The Lagoon and more...

Finally a clear night. We don't get many here in southern Connecticut. The following images were taken on Thursday 7/16/15 from my favorite location very close to my house. Also this was a beta test for the my autoguider setup. It is basically the Orion Awesome AutoGuider Refractor Telescope Package only the Orion StarShootAutoguider Camera is replaced with the Orion StarShoot G3 Deep Sky Imaging Camera. I purchased the G3 camera at the start of this hobby but switched to a DSLR as they are easier to manage and more versatile. So the G3 finally has an important job.



M8 - Lagoon Nebula (mag +6.0)
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 7/16/15 23:45 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 Short Tube 80mm, Orion StarShoot G3
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 5-60s (5 min total)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop (Darken, Contrast), Picasa3 (crop)

Note:
The Lagoon Nebula is located in Sagittarius between 4000-6000 light years from Earth. The full dimensions are 110 by 50 light years. For perspective the distance to Proxima Centauri, nearest star to our sun is only 4.24 light years.



M8 - Lagoon Nebula (mag +6.0)
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 7/16/15 23:45 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 Short Tube 80mm, Orion StarShoot G3
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 5-60s (5 min total)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop (Darken, Contrast)



Antares and M4 (mag +1.09 and 5.9)
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 7/16/15 23:23 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 Short Tube 80mm, Orion StarShoot G3
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-100s (5 min total)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop (Darken, Contrast)

Note:
The Antares is the bright star in Scorpius and is a red supergiant larger than the orbit of Mars approximately 550 light years from Earth. M4 is a globular cluster approximately 7200 light years from Earth and estimated to be 12.2 by old.



Antares and M4 (mag +1.09 and 5.9)
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 7/16/15 22:49 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 Short Tube 80mm, Orion StarShoot G3
Focal Length: 600mm (lens)
f/7.5
Exposure: 3-300s (15 min total)
ISO: 800
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop (Darken, Contrast), Picasa3 (Label)

Good Night After All

The start of the observing session (Part One) with Boothe Memorial Astronomy Society on Friday (6/19/15) evening.  The crescent moon is not completely dark because of the phenomena of earthshine, light reflected from earth on to the moon.

Moon, Venus, and Jupiter

Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 21:22 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 47.0 mm

f/5.6

Exposure: 2s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Moon, Venus, and Jupiter

Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 21:22 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 47.0 mm

f/5.6

Exposure: 2s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: Picasa3 - labelling

Moon, Venus, and Jupiter

Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 21:35 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 40.0 mm

f/5.6

Exposure: 10s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Moon, Venus, and Jupiter

Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 21:35 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 40.0 mm

f/5.6

Exposure: 10s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: Picasa3 - labelling

Moon, Venus, and Jupiter

Location: Boothe Memorial Observatory, Stratford, CT
Date/Time: 6/19/15 21:51 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 34.0 mm

f/5.6

Exposure: 6s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Venus and Jupiter Coming in Close

Finally some clearing.  Interesting shots of Venus and Jupiter through the trees.  The red cast on some of the images is from my head light.

Venus and Jupiter

Location: Home, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 6/16/15 21:21 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 55.0 mm

f/8.0

Exposure: 13s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Venus and Jupiter

Location: Home, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 6/16/15 21:19 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 45.0 mm

f/8.0

Exposure: 6s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Venus and Jupiter

Location: Home, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 6/16/15 21:18 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 55.0 mm

f/8.0

Exposure: 6s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Venus and Jupiter

Location: Home, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 6/16/15 21:18 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 55.0 mm

f/6.3

Exposure: 13s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Venus and Jupiter

Location: Home, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 6/16/15 21:25 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 55.0 mm

f/5.6

Exposure: 15s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Venus and Jupiter

Location: Home, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 6/16/15 21:24 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 55.0 mm

f/5.6

Exposure: 15s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: None

Alignment of Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon.

Venus and Jupiter hiding behind the trees but I still got them in alignment with the moon... 

