tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6030349045396553142024-02-21T01:12:13.135-08:00Down The WormholeMy adventures in Astrophotography!
OR...
"How an admitted sci-fi nerd made the mistake of attaching a camera to a telescope, then watched the money fly from my wallet"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-69107395247671843182011-12-10T13:28:00.000-08:002011-12-10T16:36:34.733-08:00BuckSnort!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcp_rUzs1DehfnOGGqzDvkltfICds1qIcp2DM7TokYzUg4G3LdTq4zwvuhwnamlzhxr9QG-nSnwbO0n_xgZ6DtLGI5RFfO1lmlKOEHQ8kfIIY45ip5rSGmUZz5hMTVP3sp9ZkyQH4iqIme/s1600/BuckSnort-Logo_small.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684663006408892034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcp_rUzs1DehfnOGGqzDvkltfICds1qIcp2DM7TokYzUg4G3LdTq4zwvuhwnamlzhxr9QG-nSnwbO0n_xgZ6DtLGI5RFfO1lmlKOEHQ8kfIIY45ip5rSGmUZz5hMTVP3sp9ZkyQH4iqIme/s400/BuckSnort-Logo_small.jpg" /></a> <br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZJDmGyr4yx5iyZfxeJCs6OVV5NfBEQWTMulS52iQwNF2gmde0c3QxZg13y1d8yUVpIcbwEfRfIWSomi84XjAecsMSbtW2I0rirfndVYbexIghTqeICMnbapkXfP2SjV8xmoKwiN0HUQH/s1600/BuckSnort-Logo_small.jpg"></a>Hey gang, it has abeen a while since I posted on this blog. This is because I have been focusing on my NEW BuckSnort Observatory website : )<br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.bucksnortobservatory.com/">http://www.bucksnortobservatory.com/</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Please feel free to have a look and let me know what you think. There are still a few dead links, but it is mostly all up. Hopefully it will be 100% soon.<br /></div><br /><br /><div>I intend to continue to use this blog for news events, etc. But check out the gallery at BuckSnort for all the latest images.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>JOhn</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-22076859635724951902011-08-13T07:53:00.001-07:002011-08-13T08:08:34.241-07:00A Busy MonthI have imaged a lot of targets over the last few weeks (thank you clear skies)! As such, I have a backlog of data I have been processing. I like these problems.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mGOkKaBo0V4qYJmGDTmr6lyKKarILR_sHnXr8xlV-xGE2pvAWjUSz-gAPeDpjyAk7qXxibtwZ8lyLMSCt6bYYHVf-dgC556Wjv-nlkf7esTl4n7IyVA_13AXWgdD_-hlxHgxpiDCtpJK/s1600/lbn442_mosaic_screen2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 260px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640355864208289186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mGOkKaBo0V4qYJmGDTmr6lyKKarILR_sHnXr8xlV-xGE2pvAWjUSz-gAPeDpjyAk7qXxibtwZ8lyLMSCt6bYYHVf-dgC556Wjv-nlkf7esTl4n7IyVA_13AXWgdD_-hlxHgxpiDCtpJK/s400/lbn442_mosaic_screen2.jpg" /></a>
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<br />Here is a 4 panel mosaic from the constellation Lacerta that features Sharpless 126 (the red nebula) and a plethora of smaller VDB and LBN objects.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1xX6IvkOiq3SY0Mc0t5QBpKeTOMvqPLjiSYOGKfvI63VfDb7weyViSolBp4igH1vAXh8GwQdBJh2RfYcPIk9fPgevtlDc_1wlS-1I0jFP-apykOpKdWQ7IDysTH8qX9d9puIxIzo1uhN/s1600/Eagle_Swan_B92_Pluto_mosaic_Med.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 218px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640355180238510050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1xX6IvkOiq3SY0Mc0t5QBpKeTOMvqPLjiSYOGKfvI63VfDb7weyViSolBp4igH1vAXh8GwQdBJh2RfYcPIk9fPgevtlDc_1wlS-1I0jFP-apykOpKdWQ7IDysTH8qX9d9puIxIzo1uhN/s400/Eagle_Swan_B92_Pluto_mosaic_Med.jpg" /></a> Here is a 3 panel mosaic of the Eagle Nebula, Swan Nebula, and Barnard 92 near the heart of our Milky Way.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_S30txXPje8xRiqznAQpXsyJHNgL2hYNx8NKCIDpcRIQao4zpv9G0xCzLic218Th554PKvy185tMpm1iPGcaNdCyl3m_YGSxwXrjL85rRWkvxhRtfIztCUNQnRCQECLXPtD5yCBqKhzh/s1600/LBN_552_Med_crop.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640354180933435650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_S30txXPje8xRiqznAQpXsyJHNgL2hYNx8NKCIDpcRIQao4zpv9G0xCzLic218Th554PKvy185tMpm1iPGcaNdCyl3m_YGSxwXrjL85rRWkvxhRtfIztCUNQnRCQECLXPtD5yCBqKhzh/s400/LBN_552_Med_crop.jpg" /></a> This dusty vista around Cepheus is centered on LBN 552. If you look closely, you can see a dusty "obscene gesture" ...heh, heh.
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-84844663663892669632011-07-18T16:44:00.000-07:002011-07-18T16:57:18.017-07:00Cocoon over North America<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYvhp7y2Q7yyI_DP6Iy4_D2aVtt85EDR9_Um3c5cvIvPwfEy6qkxs30-ziYw4YtFO0Wrfo13chIRJ0Zm8Gs6nd_CaQLu4Z5p4i-UwKuYxU8_i-o3fSsmXVTI_mfYk82HU5amG4dFMiVSu/s1600/NA-Mosaic_med.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630843141164484818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYvhp7y2Q7yyI_DP6Iy4_D2aVtt85EDR9_Um3c5cvIvPwfEy6qkxs30-ziYw4YtFO0Wrfo13chIRJ0Zm8Gs6nd_CaQLu4Z5p4i-UwKuYxU8_i-o3fSsmXVTI_mfYk82HU5amG4dFMiVSu/s400/NA-Mosaic_med.jpg" /></a> Aha! At last, a new astrophoto! See? I told you I'd have a new one soon.<br /><br />Yep, after a lengthy haitus (working on observatories, dealing with weather, etc.) I finally have an image to present.<br /><br />This wide field mosaic stretches from the North American Nebula (lower right) to the Cocoon Nebula (upper left). That's about a 13x10 degree chunk of sky. To accomodate that field of view, I imaged 8 panels to be stitched together into this mosaic image. Total exposure was a little over 12 hours.<br /><br />I actually started this project at the Texas Star Party back in May, but was unable to complete it due to clouds. I then finished it down at my BuckSnort observatory a couple of weeks ago.<br /><br />Summer is wide field season, so be on the lookout for more to come!