Resolution: 4628x3549
File size: 14.7 MB
Data source: Backyard
My first image after polar aligning with Sharpcap, a great piece of software IMHO. Got my guiding almost to the limits of local "seeing" conditions.
Imaging telescope or lens:Meade Starfinder 8
Imaging camera:Canon T1i Full Spectrum
Mount:Losmandy GM-8
Guiding telescope or lens:MEADE 50mm Finder Guidescope
Guiding camera:ZWO ASI120MM
Software:Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding, DeepSky Stacker (DSS) DSS 3.3.2, Auriga Imaging RegiStar, Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4 , Stark Labs Nebulosity Nebulosity 2.1.2
Filter:Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter
Accessory:Baader MPCC coma corrector
Resolution: 5683x3778
Dates:June 30, 2016, June 1, 2019
Frames:
41x45"
Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 54x180" ISO1600
Integration: 3.2 hours
Darks: ~50
Bias: ~50
Avg. Moon age: 26.34 days
Avg. Moon phase: 12.34%
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 4.00
Data source: Backyard
The skyglow was partly due to cloud and haze, local light pollution, and the nearby moon that made it much worse. This limied the exposure time to 8 seconds at ISO 3,200. The images were shot with a TS-86/460SDQ, with a Nikon D5300. I stacked a total of 117 frames (of 120) in DSS and processed the final image in Affinity Photo 2.
Teutsch 2 is a small open cluster (here located roughly center). K3-69 is a tiny (1 arc second) planetary nebula located just below Teutsch 2.
The only info with picture I could find on either was from Martin Germano's website ( martingermano.com/Teutsch2_1024.htm ).
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Meade Starfinder 8 f/6 Newtonian OTA
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI1600MM
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · Meade Blue 2" · Meade Green 2" · Meade Red 2"
Accessories
Baader 2" MPCC Mark III Newton Coma Corrector (2458400A) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller · Rigel Systems Stepper motor
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses
SVBony SV106 60mm Guide Scope
Guiding Cameras
ZWO ASI120MM
Acquisition details
Dates:
Dec. 1, 2022
Frames:
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 100×120″(3h 20′) -10°C bin 2×2
Meade Blue 2": 31×120″(1h 2′) bin 2×2
Meade Green 2": 31×120″(1h 2′) bin 2×2
Meade Red 2": 31×120″(1h 2′) bin 2×2
Integration:
6h 26′
Darks:
100
Bias:
100
Avg. Moon age:
8.30 days
Avg. Moon phase:
59.65%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 6680570
RA center: 05h41m15s.6
DEC center: +39°17′42″
Pixel scale: 0.641 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 195.704 degrees
Field radius: 0.486 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 4430x3190
File size: 13.3 MB
Data source: Backyard
Another adventure into the weeds, here the globular cluster G1 in orbit around the Andromeda Galaxy.
A smidge of color from a wider shot I had, but not enough to even list..
Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Celestron EdgeHD 8"
Imaging Cameras
QHYCCD QHY163M
Filters
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2"
Accessories
Celestron 0.7X Reducer EdgeHD800 (94242) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Dates:
Sept. 1, 2022
Frames:
79×120″(2h 38′)
Integration:
2h 38′
Avg. Moon age:
5.04 days
Avg. Moon phase:
26.12%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 6811731
RA center: 00h32m42s.5
DEC center: +39°35′06″
Pixel scale: 0.518 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 251.512 degrees
Field radius: 0.412 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 4634x3360
File size: 7.0 MB
Data source: Backyard
An images taken a few minites before sunrise at Portland Bill. Despite the lack of clouds, was able to bring out the colour in the sky.
Earlier this year I made a late night, spur of the moment trip to Rose Canyon Lake on Mt. Lemmon. I wanted to catch some of the Milky Way before we had some storms roll through that next week, and I must say... the location did not disappoint! It's too bad we only had about an hour of shooting before the sun started to rise...
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Shot on a tripod while my main imaging setup was capturing the Heart and Soul Nebula.
