Constellations - Southern Cross
The Dark Emu of aboriginal sky lore high in the sky above the trees at Tibuc Cottage, Coonabarabran, Australia. The Southern Cross and Coal Sack (the head of the Emu) is at upper right; the feet of Emu (dark clouds in Scutum) are at lower left. Antares and Scorpius are near centre. The bright star clouds toward the centre of the Galaxy in Sagittarius are at lower centre. The Gegenschein is at upper left. This was on a late April night. This is a single untracked exposure from a 280-frame time lapse, each frame 40 seconds at f/2.5 with the 14mm Rokinon lens and Canon 6D at ISO 3200.
The Dark Emu Overhead-B&W Naked Eye View
The formation of dark lanes called the Dark Emu in Australian aboriginal sky lore, seen here in its entirety with it overhead in the April pre-dawn sky. The head is at right in Crux, as the Coal Sack, the body is around the Galactic Centre, the tail is at left in Scutum. Some airglow discolours the sky. This is a stack of 5 x 2.5-minute exposures with the 14mm Rokinon lens at f/2.8 and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 1600. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker. From Tibuc Gardens Cottage near Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia, Aoril 28, 2017.
The formation of dark lanes called the Dark Emu in Australian aboriginal sky lore, seen here in its entirety with it overhead in the April pre-dawn sky. The head is at right in Crux, as the Coal Sack, the body is around the Galactic Centre, the tail is at left in Scutum. Some airglow discolours the sky. This is a stack of 5 x 2.5-minute exposures with the 14mm Rokinon lens at f/2.8 and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 1600. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker. From Tibuc Gardens Cottage near Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia, Aoril 28, 2017.
A view looking up to the zenith at the centre of the Galaxy and the Dark Emu formation of dark nebulas and lanes in the Milky Way stretching across the frame — from the head of the Emu in the Coal Sack at upper right in Crux … … to the body of the Emu at centre around the galactic core in Scorpius and Sagittarius … … to the feet and tail of the Emu at lower left in Scutum. The view takes in the most spectacular features of the Milky Way, as seen from a latitude of 32° South with the galactuc centre overhead at 2:00 on a late April morning in Australia. The faint blue band running vertically at left is the Zodiacal Band. Some reddish bands of airglow are at lower right. This is a stack of 5 x 3-minute exposures with the Rokinon f/2.5 14mm SP lens at f/2.8 and filter-modified Canon 5D MKII at ISO 1600. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker from Tibuc Gardens Cottage, Coonabarabran, Australia.
Splendours of the southern Milky Way from Vela (at top right) to Centaurus (at bottom left), including the Carina Nebula, Crux and Coal Sack, and Alpha and Beta Centauri. A part of the huge Gum Nebula is at far right. The False Cross is at right, with the large cluster NGC 2516, the Diamond Cluster, below it. The globular cluster Omega Centauri is at upper left. This is a stack of 4 x 3-minute exposures at f/2.8 with the 35mm lens and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2000. Median combined to help eliminate cloud that was moving in. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker.
Southern Sky Splendours-B&W Naked Eye View
Splendours of the southern Milky Way from Vela (at top right) to Centaurus (at bottom left), including the Carina Nebula, Crux and Coal Sack, and Alpha and Beta Centauri. A part of the huge Gum Nebula is at far right. The False Cross is at right, with the large cluster NGC 2516, the Diamond Cluster, below it. The globular cluster Omega Centauri is at upper left. This is a stack of 4 x 3-minute exposures at f/2.8 with the 35mm lens and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2000. Median combined to help eliminate cloud that was moving in. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker.
Southern Sky Splendours with Labels
Splendours of the southern Milky Way from Vela (at top right) to Centaurus (at bottom left), including the Carina Nebula, Crux and Coal Sack, and Alpha and Beta Centauri. A part of the huge Gum Nebula is at far right. The False Cross is at right, with the large cluster NGC 2516, the Diamond Cluster, below it. The globular cluster Omega Centauri is at upper left. This is a stack of 4 x 3-minute exposures at f/2.8 with the 35mm lens and filter-modified canon 5D MkII at ISO 2000. Median combined to help eliminate cloud that was moving in. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker.
Southern Milky Way Rising in Clouds
The southern Milky Way in Carina and Crux rising from behind gum trees and with light cloud moving in to haze the stars, Alpha Centauri is just clearing the trees. The Carina Nebula is at top. Omega Centauri is at left. This is a stack of 4 x 2-minute exposures at f/2.8 with the 35mm lens and Canon 5D MkII at ISO 3200. One exposure layerd in for the trees. Tracked on the iOptron Sky-Tracker.