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-32614821280394311532011-07-12T19:35:00.001-07:002011-07-12T20:26:54.867-07:00Farewell Atlantis<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyYaLafrUU-ki2A5tvpwvcFHw-Y_x7XefOmNMO3qhaVdA_rzldhQqfUJE_WX9aL9ZLl0xhx-vHcnP_vi9fLyxNQeKY_hnCvoSFLu4Pf8QhWfjOb3TrnZpI-SfBXqBRFGGQplO0V_DgCBq/s1600/Atlantis_Launch_2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628660282098462850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyYaLafrUU-ki2A5tvpwvcFHw-Y_x7XefOmNMO3qhaVdA_rzldhQqfUJE_WX9aL9ZLl0xhx-vHcnP_vi9fLyxNQeKY_hnCvoSFLu4Pf8QhWfjOb3TrnZpI-SfBXqBRFGGQplO0V_DgCBq/s400/Atlantis_Launch_2.jpg" /></a> Last Friday July 8th I finally realized a dream and attended my first (and last) Shuttle launch. I just barely made it. Atlantis is the last Shuttle to fly... ever.<br /><br />The Shuttle program had promised to make space flight routine and common place. It actually worked too well -- many Americans stopped being impressed and/or paying attention. And I too admit to procrastinating up until the very last flight. In fact, if it wasn't for my friend John who works at NASA, I would not have been given the chance. But last week, Kim and I were invited to view the launch as NASA VIP guests!<br /><br />It was indeed an exciting 2 days. On Thursday, we attended a briefing and were given a tour of the pad (bussing up to the infield fence, right next to the pad itself). Then on Friday, we were taken to the Banana Creek viewing area, the same area from which the astronaut's families view.<br /><br />And the launch was spectacular!<br /><br />It was also bittersweet. Since this launch brings the Shuttle program to an end, many of the NASA personel who stood and cheered are transitioning into other areas or being laid off. Surely a shame, especially since the NASA folks I met were extremely impressive and passionate individuals -- real "top shelf" people.<br /><br />Another thought occured to me as we drove back to the hotel from the launch. For the first time in my life, my country does not have the ability to launch an astronaut into space. I've always felt that NASA and our space program represented the high water mark for America -- especially the Apollo missions. Of course the Shuttle program cannot last forever, but the problem is there is nothing to take its place. And so, if we want to put an astronaut in space we have to ask the Russians. So who won the space race afterall?<br /><br />I try not to get political in my postings here, so I will stop before I rant. Instead, I'll just say a big THANKS to all the folks at NASA for their great work and great hospitality. It was a fantastic experience!<br /><br />See more pics here<br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/neutronman/sets/72157627056709683/Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-51226512039528117052011-06-21T15:01:00.000-07:002011-06-21T15:18:49.913-07:00HUGE fireball over BuckSnort!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8if98FBPsqzhg8LJ-64BPfGC1-OGbr2V-fp1qN3Fmuaco5IqbIAv_I7xB0Sjwa953XnPCIE74-1XjkjLHIBhjiSaws9WDYX5rWuXVNADtGo-EL-NYEc3M2g6zKN1H-JRtYuhOSSrX5pyk/s1600/Image1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 293px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620800494868376418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8if98FBPsqzhg8LJ-64BPfGC1-OGbr2V-fp1qN3Fmuaco5IqbIAv_I7xB0Sjwa953XnPCIE74-1XjkjLHIBhjiSaws9WDYX5rWuXVNADtGo-EL-NYEc3M2g6zKN1H-JRtYuhOSSrX5pyk/s400/Image1.jpg" /></a>Last night (11:47 pm, June 20, 2011) I caught a HUGE fireball on my meteor camera at BuckSnort Observatory in Central Texas. This was certainly the biggest meteor I have captured so far.<br /><br /><br /><div>The video sequence was captured using a Watec video camera, f/0.8 lens, and UFOCapture software.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>See the video here:<br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/25424644">http://vimeo.com/25424644</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-31177059374200892332011-06-08T08:50:00.001-07:002011-06-08T08:57:20.519-07:00Milk & Dish<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQb36CmMgoSrXgLHRkKUtG0MgWu0FuhweO9bD4QsCE97QlcRI753i7BZvqYoEm9sQpD3TzS_htjd5-J67wGsQKsXvBfjFSBSep7bRPm37ZSPS4Y_jFeHI2gJDKNTUkUds5KzGqL6fPNQK/s1600/Dish-Panorama-med.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 110px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615877098553397970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQb36CmMgoSrXgLHRkKUtG0MgWu0FuhweO9bD4QsCE97QlcRI753i7BZvqYoEm9sQpD3TzS_htjd5-J67wGsQKsXvBfjFSBSep7bRPm37ZSPS4Y_jFeHI2gJDKNTUkUds5KzGqL6fPNQK/s400/Dish-Panorama-med.jpg" /></a> We had clear skies on the Saturday night before TSP officially began, so I took the opportunity to revisit a favorite location -- the VLBA Radio Telescope just a few hundred yards from where Kim and I were staying at the Sproul Ranch.<br /><br />This year I chose to try a 3 panel panorama with the Milky Way arching to the dish (like a galactic rainbow leading to the pot-o-gold). This was shot with my Nikon D700, 12-24mm lens, on a tripod. Each 3 exposures were 45 seconds, then stitched together using Photomerge in CS5.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-34059318270427417712011-06-06T16:51:00.000-07:002011-06-06T17:04:33.434-07:00Playing with FIRE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUfrK2O-cdeBc_n9B-x0S5pUWzNXLCrFxKwmGsj6oEFye7W3l3qs-ZZ-SWHPRqjy-ilzBePITfqMnvvmRK9zi90owFGs1p7MsmLIqDzLeHqwCCtJ-5RtmJwxvUvDWJtTv5dMJKYYZTw-I/s1600/Fire-in-the-Sky-1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 274px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615259519515178594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUfrK2O-cdeBc_n9B-x0S5pUWzNXLCrFxKwmGsj6oEFye7W3l3qs-ZZ-SWHPRqjy-ilzBePITfqMnvvmRK9zi90owFGs1p7MsmLIqDzLeHqwCCtJ-5RtmJwxvUvDWJtTv5dMJKYYZTw-I/s400/Fire-in-the-Sky-1.jpg" /></a> I went to the Texas Star Party last week and once again had a great time. The only thing missing were the stars! We only had 2 clear nights out of the week, but we did have wildfires (and thankfully no one was hurt). This made for some interesting photo opportunities.