Moon setting over Livermore Falls, Maine

Photo taken with Canon EOS REBEL T2i, f/7.1 @119 mm, 1/20, ISO 200

M101 the Pinwheel galaxy

M101 the Pinwheel galaxy

M101, the Pinwheel galaxy, is a face on spiral galaxy in Ursa Major measured at a distance of 21 million light years.  The bright structure to the right of M101 is the peculiar galaxy NCG 5474.  Peculiar galaxies are dwarf galaxies that form as a result of galaxies interacting.  The gravitational pull from nearby galaxies causes the peculiar galaxy to be of unusual shape size or composition.

This was imaged from dark skies of Chiefland, Florida and light polluted skies of Ocala, Florida.

Luminance:  combination of 8 minute, 15 minute and 30 minute subs totaling 11 hours and 8 minutes.

Red 6min x3 and 8min x3

Green 6min x3 and 8min x3

Blue 6min x3 and 8min x3

Imaging telescope:  Orion 80mm EON

Imaging camera:  QSI 683 wsg-8

Losmandy G11 with Gemini 2 German equatorial mount.

M81/M82 Bode's galaxy and Cigar galaxy

M81/M82 Bode's galaxy and Cigar galaxy

Constellation: Ursa Major

~11.8 million light years distant

The galaxy center is active with high rate of star formation caused by the gravitational effect from nearby spiral galaxy, M81.

Ocala, FL and Chiefland, Florida

RGB 6 min subs for a total of 1 hour each channel

Luminance (with IDAS LP filter) combination of 4 min, 6 min and 10 min subs totaling 6 hours and 16 min

Ha 15 min subs for a total of 1 hour

Additional 30, 15 and 6 minute subs in Luminance added from Chiefland, Florida totaling 4 hours

Photoshop CS5 CS5

Imaging telescope: Orion 80mm EON

Imaging camera: QSI 683 wsg-8

Losmandy G-11 with Gemini II

M106 in Canes Venatici

M106 with accompanying galaxies NGC 4217, NGC 4248, NGC 4232, NGC 4231 and NGC 4220.

Spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici

~23.7 million light years distant

Ocala, FL (RGB)

Chiefland, FL (LUM)

Combination of 6 min and 10 min exposures stacked in DeepSkyStacker for a total of 6 hours 40 min

1 hours each RGB

3 hours and 40 min Luminance

2 hours 20 minutes Ha

Additional 15 minute subs in Luminance was added from Chiefland, Florida totaling 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Photoshop CS5

Imaging telescope: Orion 80mm EON

Imaging camera: QSI 683 wsg-8

Losmandy G-11 with Gemini II

Hutech IDAS Light Pollution Suppression (LPS) Filter

Click here to view retired image

Markarian's Chain

Markarian's Chain

Markarian's chain is a chain of galaxies that form part of the Virgo cluster located in the constellation Virgo.

Imaged from Chiefland Star Party Group field (Luminance and RGB)

Luminance 6 minute (totaling 2 hours and 36 minutes) and 8 minute subs (totaling 4 hours and 8 minutes) unbinned

RGB 4 minute subs in each channel (totaling 120 minutes) binned 2x2

Imaging telescope Orion 80mm EON

Imaging camera: QSI 683 wsg-8

Processed in Photoshop CS5

Losmandy G11 with Gemini 2 German equatorial mount

Wide field of Pac Man

NGC 281 the Pac Man nebula (field of view 118 arcmin x 154 arcmin)

Emission nebula in the constellation of Cassiopeia

RGB data captured on October 29 and 31, 2011

H-Alpha data captured on November 1 and November 2, 2011

Ocala, FL

RGB data: Combination of 60 sec, 120 sec and 180 sec. exposure stacked in DSS for a total of 4 hour 7 min with 10 minute

H-Alpha data: 10 minute exposure stacked in DeepSkyStacker for a total of 2 hours and 10 min.

PhotoShop CS5

Orion 80mm EON

Orion 50mm guide scope with SSAG

Canon T1i (modified)

Losmandy G11 with Gemini II

Hutech IDAS Light Pollution Suppression (LPS) Filter

Astronomic 6nm H-Alpha clip filter for Canon EOS

Additional data adding detail to the inner nebula was accomplished using an Astro-Tech 8 inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope (Ha data) and Explore Scientific 127mm CF APO (RGB)

Imaging camera: QSI 683wsg-8

Ha data 3 hours

RGB data 40 min each Red, Green and Blue channel binned 2x2