Helix in Hydrogen alpha

I am slowly getting back into a decent weather pattern so hopefully I'll be imaging on a regular basis soon.  Here is Helix nebula in Hydrogen alpha.  This is 1 hour and 20 minutes of integration time with the AstroTech 8 inch RCT and the QSI 683 wsg-8.  I am hopeful to get in some OIII soon (I'm just waiting for a break in the clouds).
Helix nebula, a planetary nebula, is about 695 light years away in the constellation Aquarius and is the closest planetary nebula to Earth.
More to follow....

Reflecting on my reflections

I set out to image IC 63 "the Ghost of Cassiopeia" and happened across ghosting of a different type.  Come to find out I was getting some diffraction spikes from Navi.  After posting the question on Cloudy Nights  it looks as though CCD chips can reflect light from the sensor, onto the filter, and cause ghost reflections.  The light from a bright star (in this case a magnitude 2.15 star) is reflected internally by the narrowband filter and entered the CCD chip again causing the spider pattern seen in the image.    The pixel cells on the CCD surface is acting as a diffraction grating which is the reason for the even spacing of the spider vane shadows.  Many pixel cells, on the chip, are causing the many spider vanes to appear.
Lesson....avoid imaging targets with bright stars in the field using this gear.
Imaging scope AstroTech 8 inch Ritchey-Chretien
AstroTech Field Flattner
Astrodon 5nm Ha filter
QSI 683wsg-8
20 min subs

Reprocessed Melotte 15 from November 2012

I've reworked some data I got last year of a portion of the Heart nebula, Melotte 15.  This was taken with the Orion 80mm EON and the QSI 683 combining Ha and RGB. 
Melotte 15 is a cluster of stars about 1.5 million years old.  The cloud formation is from stellar winds and radiation from the super hot young stars

Published Letter to the Editor from the Ocala Star Banner

IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the Editor for Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013

Published: Sunday, August 18, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, August 16, 2013 at 7:15 p.m.

Another downtown study is planned?

The front page of Tuesday's Star-Banner featured an article, "Expert to advise Ocala on downtown." It appears as if the city of Ocala has paid Michigan-based Gibbs Planning Group $30,000 to tell them what's going on in Ocala's downtown.

Huh?

So, I Googled Gibbs Planning Group to see what their deal is. I mean, why does Ocala have to hire someone from Michigan to tell us what is going on in Ocala? And for $30,000? Who signed that check? Was it the guy with the city who said that, "Ocala has good bones at its heart"? Bones in the heart? Where are the city of Ocala's PR people? In New York?

Anyway, turns out that Robert Gibbs, the head honcho, is branded as a New Urbanism guru and sells his book on Amazon for $58. Further Googling led me to a magazine article where Gibbs tells the interviewer that it is frustrating that many cities actually turn away national chains, preferring a moribund downtown that seems authentically local.

So, authentic localism — death?

Mr. Gibbs, downtown Ocala is not competing with State Road 200. SR 200 owns the big boxes, chain restaurants, main vein market. Let them have it.

Recharge downtown Ocala?

Get the hobos out of the square. Finish tearing up the streets. Develop events that will draw folks from other areas. Make retail space affordable. Hire someone local to help the stores with merchandising. Make it pedestrian-friendly. And give us our damn check back.

Lisa Notlaw

Ocala

Save energy, along with the night sky

It is time to start thinking about wasted light and the economic impact it has on taxpayers.

I am an amateur astrophotographer, having spent the past three years imaging deep space objects such as nebula and distant galaxies from my backyard here in Ocala.

Over the course of three years, I have noticed an increase in Ocala "sky glow," or the amount of light that has scattered above the ground and into space. Much of this comes from needed development, and with development comes parking lot lights, street lights and general lights from business that scatter light into space above the city.

With responsible development comes responsible lighting. If we can shift the way we direct lights and direct them down, where light is needed, we can limit the amount of light, and energy, wasted to the sky above. Approximately 30 percent of energy used in unshielded lights is wasted to the sky. This wasted energy costs the U.S. $2.2 billion annually. Using full cut-off light fixtures with a lower-wattage bulb will save money for the city, provide security, limit distracting glare (while driving) and help preserve the night sky.

I propose the city of Ocala consider looking into lighting that is cheaper to run, while still providing security, safety and aesthetics.

I also ask for homeowners and business owners to consider using timers, dimmers and sensors to darken unoccupied areas and to use light only when it is needed.

Steve Coates

Ocala

Served up by God

Regarding the letter "Reason to go vegan," the writer asks who decided to label certain species "production animals"? Uh ... that would be God.

In Genesis 3:21, "The Lord God made garment of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." I was surprised our Creator was the first to produce the original fur coat.

Next, in Genesis 9:3, "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."

Deuteronomy 14:4, "These are the animals you may eat: the ox, sheep, goat, deer, gazelle, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. You may eat any animal that has a divided into two, and that chews the cud."