<br /><br />I went out late one night with my buddy Vance and I shot the Milky Way as it appeared through a hole in the smoke and clouds.<br /><br />The next night the fires were still burning (and even larger) and I took Kim up into the mountains to see the flames. We made our way up to the top of the McDonald observatory and I was surprised to see the shutter open on the 107" dome and the astronomers still hard at work -- the fire was only about 3 miles away!<br /><br />Although I did not manage to finish an 8 panel mosaic I started, it was still a great week. I even won the TSP astrophoto awards : )<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnNUmCcDPNeneAP291EARjWG0ULfEIaqew7eeRY22bxi_wHyAzEiNsLAECEBmDtH2VjzPr_fUE8zKyTOmKvKim8zTZkSCdsI74PCRodcj_gSld4hRMCg41zmU9swsNZNgwMHGEHNpr8np/s1600/Working-through-the-flames.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615259125585175442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnNUmCcDPNeneAP291EARjWG0ULfEIaqew7eeRY22bxi_wHyAzEiNsLAECEBmDtH2VjzPr_fUE8zKyTOmKvKim8zTZkSCdsI74PCRodcj_gSld4hRMCg41zmU9swsNZNgwMHGEHNpr8np/s400/Working-through-the-flames.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-18066666681367793462011-05-01T15:37:00.001-07:002011-05-01T15:56:14.259-07:00Das PlaneWave!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WhSB7KjFf2aZa7LFphaFuWRQEh0ccjq1eYZGDLFZnl1dIWZw_FckEYy3dMYiHEVTeO00TV966sGrFWqr-zxjSRuBdPIk1jP7-OaCOHvF9jCtaKVRqDN0vgkn2t409XcxXxxw0Qx933Bd/s1600/PlaneWave-1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 288px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601881402316888082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WhSB7KjFf2aZa7LFphaFuWRQEh0ccjq1eYZGDLFZnl1dIWZw_FckEYy3dMYiHEVTeO00TV966sGrFWqr-zxjSRuBdPIk1jP7-OaCOHvF9jCtaKVRqDN0vgkn2t409XcxXxxw0Qx933Bd/s400/PlaneWave-1.jpg" /></a> I know, I know... I've lately been taking more photos of gear than of the sky, but I am hoping my work now will pay off in LOTS of image data later!<br /><br />So THIS is a milestone -- my buddy Phil finally brought his new PlaneWave 12.5" CDK scope, Optec 3" focuser, and Apogee U16 camera down to my BuckSnort Observatory last weekend.<br /><br />When Phil learned I was building an observatory and intended to operate it remotely, he asked if I was interested in having a partner. When he proposed selling a bunch of his gear and buying this scope for the observatory, the offer was too good to pass up (besides, Phil is a great guy and I knew we'd have fun).<br /><br />Anyway, we still have some minor issues to fix before it is fully operational (like adding more counterweight, replacing a bad USB hub, etc.), but we tested it on Friday night and it did great! We were both very excited.<br /><br />This scope will allow me to image much smaller targets at great resolution (galaxies, planetary nebulae, small reflection nebulae, etc.) than I currently can with my "wide field" rigs . The available target list now goes way up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RRjNwLfE2kThdaKYrjYs6pzhCb2BOA-fLmYibd7Vz57WyZngWWIVytg-lirOcAL23HeI_dB4m8KcvAX3c6_RDZHFn1zKkc9ph6zSGOjyv6Tb32_pTYzXM9Wokus0JsJ0cZXkRNua1QQN/s1600/PlaneWave-2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601881318991380434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RRjNwLfE2kThdaKYrjYs6pzhCb2BOA-fLmYibd7Vz57WyZngWWIVytg-lirOcAL23HeI_dB4m8KcvAX3c6_RDZHFn1zKkc9ph6zSGOjyv6Tb32_pTYzXM9Wokus0JsJ0cZXkRNua1QQN/s400/PlaneWave-2.jpg" /></a> And aside from the obvious photographic potential, the scope just looks COOL on my big red Paramount ME ; )<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0lzw2Bgopj7uPIr1bMgkDm6DngU5rfD3d5Y9YV_f96QUIAdykx2oeK-WI_hbcYf1KE7SpnVR6gB_rS1tvkHXAczDDJbh8HkmytWrNqzZvO3YuALMkpJv_DVIsD4qxAfgzaNR9UfmwrFn/s1600/PlaneWave-3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601881248617430674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0lzw2Bgopj7uPIr1bMgkDm6DngU5rfD3d5Y9YV_f96QUIAdykx2oeK-WI_hbcYf1KE7SpnVR6gB_rS1tvkHXAczDDJbh8HkmytWrNqzZvO3YuALMkpJv_DVIsD4qxAfgzaNR9UfmwrFn/s400/PlaneWave-3.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-18762660573049319402011-03-29T10:56:00.001-07:002011-03-29T11:18:57.026-07:00BuckSnort Update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OxizYXrxtLl56amV5PSeFStBah_BjQqj-eGYfS9HvRBL4YwFZ-Nsl80ty0Pa8Jl70hR4Rrb7LHW_ib9xvSOkMXST4ysQ4aoIkT9eCtPolDcvLzBCTqG2uOtZGHKEikoY6v5Pb9W50E1R/s1600/_DSC7177.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OxizYXrxtLl56amV5PSeFStBah_BjQqj-eGYfS9HvRBL4YwFZ-Nsl80ty0Pa8Jl70hR4Rrb7LHW_ib9xvSOkMXST4ysQ4aoIkT9eCtPolDcvLzBCTqG2uOtZGHKEikoY6v5Pb9W50E1R/s400/_DSC7177.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589563042296796162" border="0" /></a>I know what you are saying... "why the heck hasn't JOhn posted any new pictures lately?" Well, I've been busy working on my BuckSnort Observatory!<br /><br />Since the initial structure was built last summer, I have been spending several hundred hours installing all kinds of gear -- computers, mounts, cameras, weather monitoring devices, networking stuff, running/burying cables, and doing lots of programming and trouble-shooting. Whew!<br /><br />But the good news is I am almost finished. Everything is working great, and I have total remote access. I have not yet done any remote imaging because I am just now putting the final procedures and safeguards in place to prevent me from doing any boneheaded mistakes (or at least reduce the likelihood). Plus, my buddy Phil Jones is bringing his new PlaneWave 12.5" and Apogee U16 to mount on my Paramount ME at the end of April. At that time we will start remote imaging in earnest!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZeKjOAfkY5ptbPXrJcKnEF_uCrQiIKAkgP5VSQOXPeTZIzoIOj5xXRH0N881Msun7j_S0v1KtKnpDHCx-Bjyj93w1p6cR5DjLKhzI0PS2e2CMcr3Wm46ekLVUn7R5XLQXtfv5Zl7xFYW/s1600/2-up.