The skyglow you see is from the city of Yakima roughly south of where Table Mountain is.
Camera: 5d mark II with Samyang 14mm lens wide open at 2.8
ISO 1600 for 1 min.
There is some star trailing I could have avoided by shooting for just 30 secs but overall I am not disappointed.
Twilight is light produced by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere, when the Sun is below the horizon, which illuminates the lower atmosphere and the Earth's surface. The word twilight can also refer to the periods of time when this illumination occurs.
The lower the Sun is beneath the horizon, the dimmer the twilight (other factors such as atmospheric conditions being equal). When the Sun reaches 18° below the horizon, the twilight's brightness is nearly zero, and evening twilight becomes nighttime. When the Sun again reaches 18° below the horizon, nighttime becomes morning twilight. Owing to its distinctive quality, primarily the absence of shadows and the appearance of objects silhouetted against the lit sky, twilight has long been popular with photographers and painters, who often refer to it as the blue hour, after the French expression l'heure bleue.
By analogy with evening twilight, the word twilight is also sometimes used metaphorically, to imply that something is losing strength and approaching its end. For example, very old people may be said to be "in the twilight of their lives". The collateral adjective for twilight is crepuscular, which may be used to describe the behavior of animals that are most active during this period.
Twilight is defined according to the solar elevation angle θs, which is the position of the geometric center of the Sun relative to the horizon. There are three established and widely accepted subcategories of twilight: civil twilight (nearest the horizon), nautical twilight, and astronomical twilight (farthest from the horizon).
Civil twilight is the time when the geometric center of the Sun is between the horizon and 6° below the horizon.
Civil twilight is the period when enough natural light remains that artificial light in towns and cities is not needed. In the United States' military, the initialisms BMCT (begin morning civil twilight, i.e., civil dawn) and EECT (end evening civil twilight, i.e., civil dusk) are used to refer to the start of morning civil twilight and the end of evening civil twilight, respectively. Civil dawn is preceded by morning nautical twilight and civil dusk is followed by evening nautical twilight.
Under clear weather conditions, civil twilight approximates the limit at which solar illumination suffices for the human eye to clearly distinguish terrestrial objects. Enough illumination renders artificial sources unnecessary for most outdoor activities. At civil dawn and at civil dusk sunlight clearly defines the horizon while the brightest stars and planets can appear. As observed from the Earth (see apparent magnitude), sky-gazers know Venus, the brightest planet, as the "morning star" or "evening star" because they can see it during civil twilight.
Lawmakers have enshrined the concept of civil twilight. Such statutes typically use a fixed period after sunset or before sunrise (most commonly 20–30 minutes), rather than how many degrees the Sun is below the horizon. Examples include when drivers of automobiles must turn on their headlights (called lighting-up time in the UK), when hunting is restricted, or when the crime of burglary is to be treated as nighttime burglary, which carries stiffer penalties in some jurisdictions.
The period may affect when extra equipment, such as anti-collision lights, is required for aircraft to operate. In the US, civil twilight for aviation is defined in Part 1.1 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) as the time listed in the American Air Almanac.
Nautical twilight is defined as when the geometric center of the Sun is between 12° and 6° below the horizon.
Before nautical dawn and after nautical dusk, sailors cannot navigate via the horizon at sea as they cannot clearly see the horizon. At nautical dawn and nautical dusk, the human eye finds it difficult, if not impossible, to discern traces of illumination near the sunset or sunrise point of the horizon (first light after nautical dawn but before civil dawn and nightfall after civil dusk but before nautical dusk).
Sailors can take reliable star sightings of well-known stars, during the stage of nautical twilight when they can distinguish a visible horizon for reference (i.e. after astronomic dawn or before astronomic dusk).
Under good atmospheric conditions with the absence of other illumination, during nautical twilight, the human eye may distinguish general outlines of ground objects but cannot participate in detailed outdoor operations.
