M103 vs. The Double Cluster

Got another Messier Object on my quest of imaging all 110 objects (Messier Objects with an ED) with my Orion ED80. In addition stopped by the Double Cluster for a peak. M103 is located very close to Ruchbah, one of the five bright stars in the constellation Cassiopeia.

As a side note, I recently purchased the QHY-5L-II-M autoguider/planetary camera for autoguiding. So far I love this autoguider, it focuses really well on objects and quickly calibrates using PHD, even when moving on to different objects. See my recent post on the Autoguider at http://kurt-zeppetello.blogspot.com/2015/11/new-images-for-messier-quest.html.

Image 1


Image 2


M103 - Open Cluster
Location: Monroe, CTDate/Time: 12/5/15 11:00 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: QHY-5L-II-M attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5
Exposure: 13-90s, 1-120 (total exposure, 21.5 min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (label)

Image 3


Image 4


Double Cluster
Location: Monroe, CTDate/Time: 12/5/15 12:00 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: QHY-5L-II-M attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5
Exposure: 20-90s (total exposure, 30 min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10)

This was my first attempt to get an image of the comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina).  The images are from my work parking lot (Seymour High School) in southern Connecticut.  I don't consider these images to be that good, as I was hoping for better.  However, when I first looked at them I did not think I got anything, Southern CT isn't known for dark sky's and this comet isn't living up to early expectations.  It was only when I playing around with Photoshop and Picasa3 that I was able to resolve the comet.  I plan on getting respectable images with my telescope when it passes within 1 degree of Arcturus on January 1st or January 16 when it is close to the handle of the Big Dipper.

The comet became visible to viewers in the Northern Hemisphere in mid-November and is now heading away from the sun on its way back to the Oort Cloud from which its hence.  According to Kelly Beatty (Sky and Telescope) it will be closest to Earth on January 12 at a distance of 0.72 astronomical units (108 million km).

Original Image

Cropped Image

Cropped Image

Stacked and Cropped

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10)
Location: Seymour High School, Seymour, CT
Date/Time: 12/4/15 5:58 am
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Mount: Fixed Tripod
Autoguiding: none
Focal Length: 55mm
f/5.6
Exposure: 20s
ISO: 800
Post Processing: PS, Picas3
Stacking on the Last Photo: DSS (3 x 20s exposures)



http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/Web_Dec15_Catalina_BW.pdf

Toyota RAV4 Side Mirror Wiring

I replaced my passenger side mirror on my 2009 Toyota RAV4 with the Kool-Vue replacement model (power, heated, turn signal).  There are some very good tutorials on how to do this.  I used one on YouTube by Mike Wilza: link.  He gives a quick and easy to follow demonstration on what to do.  However, my problem arose when the new wiring clip did not match the original clip.  After doing some research particularly on RAV4World.com, I discovered there were two RAV4 manufacturing plants, one in Japan and the other in Canada.  The mirror I was sent was the one from Japan while my RAV4 was from Canada. 

So rather than send it back as some suggested, I replaced the clip on the new mirror so it would work. Fortunately others have done this, unfortunately not with the heated model so I had to guess.  The following are the wiring connections I used:

Toyota:               Kool-Vue
green:                  red
blue:                    brown
yellow:                purple
white:                  white
pink:                   pink
black:                  black
black (white dot): black (writing)

It works well, however, one of the connections is reversed. When I want the mirror to point away from me, it points towards me and visa versa. The up-down works normal as does the turn signal.

I like this tiny anomaly so I am not taking anything apart again...

Attached is a photo of the wiring of the new mirror to the original clip. 

Astronomy Night at Boothe Park

The newly refurbished 16'' f/15 telescope at the Boothe Memorial Astronomical Society (BMAS) Observatory in Boothe Memorial Park is operational (thanks George).  At our regular meeting on Friday November 20, 2015 we finally had a good first light with all the equipment working as planned.  Meetings are open to the public and are from 8:00 - 10:00 pm the 1st and 3rd Friday's of each month.

Below are some images of the moon through the scope that I took and a link to a video survey that Elliott Severn shot.  The images of the Orion Nebula were taken through my Orion ED80.  There was nothing fancy about it I just had few minutes and decided to take a 30 second unguided image.