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZeKjOAfkY5ptbPXrJcKnEF_uCrQiIKAkgP5VSQOXPeTZIzoIOj5xXRH0N881Msun7j_S0v1KtKnpDHCx-Bjyj93w1p6cR5DjLKhzI0PS2e2CMcr3Wm46ekLVUn7R5XLQXtfv5Zl7xFYW/s400/2-up.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589562845230548050" border="0" /></a>In addition to telescopes, I have also installed a video scanner that searches nightly for meteors, fireballs, and any other nocturnal transient events (UFOs)! These events will be viewable from the BuckSnort website.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpU8CB7yOuEvCgyDY6_W4yOdGs61m0BHcbQC_fiZHTNzIdcWS1E1yffS3OsIm01JS4hMmfnStFq9ar3mMPDabkzuuPN7iTraOzc1YzRyp882gjyCn1EWtaV0WuS67tUmUk9tbxKeneWyD2/s1600/_DSC7187.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpU8CB7yOuEvCgyDY6_W4yOdGs61m0BHcbQC_fiZHTNzIdcWS1E1yffS3OsIm01JS4hMmfnStFq9ar3mMPDabkzuuPN7iTraOzc1YzRyp882gjyCn1EWtaV0WuS67tUmUk9tbxKeneWyD2/s400/_DSC7187.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589562707561698402" border="0" /></a>Website?<br /><br />Yes! Kim and I are putting together a dedicated BuckSnort website that will display all of the live camera feeds, weather info, as well as image gallery and other neato stuff. It should be online in a couple of weeks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-52676570593811021312011-02-02T22:26:00.000-08:002011-02-02T22:33:28.853-08:00JellyMonkeyCluster<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JdwDnPQgOdUf555uM7EYcktgmNcEmVyrJKesmQ54c8Cfyp5qoTBpcXYeOvvoK9_Otx9xxVnsG4CiRe4dhIxY7iDoUA-R-eKsvJlZxH67BKjqscK0sIXQ1NqYVzveBGzG-LNd7lRumXAZ/s1600/JellyFish_Mosaic_Med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JdwDnPQgOdUf555uM7EYcktgmNcEmVyrJKesmQ54c8Cfyp5qoTBpcXYeOvvoK9_Otx9xxVnsG4CiRe4dhIxY7iDoUA-R-eKsvJlZxH67BKjqscK0sIXQ1NqYVzveBGzG-LNd7lRumXAZ/s400/JellyFish_Mosaic_Med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569346138127664690" border="0" /></a>Working on my BuckSnort Observatory last week and encountered an unexpected couple of mostly clear nights. Soooo....<br /><br />I shot a 2 panel mosaic of the Jellyfish Nebula, the Monkey Head Nebula, and M35. Doesn't "M35" sound kind of pedestrian after monkeys and Jellyfish?<br /><br />The large red nebulous regions are Hydrogen gas that is being excited by nearby stars and glowing red (like a red neon sign). The blue stars of open cluster M35 provide a nice contrast methinks.<br /><br /><span class="postbody">FSQ 106EDX f/3.63<br />STL11000M -25C<br />HaLRGB (120, 120, 30, 30, 30) per panel<br />Total exposure = 11hrs<br />CCD Stack, PixInsight, CS5 </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-48375378362633097252011-01-22T09:01:00.000-08:002011-01-22T09:18:09.633-08:00Orion over Valley of Fire<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1gC_o6Y4TsAtdWC8yJPg5F5wil-nE6ubQcBbvEJdhG26-iTANMvUyOSFe005DRB1Wwl2Uro_wwWJM6oxIFWvheqTrXsdUL6Og_QvqzNYE2TXwEYNOwPtkpURdsovTbLyWvfYjZvuodV-/s1600/Orion-over-VOF_crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1gC_o6Y4TsAtdWC8yJPg5F5wil-nE6ubQcBbvEJdhG26-iTANMvUyOSFe005DRB1Wwl2Uro_wwWJM6oxIFWvheqTrXsdUL6Og_QvqzNYE2TXwEYNOwPtkpURdsovTbLyWvfYjZvuodV-/s400/Orion-over-VOF_crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565056832741614066" border="0" /></a>Kim and I went to Vegas last week, so we took the opportunity to revisit the Valley of Fire state park. This park holds a special place for us because it is where Kim proposed to me 17 years ago (she used to complain "why must the guy always propose?", so I jokingly told her "fine I'm not going to, it is up to you!").<br /><br />I had about an hour after sunset before we needed to head back to town -- just enough time to catch Orion peaking up over the rocks.<br /><br />This is kind of an experiment. I purposely left the focus slightly soft to bloom the constellation stars a bit (focused past infinity). Unfortunately, it also made the foreground slightly soft. But still, I think it is kinda cool.<br /><br />I was also experimenting with a flash -- firing 2-3 bursts to illuminate the foreground and distant rocks (there was no moon yet). We are planning a driving trip out west and I intend to do a lot of night landscape shooting, so I am just trying some different stuff. I think next time I will use good focus and add a soft filter to bloom the brighter stars.<br /><br />Nikon D700 ISO 1600<br />Sigma 15mm f/5.6<br />45 secUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-8874907359009069212011-01-15T08:28:00.001-08:002011-01-15T08:46:30.233-08:00The Riddler<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4sf7f_fDBVJs8fxd0No9ppeMMwyj6brGAren-P89Qk1yhp0eLSq9PR2IMHP7IYPGBGmKWhYM3aNooeWt1Qy-qauDg1-ipmfURrt6mwhUr4-xjJEqNu15UVHmYUmsI5c_ZvXhFVUz5O7v/s1600/Question-Nebula_crop_med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4sf7f_fDBVJs8fxd0No9ppeMMwyj6brGAren-P89Qk1yhp0eLSq9PR2IMHP7IYPGBGmKWhYM3aNooeWt1Qy-qauDg1-ipmfURrt6mwhUr4-xjJEqNu15UVHmYUmsI5c_ZvXhFVUz5O7v/s400/Question-Nebula_crop_med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562450674468717474" border="0" /></a>This dusty nebula is very seldom imaged. In fact, I could find no other examples on the internet (except for extremely wide shots that encompass the entire Orion/Eridanus area -- where this object shows as a tiny patch).<br /><br />I have always noticed this nebula, being just west of the famous Witch Head, so last week I decided to see what it would look like up close. I could not find any catalog number for the nebula, so this object was a bit of a mystery to me. And when I saw the results, I was quite amused at the "?" shape -- so I call this the Riddler (as suggested to me by my pal Dave Pearson).<br /><br />After posting this image, a fellow astrophotographer finally alerted me to the catalog name of this object. It is found in the Lynd's Bright Nebula catalog. It is actually 2 different nebulae -- LBN917 (bottom) and LBN906 (top).