30x200s

ASI071MC-Cool, Orion 8" Astrograph, CGX, SkyGlow filter

With the sky glowing from all the lights in Sacramento, Yuba City and Clear Lake, the rising Milky Way was difficult to see with the naked eye, and in this picture contrast in the sky has been strongly increased.

They look to the naked eye like a small dipper now rising in the NE after dark.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Astro Tech AT66ED

Imaging cameras: QHYCCD 163C · QHYCCD 163m

Mounts: Celestron CG-4 MotorDrive

Guiding telescopes or lenses: MEADE 50mm Finder Guidescope

Guiding cameras: ZWO ASI120MM

Focal reducers: Astro Tech 0.8x Reducer/Flattener

Software: Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy · Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding · RegiStar · Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4

Filters: Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter · UV/IR Cut Filter UV/IR-Cut 1.25"

Accessory: Rigel Systems Focuser

Dates:Nov. 7, 2020 , Oct. 8, 2021 , Oct. 31, 2021

Frames:

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 224x120" (7h 28') bin 1x1

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 154x120" (5h 8')

UV/IR Cut Filter UV/IR-Cut 1.25": 199x120" (6h 38') -10C

Integration: 19h 14'

Darks: 100

Flats: 100

Avg. Moon age: 16.03 days

Avg. Moon phase: 30.25%

Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 4.00

Basic astrometry details

Astrometry.net job: 5174106

RA center: 03h46m32s

DEC center: +24°09′57″

Pixel scale: 2.437 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: 333.981 degrees

Field radius: 1.973 degrees

Resolution: 4664x3498

Data source: Backyard

Montezuma Hills, CA

6 panel color mosaic (DSLR) and 12 panel Ha (mono CCD) Integration time is per panel.

Imaging telescope or lens:Takumar 55mm

Imaging cameras:Atik 314E + Mono, Canon 450D modified baader Canon baader modified dslr

Mounts:Celestron CG-4 MotorDrive, IOptron Skytracker pro

Guiding telescope or lens:MEADE 50mm Finder Guidescope

Guiding camera:ZWO ASI120MM

Software:Astro Pixel Processor, Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding, Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4

Filters:Ha filter, Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter

Resolution: 6710x5428

Frames:

Ha filter: 60x300"

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 418x60" ISO800

Integration: 12.0 hours

Darks: ~60

Bias: ~60

Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 4.00

Data source: Backyard

4x120s (trees interrupted the sequence)

TPO 10" RC, .63 reducer, ASI533MC-Pro, CGX, Orion Skyglow filter

Constellation: Canes Venatici (CVn) · Contains: M 106 · NGC 4231 · NGC 4232 · NGC 4248 · NGC 4258

Luminance from last night. (8" Starfinder) Color from a couple years ago (114mm scope).

Equipment

Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses

Orion 114mm F/4 newtonian · Meade Starfinder 8

Imaging Cameras

ZWO ASI1600 cooled mono · Canon T1i Full Spectrum

Mounts

Losmandy GM-8 · Celestron CG-4 MotorDrive

Filters

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter

Accessories

Baader MPCC coma corrector · GSO 2" Coma Corrector · OnStep GoTo Controller · Rigel Systems Focuser

Software

Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy · Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding · RegiStar · Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4

Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses

Svbony 60mm guidescope

Guiding Cameras

ZWO ASI120MM

Acquisition details

Dates:

May 28, 2017 · March 4, 2022

Frames:

41x210" (2h 23' 30")

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 147x120" (4h 54') -10C bin 2x2

Integration:

7h 17' 30"

Darks:

100

Bias:

100

Avg. Moon age:

2.47 days

Avg. Moon phase:

7.15%

Bortle Dark-Sky Scale:

4.00

Basic astrometry details

Astrometry.net job: None

Resolution: 7084x9248

Data source: Backyard

I added some data from a wider field Apo shot which added color data from an imaging session some time back. Maybe add another 3 hours for color..

