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Post by swimswithtrout on Jul 5, 2015 16:45:21 GMT -8
The "Great" Nebula in Andromeda.  The Horsehead and Flame Nebula in Orion  The Pleiades  M51, the "Whirlpool Nebula"  NGC 4565  The Orion Nebula and "The Running Man" nebula  |
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BigLoad
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Pancakes!
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Post by BigLoad on Jul 5, 2015 19:02:19 GMT -8
Pretty nice! Do you use some kind of tracking to get such good focus?
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 6, 2015 9:27:02 GMT -8
Whoa! You've got yourself some cool toys!
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Post by Hikin Mike on Jul 6, 2015 9:56:06 GMT -8
Always enjoyed your "Long Distance" stuff.
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Post by swimswithtrout on Jul 6, 2015 19:07:12 GMT -8
A few more, starting with M13, The Hercules Globular Cluster  This is a 30 sec 'test shot" taken 20 minutes before the end of true "Astronomical Twilight " at the closest "dark site" I've found to my house. This is ~ minutes to the north, just across the border of Wyoming  The Rosetta Nebula  Our bright Comet from this past Winter, Comet Lovejoy  |
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Post by swimswithtrout on Jul 6, 2015 19:25:22 GMT -8
Do you use some kind of tracking to get such good focus? Yes, I do use a couple of tracking mounts, but focus is an entirely different issue. Thankfully, I now have software that actually measures the size of the stars at my focal plane of my camera in real time to allow me to get nearly perfect focus. Tracking is a whole other can of worms. With the telescope that I used in the very first photo (and for many of the rest), I have to keep my telescope tracking accurately, for anywhere from 2-10 min., at no more than 1 arc second RMS variance. 1 arc second is the apparent diameter of a dime 2.5 miles away. Luckily, there is also free software that allows me to use a webcam, instead of an eyepiece in my little finderscope, to detect any drift from perfect, and issue micro corrections to the drive train in the mount. |
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Post by swimswithtrout on Jul 6, 2015 19:43:25 GMT -8
Unfortunately, this Spring/Summer has been even wetter/ cloudier than last year. I didn't have even have one usable night in May. This is one more, from earlier this spring, the Leo Trio, M65/66 and NGC 3628, the edge on galaxy on the right  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2015 16:48:47 GMT -8
Outstanding! Any place to enjoy the full resolution versions?
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Post by swimswithtrout on Jul 11, 2015 14:42:24 GMT -8
Outstanding! Any place to enjoy the full resolution versions? I'm still trying to figure out the new software so I can embed the large size from the original photo. I may just have post a separate link, though it sounds like Steve is working on a way to post large images. |
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Post by graywolf on Jul 12, 2015 6:31:30 GMT -8
Absolutely outstanding pictures. I've taken my 5 1/4" scope out to 10,500 ft twice in the past month in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado only to have clouds roll in and stay all night.
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Post by msdoolittle on Jul 13, 2015 8:45:35 GMT -8
Please keep posting these.  I don't always see them up on your FB. Now I know where to go to see what our universe is up to. Thanks SWT! |
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davesenesac
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Our precious life is short within eternity, don't waste it!
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Post by davesenesac on Jul 14, 2015 8:40:13 GMT -8
Impressive, wonderful images. Optical and software tools today for amateurs have obviously made rapid advances during the last couple decades.
David
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2015 9:29:19 GMT -8
Holy CARP! Those are beautiful.
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Post by swimswithtrout on Jul 16, 2015 18:58:26 GMT -8
"Markarians Chain" the heart of the nearby, Virgo Galaxy Cluster  M106 and company  Which One is Not Like the Other One ?... The blue/green orb on the left is the Owl Nebula, M97. "Just" 2,000 light years away, 8,000 yrs old, and located in our own galaxy, it is the glowing remnant of a dying star. On the right, is M108, a galaxy 45,000 light years away.  The Common Name for this one, is the "Pac-Man Nebula"  M33  A portion of the large Veil Nebula loop. This segment is commonly called "The Witches Broom"  |
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amaruq
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Call me Little Spoon
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Post by amaruq on Aug 6, 2015 9:52:37 GMT -8
These photos are amazing. Really fantastic work.
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I don't always see them up on your FB. Now I know where to go to see what our universe is up to. Thanks SWT!