<br /><br />After poking around a bit, I found more info on this area here http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/0809/0809.0585v1.pdf<br /><br />Stats:<br /><span class="postbody">FSQ 106EDX f/3.63<br />STL-11000M -25C<br />LRGB 240,30,30,30<br />CCDStack, PixInsight, CS5</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-52851266965123509472010-12-21T09:45:00.000-08:002010-12-21T09:51:44.113-08:00Solstice Lunar Eclipse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqfstgsDCYXQT70wuwUFsRPZrKhAxNOkSQBs0TnnEAHyF8ADxSGkcd9kQIBMQ4Q3RmqceBu25QAmun4oXTgG4ji_1gHcH4nGFGTBTqxwuDS2LKm5hbWrFfa6vlPopo61S66qC228Ioqq8/s1600/Eclipse_Trees2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqfstgsDCYXQT70wuwUFsRPZrKhAxNOkSQBs0TnnEAHyF8ADxSGkcd9kQIBMQ4Q3RmqceBu25QAmun4oXTgG4ji_1gHcH4nGFGTBTqxwuDS2LKm5hbWrFfa6vlPopo61S66qC228Ioqq8/s400/Eclipse_Trees2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553193593175308482" border="0" /></a>The last time there was a lunar eclipse on the Winter Solstice, Galileo was serving his "sentence" for being a naughty astronomer. Although I had grand plans to do all sorts of shooting of the eclipse, in the end I merely observed the beautiful sight, then took a few snaps with my Nikon D700 and 180mm lens as clouds began rolling in (right after totality).<br /><br />If you missed this Winter Solstice event, don't worry -- I believe it happens again in about 90 years.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-17171762542154578512010-12-08T21:49:00.000-08:002010-12-08T21:56:07.014-08:00From Witch to Sword<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL7iNRVTEPbHYe0CSFvdncXpFUQczrDkPE9JtH1lVzMxCdhwQ1B-MnBeaCkXz_MiDMLNkNq_HSs849CnUYYO-hrnaTXgutrN9bWzMfV9RbQnWd1P6zGUOvIN5KVEN8tgQnlYtA3y_2Hsf/s1600/M42_Witch_Crop_Med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL7iNRVTEPbHYe0CSFvdncXpFUQczrDkPE9JtH1lVzMxCdhwQ1B-MnBeaCkXz_MiDMLNkNq_HSs849CnUYYO-hrnaTXgutrN9bWzMfV9RbQnWd1P6zGUOvIN5KVEN8tgQnlYtA3y_2Hsf/s400/M42_Witch_Crop_Med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548555930644369938" border="0" /></a>Here is a 5 panel mosaic in Orion that I shot last week during 3 nights in my new observatory -- woo hoo! I especially enjoyed being out of the wind when it was 18 degrees.<br /><br />I tried to shoot a mosaic of this last year, but the weather knocked me out (got a few subs, but could never complete it). So I am happy I finally got it.<br /><br />A few things I noticed about this area...<br /><br />There is a Ha ring of nebulosity around Rigel that I did not know about. I shot the Witch Head a couple of years ago w/o Ha (since the Witch is a reflection neb), but this time I used Ha in all panels since I was incorporating M42. I guess Rigel's stellar winds are carving out a bubble in the gas and exciting the Ha. Anybody know?<br /><br />I also enjoyed all the cool galaxies that "litter" the area around the Witch.<br /><br />FSQ 106EDX f/3.6<br />STL-11000M -25C<br />5 panels<br />HaLRGB 15,90,25,25,25 (per panel)<br />CCDStack, PixInsight, CS5<br /><br />Bigger image seen here<br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/neutronman/5245334825/<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/neutronman/5245334825/" target="_blank"><br /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-74155671635045435442010-11-22T06:29:00.000-08:002010-11-22T06:42:53.034-08:00The RED & the BLUE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jZh10a8JV3_Ri88oFX_eyJofrd2th0TQBK69Q7M6DuyBAOoJ-72mqXsqJX6TOzgQHZMJLRadoIp7_1ylTYSGjDEmcdCzc6q1KvDRNr1O6ViPVHIgRZgPPpEd2sGxmFt2OjbaiqitBdOw/s1600/IC-2169_Med_crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jZh10a8JV3_Ri88oFX_eyJofrd2th0TQBK69Q7M6DuyBAOoJ-72mqXsqJX6TOzgQHZMJLRadoIp7_1ylTYSGjDEmcdCzc6q1KvDRNr1O6ViPVHIgRZgPPpEd2sGxmFt2OjbaiqitBdOw/s400/IC-2169_Med_crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542381500969080626" border="0" /></a>Taking a slight break from "pure dust", I decided on something a bit more... COLORFUL!<br /><br />I wanted to bring out the RED hydrogen alpha of the Cone Nebula region, along with the BLUE reflection nebulosity around IC 2169. The Cone is actually pretty small (upper center) in this wide field image. Below the cone is a nebulous region referred to as the "Fox Fur".<br /><br />This field may not be as dusty as some of my recent targets, but it contains lots of interesting structures, including Hubble's Variable Nebula at upper left (white "V" shape object).<br /><br />This image was shot during my 4 night stay at the recent Eldorado Star Party.<br /><br /><span class="post">FSQ 106EDX f/3.6<br />STL11000M -25C<br />HaLRGB 75,135,30,30,30<br />CCDStack, PixInsight, CS5</span><br /><br />Next up... more dust!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-4048514610591706522010-11-15T16:13:00.000-08:002010-11-15T16:38:39.315-08:00The Bird and the Sisters<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRcnsE0aL3v80GG7Xg9QkWE_MZZXs7sFWTdD_p5kcWN4eo4vssdQ5KS4NgOfDl4Qt-BE4JAk57HQD9QXjV3Ymysno7akIWJI5tirKdUxZpnoHkEXcCKDdMdFb38lDd-hsqdLhNfNw6ZuX/s1600/Pleiades-Mosaic_screen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRcnsE0aL3v80GG7Xg9QkWE_MZZXs7sFWTdD_p5kcWN4eo4vssdQ5KS4NgOfDl4Qt-BE4JAk57HQD9QXjV3Ymysno7akIWJI5tirKdUxZpnoHkEXcCKDdMdFb38lDd-hsqdLhNfNw6ZuX/s400/Pleiades-Mosaic_screen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539935047013585618" border="0" /></a>I recently attended the Eldorado Star Party in Southwest Texas. I had a terrific 4 nights of crystal clear skies. It was my first time attending and I had a great time.<br /><br />Before heading out to dark skies to do my photography, I always plan what objects I want to shoot and make careful notes regarding composition, etc. When I was looking at some image data I shot at Okie-Tex back in October, I noticed my M45 and Vdb27 targets were very close and if I were to shoot a couple more panels, I could create a very large mosaic of this area in Taurus. <br /><br />And so on my recent trip to ESP, I did : )<br /><br />So here is a 5 panel mosaic. This area is just FILLED with dust! I love the dusty tendrils that seem to reach towards M45 (the Seven Sisters) in the upper left. In fact, the Sisters are so attractive it appears they have caught the attention of a dusty bird that shoots a glance their way (LBN777 in the center).