Nautical twilight has military considerations as well. The initialisms BMNT (begin morning nautical twilight, i.e. nautical dawn) and EENT (end evening nautical twilight, i.e. nautical dusk) are used and considered when planning military operations. A military unit may treat BMNT and EENT with heightened security, e.g. by "standing to", in which everyone assumes a defensive position.
Astronomical twilight is defined as when the geometric center of the Sun is between 18° and 12° below the horizon.[3][4][2] During astronomical twilight, the sky is dark enough to permit astronomical observation of point sources of light such as stars, except in regions with more intense skyglow due to light pollution, moonlight, auroras, and other sources of light. Some critical observations, such as of faint diffuse items such as nebulae and galaxies, may require observation beyond the limit of astronomical twilight. Theoretically, the faintest stars detectable by the naked eye (those of approximately the sixth magnitude) will become visible in the evening at astronomical dusk, and become invisible at astronomical dawn.
Observers within about 48°34' of the Equator can view twilight twice each day on every date of the year between astronomical dawn, nautical dawn, or civil dawn, and sunrise as well as between sunset and civil dusk, nautical dusk, or astronomical dusk. This also occurs for most observers at higher latitudes on many dates throughout the year, except those around the summer solstice. However, at latitudes closer than 8°35' (between 81°25’ and 90°) to either Pole, the Sun cannot rise above the horizon nor sink more than 18° below it on the same day on any date, so this example of twilight cannot occur because the angular difference between solar noon and solar midnight is less than 17°10’.
Observers within 63°47'50" of the Equator can view twilight twice each day on every date between the month of the autumnal equinox and the month of vernal equinox between astronomical dawn, nautical dawn, or civil dawn, and sunrise as well as between sunset and civil dusk, nautical dusk, or astronomical dusk, i.e., from September 1 to March 31 of the following year in the Northern Hemisphere and from March 1 to September 30 in the Southern Hemisphere.
The nighttime/twilight boundary solar midnight's latitude varies depending on the certain month:
In the months of January or July, astronomical dawn to sunrise or sunset to astronomical dusk occurs at latitudes less than 48°54' North or South, because in the months of January or July the Sun's declination is less than 23°06' from the Equator;
In the months of February or August, astronomical dawn to sunrise or sunset to astronomical dusk occurs at latitudes less than 54°02' North or South, because in the months of February or August the Sun's declination is less than 17°58' from the Equator;
In the months of March or September before the equinoxes, astronomical dawn to sunrise or sunset to astronomical dusk occurs at latitudes less than 63°47' North or South, because in the months of March or September before the equinoxes the Sun's declination is less than 8°13' from the Equator;
During the equinoxes, astronomical dawn to sunrise or sunset to astronomical dusk occurs at latitudes less than 72°00' North or South, because during the equinoxes the Sun is crossing the Equator line;
In the months of March or September after the equinoxes, astronomical dawn to sunrise or sunset to astronomical dusk occurs at latitudes less than 67°45' North or South, because in the months of March or September after the equinoxes the Sun's declination is less than 4°15' from the Equator;
In the months of April or October, astronomical dawn to sunrise or sunset to astronomical dusk occurs at latitudes less than 57°09' North or South, because in the months of April or October the Sun's declination is less than 14°51' from the Equator;
In the months of May or November, astronomical dawn to sunrise or sunset to astronomical dusk occurs at latitudes less than 50°03' North or South, because in the months of May or November the Sun's declination is less than 21°57' from the Equator;
In the months of June or December, astronomical dawn to sunrise or sunset to astronomical dusk occurs at latitudes less than 48°34' North or South, because in the month of June the Sun crosses the Tropic of Cancer (about 23°26' North) and in the month of December the Sun crosses the Tropic of Capricorn (about 23°26' South).
At latitudes greater than about 48°34' North or South, on dates near the summer solstice (June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere or December 21 in the Southern Hemisphere), twilight can last from sunset to sunrise, since the Sun does not sink more than 18 degrees below the horizon, so complete darkness does not occur even at solar midnight. These latitudes include many densely populated regions of the Earth, including the entire United Kingdom and other countries in northern Europe and even parts of central Europe. This also occurs in the Southern Hemisphere, but occurs on December 21. This type of twilight also occurs between one day and the next at latitudes within the polar circles shortly before and shortly after the period of midnight sun. The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is on June 21st, while the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere is on December 21st.