Equipment

Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses

Meade Starfinder 8 · Astro Tech AT66ED

Imaging Cameras

ZWO ASI1600 cooled mono · QHYCCD QHY163M

Mounts

Meade LX70 · Losmandy GM-8

Filters

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter · Ha filter

Accessories

Baader MPCC coma corrector · OnStep GoTo Controller · Rigel Systems Focuser · Astro Tech 0.8x Reducer/Flattener

Software

PHD2 Guiding · Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy · RegiStar · Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4

Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses

Svbony 60mm guidescope

Guiding Cameras

ZWO ASI120MM

Acquisition details

Dates:

May 22, 2022 · June 6, 2022

Frames:

Ha filter: 512x15" (2h 8')

Ha filter: 140x120" (4h 40') f/6 -10°C bin 2x2

Integration:

6h 48'

Darks:

100

Flats:

50

Bias:

100

Avg. Moon age:

14.09 days

Avg. Moon phase:

46.04%

Bortle Dark-Sky Scale:

4.00

Basic astrometry details

Astrometry.net job: 5848782

Resolution: 4725x3612

Data source: Backyard

Early yesterday morning, 12:55 am, at my night photography workshop in Bodie State Historic Park.

24x200s

ASI071MC-Cool, WO SpaceCat 51, Star Adventurer, Skyglow filter

Not enough integration due to issues with the mount.

LRGB:7x200s

CGX, ASI1600mm-Cool, 10"RC, Skyglow filter.

Equipment

Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses

Astro-Tech AT66ED · Star Instruments Rich Field 6"

Imaging Cameras

Canon EOS 500D / Rebel T1i / Kiss X3 (modified) · QHYCCD QHY163C

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

Dates:

July 27, 2022 · July 30, 2022

Frames:

107×120″(3h 34′)

Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 89×120″(2h 58′)

Integration:

6h 32′

Avg. Moon age:

15.01 days

Avg. Moon phase:

2.15%

Basic astrometry details

Astrometry.net job: 6522235

RA center: 21h01m46s.3

DEC center: +68°10′55″

Pixel scale: 2.355 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: 70.345 degrees

Field radius: 1.873 degrees

Find images in the same area

Resolution: 4530x3501

File size: 19.8 MB

Data source: Backyard

There are at least 150 of these ball of stars orbiting our Milky Way. Messier 3 is in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici.

Equipment

Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses

Meade Starfinder 8

Imaging Cameras

ZWO ASI1600 cooled mono

Mounts

Losmandy GM-8

Filters

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter · Blue · Green · Red

Accessories

Baader MPCC coma corrector · OnStep GoTo Controller · Rigel Systems Focuser

Software

PHD2 Guiding · Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy · Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4

Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses

Svbony 60mm guidescope

Guiding Cameras

ZWO ASI120MM

Acquisition details

Dates:

March 9, 2022

Frames:

Blue: 30x120" (1h) bin 2x2

Green: 30x120" (1h) bin 2x2

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 76x120" (2h 32') f/6 -10°C bin 2x2

Red: 30x120" (1h) bin 2x2

Integration:

5h 32'

Darks:

100

Bias:

100

Avg. Moon age:

6.54 days

Avg. Moon phase:

41.08%

Basic astrometry details

Astrometry.net job: 5580070

RA center: 13h42m03s.8

DEC center: +28°22′44″

Pixel scale: 0.642 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: 268.114 degrees

Field radius: 0.506 degrees

Find images in the same area

Resolution: 3419x4540

Data source: Backyard

Target: M78 Casper's Nebula

M78, also known as NGC2068, is a reflection nebula in the constellation Orion and is about 1,350 light-years from Earth.

Gear:

Mount: ZWO AM5

Main Cam: ZWO ASI294MC Pro @ gain 121 and 8F

Guide Cam: ZWO ASI120MM Mini with ZWO 30mm f/4 scope

Telescope: Askar 103APO w/ 1.0x reducer/flattener - 700mm f/6.8

Filter: Baader Moon and Skyglow Broadband light pollution

Acquisition:

Light frames: 51 180 second subs for 2hr 33min integration

Sessions: 27-Sept-2024

Moon: 24 days old 26%

Location: Houston Astronomical Society Dark Site ~ Bortle 4

Processing

• GraXpert, SPCC ,BTX, STX

• Stretch Starless using script - GHX

• Stretch Stars using - Hist Trans

• Histogram stretch to set better black point, Saturation Curve

• Photoshop ACR contrast, black point, clarity, dehaze

• Photoshop Selective Colors to balance colors

• Photoshop screen stars, duplicate layer/black mask/reveal select stars

25x300s

ASI071MC-Cool, Skywatcher ED120, 0.8 reducer, Skyglow filter, CGX.