<br /><br />FSQ 106EDX f/3.6<br />STL11000M -25C<br />approx 18 hrs of exposure<br />CCDStack, PixInsight, CS5<br /><br />Looking back over my last few objects I have lot of dust and reflection targets (okay, they ARE my faves). So next I'll try to do something a bit different... maybe.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-73792536736312207632010-10-30T08:58:00.001-07:002010-10-30T09:03:27.735-07:00A little Iris on the side...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNm1EOzsMDzmxA2CGPuiGC8Niz91biSXmq-RqWDRm8mXg0bI00Y-z-UCh7l9bTCkVotSljkcywFsdpOoL8mECrbvtLqcThLvuUhFHHTFylvcQ3ODR-qY_mTusXQdX_ktQO6idgjl42ppz-/s1600/LDN-1148_Crop_screen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNm1EOzsMDzmxA2CGPuiGC8Niz91biSXmq-RqWDRm8mXg0bI00Y-z-UCh7l9bTCkVotSljkcywFsdpOoL8mECrbvtLqcThLvuUhFHHTFylvcQ3ODR-qY_mTusXQdX_ktQO6idgjl42ppz-/s400/LDN-1148_Crop_screen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533869296051139986" border="0" /></a>Here is another shot taken from my recent expedition to the Okie-Tex Star Party. I was going after the dark nebulosity of LDN 1148 (the scorpion tail in the center), but decided to go wide and add the Iris nebula (blue reflection nebula on the left).<br /><br />This large dust field is in the Cepheus area. I love these dark, spooky, vistas.<br /><br /><span class="postbody">FSQ 106EDX f/3.6<br />STL11000M -20C<br />LRGB 150,20,15,20<br />CCDStack, PixInsight, CS5 </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-41513173063904688002010-10-26T08:23:00.001-07:002010-10-26T08:34:37.057-07:00Another M31<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sW94WqRoPTgkig69q7G_buMMx0tLWIT8q-cKrsfy2SeQMlu4fWfeeonJzG2Sk9ontTrql1-zOdVcUArsqFU5TgFQwBIWhqr27O2Er6f8WwrVQgMKcNR3ZbIOOtKxB-K6Mk1svvutrjgV/s1600/Andromeda_Crop_Med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sW94WqRoPTgkig69q7G_buMMx0tLWIT8q-cKrsfy2SeQMlu4fWfeeonJzG2Sk9ontTrql1-zOdVcUArsqFU5TgFQwBIWhqr27O2Er6f8WwrVQgMKcNR3ZbIOOtKxB-K6Mk1svvutrjgV/s400/Andromeda_Crop_Med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532375943667678946" border="0" /></a>Next to the Orion Nebula, M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy) is surely one of the most photographed deep sky objects. I last shot our "sister galaxy" a couple of years ago, so I decided it was time to check up on her again.<br /><br />I shot a much wider field this time and with my newer STL11000 camera. I like the results. I often like to "step back" from these galaxies to see where they live, instead of so close-up.<br /><br />One cool note about this galaxy... it is so big, when the light left the farthest edge of the galaxy disc mankind did not yet exist, but when it left the closer front edge man was walking the Earth. These kinds of facts add a cool footnote to the images : )Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-42887955335495455522010-10-18T07:42:00.000-07:002010-10-18T07:48:49.523-07:00Dust Bunny<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG-TqoRYJ6XRd8mENIKwQ5qvLmWB6kFi8qL_ZGp3iQZz8dg5tEly1h8MuNgMfppjpyUOQnrtMgG1ayH4e46KEjtnVcA9unrkhw5mlsNk4gb68gUyTA6b6I25geAVsDg6eTCptDjVQpd_-/s1600/VDB_27-Med_crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG-TqoRYJ6XRd8mENIKwQ5qvLmWB6kFi8qL_ZGp3iQZz8dg5tEly1h8MuNgMfppjpyUOQnrtMgG1ayH4e46KEjtnVcA9unrkhw5mlsNk4gb68gUyTA6b6I25geAVsDg6eTCptDjVQpd_-/s400/VDB_27-Med_crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529396847130759026" border="0" /></a>Here is my first CCD image to be processed from Okie-Tex. This is an enormous dust complex in Taurus, centered around the blue reflection nebula Vdb27.<br /><br />After working on this image for a while it started looking to me like a giant bunny leaping right to lower left across the frame (please tell me you see a bunny too).<br /><br />These types of targets are among my favorite to image. The illuminated dust has a very 3D quality that I really like and try to bring out in the photo.<br /><br />FSQ 106EDX f/3.6<br />STL-11000M -20C<br /><span class="postbody">LRGB 150,30,30,30<br />CCDStack, PixInsight, CS5</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-64826784285556245952010-10-13T16:32:00.001-07:002010-10-13T16:38:33.613-07:00Okie Trails<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG4tCG2XX-4-Z0vh5_X6YJ0yeccZBuQ0xT8cZFLf78GWBVJxLBDAvMxaKxXmB3NQjpSmznpAxaDJefGr7BiFaws1UvHw_JfHWEn7MqWJ2hF7ctnCll4GxGK8aSkoysZwVPPyIU2iZJu49/s1600/Okie-Field-Trails.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG4tCG2XX-4-Z0vh5_X6YJ0yeccZBuQ0xT8cZFLf78GWBVJxLBDAvMxaKxXmB3NQjpSmznpAxaDJefGr7BiFaws1UvHw_JfHWEn7MqWJ2hF7ctnCll4GxGK8aSkoysZwVPPyIU2iZJu49/s400/Okie-Field-Trails.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527677789746407714" border="0" /></a>Spent last week at the Okie-Tex Star Party in the Black Mesa area of Oklahoma (literally across the highway from both Colorado and New Mexico). It was a spectacular SEVEN CLEAR NIGHTS under the stars with some great folks.<br /><br />I imaged every night until the sun came up, so I am gorged with photons! Before plunging into all of my data, here are a couple of star trail images taken with my Nikon D700.<br /><br />If you have never attended a star party under extremely dark skies, you owe it to yourself. The feeling is like being on a spaceship drifting through the stars...