Civil twilight: between about 60°34' and 65°44' north or south. In the northern hemisphere, this includes the center of Alaska,Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Faroe Islands and Shetland. In the southern hemisphere this includes parts of the Southern Ocean and the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. When civil twilight lasts all night, this is also referred as a white night.
Nautical twilight: between about 54°34' and 60°34' north or south. In the northern hemisphere this includes the center of Alaska, Russia, Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Scotland, Norway, Sweden,Finland, Lithuania, and Denmark. In the southern hemisphere this includes the southernmost point of South America, and Ushuaia in Argentina. When nautical twilight lasts all night, this is also referred as a white night.
Astronomical twilight: between about 48°34' and 54°34' north or south. In the northern hemisphere, this includes the center of Isle of Man, Aleutian Islands, United Kingdom, Belarus, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, Bellingham, Washington, Orcas Island, Washington, Vancouver, British Columbia, Paris, France, Luxembourg, Guernsey, Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary. In the southern hemisphere this includes the center of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Bouvet Island, Heard Island, Falkland Islands. It also includes El Calafate and Río Gallegos in Argentina, and Puerto Natales in Chile. When astronomical twilight lasts all night, this does not constitute a white night. This phenomenon is known as the grey nights, nights when it does not get dark enough for astronomers to do their observations of the deep sky.
In Arctic and Antarctic latitudes in wintertime, the polar night only rarely produces complete darkness for 24 hours each day. This can occur only at locations within about 5.5 degrees of latitude of the Pole, and there only on dates close to the winter solstice. At all other latitudes and dates, the polar night includes a daily period of twilight, when the Sun is not far below the horizon. Around winter solstice, when the solar declination changes slowly, complete darkness lasts several weeks at the Pole itself, e.g., from May 11 to July 31 at Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. North Pole has the experience of this from November 13 to January 29.
Solar noon at civil twilight during a polar night: between about 67°24' and 72°34' north or south.
Solar noon at nautical twilight during a polar night: between about 72°34' and 78°34' north or south.
Solar noon at astronomical twilight during a polar night: between about 78°34' and 84°34' north or south.
Solar noon at night during a polar night: between approximately 84°34' and exactly 90° north or south.
At latitudes greater than 81°25' North or South, as the Sun's angular elevation difference is less than 18 degrees, twilight can last for the entire 24 hours. This occurs for one day at latitudes near 8°35’ from the Pole and extends up to several weeks the further toward the Pole one goes. This happens both near the North Pole and near the South Pole. The only permanent settlement to experience this condition is Alert, Nunavut, Canada, where it occurs from February 22–26, and again from October 15–19.
The duration of twilight depends on the latitude and the time of the year. The apparent travel of the Sun occurs at the rate of 15 degrees per hour (360° per day), but sunrise and sunset happen typically at oblique angles to the horizon and the actual duration of any twilight period will be a function of that angle, being longer for more oblique angles. This angle of the Sun's motion with respect to the horizon changes with latitude as well as the time of year (affecting the angle of the Earth's axis with respect to the Sun).
At Greenwich, England (51.5°N), the duration of civil twilight will vary from 33 minutes to 48 minutes, depending on the time of year. At the equator, civil twilight can last as little as 24 minutes. This is true because at low latitudes the Sun's apparent movement is perpendicular to the observer's horizon. But at the poles, civil twilight can be as long as 2–3 weeks. In the Arctic and Antarctic regions, twilight (if there is any) can last for several hours. There is no astronomical twilight at the poles near the winter solstice (for about 74 days at the North Pole and about 80 days at the South Pole). As one gets closer to the Arctic and Antarctic circles, the Sun's disk moves toward the observer's horizon at a lower angle. The observer's earthly location will pass through the various twilight zones less directly, taking more time.
