Astronomy Astrophoto Gallery

The North America and Pelican Nebulae

HapGriffin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:28:20 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: NGC 7000, often referred to as the "North America Nebula" due to its conspicuous shape, is a region of a much larger area of hydrogen emission covering much of the constellation Cygnus. IC 5070, the "Pelican Nebula" lies just to its lower right, just off the "east coast." The complex lies at a distance of 1600 light years. Date/Location: September 5, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: Canon 40D (modified) Filters: Astrodon AD40D DSLR filter internal to camera CCD Temperature: N/A Instrument: Nikon 300mm f/4.5 lens at f/5.6 � Focal Ratio:��f/5.6 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Cool and clear Weather: 70 F, still Exposure: 60 minutes total (12 x 5 min) Capture: ImagesPlus Camera Control v4 Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Noise reduction with Noise Ninja. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

NGC253 - The Sculptor Galaxy

HapGriffin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:48:44 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: Discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1753, NGC 253 is one of the brighter galaxies visible to us and belongs to the Sculptor group...the next door neighbor to our own Local Group of galaxies. With an apparent diameter of almost one half degree (the size of the full moon), it is readily visible in small telescopes. NGC 253 lies at a distance of 12.8 million light years.�� Date/Location: September 5, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Planewave 12.5" CDK � Focal Ratio:��f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Cool and clear Weather: 70 - 65 F, still Exposure: 260 minutes total (8 x 10 min Luminance, 6 x 10 min each in RGB) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Noise reduction with Noise Ninja. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

3 comments

M16

HapGriffin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:02:41 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: This is the central region of M16, the Eagle Nebula. Prominent in the center are the "Pillars of Creation", made famous in the Hubble Telescope image of the same name. The horizontal structure at the left is "The Spire", itself 9.5 light-years long. M16 lies at a distance of 7000 light-years. Date/Location: August 30, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 RGB CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Clear and cool Weather: 70 F, still Exposure: 150 minutes total (5 x 10 minutes each RGB) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

3 comments

The Bubble Nebula

HapGriffin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:39:35 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: Looking like a celestial Christmas tree ornament, this is the beautiful "Bubble Nebula", known officially as NGC7635. Is is formed by gas being compressed by a strong stellar wind from massive star BD+602522, forty times as massive as our sun and several hundred thousand times more luminous. As fast moving gas escapes the star, it compresses surrounding sparse gas into a shell. The shell, consisting of hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur, is ionized by the radiation from BD+602522 causing it to glow. The bubble is approximately 6 light-years in diameter. BD+602522 is a "Wolf-Rayet" star, a star in the end stages of its life which emits fierce stellar winds (charged particles streaming from its surface) rapidly depleting its mass until it finally dies in a supernova. Wolf-Rayet stars (named for their discoverers) have surface temperatures between 30,000 and 60,000 degrees Kelvin and emit stellar winds with speeds exceeding 1500 kilometers per second. There are only about 300 Wolf-Rayet stars known in our galaxy. Date/Location: August 7-8, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB HA CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Hot and humid, clear for summer in SC Weather: 85-75 F, still Exposure: 350 minutes total (12 x 10 minutes Luminance, 5 x 10 minutes each RGB binned 2x2, 4 x 20 minutes HA) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4. Noise reduction with Noise Ninja.

4 comments

M20

HapGriffin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:37:21 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: This nebula gets its name from the fact that the main cloud is tri-sected by a dark nebula into three main sections. The beautiful red and blue colors come from the regions of the nebula where hydrogen is glowing (red) and reflecting starlight (blue). The red portion is excited to emission by the ultraviolet light coming from a triple star system embedded within. The distance to the Trifid is approximately 5200 light years, although there is a large disparity between various sources. Date/Location: August 7-8, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Hot and humid, clear for summer in SC Weather: 85-75 F, still Exposure: 270 minutes total (12 x 10 minutes Luminance, 5 x 10 minutes each RGB binned 2x2) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4. Noise reduction with Noise Ninja.