The Coal Sack dark nebula next to the Southern Cross framed with a 200mm telephoto lens. The scene includes the open star cluster, the Jewel Box (NGC 4755) at left of Beta Cruxis (aka Becrux) at left, and the dimmer star clusters NGC 4609 (left of Acrux at bottom), Trumpler 20 (right of Becrux) and NGC 4349 (above Acrux). This is a stack of 4 x 2-minute exposures with the 200mm lens at f/2.8 and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2500. Tracked on the AP400 mount,
The Southern Cross framed with a 200mm telephoto lens. The scene includes the open star cluster, the Jewel Box (NGC 4755) at left of Beta Cruxis (aka Becrux) at left, and the dimmer star clusters NGC 4609 (left of Acrux at bottom), Trumpler 20 (right of Becrux) and NGC 4349 (above Acrux). Reddish Gacrux or Gamma Cruxis is at top of the Cross. The dark Coal Sack is at lower left. This is a stack of 4 x 2-minute exposures with the 200mm lens at f/2.8 and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2500. Tracked on the AP400 mount,
Milky Way Rising #2 - With Dark Emu
The southern Milky Way and galactic centre rising on an April night in Australia, with the Dark Emu rising and now cleared the trees with hsi head, neck and body visible. Scorpius has risen. The faint glow at left is the Zodiacal Band. While it looks like the Milky Way is casting light across the ground, the bright ground is from lights from a nearby house on briefly for a few seconds. This is a stack of 8 x 45-second exposures for the ground, mean combined to smooth noise, and one 45-second untracked exposure for the sky, all with the Rokinon 14m lens at f/2.5 and Canon 6D at ISO 3200. Taken as part of a 500-frame time-lapse sequence.
Miljy Way Rising #1 - With Gegenschein
The southern Milky Way and galactic centre rising on an April night in Australia, with the Dark Emu rising. At upper left is Jupiter, and below it the diffuse glow of Gegenschein near the star Spica. This is a stack of 8 x 45-second exposures for the ground, mean combined to smooth noise, and one 45-second untracked exposure for the sky, all with the Rokinon 14m lens at f/2.5 and Canon 6D at ISO 3200. Taken as part of a 500-frame time-lapse sequence.
A bright bolide meteor and “smoke” trail south of the southern Milky Way as Crux and the Pointers rise in the east on a clear Australian night. Jupiter is the bright object at left. This is a stack of 8 x 45-second untracked exposures for the ground, mean combined to smooth noise, and one 45-second exposure for the stars and main bolide trail. The yellow ion train was added in with another exposure taken a couple of minutes later as the train began to blow away from the meteor path. That layer is masked to reveal just the train. All frames taken as part of a 500-frame time-lapse sequence of the Milky Way rising.
The Pointers and the Southern Cross
The Pointer Stars (Alpha and Beta Centauri, at left) pointing to the stars of the Southern Cross, Crux, at right. The Coal Sack, obvious as a dark patch in the Milky Way to the naked eye, here looks less obvious as it breaks up into streaks and bands of dark dust to the left of the Cross. This is a stack of 5 x 2.5-minute exposures at f/2 with the 85mm Rokinon manual lens, and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2000. Plus one exposure through a Kenko Softon A filter layered in to add the star glows.
The Splendours of Carina and Crux
The amazing area of the southern Milky Way in Carina and Crux, the brightest part of the Milky Way after the galactic core region. At right is the Carina Nebula, with the Southern Pleiades cluster, IC 2602, below it. The Football Cluster, NGC 3532, is at upper left of the Carina Nebula. At centre is the region of Lambda Centauri, with the star cluster NGC 3766, the Pearl Cluster, above the emission nebulosity. At left is the Southern Cross, with the dark Coal Sack at bottom left of the Cross, with thin tendrils extending to the right. To the left of Alpha Cruxis at the bottom of the Cross is the star cluster NGC 4609; aboive Alpha is NGC 4649. To the left of Beta Cruxis at the left side of the Cross is the Jewel Box Cluster, NGC 4755. This is a stack of 6 x 2.5-minute exposures with the 85mm Rokinon lens at f/2 and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2000, plus one exposure layered in that had some natural haze from high cloud to add the accentuated star glows. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker, from Tibuc Gardens Cottage at Coonabarabran, Australia.
Jupiter, Gegenschein and the Southern Milky Way
Jupiter at top left, with the diffuse glow of Gegenschein below it around Spica, and the southern Milky Way in Centaurus rising in the east. Carina is at top right, Crux near centre and Alpha and Beta Centauri below Crux. Scorpius is just rising through the gum trees. This is a stack of 5 x 3-minute exposures with the filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2000 and Rokinon 14mm lens at f/2.5, tracked on the iOptron Sky-Tracker. From Tibuc Gardens, Coonabarabran, Australia.