27x120s

TPO-10"RC, .63 reducer, ASI533MC-Pro, CGX, ASIAir Pro, Orion Skyglow filter

I don't think I had ever rode a bike at night, no lights, no road, no worries, until now... It just sounds like a tremendously stupid thing to do, so please use your lights at night!!! That said, a stage like Alvord Desert, a remote 12x7 miles flat as a pancake dry lake bed in Southern Oregon seemed like the perfect place for it. This is the place you carry extra gas with you, just in case...

I simply got on the bike, and didn't feel the need to disturb the peace of the place with my lights, not something intentional, but as I started riding, knowing there's nothing to stop you no matter where you turn or for how long you go (within reasonable limits) and at the same time barely seeing the floor other than by skyglow and starlight... it was pretty cool. I suggest you try it, then you tell me about it! ;-)

Talk about starlight, Alvord Desert can claim to be one of the most - if not the most - isolated area from light pollution in the continental US. Looking and being under that starry sky was an absolute delight. Of couse, the picture here was staged and I was posing still for about 20 seconds, it's not part of the ride itself :-)

56x300s

ASI071MC-Cool, WO SpaceCat 51, CGX, Skyglow filter

Pop Up Thunderstorm looming over Corpus Christi, Texas photographed from across the bay on Mustang Island. I was impressed by the storm clouds "gold" illumination from the sodium vapor street lights of the city. Nikon D-90 with Nikon ED AF-S Nikkor 18-105 lens.

This all-sky pano was taken from the Atacama desert in Chile last September and consists of 13 individual photos stitched together. Each frame was 25 seconds long taken with a modified Canon and 14mm lens. The red and green colours are sky glow which really shows up in dark skies.

Imagine looking up and seeing the whole sky with the Milky Way overhead stretching from horizon to horizon. It was incredible! That's bright Jupiter at opposition lower left and Saturn above at 1 o'clock. The Zodiacal light, which is only visible for a few weeks around the equinox, was quite bright and is visible upper right. This is that cone of light caused by sunlight reflecting off dust in our solar system. Also, there is a glow near Jupiter - that is the Gegenschein, German for counter light. It's the anti-solar point of the Zodical light.

24x240s

ASI533MC-Cool, WO71-II, AVX, SkyGlow Filter

20x300s

ASI071MC-Cool, WO SpaceCat 51, CGX, Skyglow filter

I confused this with the Pacman Nebula and was initially disappointed I couldn't get any of that detail!

Acquisition dates may be a bit off.

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" · 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:

July 21, 2022 · July 22, 2022 · July 23, 2022 · Sept. 21, 2022

Frames:

Astronomik H-alpha CCD 12nm 2": 101×120″(3h 22′) bin 2×2

Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 125×120″(4h 10′) -10°C bin 2×2

Meade Blue 2": 39×120″(1h 18′) bin 2×2

Meade Green 2": 39×120″(1h 18′) bin 2×2

Meade Red 2": 39×120″(1h 18′) bin 2×2

Integration:

11h 26′

Darks:

100

Bias:

100

Avg. Moon age:

24.27 days

Avg. Moon phase:

28.54%

Basic astrometry details

Astrometry.net job: 6720139

RA center: 22h56m44s.6

DEC center: +62°34′12″

Pixel scale: 0.640 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: 187.425 degrees

Field radius: 0.497 degrees

Find images in the same area

Resolution: 4570x3211

File size: 17.4 MB

Data source: Backyard

Nothing is more practical than a good theory :) Now I can go for two minutes unguided.

Note the tidal tails of a companion galaxy and a little "fuzzy" in upper right corner.

Upd: I suspect two more fuzzies, both below companion galaxy, the one to the right might be elliptical and one to the left - edge-on spiral.

Aquisition time: 25.03.2016, between 20:45 MSK and the rising og the Moon.