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvsg4C4cP7z4-c-5hQfJ3AzxaqSSmy32J5bWua9WphUZ2WeTkZYlkhiFpa2KI9SzPaCmhgIhSI9WUURJa8ZpxUHdR86LZOB9qaSDBhzho8V8JaqwcLano4jiMmovO75xBikCL4V1xVXmZ/s1600/Okie-Cross-Trails_crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvsg4C4cP7z4-c-5hQfJ3AzxaqSSmy32J5bWua9WphUZ2WeTkZYlkhiFpa2KI9SzPaCmhgIhSI9WUURJa8ZpxUHdR86LZOB9qaSDBhzho8V8JaqwcLano4jiMmovO75xBikCL4V1xVXmZ/s400/Okie-Cross-Trails_crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527677696466149330" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-48508314535960394042010-09-25T20:35:00.000-07:002010-09-25T20:58:19.819-07:00Upside Down!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVi2Gqdgs9dVcvUHswVbmaVF0Wm-HCSwb-Ae_hYFjc2KgJt9YZfvawj1HhvhhvXOgAgnxNFprk_jCEvurU6tArq8R3YDMvDMwD_c0toiXe6E0CZgLnU0-kWm0cM576DFB9wqm4A5m9erYJ/s1600/Galactic-Bulge_med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVi2Gqdgs9dVcvUHswVbmaVF0Wm-HCSwb-Ae_hYFjc2KgJt9YZfvawj1HhvhhvXOgAgnxNFprk_jCEvurU6tArq8R3YDMvDMwD_c0toiXe6E0CZgLnU0-kWm0cM576DFB9wqm4A5m9erYJ/s400/Galactic-Bulge_med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521061612141384178" border="0" /></a>Got back a week ago from our trip to Australia and New Zealand. Needless to say we had a GREAT time (despite the 20 days of rain). This was my first view of the Southern skies, and although the weather was a killer I managed to find 2 clear nights in dark parts of the countries to observe and image.<br /><br />This first shot is of the galactic core of Milky Way that is straight over head. This is special because in northern latitudes, the core barely gets above the horizon and is harder to see through all of the additional atmosphere. But straight up at zenith... WOW!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cPR43pI3rsslmrUqLIbN30Vt-EEW1p5Lw2ZBcA4Sojx6-GiXjVbYZjRrafGR8NukvZyHsiOwIyx8C2Yh8UfRFQnYeL3GzfX5dEy0YVEbzuB4cgDRSjxqATcjSdo2qxVuEnurJQ_IqRn-/s1600/Pleiades-over-Moutohora_med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 326px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cPR43pI3rsslmrUqLIbN30Vt-EEW1p5Lw2ZBcA4Sojx6-GiXjVbYZjRrafGR8NukvZyHsiOwIyx8C2Yh8UfRFQnYeL3GzfX5dEy0YVEbzuB4cgDRSjxqATcjSdo2qxVuEnurJQ_IqRn-/s400/Pleiades-over-Moutohora_med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521061479757121010" border="0" /></a><br />I was on Thornton Beach in New Zealand and just finishing an imaging run on the Large Magellanic Cloud (yet to be processed), when I noticed an odd "fuzzy patch" rising over the sea. A few minutes later it climbed up and over the dormant volcano Moutohora... it was the (upside down) Pleiades!<br /><br />So I took this shot about 1 AM. You can also see the star Aldebaran and the Hyades cluster peeking into frame on the right.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_1xK4Yf-2yb3IzjLlKnxD5fpT9AdBXoc_SqC2rn4MOzvFajn0Otlx-dqlrMNzQ2SyD7TeFIlrserq99mVoj287eqWYjbKc3nz16P-vNex9eA2DwCbeeWZmp4qRVc8-41cOoZgWwL9Vlc/s1600/Milky-Way_MC-over-Wangaretta-vineyard.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 278px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_1xK4Yf-2yb3IzjLlKnxD5fpT9AdBXoc_SqC2rn4MOzvFajn0Otlx-dqlrMNzQ2SyD7TeFIlrserq99mVoj287eqWYjbKc3nz16P-vNex9eA2DwCbeeWZmp4qRVc8-41cOoZgWwL9Vlc/s400/Milky-Way_MC-over-Wangaretta-vineyard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521061344943846770" border="0" /></a>On another clear night I found myself in Wangaratta, Australia. So I drove over the hills and into wine country, parking next to a vineyard. It was VERY dark, except for a little light dome from a nearby town (that you can see in the pic). This was the first time I ever saw the Magellanic Clouds (the 2 fuzzy patches to the left of the Milky Way). They were fantastic! These two galaxies orbit the Milky Way and are only 2 of 3 galaxies (the other being Andromeda) one can see "naked eye" from Earth.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMBOl5U5ZPuoFIf72kSa-spgY7x-V3HyYpdg47MLz7siM_Nu1vK3ccC-ezw_Lz1PZ3nptagt3uiR5kijh1ANlNC8kj_10xg8nr9QBSxtYtTt9mnh4Y-LjwkvSZUuWYUXj2FdDrh2wpkt6/s1600/Milky-Way-over-Cairns_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMBOl5U5ZPuoFIf72kSa-spgY7x-V3HyYpdg47MLz7siM_Nu1vK3ccC-ezw_Lz1PZ3nptagt3uiR5kijh1ANlNC8kj_10xg8nr9QBSxtYtTt9mnh4Y-LjwkvSZUuWYUXj2FdDrh2wpkt6/s400/Milky-Way-over-Cairns_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521061172109066178" border="0" /></a><br />Here is another quick shot of the Milky Way dropping down over some palms on a beach near Cairns, Australia. It was a bit cloudy that night (evidenced by the red clouds drifting by, illuminated by light pollution) but still a great night on the beach.<br /><br />All images were taken with my Nikon D700.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-75953598648087112212010-08-22T08:47:00.000-07:002010-08-22T09:02:40.908-07:00Cepheus Mosaic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhdRI8ThTo4Sxtd_RLeNPtiEXeAsYeZy3IvwpDISBER7_OV6gO1BNFudPemvJrrqSD-0SJsy9KI4N1hg0mNpgAm7FIjd03cu8eouonlY1zJHQtkrCvh-tY0XldLzuHa2VK9icUSaWcOIm/s1600/Cepheus_Mosaic_Crop_Med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 323px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhdRI8ThTo4Sxtd_RLeNPtiEXeAsYeZy3IvwpDISBER7_OV6gO1BNFudPemvJrrqSD-0SJsy9KI4N1hg0mNpgAm7FIjd03cu8eouonlY1zJHQtkrCvh-tY0XldLzuHa2VK9icUSaWcOIm/s400/Cepheus_Mosaic_Crop_Med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508262100785960786" border="0" /></a>Here is a 2 panel mosaic from the constellation Cepheus. I wanted to frame both the Bubble Nebula (far left) and the Cave Nebula (far right) into one composition, so this forced me to shoot two different fields and blend them together into this mosaic. It was a lot of work, since I shot separate passes for L, Ha, R, G, B, and then not only did these pieces need to be registered, but also matched in terms of exposure (which can vary because of angle in sky and high clouds, etc.). But I am very happy with the end result.<br /><br />There is so much to see in this field -- red emission nebulae, dark nebulae, reflection nebulae, dust, etc. Sometimes these images remind me of abstract surreal art by artists such as Tonguy, Matta, or Richard Powers (I am a huge fan of these artists).