3 comments

CED 214

HapGriffin — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:56:10 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: Cederblad 214 (or alternately known in other catalogs as Sharpless 171) is a large emission nebula in the constellation of Cepheus. Prominently visible are a number of bright rimmed globules undergoing a process called photoevaporation, whereby radiation from nearby stars is eroding the light gaseous elements away, leaving heavier and darker dust clouds. The compression and evolution of these globules leads to star formation. Our own sun and solar system was likely formed in a similar manner from the remnants of earlier generations of stars that gave up the heavier elements that they had synthesized during their lifetimes when they ended their existence in supernova explosions. CED 214 lies at a distance of approximately 2750 light-years. This image was captured through a narrowband filter admitting only a narrow slice of spectrum around the wavelength of glowing hydrogen. Thus it is a monochrome (single color) image displayed as shades of grey. Date/Location: July 3, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm) CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Clear but with a 3rd quarter moon nearby Weather: 60 F, still Exposure: 180 minutes total (9 x 20 min HA) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

1 comment

IC 1318

HapGriffin — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:53:38 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: IC 1318 is a large region of nebulosity in the central portion of the constellation of Cygnus...near the bright star Gamma Cygni (otherwise known as Sadr) shown at the far right. Due to the shape of this nebula, it is also known informally as the Butterfly Nebula, with the dark dust lane LDN 889 forming the butterfly's body. The open star cluster at the upper right is NGC 6910. This image was captured through a narrowband filter admitting only a narrow slice of spectrum around the wavelength of glowing hydrogen. Thus it is a monochrome (single color) image displayed as shades of grey. IC 1318 lies at a distance of 5000 light-years. Date/Location: July 2, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm) CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Clear but with a 3rd quarter moon nearby Weather: 60 F, still Exposure: 240 minutes total (12 x 20 min HA) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

1 comment

NGC 6992

HapGriffin — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:50:06 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: The Network Nebula is the eastern portion of the much larger complex known as the Veil Nebula complex. It is caused by an expanding shockwave from a supernova that exploded in the area some 10,000 years ago. The Nebula is not part of the remains of the original supernova star, but the result of the expanding shockwave interacting with pre-existing gases in the area heating them to millions of degrees and causing them to glow with their characteristic colors. NGC6992 lies at a distance of 1500 light years. Date/Location: July 7, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Warm and muggy Weather: 85 - 75 F, still Exposure: 290 minutes total (12 x 10 min Luminance, 5 x 10 min each in RGB) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

3 comments

M27

HapGriffin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:01:43 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: M27 is one of a class of objects known as "planetary" nebulae, which derives its name from the fact that early astronomers saw these objects through crude telescopes and thought they resembled planets because of their apparent round shape. It was later realized that these objects are not part of our solar system at all, but are the remnants of stars which have exploded, blowing their outer layers into space. Based on studies of the rate of expansion of M27, the time since its explosion is estimated at 3000 to 4000 years. What is left of the original star can be seen in the middle of the nebula, which is now classified as a bluish hot sub-dwarf dwarf star with a surface temperature of 85,000 degrees Kelvin. The highly energetic radiation emitted by the central star excites the gases in the blown off material to glow on their own. M27 lies at a distance of approximately 1200 light-years. Date/Location: June 11, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Clear for a SC summer night Weather: 70 F, still Exposure: 310 minutes total (16 x 10 min Luminance, 5 x 10 min each in RGB) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

4 comments

NGC 4725

HapGriffin — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:29:53 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: NGC 4725 is peculiar in that this spriral galaxy only has one main spiral arm rather than the normal two. The outer gas and dust regions can also be seen to have their own spiral structure. Many other distant galaxies can be spotted in this image as well. NGC 4725 lies at a distance of 41 million light-years and is over 100,000 light-years in diameter.� Date/Location: May 9, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" � Focal Ratio:��f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Clear and cool Weather: 55 F, still Exposure: 330 minutes total (15 x 10 min Luminance, 6 x 10 min each in RGB) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