Equipment:

Magic Lantern powered Canon EOS 60Da with Astronomic CLS-CCD clip-in flter via Baader Planetarium MPCC Mk II on Celestron Omni XLT 150 mm Newtonian riding Sky-Watcher NEQ6 Pro.

Aperture 150 mm

Focal length 750 mm

Tv = 2 minutes

Av = f/5

ISO 3200

Exposures: 30 plus 25 dark frames, 20 flats and 100 bias frames ('cause latter are free).

Processing: images were converted into Adobe DNGs and processed with Deep Sky Stacker in superpixel mode. Resulted image was cropped to 1024x1024 pix and contrasted in Photoshop.

Notes:

1) clear exposure overdose - I have collected too much skyglow. The "outer darkness" peak starts at 75 8-bit value. Obviously ISO 1600 would be quite enough.

If concidered more rigorously this means that at ISO3200 the camera might behave non-lineary and the amount of accumulated charge is not in direct proportion to the amount of captured light anymore.

2) This M51 image is a stub... (Attributed to Wikipedia :)

M31 Andromeda Galaxy.

20 hours of exposures on 2024-11-19 to 23 under Bortle 7 skies from Austin, Texas. WO RedCat 250/51mm, Baader Skyglow UV/IR filter, ASI533 MC camera, ASIAIR Plus controller, AM5N mount. 238 5' exposures stacked and processed in PixInsight with RC-Astro and SetiAstro tools. Final exp and crop in Affinity Photo

Another image from the Tetons in my quest to mix reality and a sense of fantasy. A 30 second exposure allowed the clouds to steam past and a polarizer helped create more contour in the clouds and sky. I composed this away from the main mountain view because the sky was stealing the show in the other direction.

30x300s

ASI071MC-Cool, WO SpaceCat 51, CGX, Skyglow filter

Gear:

Mount: ZWO AM5

Main Cam: ZWO ASI294MC Pro @ gain 121 and 8F

Guide Cam: ZWO ASI120MM Mini with ZWO 30mm f/4 scope

Telescope: Askar 103APO w/ 0.8x reducer/flattener - 420mm f/4

Filter: Baader Moon and Skyglow Broadband light pollution

Acquisition:

Light frames: 120 2 minute subs for 4hr integration

Sessions: 06-Oct-2024

Moon: 3 days old 11%

Location: SW Columbus, Tx - Bortle 3/4

Processing

• Pixinsight Auto DBE, BTX, STX

• Pixinsight Statistical stretch

• Pixinsight Histogram stretch to set better black point color balance, Saturation Curves

• Pixinsight Stretch Stars using - Star stretch

• Photoshop ACR contrast, black point, clarity, dehaze

• Photoshop Selective Colors, ACR, channel D&B to balance colors

• Photoshop Screen stars, duplicate layer/black mask/reveal select stars

• Photoshop Final curves, watermark

33x300s

ASI071MC-Cool, Skywatcher ED120, 0.8 reducer, Skyglow filter, CGX.

"Relax" said the conductor "you were meant to receive, you can buy a ticket any time you like, but you can never leave"

Well, truth be told, nothing interesting like the loose interpretation of the Eagles song suggested happened while taking the shots at Lamy station.

The truth is also that I couldn't have shot the sky like that from this vantage point. The lights were just too strong and bleeding into the sky during the long exposures needed. So I went in front of the building, a little ways past the trees in the background to get away from the station's lights.

After processing the sky image, I was surprised at the amount of green skyglow, probably induced by the haze and smoke from all the fires around here.

Leitz Wetzlar Elmarit-R 35mm f1:2.8

Hemisphere: Northern · Constellation: Draco (Dra) · Contains: NGC 5907

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Meade Starfinder 8

Imaging cameras: ZWO ASI1600 cooled mono

Mounts: Losmandy GM-8

Guiding telescopes or lenses: MEADE 50mm Finder Guidescope

Guiding cameras: ZWO ASI120MM

Software: NINA Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy · Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding · 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 12, 2021

Frames:

Blue: 45x75" bin 2x2

Green: 45x75" bin 2x2

Red: 45x75" bin 2x2

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 190x75" (gain: 139.00) -10C bin 2x2

Integration: 6.8 hours

Darks: ~200

Bias: ~100

Avg. Moon age: 0.35 days

Avg. Moon phase: 0.14%

Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 4.00

Resolution: 3370x2643

Data source: Backyard

June 9, 2022 - South Central Nebraska US

Prints Available...Click Here

All Images are also available for...

stock photography & non exclusive licensing...