Link to the video survey by Elliott: video survey

Moon Images

Location: BMAS Observatory, Stratford, CT

Date/Time: 11/20/15 10:53 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope: 16 inch Reflector Telescope

Mount: Huge Sturdy Dinosaur (Unk)

Autoguiding: none
Focal Length: 6000mm

f/15

Exposure: 250s 

ISO: 800

Post Processing: none

M42 - Orion Nebula

Location:  BMAS Observatory, Stratford, CT

Date/Time: 11/20/15 10:44 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount

Autoguiding: none
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 30s 

ISO: 800

Post Processing: PS

The Thermite Reaction in slow motion!

The Thermite Reaction in slow motion!  See molten iron fall from the reaction vessel (flower pot)! An initial reaction of sucrose (C12H22O11) + potassium chlorate (KNO3) + a couple drops of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is used to initiate the more violent thermite reaction in which the reactants, iron III oxide (Fe2O3) + aluminum (Al), produce iron (Fe) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3). 

The person in the hold my IPAD is Mike Sirowich (The Physics Teacher at Seymour High School) who was busy recording the demonstration with his new thermal imagining camera (Video 2).

Video 1 - Slow Motion

Video 2 - Recorded with the Thermal Imager

New Images for the Messier Quest

Testing out a new autoguider and obtaining new shots for my quest of imaging all 110 Messier objects with an ED80. My old autoguider was the Orion G3 Color Imaging camera. This did work but it took a while to go through the alignment process in PHD guiding and since I never used it for general imaging, I decided to sell that on Ebay and get a monochrome camera that was dedicated as an autoguider. I chose the QHY-5L-II-M, which is equivalent to the Orion Starshoot Autoguider Pro only less expensive. This camera aligns much quicker than the G3 ever did and I can use it for solar system objects and star clusters.

M15 and M52 were both visible from my front lawn for few hours the other night and I was able to get some pretty decent shots, although I had to set up a screen to block my new neighbors three flood lights that they installed. A bonus with M52 was the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) which I was not sure I would get with my Orion ED80. Since it came out better than I expected, I will revisit the Bubble sometime in the future.

M15 - Globular Cluster (33,600 LY, 100,000 stars)


M15 - Globular Cluster
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 11/3/15 9:27 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: QHY-5L-II-M attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 9-60s, 9-90s (total exposure, 22.5 min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop)

M52 - Open Cluster (~5,000 LY, ~193 stars)


M52 - Open Cluster
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 11/3/15 10:44 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: QHY-5L-II-M attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 30-90s (total exposure, 45 min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop)

NGC 7635 - Bubble Nebula (7,100-11,000 LY, emission nebula)


NGC 7635 - Bubble Nebula
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 11/3/15 10:44 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: QHY-5L-II-M attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 30-90s (total exposure, 45 min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop)

Conjunction of Venus, Jupiter, and Mars

Venus, Jupiter, and Mars in conjunction on my morning walk with the dog!  Currently within 5 degrees of each other where they will be until 10/29.  While two planet conjunctions happen with some frequency, three planet alignments are much less common.  The next not occurring until 2021.

Conjunction of Venus, Jupiter, and Mars
Monday‎, ‎October‎ ‎26‎, ‎2015 ‎5‎:‎49‎ ‎AM
Canon EOS REBEL T3i
fixed tripod
30 sec.
f/3.5 18mm
ISO 400
Picasa3 Crop, Label

Deep Sky Images from CSP-25

Great night observing and imaging at CSP-25 (Connecticut Star Party, 25th year). The annual event is put together by the Astronomical Society of New Haven (ASNH) and this year it was held at the Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation in Goshen, CT on the weekend of October 9-11, 2015. The event was well attended by many local astronomy clubs including my own, Booth Memorial Astronomical Society (BMAS). Thank you ASNH for holding this event.

Continuing with my goal of imaging all 110 Messier Objects and other objects:

Dumbbell Nebula 8:23 pm





M27 - Dumbbell Nebula
Location: Goshen, CT
Date/Time: 10/10/15 8:23 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: Orion StarShoot G3 attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 5-60s (total exposure, 5min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop)

Note: It turned out OK for what it was, a test. I took better images of the Dumbbell (longer exposure) previously but it was the first object of the night.