With the Lord's permission, I will continue to eat meat, for it does have nutritional value. But I also concede to the vegans, the animal's flesh producers should, for a good conscience, treat these animals with care and respect before they give up their life for ours.

The meat producers will have to answer to our maker for their inhumane treatment of his creatures.

Joy Rumans

Ocala

Where are Jesse and Al with new cases?

I feel the stand your ground law is just fine.

The black man who was shot by the teenager got out of his SUV and came at the teen with a big stick. The teen was correct in defending himself, and only a lethal defense kept this angry man from beating him severely. The teen was not charged.

By the way, where is Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton in this matter?

In another incident involving a black man (Wednesday's news), the man severely beat a woman alongside a church and then raped her. If she had had a weapon, she certainly would have been justified in shooting the criminal. Where are Jackson and Sharpton in this matter?

These rabble rousers seem to come out of the shadows only when it suits them. They should be actively involved in trying to change the aggressive nature of some of these guys, and then they would not be 70 percent of the inmate population.

George Ellis

Ocala

Images from July/August 2013

Little Deer Isle, Maine 

ISO 3200 

Canon T2i 

ProOptic 8mm Fish Eye lens 

30 second exposure 

July 30, 2013

Caterpillar Hill in Sedgwick Maine

 Canon T2i 

8mm Fish Eye lens at f/3.5

 30 second exposure

 July 30, 2013

Union, Maine

Canon T2i

Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 lens (f/3.5)

30 second exposure

August 2, 2013

Fort Point Light Fort Point State Park 
Stockton Springs, Maine 
Canon T2i 
ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5
 Single 30 second exposure
 August 1, 2013

Imaged from Lake Anasagunticook in Canton, Maine 

Canon T2i 

ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens (f/3.5) 

30 second exposure 

August 4, 2013

Lighthouse on Lake Anasagunticook 

 Canton Lighthouse

 Canon T2i 

ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5 

Single 30 second exposure

 August 6, 2013

Canton Lighthouse

 Canon T2i 

ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5 

Single 30 second exposure

 August 6, 2013

Canton Water Tower

 Canon T2i 

Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 lens (f/3.5) 

Single 30 second exposure

 August 6, 2013

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center 

Canon T2i

 ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5

 Single 30 second exposure 

August 5, 2013

 **This image can be seen as featured in DiscoveryNews.com "Perseids Bombard Earth with Comet Dust: Big Pic".

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center 

Canon T2i

 ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5

 Single 30 second exposure 

August 5, 2013

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center 

Canon T2i

 ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5

 Single 30 second exposure 

August 5, 2013

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center 

Canon T2i

 ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5

 Single 30 second exposure 

August 5, 2013

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center 

Canon T2i

 ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5

 Single 30 second exposure 

August 5, 2013

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center

 Canon T2i 

ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5

 Single 30 second exposure

 August 5, 2013 

 **This image can be seen as featured in DiscoveryNews.com "Perseids Bombard Earth with Comet Dust: Big Pic".

 **This image can also be seen as featured by UniverseToday.com "Perseid Meteor Shower 2013: Images from Around the World".

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center

 Canon T2i 

ProOptic 8mm fish eye lens f/3.5

 Single 30 second exposure

 August 5, 2013 

Letter to the editor sent to the Ocala Star Banner

It is time to start thinking about wasted light and the economic impact it has on tax payers. I am an amateur astrophotographer having spent the past 3 years imaging deep space objects such as nebula and distant galaxies from my backyard here in Ocala. Over the course of 3 years I have noticed an increase in Ocala "sky glow" or the amount of light that has scattered above the ground and into space. Much of this comes from needed development and with development comes parking lot lights, street lights and general lights from business that scatter light into space above the city. As with responsible development comes responsible lighting. If we can shift the way we direct lights and direct them down, where light is needed, we can limit the amount of light, and energy, wasted to the sky above. Approximately 30% of energy used in unshielded lights is wasted to the sky. This energy wasted costs the U.S. 2.2 billion dollars annually. Using shielded lights, with a lower wattage bulb, will save money for the city, provide security, limit distracting glare (while driving) and help preserve the night sky. I propose the city of Ocala consider looking into lighting that is cheaper to run, while still providing security, safety and aesthetics. I also ask for homeowners and business owners to consider using timers, dimmers and sensors to darken unoccupied areas and to use light only when it is needed. Steve Coates Ocala, FL

Images from the Kennedy Space Center July 6, 2013

Launchpad 39A.  All of the Saturn V missions to the moon launched from this site as well as many of the shuttle launches.

Flame trench at launchpad 39A

Once construction completed in 1966, the Vehicle Assembly Building stood at 526 feet tall, 715 feet in length and 518 feet wide making it the largest single story building in the world.  I was used to assemble the Saturn V rocket as well a staging the Shuttle to the solid rocket booster and external fuel tank.

Space shuttle Atlantis

First flight October 3rd, 1985

Final flight July 8, 2011 landing July 21, 2011 having flown a total of 125,935,769 miles in space.