6 comments

hap_M101_CCD_1100

HapGriffin — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 12:37:03 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: One of my favorite astronomical objects...the beautiful Pinwheel Galaxy, known as M101. Recognized as one of the finest examples of a classic spiral, it actually is quite non-symmetrical with its core being considerably off-center. It lies at a distance of 27 million light-years and is huge (as galaxies go), spanning 170,000 light years across its diameter, nearly twice the size of our own Milky-Way galaxy. It has a total luminosity of 30 billion suns. Date/Location: March 19, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider Conditions: Clear and cool Weather: 52F - 35F, still Exposure: 380 minutes total (23 x 10 minutes Luminance binned 1x1, 10 x 5 minutes each in RGB binned 2x2) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL 5.08 Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

7 comments

M51

HapGriffin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:25:19 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: Another of my favorite astronomical objects...the exquisite Whirlpool Galaxy, known as M51. Actually, this object is two galaxies caught in a gravitational cosmic dance. The larger spiral is NGC 5194 and the smaller disrupted galaxy is NGC 5195, although the combination is often called simply, M51. The strong spiral arm structure is thought to be caused by the interaction of these two neighbors, whereby gas in the galaxy was compressed in some regions, forming hot blue star forming regions. M51 lies at a distance of 37 million light-years. Date/Location: January 18, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and a Starlight Express Lodestar Guider Conditions: Clear and cool Weather: 45 F, still Exposure: 280 minutes total (10 x 10 minutes Luminance binned 1x1, 12 x 5 minutes each in RGB binned 2x2) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

3 comments

M13

HapGriffin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:06:38 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: M13 is the best known of a class of objects called globular star clusters. They are generally groups of several hundred thousand stars in a distinctly spherical shape that occupy a halo region around the central bulge of spiral galaxies, such as our own Milky Way galaxy. They also are some of the oldest objects in the universe based on studies of the concentrations of elements within the constituent stars. In the cores of such clusters, the stars are more than 500 times closer together than in normal space. M13 lies at a distance of 25,100 light years. It is visible by the naked eye from dark sky locations as a very faint smudge along one edge of the "keystone" of stars in the central part of the constellation Hercules. In 1974, M13 was selected to be the target of the first radio message to possible extraterrestrial civilizations intentionally beamed into space from the large radio telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Date/Location: February 13, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and a Starlight Express Lodestar Guider Conditions: Clear and cold Weather: 21F, still Exposure: 24 minutes total (8 x 1 minutes each in RGB binned 1x1) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

M82

HapGriffin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:03:44 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: M82 is one of a pair of galaxies in the constellation Ursa Major that is well known by all amateur astronomers. M82, along with its neighbor M81 can be seen as a pair in the same field of most small telescopes. While M81 is a beautiful spiral, M82 is an irregular type galaxy and furthermore seems to have been disrupted by a relatively close passage some 300 to 600 million years ago of its partner. Irregular lanes of dust and high rate star birth activity can be seen across its central region. The turbulent explosive gas flow is also a strong source of radio noise. M82 lies at a distance of 12 million light years. Date/Location: February 18, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and a Starlight Express Lodestar Guider Conditions: Clear and cold Weather: 38 F - 25F, still Exposure: 380 minutes total (200 min Lum, 60 min each RGB) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. LRBG compositing and finishing in Photoshop CS4.

1 comment

M81 - Bode's Galaxy

HapGriffin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:01:40 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: M81, also known as Bode's Galaxy, is a spectacular example of what is known as a "grand design" spiral galaxy. It's prominent spiral structure with rich star forming regions, showing here as blue due to the abundance of hot young stars, is a result of a strong gravitational influence with another nearby spiral galaxy, M82. M81 lies at a distance of 12 million light-years. Date/Location: February 16, 2010 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5" Focal Ratio: f/8 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and a Starlight Express Lodestar Guider Conditions: Clear and cold Weather: 32 F, still Exposure: 350 minutes total (200 min Lum, 50 min each RGB) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80. LRBG compositing and finishing in Photoshop CS4.

