Antares & Rho Ophiuchi Area (77mm 5DII)

The colourful region around yellow Antares (bottom) in Scorpius and blue Rho Ophiuchi (top) in Ophiuchus. The nebulas are largely reflection nebulas, taking on the colour of the stars embedded in the nebulas. However, the field also contains a lot of emission nebulosity, hydrogen gas glowing red and magenta. Plus there are fingers of brown dark dusty nebulosity. It is one of the most colourful regions of the sky. At right of Antares are two globular clusters, NGC 6144 (small, at 2 o'clock from Antares) and the larger Messier 4 right of Antares. This is a stack of 5 x 8 minute exposures with the Borg 77mm astrographic apo (330mm focal length) at f/4.3 and the filter-modified Canon 5D Mark II at ISO 800. I took this March 31/April 1 from Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia.

Aquila (50mm 5DII) Sept 29, 2013

Aquila in a stack of 5 x 4 minute exposures with the Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 and 50mm Sigma lens at f/3.2. Plus two exposures taken thru the Kenko Softon filter for the star glows. Includes the Serpens-Ophiuchus double cluster (SO Double Cluster) of IC 4756 and NGC 663 at right. Altair and Terazed are at top. Taken from home Sept, 29, 2013.

Aquila, Serpens and Ophiuchus in the Summer Sky

The constellation of Aquila (at centre) surrounded by Scutum and its starcloud (below) and Serpens and Ophiuchus (at right to the west). Altair is the bright star left of centre, with Tarazed above it. Albireo in Cygnus is at the very top Above Aquila and below Albireo are the small constellations of Sagitta, Vulpecula and Delphinus (the latter at left). The Coathanger asterism is visible at top in the Milky Way, as are the large open clusters IC 4756 and NGC 6633, the S-O Double Cluster, at right straddling the Serpens-Ophiuchus border. Taken August 20, 2019 during the brief interval of darkness before moonrise at 11 pm this night. This is a stack of 7 x 2-minute exposures with the 35mm Canon lens at f/2.8 and Canon 6D MkII at ISO 1600, with an additional exposure taken through the Kenko Softon A filter layered in to add the star glows. On the Star Adventurer tracker from home.

Aquila and Scutum (50mm 6D)

The constellation of Aquila the Eagle with the small constellation of Scutum the Shield below, with its bright starcloud, in the northern summer sky, with parts of Serpens and Ophiuchus at right. The Serpens-Ophiuchus Double Cluster is at right, made of NGC 6633 (right) and IC 4756 (left). Altair is the bright star at left. This is a stack of 4 x 1-minute exposures with the 50mm Sigma lens at f/2.8 and Canon 6D at ISO 1600, plus an additional 1 min exposure through the Kenko Softon filter to add the star glows. All tracked on the MSM SiFo Tracker from China. Taken from home July 24, 2019.

Auriga (50mm 5DII)

The constellation of Auriga as well as southern Gemini, showing the 4 Messier star clusters: M36, M37, M38 in Auriga and M35 in Gemini. Taken from home with the Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 and Sigma 50mm lens at f/4 for a stack of 5 x 6 minute exposures, plus a stack of 2 x 6 minutes with the Kenko Softon filter.

Auriga and Perseus (March 2023)

A framing of the northern winter sky constellations of Auriga (left) and Perseus (upper right). The Messier star clusters M36, M37 and M38 in Auriga show up well at lower left, along with the Flaming Star, IC 405, and other IC nebulas in Auriga. The large nebula at bottom right is NGC 1499, the California Nebula. The grouping of blue stars at upper right is the Perseus OB Association, aka Melotte 20. Mars is at lower left in Taurus, where it was on March 17, 2023. This is a stack of 15 x 2-minute exposures with the Canon RF28-70mm lens at 43mm and f/2.8 and on the filter-modified Canon Ra camera at ISO 800, on the Star Adventurer tracker. Star glows added by layering in a separate 2-minute exposure taken through a Kase/Alyn Wallace StarGlow filter. Taken from home March 17, 2023 with this area of sky in the southwest and plagued by some gradients, reduced with masks in Adobe Camera Raw and with Gradient XTerminator.

Auriga Clusters and Nebulosity

Messier and NGC clusters and nebulosity in southern Auriga. Taken October 9/10, 2010 under somewhat hazy skies. Stack of 5 x 2.5-minute exposures with 135mm Canon telephoto at f/3.2 and Canon 5D MkII at ISO1600.