Storm Chasing Video from night on Flickr Click Here

A Sultry Evening...

One my favorite things to do... Watch a ominous lighting intense storm come over the horizon. With continuous cloud to cloud lightning & a few cloud to ground strikes. This was one of those perfect photogenic Nebraska storms.

Severe warned right after sunset. Found an open spot to shoot just some incredible June storm photography for 2022!

*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***

Copyright 2022

Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography

All Rights Reserved

This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.

#ForeverChasing

#NebraskaSC

28x300s

ASI071MC-Cool, WO SpaceCat 51, CGX, Skyglow filter

Vestrahorn, Iceland

The Perseid meteor shower is increasing while six less intense smaller showers are also active. I picked up six or seven decent ones Saturday night, with most pointing back to the radiant point of the Perseid meteor shower.

I'm really impressed by the little 40mm lens. The stars are quite good all the way to the edges and the resolution is surprisingly good.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Canon 40mm prime

Imaging cameras: Canon T2i/550D

Mounts: IOptron Skytracker pro

Software: Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4

Filters: Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter

Dates:Oct. 31, 2021

Frames: 418x60" (6h 58')

Integration: 6h 58'

Avg. Moon age: 24.73 days

Avg. Moon phase: 23.89%

Resolution: 5493x3932

Data source: Backyard

30x200s

ASI071MC-Cool, Orion 8" Astrograph, CGX, SkyGlow filter

Horsehead & Flame Nebulae in Orion.

29 hours of exposures over five nights 2024-11-19 to 23 under Bortle 7 skies from Austin, Texas, WO RedCat 250/51mm, Baader SkyGlow UV/IR filter, ASI533 MC camera, ASIAIR Plus controller, AM5N mount. 345 5' exposures stacked and processed in PixInsight with RC-Astro and SetiAstro tools. Final exp and crop in Affinity Photo

The night was windy enough to stretch my tracking/guiding to its limits so the stars aren't really pinpoint at all.

58x240s @ ISO400 lights

20x240s @ ISO400 darks

100x1/8000s @ ISO400 bias

40x1s @ ISO400 flat

Skywatcher 200PDS

HEQ5 PRO

Nikon D7000 (Ha mod)

Orion Skyglow 2" LP filter

Processing in Pixinsight 1.8

The central bright star is shedding its outer layers as it nears its demise.

This includes image data gathered over several years.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Meade Starfinder 8

Imaging cameras: ZWO ASI1600 cooled mono · QHYCCD 163m · Canon T1i Full Spectrum

Mounts: Losmandy GM-8

Guiding telescopes or lenses: Svbony 60mm guidescope

Guiding cameras: ZWO ASI120MM

Software: Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy · Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding · RegiStar · Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4

Filters: Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter · Ha filter

Accessory: OnStep GoTo Controller · Baader MPCC coma corrector

Dates:June 5, 2018 , May 26, 2020 , June 24, 2020 , May 12, 2021

Frames:

Ha filter: 690x30"

Ha filter: 244x75" -10C bin 2x2

Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter: 60x210" ISO1600

Integration: 14.3 hours

Darks: ~100

Bias: ~100

Avg. Moon age: 7.14 days

Avg. Moon phase: 22.15%

Basic astrometry details

Astrometry.net job: 4513757

RA center: 20h 12' 17"

DEC center: +38° 20' 52"

Pixel scale: 1.280 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: 166.586 degrees

Field radius: 0.528 degrees

Find images in the same area

Resolution: 2349x1815

Data source: Backyard

Those summer sunsets...from a camp on Great Island, Lake Sunapee, NH.

Exploring an abandoned dry ice plant turned mineral hot springs on the south shore of the Salton Sea. The light pollution is from Imperial Valley geothermal energy plants.

A striking and rather beautiful asterism leading to open cluster NGC 1502.

Two panels over two nights through the 320mm fl apo.

