Uploads from jb_astro

Nearly Full October Moon

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:13:58 -0800

jb_astro posted a photo:

The nearly full moon as shot with my modified Canon XS using the video capture feature on Backyard EOS. The telescope is an Astro-Tech 8" RC mounted on my Celestron CGEM. No guiding was done. The video was stacked in Registax and processed in Photoshope CS 3 Extended. No guideing. Image converted to grayscale as the modified camera mad the moon look purple!

M8, The Lagoon Nebula in Sagitarrius

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 15:16:58 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

This is my first completed image using my new AT10IN on the CGEM/Meade Giant Field Tripod combination. I shot this at ISO400 using my modified Canon XS (1000D) equipped with a CLS/CCD filter and a Baader MPCC. This was shot from Fox Park Observatory the night of 6/26/12. This is 19 2.5min exposures for a total of 48 minutes. Combined with 20 flats and 5 darks in Deep Sky Stacker. Post processing done with Photoshop CS3 Extended with Carboni's actions. Guiding done with my AT65EDQ, Orion SSAG, and PHD. Image acquisition and dithering done with BackyardEOS. Thanks for looking!

The Rosette Nebula, NGC2244

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:23:13 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

This was shot 3/14/2012 from the Fox Park Observatory near Potterville, MI. This is 27 x 5 min for a total of 2 hours and 15 min at ISO800. Images was stacked and combined with darks and flats in Deep Sky Stacker. Post processing done in Photoshop CS3 Ext. w/ Carboni's actions.

Camera: Modified Canon 1000D w/ CLS/CCD filter, camera control and dithering done with Backyard EOS
Scope: Astro-Tech AT65EDQ
Mount: Celestron CGEM
Guiding: Orion Mini-Guidescope and Starshoot Autoguider, controlled with PHD.

Horsehead and Flame Nebulae

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 08:31:03 -0800

jb_astro posted a photo:

This was taken on 2/12/2012 from the Fox Park Observatory near Potterville, MI. It is 12x10min exposures for a total of 120min at ISO400 with my modified Canon XS (1000D) . Image acquired and dithered using Backyard EOS.Combined with flats in Deep Sky Stacker (no darks) and post processed in Photoshop CS3.
Mount: CGEM w/ Meade Super Giant Tripod.
Scope: AT65EDQ
Guiding: Orion Miniguidescope w/ Starshoot Auto Guider and PHD Guide software.

I did notice the faint glare cutting the upper right quarter. After some hunting, it is from Rigel. I think it's hitting the baffle ring on the dew shield so I may try again with my extended dew shield installed as I this issues once before with a streetlight and this scope when shooting from my home.

NGC 7293, The Helix Nebula

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:18:48 -0800

jb_astro posted a photo:

This is 1 1/2 hours of 6 minute exposures at ISO1600. Shot from Fox Park Observatory in early October 2011. Combined with darks and flats in Deep Sky Stacker, post processing in Photoshop CS3 Extended with Carboni's Actions.

Scope: AT111EDT with a AT2FF
Mount: CGEM/Meade Giant Field Tripod
Camera: Modified Canon XS (1000D), images acquired and dithered with Backyard EOS
Guiding: Orion Mini-Guidescope and Star Shoot Autoguider with PHD Guide

NGC 7331 and Stephen's Quintet

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:18:48 -0800

jb_astro posted a photo:

This is 2 hours of 10 minute exposures at ISO800. Shot over 2 nights from Fox Park Observatory in early October 2011. Combined with darks and flats in Deep Sky Stacker, post processing in Photoshop CS3 Extended with Carboni's Actions.

Scope: AT8RC with a AT2FF
Mount: CGEM/Meade Giant Field Tripod
Camera: Modified Canon XS (1000D), images acquired with Backyard EOS
Guiding: Orion Mini-Guidescope and Star Shoot Autoguider with PHD Guide

IC 5146, The Cocoon Nebula

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:18:48 -0800

jb_astro posted a photo:

This is 2 hours of 10 minute exposures at ISO800. Shot from Fox Park Observatory in early October 2011. Combined with darks and flats in Deep Sky Stacker, post processing in Photoshop CS3 Extended with Carboni's Actions.

Scope: AT8RC with a AT2FF
Mount: CGEM/Meade Giant Field Tripod
Camera: Modified Canon XS (1000D), images acquired with Backyard EOS
Guiding: Orion Mini-Guidescope and Star Shoot Autoguider with PHD Guide

NGC891

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:04:48 -0800

jb_astro posted a photo:

NGC891 is an edge on spiral galaxy in Andromeda. This is 4 hrs 40mins of 10 min exposures at ISO800. This was taken over 3 nights in late October 2011 from Fox Park Observatory. Combined with darks and flats in Deep Sky Stacker. Post processing done in Photoshop 3CS Ext. with Carboni's Actions.

Scope: AT8RC with a AT2FF
Mount: CGEM/Meade Giant Field Tripod
Camera: Modified Canon XS (1000D), images acquired with Backyard EOS
Guiding: Orion Mini-Guidescope and Star Shoot Autoguider with PHD Guide

The field from the South

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:01:36 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

Fox Park Observatory is in the background

The Observing Field from the North

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:00:46 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

A shot from the front of the observatory.

Inside the observatory

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:00:07 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

We had a wide variety of scope set up inside the observatory for the 1st Annual Star Party @ Fox Park!

M71 and Comet Garrard

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 10:28:20 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

I shot this from the Fox Park Star Party. I had no intention of doing this but when I looked through a large scope and saw how close they were, I thought I might as well give it a try. This is 52 min (26 x 2 min.) of exposure with an AT111EDT and my modified Canon 1000D (XS). They were equipped with a Astronomik CCD/CLS clip in filter and a Astro-Tech Field Flattener all riding on my CGEM mount and guided with a 50mm finder and the Star Shoot Autoguider. Image was acquired using Backyard EOS and guiding with PHD and dithered. Post processing done in Deep Sky Stacker and Photoshop CS3. I had to crop this image as I messed up the meridian flip. This is my first attempt at shooting a comet.