Within the polar circles, twenty-four-hour daylight is encountered in summer, and in regions very close to the poles, twilight can last for weeks on the winter side of the equinoxes. Outside the polar circles, where the angular distance from the polar circle is less than the angle which defines twilight (see above), twilight can continue through local midnight near the summer solstice. The precise position of the polar circles, and the regions where twilight can continue through local midnight, varies slightly from year to year with Earth's axial tilt. The lowest latitudes at which the various twilights can continue through local midnight are approximately 60.561° (60°33′43″) for civil twilight, 54.561° (54°33′43″) for nautical twilight and 48.561° (48°33′43″) for astronomical twilight.
The Kyrenia Mountains is a long, narrow mountain range that runs for approximately 160 km (100 mi) along the northern coast of the island of Cyprus. It is primarily made of limestone, with some marble. Its highest peak is Mount Selvili, at 1,024 m (3,360 ft).
The Kyrenian mountains are named after the Kyrenian mountains in Achaia, Greece, which are well known from mythology because of the connection with one of the 12 labours of Hercules, the capture of the Kerynitis deer that lived there. This sacred deer of Artemis with golden horns and bronze legs ran so fast that no one could reach it. Hercules, however, after pursuing it for a whole year, managed to catch it and transport it alive to Mycenae.
A devastating fire in July 1995 burned large portions of the Kyrenia Mountains, resulting in the loss of significant forest land and natural habitat.
The only other mountain range in Cyprus is the Troodos Mountains.
These mountains are a series of sedimentary formations from the Permian to the Middle Miocene pushed up by a collision of the African and Eurasian plates. Though only half the height of the Troodos Mountains, the Kyrenia Mountains are rugged and rise abruptly from the Mesaoria plain.
The location of the mountains near the sea made them desirable locations for watch towers and castles overlooking the northern Cyprus coast, as well as the central plain. These castles generally date from the 10th through the 15th centuries, primarily constructed by the Byzantines and Lusignans. The castles of St. Hilarion, Buffavento, and Kantara sit astride peaks and were of strategic importance during much of the history of Cyprus during the Middle Ages.
A flag of Northern Cyprus is painted on the southern slope of the Kyrenia Mountains. It is reportedly 425 metres wide and 250 metres high, and is illuminated at night.
The flag is considered controversial as evidenced in the Parliamentary Question put to the European Parliament by Antigoni Papadopoulou on 22 October 2009, "How can it permit the existence of such a flag which, apart from the catastrophic environmental damage it causes, the use of chemical substances and the brutal abuse of the environment, involves an absurd waste of electricity at a time of economic crisis? Does Turkey show sufficient respect towards the environment to justify its desire to open the relevant chapter of accession negotiations?".
There are many legends about the Pentadactylos mountains. One tells the story of a conceited villager who fell in love with the local queen and asked for her hand in marriage. The queen wished to be rid of the impertinent young man and requested that he bring her some water from the spring of Apostolos Andreas monastery in the Karpas, a perilous journey in those days. The man set off and after several weeks returned with a skin full of that precious water. The queen was most dismayed to see that he had succeeded, but still refused to marry him. In a fit of rage, he poured the water on to the earth, seized a handful of the resulting mud and threw it at the queens head. She ducked and the lump of mud sailed far across the plain to land on top of the Kyrenia mountain range, where it is to this day, still showing the impression of the thwarted villager’s five fingers.
Another famous one is of the Byzantine hero Digenis Akritas. Tradition has it that Digenis Akritas's hand gripped the mountain to get out of the sea when he came to free Cyprus from its Saracen invaders, and this is his handprint. He also threw a large rock across Cyprus to get at the Saracen ships. That rock landed in Paphos at the site of the birthplace of Aphrodite, thus known to this day as Petra Tou Romiou or "Rock of the Greek".
Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.
Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.
A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.
Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.
Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.
Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.
The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.
Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.
Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.
By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.
EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.
However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.
On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.
In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.
By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.
In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.
The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.
After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".
As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.
Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.