Equipment

Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses

Astro-Tech AT66ED

Imaging Cameras

QHYCCD QHY163C

Mounts

Celestron Omni CG-4

Filters

Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2"

Accessories

Astro-Tech .8x Reducer/Field Flattener

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:

Sept. 6, 2022 · Sept. 8, 2022

Frames:

143×120″(4h 46′)

Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow 2": 140×120″(4h 40′)

Integration:

9h 26′

Darks:

100

Bias:

100

Avg. Moon age:

11.50 days

Avg. Moon phase:

87.35%

Basic astrometry details

Astrometry.net job: None

Resolution: 3593x5706

File size: 23.1 MB

Data source: Backyard

Inspired by Matt Harbison (who has done mosaic compilations of unbelieveable proportions) , I've taken a dive more into the world of mosaics. Sadly, my skies are pretty grey, so here are a measly 3 panels at 135mm taken over the only 3 clear nights of this last month. Still, I like the results and hope, clear skies allowing, to broaden into larger number of panels.

Contains: IC 1795 · IC 1805 · IC 1831 · IC 1848 · NGC 869 · NGC 884 · NGC 896 · NGC 957 · The star 11Per · The star 7Per · The star 8Per · The star 9Per · The star ηPer · chi Persei Cluster · h Persei Cluster

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Takumar 135mm F/3.5

Imaging cameras: QHYCCD 163C

Mounts: Celestron CG-4 MotorDrive

Software: Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4

Filters: Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter

Accessory: OnStep GoTo Controller

Dates:Oct. 29, 2021 , Oct. 30, 2021 , Oct. 31, 2021

Frames: 1438x60" (23h 58')

Integration: 23h 58'

Avg. Moon age: 23.75 days

Avg. Moon phase: 33.53%

RA center: 02h34m30s.0

DEC center: +59°36′50″

Pixel scale: 4.771 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: 333.530 degrees

Field radius: 6.304 degrees

Resolution: 6209x7207

Data source: Backyard

A group admires the Milky Way, and photographs it, at the annual Rothney Observatory Milky Way Nights for July 25, 2019.

A single exposure with the Sony a7 III and 15mm Laowa lens at f/2.

Cropped view of one of the better meteors I caught Saturday night.

This is Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, C/2023 A3, in wide-angle nightscape scene over the Badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, on October 23, 2024.

Dinosaur Park is home to one of the world's largest repositories of late-Cretaceous age fossils, from the time just below the K-Pg boundary layer created by the massive impact of a comet or asteroid that brought the age of non-avian dinosaurs to an end.

The Moon was well out of the way this week, so the comet was in a dark sky and higher than the previous week. And it was moving slowly each night up toward the rich summer Milky Way at left. The comet was easily visible to the unaided eye in a dark sky like this, so was about magnitude 4.5. The tail was visible to the eye, not just the bright coma, so it looked like a comet in the sky, not just a fuzzy star. In binoculars, the tail stretched across the 7º field, similar to the extent recorded here. The comet was in Ophiuchus at this time.

A faint anti-tail was still visible in front of the comet, though it is more diffuse than a week earlier when it appeared as a sharp spike.

Bands of faint green and red airglow tint the sky, as well as skyglow from the lights of Brooks to the southwest.

The Milky Way contains the rich collection of star clusters, nebulas, and star clouds that populate this area of sky toward the galactic core. The bright Small Sagittarius Starcloud (aka M24) and, above it, the Scutum Starcloud stand out. The two large star clusters at top are IC 4756 (left) and NGC 6633 (right), while below them at the end of the comet's tail is the large star cluster IC 4665.

This image with a 28mm wide-angle lens has a field of view of 65º by 46º. The latitude was 51º N.

Technical:

This is a blend of tracked images for the sky and untracked images for the ground:

- A stack of 5 x 1-minute tracked exposures at f/2 and ISO 1600 for the sky, followed immediately by...

- A stack of 2 x 6-minute untracked exposures at f/2.8 and ISO 800 for the ground.

All with the Canon R5 and RF28-70mm lens, on the MSM Nomad tracker, and with an URTH Night light pollution reduction filter on the lens for all frames.

Blended in Photoshop with finishing touch effects added with Nik Color EFX.