5 comments

California Nebula in HA

HapGriffin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:54:51 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: Known as NGC 1499, the California Nebula is so named because of its loose resemblance to the shape of the state. Radiation from the hot blue-white main sequence star Xi Persei, shown at the bottom-right, causes this huge cloud of hydrogen to fluoresce. This emission nebula covers a large patch of sky over two degrees long and is sometimes faintly visible to the naked eye from very dark locations. It lies at a distance of 1000 light years. This image was captured through a narrowband filter admitting only a narrow slice of spectrum around the wavelength of glowing hydrogen. Thus it is a monochrome (single color) image displayed as shades of grey. Date/Location: November 27, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm BW) CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider mirror and a SX Lodestar Guider Conditions: Clear and cold with 70% moon Weather: 40 F - 32F, still Exposure: 160 minutes total (8 x 20 min) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax and Robofocus. Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, initial DDP with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

3 comments

The Rosette Nebula in Hydrogen Alpha

HapGriffin — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:07:07 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: The Rosette Nebula, NGC 2237, certainly lives up to its name. A glowing cloud of hydrogen 130 light-years across, it is the birthplace of the loose star cluster in its interior (NGC 2244). This nebula is huge...although 5200 light-years distant, it spans roughly a degree of sky, or twice the diameter of the full moon. The central star cluster is visible to the naked eye, but the nebula itself is tough to see even in a telescope without a special optical filter such as a Lumicon UHC. The stars in the central cluster were formed out of the gas and dust in the nebula's center, resulting in its thinness there. The dark, stringy objects scattered through the nebula are known as Bok Globules, named after Bart Bok, the astronomer who studied them extensively. They are regions of compressed gas and dust in the first stages of star formation. This image was captured through a narrowband filter admitting only a narrow slice of spectrum around the wavelength of glowing hydrogen. Thus it is a monochrome (single color) image displayed as shades of grey. Date/Location: November 8, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm BW) CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto through Orion 10" Newtonian w/ SBIG ST-402 Conditions: Clear and dry Weather: 40 to 32 F, still Exposure: 230 minutes total (23 x 20 min) Capture: CCDAutopilot w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax and Robofocus. Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, initial DDP with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

1 comment

M34

HapGriffin — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:05:07 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: Object number 34 in Charles Messier's list is an open star cluster consisting of approximately 100 stars. Their ages are estimated at 180 million years. M34 lies at a distance of 1400 light years. Date/Location: November 14, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm BW) CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto through Orion 10" Newtonian w/ SBIG ST-402 Conditions: Passing high cirrus and heavy dew Weather: 55 F, still Exposure: 90 minutes total (10 x 3 min each in R,G and B) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax and Robofocus. Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, initial DDP with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