Southern Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds
The Milky Way in the southern hemisphere sky from Vela at top right to Centaurus at bottom left. At left of centre is the huge Gum Nebula emission nebula bubble. At centre is the Carina Nebula. At bottom are the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds Crux is left of centre. Alpha and Beta Centauri are left of Crux. This is a stack of 5 x 3-minute tracked exposures with the filter-modified Canon 5D MkII camera at ISO 2000 and 14mm Rokinon lens at f/2.5. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker, from Tibuc Gardens Cottage, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia.
Milky Way from Sirius to Alpha Centauri
The Milky Way in the southern hemisphere sky from Canis Major at top right to Centaurus at bottom left, from Sirius to Alpha Centauri. At centre is the huge Gum Nebula emission nebula bubble. At left of centre is the Carina Nebula. At bottom is the Large Magellanic Cloud. Crux is at lower left. This is a stack of 5 x 3-minute tracked exposures with the filter-modified Canon 5D MkII camera at ISO 2000 and 14mm Rokinon lens at f/2.5. On the iOptron Sky-Tracker, from Tibuc Gardens Cottage, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia.
The southern Milky Way with Crux and Carina at centre rising in the southeast in deep blue twilight on April 17, 2017. Above is the False Cross, below are the Pointer Stars of Alpha and Beta Centauri. The Carina Nebula is at centre, the Southern Cross below. Below the Cross is the Coal Sack. This is a stack of 8 x 20 second exposures for the ground to reduce noise and one 20-second exposure for the sky, untracked. All at ISO 1250 with the Canon 6D and f/2 with the 35mm lens. Taken from Tibuc Gardens Cottage at Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia.
Southern Cross over Cape Otway Lighthouse
The Southern Cross (upper left) and Pointer Stars (below) in the moonlight over the Cape Otway Lighthouse, on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. Illumination is from the nearly Full Moon behind the camera. The Lighthouse was built in 1848 and served as a landfall light from arriving immigrant ships, the first light they would see after a long sea voyage. The main tower is no longer lit; a smaller beacon behind the tower serves as the light now. This is a blend of two exposures, a 6-second exposure for the main scene and a shorter 1/15-second exposure for the Lighthouse itself to prevent it from being overexposed, due to it being floodlit by lamps.
Dark Emu Rising in Moonlight over Tasman Sea
The Dark Emu of aboriginal sky lore rising in a moonlit sky over the Tasman Sea from a beach near Lakes Entrance, Victoria, Australia, April 2, 2017. Lights from fishing boats dot the horizon out at sea. Illumination is from the waxing crescent Moon behind the camera to the north. This is looking southeast. Crux, the Southern Cross, is at top; the Pointer Stars are below. This is a single exposure, from a 300-frame time-lapse, at 36 seconds at ISO 3200 and f/2.5 with the Rokinon 14mm lens and Canon 6D.
Dark Emu Rising over the Tasman Sea
The Dark Emu of aboriginal sky lore rising out of the Tasman Sea, from the south cost of Victoria, Australia. From Cape Conran on the Gippsland Coast. Carina is just above centre, Crux, the Southern Cross is at centre, and Centaurus is below Crux. The False Cross is at top. This is a stack of 4 x 45-second exposures for the ground and one 45-second exposure for the sky, all with the 14mm Rokinon lens at f/2.5, and Canon 6D at ISO 3200.
Jupiter and Southern Milky Way Rising
Jupiter and the southern Milky Way rising over the Tasman Sea, at Cape Conran, on the Gippsland Coast in Victoria, Australia. The Southern Cross and Coal Sack are at top right, with the Pointers of Alpha and Beta Centauri below. The dark lanes in the Milky Way form the head and neck of the Dark Emu, here rising out of the ocean in the southeast. Jupiter is the bright object at left. The waves below Jupiter may be blue from bioluminesence. This is a stack of 4 x 40-second exposures for the ground, mean combined to smooth noise and further blur the water, and one 4-second exposure for the sky, all with the 14mm Rokinon lens at f/2.5 and Canon 6D at ISO 3200.
Southern Stars Rising at Cape Conran
The wonders of the southern hemisphere sky rising over the Tasman Sea at Cape Conran, on the Gippsland Coast of Victoria. Australia, on March 31, 2017. The head and neck of the Dark Emu is rising from the ocean. At top is the Carina Nebula area, below is Crux, the Southern Cross, and below it are the twin Pointer Stars of Alpha and Beta Centauri. At top right is the Large Magellanic Cloud, and below it is the Small Magellanic Cloud. Left (north) of the Crux and Pointers is the fuzzy spot of Omega Centauri globular cluster. At far right is the star Achernar. At centre is the area of the South Celestial Pole. The dim red glow in the sky due south at centre might be aurora australis but is likely airglow. This is a stack of 4 x 40-second exposures, untracked, for the ground, mean combined to smooth noise, and one 40-second exposure for the sky, all at f/2.5 with the 14mm Rokinon lens and Canon 6D at ISO 3200.