Moon, Jupiter, and Venus

Location: Front Lawn, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/25/15 20:49 PM
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Telescope/Lens: 18-55 mm IS II

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Autoguiding: None

Focal Length: 23 mm

f/5.6

Exposure: 1s
ISO: 200

Post Processing: ViewNX (Resize Image)

Shots of the Moon and M3 with the new focuser

I replaced the standard focuser on my Orion ED80 refractor with a Moonlite Dual Speed CF Focuser. I am able to get much better clarity especially when imaging. As a newbie, I have been experimenting with post processing (i.e. Deep Sky Stacker, Registax, and Photoshop) to better my images. The results of some of this is below.

Addendum (2018)
Reprocessing some images to even out the background for a Messier Poster!

M3 - Globular Cluster with about 500,000 stars and 33,000 light-years from Earth located in the constellation of Canes Venatici. The bright orange star Arcturus located in Bootes can be used to locate this cluster which very difficult to view with the naked eye.


stacked, flattened, set the black point

M3 - Glubular Cluster (mag +6.2)
Location: My Driveway, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/22/15 23:51 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 (lens)
f/6
Exposure: 1-20s, 1-30s, 1-60s, 1-90s (3min 20s)
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop (flattened, set the black point)

 

stacked, flattened

M3 - Glubular Cluster (mag +6.2)
Location: My Driveway, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/22/15 23:54 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 (lens)
f/6
Exposure: 1-20s, 1-30s, 1-60s, 1-90s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop (flattened)


stacked

M3 - Glubular Cluster (mag +6.2)
Location: My Driveway, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/22/15 23:54 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 (lens)
f/6

Exposure: 1-20s, 1-30s, 1-60s, 1-90s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: DSS, Photoshop


single frame, dark subtract, adjust histogram

M3 - Glubular Cluster (mag +6.2)
Location: My Driveway, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/22/15 23:54 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 (lens)
f/6
Exposure: 1-90s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: Photoshop (dark subtract, adjust histogram)


single frame, dark subtract

M3 - Glubular Cluster (mag +6.2)
Location: My Driveway, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/22/15 23:54 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 (lens)
f/6
Exposure: 1-90s
ISO: 1600
Post Processing: Photoshop (dark subtract)

The following shots of the moon were probably the most focused shots I ever took. Even when magnified, they are still clear.



M3 - Moon, Waxing Crescent
Location: My Backyard, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/23/15 21:46 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 (lens)
f/6
Exposure: 1/280s
ISO: 200
Post Processing: none



M3 - Moon, Waxing Crescent
Location: My Backyard, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/23/15 21:46 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 (lens)
f/6
Exposure: 1/280s

ISO: 200


M3 - Moon, Waxing Crescent
Location: My Backyard, Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/23/15 21:46 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 (lens)
f/6
Exposure: 1/280s
ISO: 200
Post Processing: Photshop, Photo Editor

Venus and the Waxing Crescent Moon

Venus and the Waxing Crescent:
I was walking up and down my street trying to find a shot...

Venus and Waxing Crescent Moon
Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/20/15 ~8:52 PM
Camera: Canon Rebel T3i

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Focal Length: 48mm

f/5.6
Exposure: 1/5 s

ISO: 800 
Post Processing: None

Venus and Waxing Crescent Moon

Location: Monroe, CT
Date/Time: 5/20/15 ~8:53 PM
Camera: Canon Rebel T3i

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Focal Length: 48mm

f/5.6
Exposure: 1/5 s

ISO: 800 
Post Processing: None

The Moon and Venus!

One these days the snow will melt and I can take pictures outside rather than inside through a window.

Moon

Location: Monroe, CT (Bedroom Window)

Date/Time: 3/22/15 ~9:00 PM
Camera: Canon Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED 80mm Achromatic Refractor

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Focal Length: 600mm
Exposure: 1/30 s
ISO: 200

Moon
Location: Monroe, CT (Bedroom Window)
Date/Time: 3/22/15 ~9:00 PM
Camera: Canon Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED 80mm Achromatic Refractor

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Focal Length: 600mm
Exposure: 1/20 s
ISO: 200 

Venus
Location: Monroe, CT (Bedroom Window)
Date/Time: 3/22/15 ~9:00 PM
Camera: Canon Rebel T3i
Telescope: Orion ED 80mm Achromatic Refractor

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Focal Length: 600mm
Exposure: 1/3 s
ISO: 200 

Venus
Location: Monroe, CT (Front Door)
Date/Time: 3/22/15 ~9:00 PM
Camera: Canon Rebel T3i

Mount: Fixed Tripod

Focal Length: 55mm

f/6.3
Exposure: 1/3 s
ISO: 200 

Misty Moon

Misty Moon through the skylight...