Andromeda Galaxy - 9:06 pm








M31 - Andromeda Galaxy, M32 - Satellite Galaxy, M110 - Satellite Galaxy

Location: Goshen, CT
Date/Time: 10/10/15 9:06 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: Orion StarShoot G3 attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 6-60s, 15-120s, 1-180s (total exposure, 39min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (Label)

Note: I am pleased with the way this turned out. I have imaged M31 before but not for this long (39 min). I wish I did this for even longer. Maybe next time.

North American Nebula 10:29 pm


North American Nebula
Location: Goshen, CT
Date/Time: 10/10/15 10:29 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: Orion StarShoot G3 attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 6-60s, 4-120s (total exposure, 14min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS

Note: There are certainly much better photos of this object but this was the first time I ever was able to capture any nebulousness.

The Pleiades Cluster - 10:57 pm





M45 - Pleiades Cluster
Location: Goshen, CT
Date/Time: 10/10/15 10:57 pm
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: Orion StarShoot G3 attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 1-60s, 5-90s, 16-120s, 3-180s (total exposure, 49min 30s)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS

Note: I am also pleased with the way Pleiades turned out. I have imaged M45 before but not for 49 min. This is one of my favorite objects to observe and image, thus look for more images of this in the future.

Bode's Nebula, the Cigar Galaxy and NGC 3077 - 1:30 am








M81 - Bode's Nebula, M82 - Cigar Galaxy, NGC 3077
Location: Goshen, CT
Date/Time: 10/11/15 1:30 am
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: Orion StarShoot G3 attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 22-90s (total exposure, 33min)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop)

Note: Again, there are certainly much better photos of these objects as well, but this was the first time was able to image this with the help of BMAS members, Elliot Severn and Pete. It did get a little misty while imaging so the sub exposures are not as good as they could be.

Overall I had a decent imaging session but in hind sight I did too much. I should have imaged less objects for longer exposures.

New Project...Messier

My new project - Image all 110 Messier objects.  The Messier Catalog, of course named in honor of Charles Messier, a French astronomer, who in the 1700's while searching for comets began cataloging other objects so they would not be confused with comets to be discovered.

I have previously imaged the following: M3-Globular Cluster, M4 - Globular Cluster, M8-Lagoon Nebula, M13-Globular Cluster, M27-Planetary Nebula, M31-Andromeda Galaxy, M32-Galaxy, M42, Great Orion Nebula, M45-Pleiades Star Cluster, M57-Planetary Nebula, M110-Galaxy.  I plan to organize this better and may re-image some of these as time goes on and I improve my technique.

Lunar Eclipse Composite

Below is my composite of the Lunar Eclipse from Sunday 9-27-15.  The photos were taken with the Boothe Memorial Astronomy Society at the Observatory in Stratford, CT.  I used Photoshop to combine the images and Picasa3 to label the times.  I am new to Photoshop which is why it took so long to process the images.  Also, the my scope had some dew on the objective lens but they still came out OK.  I was happy to get anything at all.  Next time I will connect the anti-dew heating straps earlier to avoid this problem.

Eclipse

Location: Boothe Memorial Park Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 9/27/15 08:43 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount

Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 1/400s
ISO: 100

Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop, label)

Eclipse

Location: Boothe Memorial Park Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 9/27/15 09:50 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount

Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 1/60s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop, label)

Eclipse

Location: Boothe Memorial Park Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 9/27/15 10:41 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount

Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 2s
ISO: 1600

Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop, label)

Eclipse

Location: Boothe Memorial Park Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 9/27/15 11:03 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount

Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 2s
ISO: 1600

Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop, label)

Eclipse

Location: Boothe Memorial Park Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 9/27/15 11:27 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount

Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 1.6s
ISO: 1600

Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop, label)

Eclipse

Location: Boothe Memorial Park Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 9/27/15 11:51 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Backyard EOS

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount

Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 1/160s
ISO: 400

Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop, label)

Venus in the Morning...

I walk my dog, Ruthie, every morning at 5:30 am and have great views.  This time I brought the camera and got a got a couple of quick shots.  Venus is at its brightest right now even though it is not full.