Horsehead Region in Hydrogen Alpha

HapGriffin — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:02:50 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: Many of the areas of the sky appear dark in photographs not because of a lack of stars or glowing nebulae, but because of great lanes of obscuring dust between our vantage point and the objects beyond. Such is the case with the Horsehead Nebula shown here...the most famous of all dark nebulae, and known as B33. The dust is the remnant of an older generation of stars that long ago died in great nova and supernova blasts spreading the heavy elements they synthesized from primordial hydrogen during their lives back into space. Spectral analysis reveals that the dust is composed largely of silicon, carbon and oxygen. The Horsehead figure is actually a dynamic structure formed by the protrusion of a dense area of the larger dust cloud that can be seen at its base. It lies in front of and obscures an area of red glowing hydrogen, IC434. Parts of the base dust cloud can be seen partially obscuring the bright blue reflection nebula NGC2023 at the lower left. The structure is huge...between 12,000 and 13,000 of our own solar systems could be spread out across it's "neck". It is theorized that the Horsehead itself is a "Bok Globule" which will eventually break free from the main cloud and condense into individual stars. Examples of Bok Globules can be seen in the Rosette Nebula HERE. The "Flame" Nebula, NGC 2024, dominates the left side of the photo. The bright star above it is Alnitak, the leftmost star in Orion's belt. Below and to the left of the Horsehead is the reflection nebula NGC 2023. B33 lies at a distance of 1500 light years. This image was captured through a narrowband filter admitting only a narrow slice of spectrum around the wavelength of glowing hydrogen. Thus it is a monochrome (single color) image displayed as shades of grey. Date/Location: November 14, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm BW) CCD Temperature: -20 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto through Orion 10" Newtonian w/ SBIG ST-402 Conditions: Passing high cirrus and heavy dew Weather: 50 F, still Exposure: 180 minutes total (9 x 20 min) Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/ FocusMax and Robofocus. Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, initial DDP with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

1 comment

IC1396a - The Elephant's Trunk Nebula in HA

HapGriffin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:43:33 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: IC1396a, sometimes called the "Elephant's Trunk Nebula" is a huge column of cold hydrogen gas and dust within the much larger IC1396 nebula complex, one of the largest emission nebulae visible in the sky. It is being ionized and blown away by the ultraviolet radiation from nearby stars. Inside the "head" of the nebula can be seen a hollowed out area caused by the formation of the small young star within it (LkHa349c) and the three solar mass star LkHa349a to its lower left. The dark globules are area where gas and dust are coalescing under gravity and shock waves into new stars. IC1396 lies at a distance of 1500 lights years. This image was captured through a narrowband filter admitting only a narrow slice of spectrum around the wavelength of glowing hydrogen. Thus it is a monochrome (single color) image displayed as shades of grey. Date/Location: August 29, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm BW) CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto through 10" Orion Newtonian w/ SBIG ST-402 Conditions: Typical summer haze Weather: 70 F, still Exposure: 200 minutes total (20 x 10 min) Capture: ImagesPlus v3.8 beta Camera Control Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, Digital Development with ImagesPlus v3.75. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

2 comments

IC5070 - The Pelican Nebula

HapGriffin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:40:55 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: IC5070, sometimes called the "Pelican Nebula" lies 2000 light years away in the constellation of Cygnus. Dark dust clouds in the nebula define the Pelican's eyes and long bill, while a bright region of glowing hydrogen gas outline the back of his neck. As this region of active star formation evolves over time, a few million years from now it will no doubt no longer resemble its namesake. This image was captured through a narrowband filter admitting only a narrow slice of spectrum around the wavelength of glowing hydrogen. Thus it is a monochrome (single color) image displayed as shades of grey. Considering the thickness of the haze and the passing clouds, it is amazing that the hydrogen-alpha filter pulled out as much detail as it did. Date/Location: September 4, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm BW) CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto through 10" Orion Newtonian w/ SBIG ST-402 Conditions: Thick haze and passing clouds Weather: 66 F, still Exposure: 320 minutes total (16 x 20 min) Capture: ImagesPlus v3.80B Camera Control Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, Digital Development with ImagesPlus v3.75. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

M8 - The Lagoon Nebula

HapGriffin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:35:17 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: The nebula gets its name from the fact that the main cloud is bi-sected by a dark region in its middle resembling a lagoon on an island. The young open star cluster NGC 6530, here seen to the left of the "lagoon" was formed from the gas and dust comprising the nebula. The numerous dark knots in the nebula are areas where the hydrogen cloud is collapsing on itself in the process of forming new stars. M8 lies at a distance of approximately 5200 light-years. Date/Location: August 23, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto through 10" Orion Newtonian w/ SBIG ST-402 Conditions: Typical summer haze Weather: 70 F, still Exposure: Luminance (17 x 3 min), RGB (5 x 3 min each) Capture: ImagesPlus v3.8 beta Camera Control Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, Digital Development, LRGB component stacking with ImagesPlus v3.75. LRGB compositing and finishing in Photoshop CS4.