The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.
Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.
The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.
Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.
Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria
An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."
In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.
Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.
In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.
Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.
Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.
Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:
UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.
The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.
By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."
After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.
On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.
The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.
During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.
In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.
Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.
A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.
Imaging telescopes or lenses:Meade Starfinder 8
Imaging cameras:QHYCCD 163m
Mounts:Losmandy GM-8
Guiding telescopes or lenses:MEADE 50mm Finder Guidescope
Guiding cameras:ZWO ASI120MM
Software:Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding , Astro Pixel Processor , Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4
Filters:Blue , Green , Red , Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter
Accessory:Baader MPCC coma corrector
Dates:Sept. 8, 2020
Frames:
Blue: 60x60"
Green: 60x60" 0C
Red: 60x60"
Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 100x60"
Integration: 4.7 hours
Darks: ~200
Bias: ~100
Avg. Moon age: 20.43 days
Avg. Moon phase: 67.88%
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 4.00
Resolution: 4398x3849
Data source: Backyard
Nice haze, huh? Doesn't anyone else miss the stars?
(Click here to read up on the cost of light pollution!)
The green skyglow is remarkably strong above the horizon too. Taken about 10:30pm, 60s, tracked with a Polarie.
- www.kevin-palmer.com - I was shocked by the amount of light pollution to the north even though I was far away from any cities. Apparently it's from an oil pipeline facility.
Tried imaging this from my bortle 6 back yard.
138x3min sub exposures for nearly 7hrs cumulative exposure time.
Bortle 6
Scope: Askar 130PHQ with 0.7 reducer (700mm f5.4)
Camera: ZWO ASI585MC Pro
Filter: Baader Moon/Skyglow
Mount: ZWO AM5N
Other: ZWO CAA rotator
Edited in Pixinsight (using Statistical Stretch and iHDR)
Final edit in Lightroom
Light pollution (SKYGLOW) over downtown Los Angeles. Taken from Mount Wilson, Ca 2015. Photo by Gavin Heffernan / Harun Mehmedinovic. www.SkyglowProject.com
Imaging telescope or lens:Astro Tech AT66ED
Imaging camera:Canon T1i Full Spectrum
Mount:Celestron CG-4 MotorDrive
Guiding telescope or lens:MEADE 50mm Finder Guidescope
Guiding camera:ZWO ASI120MM
Focal reducer:Astro Tech 0.8x Reducer/Flattener
Software:DeepSky Stacker (DSS) DSS 3.3.2, Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding, Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4 , Stark Labs Nebulosity Nebulosity 2.1.2
Filter:Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter
Resolution: 9779x6946
Dates:Jan. 13, 2019
Frames: 300x35"
Integration: 2.9 hours
Avg. Moon age: 6.66 days
Avg. Moon phase: 42.39%
Astrometry.net job: 2473924
Data source: Backyard
Total Lunar Eclipse March 14, 2025. This is an image stack of 17 images. Taken at 714mm focal length, 102 aperture making it F7.5 aperture at 15 sec. per image and Iso200. WB was set at 4550K.
Equipment:
Explore Scientific ES102CF FCD-100
ZWO AM5 Mount
Nikon D7000 (Stock)
Badder Moon and Skyglow 2" filter
Wireless intervalometer
Pentax K-30 with O-GPS1, stack of 6 40 s shots with DeepSky Stacker. 135 mm f/2.8, ISO 1600. Taken from 50 km west of Montreal, Canada. Skyglow removed with Iris.
Light pollution, also known as photopollution or luminous pollution, is excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial light. .
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Light pollution is a side effect of industrial civilisation. Its sources include building exterior and interior lighting, advertising, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, and illuminated sporting venues. It is most severe in highly industrialized, densely populated areas of North America, Europe, and Japan and in major cities in the Middle East and North Africa like Tehran and Cairo, but even relatively small amounts of light can be noticed and create problems. Since the early 1980s, a global dark-sky movement has emerged, with concerned people campaigning to reduce the amount of light pollution. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is one non-profit advocacy group involved in this movement..
