From the Butterfly to the Tulip via the Crescent

Last night I got 11 x 20-minute subs using the 200mm lenses and the 2600MC Pro CMOS cameras with the Optolong L-Enhance filters – under a blazing Moon!!!

I added the narrowband data to the 20 x 15-minute subs of RGB data (UV/IR cut filter only) to give the composite image shown above. Total imaging time 8-hours and 40-minutes.

I could probably improve on this by taking the narrowband data without the blazing Moon – but that will need to wait until next year. I have too much other stuff waiting on the 200mm lenses.

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Picture of the Week

A blast from the past for this week’s Picture of the Week. Today we feature the Coma cluster of galaxies made famous by Fritz Zwicky who applied the virial theorem to star motions in these galaxies to deduce that there must be “Dark Matter” associated with these galaxies. He carried out this groundbreaking work way back in 1933.

This image is a very old original Hyperstar with tiny little H9C OSC CCD composition. I must return to this one as soon as possible and go as deep as possible with the Hyperstar IV and the 2600MC Pro CMOS camera. Hopefully I will get it Spring 2025.

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Picture of the Week

This week we feature a VERY DEEP image of Tarazed and Barnard’s “E” (dark nebula) taken with the Sky90 array and SX M26C OSC CCDs. Many hours of 10 and 15-minute subs went into the creation of this image, certainly well in excess of 10-hours in total. This is one of those diminishing returns images so I don’t intend returning to this one again with the Sky90 array.

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The Double Cluster and Stock II in Perspective

Using Registar I combined all the Double Cluster images I could lay my hands on. Unfortunately I didn’t go back to the proper base file in a couple of cases so the final composite is not as good as it could be. However, it does give a good representation of the region.

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From the Buttertfly to the Crescent to the Tulip

Clear Moonless night last night and I put the 200mm lenses onto the Crescent region in Cygnus. Made the same old mistake in doing this, I should’ve put the Optolong L-Enhance filters on for this one. Never mind, I’ll do that today. This was 20 x 15-minute subs or 5-hours of total exposure time.

 

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Picture of the Week

This week’s image is of what I think is the most beautiful open cluster in the sky. Not because of the cluster itself, but due to its surroundings. This is the magnificent Wild Duck Cluster, Messier 11, immersed in the awe-inspiring Scutum star cloud. This image was taken in a single evening years ago with the Sky90 and M26C OSC CCD. I have meant to go back to this one time and time again but have either forgotten or had bad weather over the best imaging weeks. I MUST get onto this again with the 200mm lenses and some nice deep 15-minute subs, but unfortunately I think I might be too late AGAIN this year. I will get it right as soon as I can!

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The Coathanger Cluster in Perspective

An unexpected clear night last night left me unprepared for a new object. So I went for the Coathanger cluster, but centralised on the 200mm lenses. A total of 30 x 10-minute subs.

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Got Today’s EPOD :)

Managed to get today’s EPOD with my single bright star image of SPICA taken with the 200mm lenses. Thank you Jim at EPOD for continuing to publish my work 🙂 

 

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Third Frame of the Sagitta Mosaic

It was a clear night last night (after a day of rain!) albeit with an intrusive Moon, but that doesn’t prevent me from getting on with star shots.

I managed to get the 3rd frame (the far right hand frame) on the Sagitta mosaic which contains the Coathanger cluster. Very interesting region of the Milky Way here.

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Picture of the Week

This week we feature what I think is one of the most beautiful stars in the sky. This is the Carbon star La Superba in the constellation Canes Venatici. This image comprises many hours (certainly over 8) of 10-15 minute subs on the Sky90s with M26C OSC CCDs. A true celestial ruby!

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