NGC 6888 - The Crescent Nebula

HapGriffin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:31:28 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: Powerful radiation winds blowing from the massive star, HD 192163 in the center of this photograph, created this nebula. About 400,000 years ago, HD 192163 expanded enormously to become a red giant and ejected its outer layers. 200,000 years later, the intense radiation from the exposed hot, inner layer of the star began pushing gas away at speeds in excess of 3 million miles per hour. Information gathered by the Chandra X-Ray satellite leads researchers to predict that HD 192163 will explode as a supernova in approximately 100,000 years. NGC 6888 lies at a distance of 5000 light-years. This image was captured through a narrowband filter admitting only a narrow slice of spectrum around the wavelength of glowing hydrogen. Thus it is a monochrome (single color) image displayed as shades of grey. Date/Location: September 11, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA (5nm BW) CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Orion 10" Newtonian w/Baader MPCC Focal Ratio: f/4.7 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto through Takahashi FSQ-106N w/ SBIG ST-402 Conditions: Clear for early Fall Weather: 65 F, still Exposure: 100 minutes total (5 x 20 min) Capture: ImagesPlus v3.80B Camera Control Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, Digital Development with ImagesPlus v3.80. Finishing in Photoshop CS4.

1 comment

M31 - The Andromeda Galaxy

HapGriffin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:20:36 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: M31 is the famous Andromeda Galaxy. Other than our galaxy's close companions, the Large and Small Megellanic Clouds, it is our closest major galaxy. M31, along with our own Milky Way galaxy, the great spiral galaxy M33 and M31's small companion galaxies, M32 and M110 (seen here as fuzzy patches above and below M31) form what is known as our Local Group. At a distance of 2.9 million light years, it is the most distant object visible to the naked eye. Even so, it takes a keen eye and a dark night to spot it clearly. Skies must have been much clearer and darker in past ages, since M31 was known to the Persians as early as 905 AD. It also appears on a Dutch star map circa 1500 AD. It has an apparent diameter of 3 degrees...6 times the width of the full moon. M31 is nearly twice the size of our Milky Way at 200,000 light years in diameter. However, with an estimated mass of 300 to 400 billion suns, it is not as dense as our galaxy. Date/Location: August 23, 2009 Griffin/Hunter Observatory Bethune, SC Camera: QSI 583wsg Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 LRGB CCD Temperature: -10 C Instrument: Takahashi FSQ-106N Focal Ratio: f/5 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: Auto through 10" Orion Newtonian w/ SBIG ST-402 Conditions: Typical summer haze Weather: 70 F, still Exposure: Luminance (16 x 5 min), RGB (10 x 5 min each) Capture: ImagesPlus v3.8 beta Camera Control Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment, Digital Development, LRGB component stacking with ImagesPlus v3.75. LRGB compositing and finishing in Photoshop CS4.

4 comments

The Network Nebula (part of Veil complex)

HapGriffin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:56:29 -0500

by: HapGriffin

Description: 5 hours total exposure at ISO 1600 with modified Canon 40D through 10" Orion f/4.7 Newtonian w/ Baader MPCC on AP-1200 mount.