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This form of light pollution is known as Skyglow and refers to the glow effect that can be seen over populated areas such as Basingstoke here. It is the combination of all light reflected from what it has illuminated escaping up into the sky and from all of the badly directed light in that area that also escapes into the sky, being scattered (redirected) by the atmosphere back toward the ground. This scattering is very strongly related to the wavelength of the light when the air is very clear (with very little aerosols). Rayleigh scattering dominates in such clear air, making the sky appear blue in the daytime. When there is significant aerosol (typical of most modern polluted conditions), the scattered light has less dependence on wavelength, making a whiter daytime sky. Because of this Rayleigh effect, and because of the eye's increased sensitivity to white or blue-rich light sources when adapted to very low light levels (see Purkinje effect), white or blue-rich light contributes significantly more to sky-glow than an equal amount of yellow light. Sky glow is of particular irritation to astronomers, because it reduces contrast in the night sky to the extent where it may even become impossible to see any but the brightest stars..
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The Bortle Dark-Sky Scale, originally published in Sky & Telescope magazine, is sometimes used to quantify skyglow and general sky clarity. The nine-class scale rates the darkness of the night sky and the visibility of its phenomena, such as the gegenschein and the zodiacal light (easily masked by skyglow), providing a detailed description of each level on the scale (with Class 1 being the best)..
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Light is particularly problematic for amateur astronomers, whose ability to observe the night sky from their property is likely to be inhibited by any stray light from nearby. Most major optical astronomical observatories are surrounded by zones of strictly enforced restrictions on light emissions..
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Skyglow is made considerably worse when clouds are present. While this has no effect on astronomical observations (which are not possible at visible wavelengths under cloud cover), it is very important in the context of ecological light pollution. Since cloudy nights can be up to ten times brighter than clear nights, any organisms that are affected by sky glow (e.g. zooplankton and fish that visually prey on them) are much more likely to have their ordinary behavior disturbed on cloudy nights..
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This view is from Basingstoke Common in Old Basing, which was provided to replace the original Common in London Road, and was incorporated into War Memorial Park aspart of the new town development. In summer the land is often grazed by cattle, so dogs are recommended to be kept on leads..
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The layered thorn hedges, magpies and rabbits are a familiar sight on the Common. From its highest point the view towards Basingstoke has the distinctive skyline of Festival Place,Basing View and the AA building. The actual town is masked here by higher ground between here and the town..
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Although Basingstoke Common is totally within the parish of Old Basing the common is provided by Basingstoke Council. It is bounded by London Road (A30), Redbridge Lane, Crown Lane and Park Lane. From the A30 end of Park Lane, there are views across to the office towers of Basingstoke. This area, which stretches as far as Basing House is popular with walkers, particularly those with dogs. The common is always considered sacrosanct when developers come looking for land. The fear, though, that one day it will house a new estate is always there..
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Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Celestron EdgeHD 8"
Imaging Cameras
QHYCCD QHY163M
Mounts
Vixen GPDX
Filters
Astronomik H-alpha CCD 12nm 2" · Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2" · Meade Blue 2"
Accessories
Celestron 0.7X Reducer EdgeHD800 (94242) · OnStep Telescope Mount Goto Controller
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Aries Productions Astro Pixel Processor (APP) · Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2 · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
Acquisition details
Dates:
Oct. 1, 2022
Frames:
Astronomik H-alpha CCD 12nm 2": 15×120″(30′) bin 2×2
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 114×120″(3h 48′) -10°C bin 2×2
Meade Blue 2": 10×120″(20′) bin 2×2
Integration:
4h 38′
Darks:
100
Bias:
100
Avg. Moon age:
5.77 days
Avg. Moon phase:
33.22%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 6820108
RA center: 03h03m31s.2
DEC center: +46°23′20″
Pixel scale: 0.518 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 251.772 degrees
Field radius: 0.402 degrees
Find images in the same area
Resolution: 4454x3370
File size: 12.1 MB
Data source: Backyard