<br /><br />This image represents about 9 hours of exposure last week at the 3RF astronomy campus.<br /><br /><span class="postbody">FSQ 106EDX f/3.64<br />STL 11000M -10C<br />LHaRGB 225x135x65x35x75<br />CCDStack, PixInsight, CS5</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-65762439470833084932010-08-17T11:13:00.001-07:002010-08-17T11:24:36.932-07:00A Dusty Serpent<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJK1oRkODVwh1hv813nzu6yPp3M_veUhf8Xg3moHu2zWMOCwcaA6jwJgWX-Xw69Wmv7bryfftGfefAJZA0FlSPTYF5teeV53FrEvQGSH-ud6xWzvzhhkmcIfmDDcBh1dSl07i-zafAzxw5/s1600/VDB150_Crop_Med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJK1oRkODVwh1hv813nzu6yPp3M_veUhf8Xg3moHu2zWMOCwcaA6jwJgWX-Xw69Wmv7bryfftGfefAJZA0FlSPTYF5teeV53FrEvQGSH-ud6xWzvzhhkmcIfmDDcBh1dSl07i-zafAzxw5/s400/VDB150_Crop_Med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506443774421581410" border="0" /></a>This huge dust field resides in the constellation Cepheus. It stretches from reflection nebulae VDB 150 to VDB 152. This represents one of my favorite types of objects -- dusty reflection nebulosity.<br /><br />Reflection nebula reflect light from nearby stars (duh) as opposed to emission type nebulae that glow like a neon sign. As such, reflection nebulae have a naturally cool 3D appearance.<br /><br />I imaged this last week at the 3RF astronomy campus and had 3 excellent nights of clear dark skies! Not only that, but the Perseid meteors put on quite a show. It was a fantastic trip.<br /><br />FSQ 106EDX f/3.64<br />STL 11000M -10C<br />LRGB 195x40x40x40<br />CCDStack, PixInsight, CS5<br /><br />(imaged flipped for presentation)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-26348810085203360342010-08-06T22:23:00.000-07:002010-08-06T22:36:06.371-07:00A Blast from the Past<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo1-iJMQrc62rMbT2iVOdnYevB13eWrpUpk2yRz_PxOb72QFPOxjhweUPlXCFuPWUmCKABAbWgTdN5d8aITrh_EQSh6R6wH1B7KXkEsQwmvtFnklN-y7dE0py3o54c58DDEi_dyD5097-/s1600/Cygnus-Hole-PixInsight_Med2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo1-iJMQrc62rMbT2iVOdnYevB13eWrpUpk2yRz_PxOb72QFPOxjhweUPlXCFuPWUmCKABAbWgTdN5d8aITrh_EQSh6R6wH1B7KXkEsQwmvtFnklN-y7dE0py3o54c58DDEi_dyD5097-/s400/Cygnus-Hole-PixInsight_Med2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502534886201849010" border="0" /></a>Here is a shot of the Cygnus & Cepheus region of the Milky Way I took last fall at the Okie-Tex Star Party. I never processed it because I never thought the data was very good. But a week ago I started testing a new (to me) piece of software called PixInsight designed specifically for processing astro images. I decided to go back to old data to see if I could resurrect anything. I'm pretty happy with this test run!<br /><br />Not only is this data a "blast from the past", but you can see the remnants of a literal blast from the past -- the Veil Nebula (a supernova remnant). Look closely and you can see some tiny semi-circular "arc" type structures at the far left.<br /><br />Canon XSI at ISO 800<br />AstroTrac mount<br />Nikon 85mm lens (I think)<br />15 x 3min<br />DeepSkyStacker, PixInsight, CS5Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-603034904539655314.post-79742389320657324152010-07-13T20:38:00.001-07:002010-07-13T21:00:09.204-07:00Aussie Rig is GO!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Wtznkb9D6Tfa1i8IjfQoIYYzv_Jl6se1ft8uZoe-WA5CBAgj60DZzJzVhXI5QbfTQ7V3W3hvMfPMvtTcIf-2Wx6N1PuocUO4iNoI3GIEH0_Iyo8q2n1sSokyVnkr5NquuIJq8XvtQD7H/s1600/DSC_2810.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Wtznkb9D6Tfa1i8IjfQoIYYzv_Jl6se1ft8uZoe-WA5CBAgj60DZzJzVhXI5QbfTQ7V3W3hvMfPMvtTcIf-2Wx6N1PuocUO4iNoI3GIEH0_Iyo8q2n1sSokyVnkr5NquuIJq8XvtQD7H/s400/DSC_2810.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493601632087511570" border="0" /></a>Kim and I will be heading to Australia and New Zealand soon and I am planning on photographing the southern skies as much as I can! We will be traveling fast and far and I need to go very light, so I have assembled a rig that is not only very accurate but very light and small.<br /><br />Using a QSI 583 camera (mono w color filter wheel) tracking on an AstroTrac mount, I can get 10 min sub frames with nice round stars. I am using a set of Nikon lenses (instead of a heavy/bulky telescope) that I can also share with my Nikon D700 camera. I am controlling everything with a little Toshiba netbook. All of this will fit into a backpack.<br /><br />Here is my first test shot I took last weekend with the rig -- a wide field in Cygnus using a Nikon 85mm lens. I'm very pleased with this QSI camera!<br /><br />So why go to all the trouble to carry this stuff all over Australia and New Zealand for several weeks? Because there are sights in Southern skies that we cannot see in the Northern hemisphere. The sky is very different! Not only is the core of the Milky Way straight overhead, but there are incredible objects like the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (viewable with the naked eye), as well as BUNCHES of constellations and nebulae that one can see nowhere else.<br /><br />Kim and I are also going to attend a couple of nights at the Border Star Gaze -- a star party near Albury. We just happen to be there at the same time.<br /><br />Hopefully I will have many new photos to share soon (but they may appear upside down)!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMueLLpfGk_-Z4Ksldq6SswQ5kD7luANwvqOgcBBtrCSbMy71326zSLhI5qcx1kkI7NFXLvjrxnDk56UzVDblxkVMi0IutkA2UFBtcfiGG9fc05Qmo0aD3lzUF5SnuJd9Kv6rITmT5MV-d/s1600/NorthAm_Gamma_large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMueLLpfGk_-Z4Ksldq6SswQ5kD7luANwvqOgcBBtrCSbMy71326zSLhI5qcx1kkI7NFXLvjrxnDk56UzVDblxkVMi0IutkA2UFBtcfiGG9fc05Qmo0aD3lzUF5SnuJd9Kv6rITmT5MV-d/s400/NorthAm_Gamma_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493601498369436082" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4