Date/Time: 2/26/15 9:09 PM
Camera: Nikon D3000
Focal Length: 75 mm
Exposure: 1 s
f/7.1
ISO: 800

Date/Time: 2/26/15 9:08 PM
Camera: Nikon D3000
Focal Length: 145 mm
Exposure: 1 s
f/7.1
ISO: 800

Astronomy for Wimps

Orion through the bathroom skylight.  It was 10 degrees (F) outside but nice and warm inside...

 Nikon D3000, 15 s, F/8.0, ISO 800


Nikon D3000, 30 s, F/8.0, ISO 800

 Nikon D3000, 15 s, F/8.0, ISO 800, Photshop

Learning and Playing with New Software

Captured these shots with an Orion Star Shoot Eyepiece II Camera attached to an Orion EQ 8 Reflecting Telescope mounted on a Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount in October 2014.  It has taken me this long before playing with the images.  The Star Shoot Camera actually creates a video which must be processed.  I used the planetary stacking program, RegiStax, to process the images and then Photoshop and Picasa for final tweaking.

Moon Shot 10-6-14, RegiStax, Rotate Crop

Moon Shot 10-6-14, RegiStax and Photoshop, Rotate and Crop

Original Moon Shot 10-6-14, RegisStax

Original Moon Shot 10-6-14, RegiStax and Photoshop

Orion Nebula & Betelgeuse

Bracing the Cold for the First Observation and Photo session of the New Year!

Object: Orion Nebula
Location: Monroe, CT
Date Taken: 01/01/2015
Telescope: Orion SkyView Pro 8 EQ Reflecting Telescope
Other Telescope: none
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Camera: Nikon D3000
Other Camera: none
Temp: 28 deg. F
Processing: Adobe Photoshop (subtract noise)
Exposure: 25s
Iso: 1600
Other Equipment Used: Astro-Tech Coma Corrector and Flattener for Newtonian Reflectors

Object: Orion Nebula
Location: Monroe, CT
Date Taken: 01/01/2015
Telescope: Orion SkyView Pro 8 EQ Reflecting Telescope
Other Telescope: none
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Camera: Nikon D3000
Other Camera: none
Temp: 28 deg. F
Processing: none
Exposure: 13s
Iso: 1600
Other Equipment Used: Astro-Tech Coma Corrector and Flattener for Newtonian Reflectors

Object: Orion Nebula
Location: Monroe, CT
Date Taken: 01/01/2015
Telescope: Orion SkyView Pro 8 EQ Reflecting Telescope
Other Telescope: none
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Camera: Nikon D3000
Other Camera: none
Temp: 28 deg. F
Processing: none
Exposure: 25s
Iso: 1600
Other Equipment Used: Astro-Tech Coma Corrector and Flattener for Newtonian Reflectors

Object: Betelgeuse
Location: Monroe, CT
Date Taken: 01/01/2015
Telescope: Orion SkyView Pro 8 EQ Reflecting Telescope
Other Telescope: none
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Camera: Nikon D3000
Other Camera: none
Temp: 28 deg. F
Processing: Adobe Photoshop (subtract noise)
Exposure: 25s
Iso: 1600
Other Equipment Used: Astro-Tech Coma Corrector and Flattener for Newtonian Reflectors

Object: Betelgeuse
Location: Monroe, CT
Date Taken: 01/01/2015
Telescope: Orion SkyView Pro 8 EQ Reflecting Telescope
Other Telescope: none
Mount: Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Camera: Nikon D3000
Other Camera: none
Temp: 28 deg. F
Processing:none
Exposure: 25s
Iso: 1600
Other Equipment Used: Astro-Tech Coma Corrector and Flattener for Newtonian Reflectors