9/21/2015 5:36am
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
18-55 mm IS II
18mm
ISO 400
10s
F/3.5

Prelude to the Lunar Eclipse

See this object turn color during the Eclipse on September 27th with Boothe Memorial Astronomical Society at Boothe Memorial Park in Stratford.

Enjoy an evening viewing an eclipse and other astronomical objects.SEPTEMBER 27, 2015 8:00-11:00 pm 

This event also marks “First Light” of our newly redesigned 16” telescope.  
The scope has too much magnification to enjoy an eclipse, but we'll have other scopes on the field for the eclipse and other astronomical objects.

Directions:

The Boothe Memorial Astronomical Society (BMAS) Observatory is in Boothe Memorial Park at 5800 Main St, Stratford, CT.  Our building is located on the hill between the RR museum and the cemetery.

From Merritt Parkway, use Exit 53. Proceed south on Route 110 to Main St. Putney which branches off to the right. Ride south on Main St. Putney six-tenths of a mile to the park.

NOTE: Bathrooms not available.

Image Details:

The Moon

Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 9/20/15 20:20
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i (Controlled by Backyard EOS)

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Explore Scientific Twilight 1 altazimuth mount

Autoguiding: None
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 1/160s
ISO: 100

Post Processing: PS (crop)

The Waxing Crescent Moon

The Waxing Crescent Moon (19.17%) from my front lawn.

9/17/2015 19:51am
Nikon D3000
VR 70-300mm
300mm
ISO 200
1/100s
F/5.6

9/17/2015 19:52am
Nikon D3000
VR 70-300mm
300mm
ISO 200
1/30s
F/5.6

First Shot of the Pleiades This Season!

The site of the Pleiades at a reasonable hour 12:30 am can only mean one thing,  Fall is just around the corner.  This is image consists of 5 individual images stacked for a total exposure of 9 minutes. Some nebulosity is visible.  This is one of my favorite objects worthy of more shots with longer exposure time.

M45 - The Pleiades

Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 9/7/15 12:57 AM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope

Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount

Autoguiding: Orion StarShoot G3 attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm

f/7.5

Exposure: 2-60s, 2-120s, 1-180s (total exposure, 9min)
ISO: 800

Post Processing: DSS, PS, Picasa3 (crop, label)

Catching the Moon at SHS with Mike Sirowich

Catching the Waning Gibbous Moon at Seymour High School this morning with Mike Sirowich.

9/2/2015 5:51am
Nikon D3000
VR 70-300mm
300mm
ISO 100
1/60s
F/5.6

9/2/2015 5:51am
Nikon D3000
VR 70-300mm
300mm
ISO 100
1/125s
F/5.6

9/2/2015 5:51am
Nikon D3000
VR 70-300mm
300mm
ISO 100
1/60s
F/5.6
Crop

Catching the Dumbbell Nebula during the Meteor Shower

While watching the Persiad Meteor Shower Wednesday night/Thursday morning (and trying get photo with my old camera) I had another go at it with my autoguider setup (see autoguider post) imaging the the Dumbbell Nebula (M27).  The Dumbbell Nebula is a planetary nebula, formed from an exploding star 9800 years ago (estimated).  It located in the constellation Vulpecula (halfway between the bright stars,  Deneb and Altair of the Summer Triangle) at a distance of about 1360 light years from Earth.

The image was made by stacking nine exposures each 90 seconds for a total time of 14.5 minutes. The autoguider worked perfectly as the stars show no trailing.

Image 1 - Raw Crop

Image 2 - Raw from DSS

Image 3 - JPEG from DSS

Image Details:
Images 1 - 3:
M27 - The Dumbbell Nebula (mag +7.5)
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 8/12/15 11:38 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount
Autoguiding: Orion StarShoot G3 attached to and Orion Short Tube 80mm
Focal Length: 600mm
f/7.5
Exposure: 9-90s (total exposure, 14m30s)
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, PS (crop)

I did manage to get a shot of a meteor during my viewing session and some shoot of the faint Milky Way from my light polluted front yard in southern Connecticut.

Image 4 - Meteor is just below M31

Image 5 - Milky Way

Image 6 - Milky Way