M101

This week we had a nice stretch of cool, clear weather and I took advantage of it by going to Harold Campbell twice in the last 4 four days. During both outings we had very nice clear, cool weather with very little in the way bugs. I spent both nights pointed at M101 and bellow are 2 versions of the same image.

I also took a time lapse sequence that came out pretty cool that I'll be posting in few days.

M101 full frame. Click to enlarge.

M101 Croped. Click to enlarge.

This is short time-lapse taken mostly at Harold Campbell. The first 15 seconds is from the same night I shot M101.

While waiting for the stars to come out, I shot this close one.

 

Saturday nights alright.

Saturday evening in the scope room at Fox Observatory.

9 year old discusses the meaning of life

Comet PANSTARRS from South Florida

Tonight Comet panstarrs was dimmer or I had more light pollution to deal with but the focus was much better on this set.

Comet PANSTARRS click to enlarge

A week hunting this little guy and I finaly got him! I took several images but the focus was soft on most. I will try for a better shot tomorrow. This was taken at the levee on Atlantic and 75.

M81 and M82 in Ha

I'm happy to report my camera is back from sBig repair, thank you Bill, and is working fine again. The shutter problem has been fixed, it turned out to be a loose connection from the shutter motor to the circuit board. Below is 2 hours of Ha on M81 and M82 one is cropped and the other is full frame. I hope to add rgb this weekend.

The Horsehead Nebula (also known as Barnard 33 in emission nebula IC 434)

HaLRGB

Lum 8x600
Ha 8x600
Red 8x300
Green 8X300
Blue 8x300

New blend, Ha and red channel from lrgb combined and used a luminace

4 hours Ha

here is the Ha data

Videos of Large Meteor Streaking Over Sky In Russia; Loud Sonic Boom Breaks Windows

NGC 2264 aka Christmas Tree Cluster

Over the last week or so I've had 4 clear nights in which to gather data on NGC 2264. Unfortunately on the night I was gathering OIII data, the conditions we less the great resulting is a loss of that nice deep blue I was hoping for.
I'm still pleased with the resulting image, and ready to move on so I'll call this one done for now :).

NGC 2264 aka Christmas Tree Cluster
Ha:30x600, SII:16x600, OIII:22x600
11 hours 30 minutes total

Main Belt Asteriod (14599)

While blinking images taken on Dec 9, 2012 of IC 443 I also found this MBA.

Facts about 14599

Category: Main Belt Asteroid
Rotation: 0
Diamter: 0
Moons: 0
Perihelion: 1.9814281
Aphelion: 2.5121197
Inclination: 5.03903
Orbit: 3.367807507

Discovery Information:
Date: 9/20/1998
Site: La Silla
Discoverer: Elst E. W.

IC 410 aka The Tadpoles Nebula

IC 410 is home to a pair of intriguing structures popularly known as the "tadpoles." These are clumps of gas and dust left over from the formation of the cluster, and are likely forming yet new stars within them.

This a Narrow band image consisting of 18 HA, 8 SI and 14 OIII subs each sub was 10 minutes for a total of just over 6 hours.

HA:18:600, SI:8:600, OIII:14:600