M17, The Swan / Omega Nebula

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:35:52 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

This is my first attempt at taking photos without dark frames and dithering instead. This is 40 exposures totaling 3 hrs and 5 minutes combined with 40 flats in DSS and post-processed in Photoshop CS3 Ext with Carboni's Actions. It was taken with my modified Canon XS (1000D) and my AT111EDT (111mm F7 Apo) equipped with the Astro-Tech Field Flattener and a clip in CLS-CCD filter. The set up was mounted on my CGEM mount and guided with the Orion Starshoot Autoguider/Mini Guidescope package using PHD. Dithering and image capture was done with Backyard EOS. This was shot over 3 nights in late July/late August from the Fox Park Observatory near Potterville, MI.

M16, The Eagle Nebula

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 08:51:14 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

The Eagle Nebula is located 7000 light years away in the constellation Serpens Cauda. This is a stack of 29 exposures 6 minutes in length for a total of 2 hrs 54 min at ISO 1600 with my modified Canon XS (1000D) and a clip in CLS/CCD filter. Combined with 30 darks and 30 flats in Deep Sky Stacker. Post processing done in Photoshop CS3 Extended with Carboni's Actions. This was shot with an Astro-Tech 8" RC with an Astro-Tech Field Flattener (AT2FF) mounted on a CGEM mounts. Guided with a 90mm F5.6 Mak and the Star Shoot Autoguider using PHD. Image acquisition and dithering done with Backyard EOS. Taken over 3 nights from Fox Park Observatory the 1st week of June 2011.

Hickson 44 (NGC3190 and friends)

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:50:43 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

This is one of my tougher shots with my DSLR. These galaxies are located in Leo and are estimated to be 80 million light years away. This is 11 exposures totaling 2 hours 45 minutes (15 minutes each) at ISO 800 with my modified Canon XS (1000D) and Astronomik CLS/CCD filter. Combined with 12 darks and 12 flats in Deep Sky Stacker. Post processing done in Photoshop CS3. This was shot on 5/4/11 from the Fox Park Observatory near Potterville MI (Mag 5.5 skies) using an Astro-Tech 8" RC @ F8 with the AT2FF riding on my CGEM mount and guided with a 90mm F5.6 Mak and the Star Shoot Autoguider.

M101, Another Pinwheel Galaxy

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:43:58 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

M101, also called the PInwheel Galaxy (as is M33), is 27 Million Light Years away. It is located just above the handle of the Big Dipper. This was shot on 4/8/11 from Fox Park Observatory near Potterville, MI with a modified Canon XS (1000D) @ ISO800 and is 14x 6 minutes for a total of 84 minutes. Shot through the AT111EDT and a AT2FF Field Flattener riding on the CGEM mount and guided with the SSAG/PHD/90mm F5.6 guidescope. Combined with darks and flats in Deep Sky Stacker. Post processing with Photoshop CS3 w/ Carboni's actions and Gradient Xterminator.

NGC 2174, The Monkey Head

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:13:05 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

NGC2174, The Monkey Head, is located 4900 light years away in Orion. This is a re-process of the earlier version. This picture was taken from the Fox Park Observatory on 3/28/11. This is 20 x 8min for a total of 160 min. Stacked and combined with darks in Deep Sky Stacker. Post processing in Photoshop CS3 w/ Carboni's actions and Gradient Xterminator

M108 and M97

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 09:07:05 -0700

jb_astro posted a photo:

The Owl Nebula (M97) and M108, While they are both located in the same region of the sky in the bowl of the Big Dipper as seen from Earth, M97, a planetary nebula, is a relatively close 2600 light years away while M108, a spiral galaxy, is 45 million light years away. Taken the night of 3/28/2011 from the Fox Park Observatory. Taken wit1h a modified Canon XS (1000D) and the Astro-Tech AT111EDT @ F5.6 (w/ a .8x WO Focal Reducer I). This is 17 x 5 min for a total of 85 minutes. Stacked and combined with darks in Deep Sky Stacker. Post processing in Photoshop CS3 w/ Carboni's Actions.

NGC 253

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:30:14 -0800

jb_astro posted a photo:

This was just a quick shot on 11/7/10 while I was trying out a new guidscope with my imaging set up. It's not really in a good area of the sky for me as Sculptor in pretty low on the horizon. This is 68 min of exposure (17 x 4min) combined with darks in Deep Sky Stacker (no flats). It was shot with my modified 350D @ ISO800 and the AT111EDT on the CGEM mount. Guided with a 500mm F5.6 Mak, Orion SSAG and PHD Guide. This was a tough process as it is a light polluted area. I would like to shoot this someday from farther south and in a darker area.

NGC6946 and NGC6939

nobody@flickr.com (jb_astro) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:03:13 -0800

jb_astro posted a photo:

I shot this pic on 11/2/2010 from Fox Park Observatory. It is 2 hours worth of exposures (15 x 8min) at ISO 1600 with my Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D). I shot this through the AT111EDT (111mm F7 Apochromatic Refractor) on my CGEM mount and guided with the AT65EDQ and the Orion SSAG w/ PHD. It was pretty cool that night in the low 30's F and skies were quite transparent but not very steady. I cropped the outer 15-20% due to field curvature so I plan to add a flattner for this set up.

Images were stacked and combined with 14 darks and 14 flats in Deep Sky Stacker, post processing with Photoshop CS3 Extended and Carboni's actions.