2 comments

M31

HapGriffin — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:25:17 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: M31 is the famous Andromeda Galaxy. Other than our galaxy's close companions, the Large and Small Megellanic Clouds, it is our closest major galaxy. M31, along with our own Milky Way galaxy, the great spiral galaxy M33 and M31's small companion galaxies, M32 and M110 (seen here as fuzzy patches above and below M31) form what is known as our Local Group. At a distance of 2.9 million light years, it is the most distant object visible to the naked eye. Even so, it takes a keen eye and a dark night to spot it clearly. Skies must have been much clearer and darker in past ages, since M31 was known to the Persians as early as 905 AD. It also appears on a Dutch star map circa 1500 AD. It has an apparent diameter of 3 degrees...6 times the width of the full moon. M31 is nearly twice the size of our Milky Way at 200,000 light years in diameter. However, with an estimated mass of 300 to 400 billion suns, it is not as dense as our galaxy. Capture Date: October 4, 2008 Location: Griffin/Hunter Observatory Camera: Canon 40D DSLR (modified) Instrument: Takahashi FS-102NSV Focal Ratio: f/6 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: ST-402 w/10" Newtonian Conditions: Moderate humidity Weather: 70 - 60 F, still Exposure: 66 x 3 min @ ISO 800 Filters: Baader UV/IR block Processing: Focused, captured, RAW conversions, frame calibrations, alignment, Digital Development with ImagesPlus v3.50a. Final tweaking with Photoshop CS2.

4 comments

M33 - The Triangulum Galaxy

HapGriffin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:22:32 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: M 33 is one of four other galaxies which, along with our own Milky Way galaxy, make up what is known as the "Local Group." On very dark nights, it can be glimpsed with the naked eye by experienced observers and covers an area almost four times the size of the full moon. M 33 has long been known to astronomers, being first cataloged before 1654 and later "re-discovered" by Charles Messier in 1764. Due to its apparent size and proximity, 3 million light-years (just next door in galactic terms!), it has been thoroughly studied and mapped. Several very large HII regions of star formation have been cataloged, along with 112 variable stars, 4 novae, 25 Cepheid variable stars, and a large X-ray source. Capture Date: October 3, 2008 Location: Griffin/Hunter Observatory Camera: Canon 40D DSLR (modified) Instrument: Orion 10" Newt w/ MPCC Focal Ratio: f/4.7 Mount: AP-1200 Guiding: ST-402 w/ Tak FS-102NSV Conditions: Visually clear Weather: 60 - 47 F Exposure: 85 x 5 minutes @ ISO 800 Filters: Baader UV/IR block Processing: Focused and captured, RAW to TIFF conversion, Digital Development in ImagesPlus v3.50a. Final tweaking in Photoshop PS2.

5 comments

Western Veil Nebula

HapGriffin — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:00:50 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: Otherwise known as the Cirrus Nebula, or "Witch's Broom". 97 three minutes exposures taken August 8, 2008 at ISO800 with modified Canon 40D stacked. Taken through 10" Orion f/4.7 Newtonian with Baader MPCC on AP1200 mount and guided with an SBIG ST-402 through a Takahashi FS-102.

5 comments

Cocoon Nebula

HapGriffin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:19:58 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: IC 5146 - The Cocoon Nebula. Taken with a modified Canon 40D through an Orion 10" Newtonian. Guided on an AP-1200 mount with an ST-402 through a Tak FS-102NSV refractor. 225 minutes total (45 x 5 minutes @ ISO800)

2 comments

My setup

HapGriffin — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:34:38 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: Orion 10" f/4.9 Newtonian w/ Baader MPCC, Takahashi FS-102NSV refractor, and a Celestron Carbon Fiber C-11...all on an AP-1200 mount and guided with an SBIG ST-402. The imaging camera is a modified (by me, of course!) Canon 40D.

3 comments

M8 through new Takahashi FS-102NSV

HapGriffin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:18:11 -0400

by: HapGriffin

Description: This is the first real photograph taken 7/3/08 through my new Takahashi FS-102NSV. It is 180 minutes total exposures (60 x 3 minutes) with my modified Canon 40D, auto-aligned and processed in ImagesPlus v3.50a and finished in PS CS2.

5 comments

M8 through new Takahashi FS-102NSV

HapGriffin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:18:11 -0400

M8 through new Takahashi FS-102NSV

HapGriffin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:18:11 -0400