The Clusters and Nebulas of Auriga

The field of clusters and nebulosity in Auriga, with — from left to right — Messier 37, Messier 36, and Messier 38, as the main open star clusters here. Below M38 is NGC 1907. The nebulosity at right is IC 410 and IC 405, the Flaming Star Nebula. In between them is the colourful asterism known as the Little Fish. Messier 38 is also known as the Starfish Cluster while Messier 36 is called the Pinwheel Cluster. The bright red nebula at top is Sharpless 2-235. The litttle nebulas at centre are NGC 1931 and IC 417. The field is similar to that of binoculars. This is a stack of 5 x 3-minute exposures with the Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 and 200mm Canon L-Series lens at f/2.8. Taken with the Fornax Lightrack tracker as part of testing. Diffraction spikes added with Astronomy Tools actions. Taken from home on a rare fine and mild winter night, January 4, 2019.

Star Clusters and Nebulas in Auriga

This is a framing of the rich array of star clusters and nebulas in central Auriga. The large star cluster Messier 38 is at top left, with the small cluster NGC 1907 just below it. The smaller star cluster Messier 36 is at left. M38 is often called the Starfish Cluster, while M36 is the Pinwheel Cluster. The complex of star cluster Stock 8 and IC 417 is left of centre, with the small emission nebula NGC 1931 between it and M36. The large nebula at lower centre is IC 410 with the star cluster NGC 1893 embedded in it. The large nebula at right is IC 405, aka the Flaming Star Nebula, with a mix of red emission and blue reflection nebulosity. The faint streak of nebulosity right of M38 at top is Sharpless 2-230. The tiny intense patch of red nebulosity at upper left is Sharpless 2-235. The colourful asterism of stars between IC 410 and IC 405 is variously known as the Little Fish or the Flying Minnow., made of the stars 16, 17, 18 and 19 Aurigae. The field of view is just under 9° by 6°. This is a stack of just 7 x 4-minute exposures with an Askar FMA230 astrograph (230mm focal length at f/4.5), and filter-modified Canon Ra camera at ISO 800. However, no filters were employed here. Nebulosity was brought out using successive curves with luminosity masks generated by Lumenzia. All alignment and layering in Photoshop. Taken from home on January 27, 2022. Autoguided with the MGEN3 guider and dithered. No LENR or dark frame subtraction was employed on this mild winter night. Some light haze in some frames added the star glows. This was a stack of the best 7 frames out of 30 taken this night!

Auriga Clusters, M36, M37, M38 (Bino Field)

Trio of open clusters in Auriga (left to right): M37, M36 and M38 and nearby nebulosity IC 410 and IC 405, Flaming Star Nebula at right. Small nebula at left is Sharpless 2-231. This is a stack of 5 x 4 minute exposurs with Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 and Canon 135mm lens at f/2.8. Taken January 6, 2011. Field of view simulated binocular field.

Auriga Nebulas and Clusters (March 2023)

This is a framing of the main area of central Auriga filled with an array of Messier star clusters and faint IC emission nebulas. The nebula at right is the Flaming Star, aka IC 405. The nebula below centre is IC 410 with the star cluster NGC 1893. The nebula above centre is IC 417 with the star cluster Stock 8. The nebula at upper left is Sharpless 2-235; while the large elongated patch of nebulosity at top centre is Sharpless 2-230. The star cluster at top is Messier 38 with the small cluster NGC 1907 below it, while the large cluster left of centre is Messier 36. The group of stars between IC 405 and IC 410 right of centre is Melotte 31, aka the Little Fish or Flying Minnow asterism. This is a stack of: 10 x 6-minute exposures at ISO 3200 through a IDAS NB1 dual narrowband nebula filter in a dark moonless sky, blended with 8 x 4-minute exposures at ISO 800 with an Antlia RGB multi-band filter, with the latter set taken in bright moonlight a week later, with all frames with the filter-modified (by AstroGear.net) Canon R camera. These were all with the SharpStar 61mm EDPH II refractor at f/4.5, on the Sky-Watcher EQM-35 mount autoguided with the ASIAir Mini and ZWO 30mm guidescope, as a test of the combination of entry-level gear, and of the Antlia filter to work under bright skies. However, the moonlit RGB filtered image stack was quite muddy when the blue moonlight was color corrected out, and doesn't contribute a lot to the final image. So most of this scene is from the narrowband filtered image stack, which records the nebulosity well but doesn't provide well-balanced natural star colours. Diffraction spikes added with AstronomyTools actions to add a sparkling effect to the stars to partly counter their off-colour. Taken in late March 2023, late in the season for this area of sky, so it was well over in the west with only a limited time each night to shoot it. Cloudy nights prevented getting a non-filtered set in a dark sky.

Complex of Nebulas in Central Auriga (Canon R6)

This is a framing of the rich array of nebulas in central Auriga. The complex of star cluster Stock 8 and IC 417 is at upper left. The large nebula at lower centre is IC 410 with the star cluster NGC 1893 embedded in it. The large nebula at right is IC 405, aka the Flaming Star Nebula, with a mix of red emission and blue reflection nebulosity. The colourful asterism of stars between IC 410 and IC 405 is variously known as the Little Fish or the Flying Minnow., made of the stars 16, 17, 18 and 19 Aurigae. The field of view is just under 4° by 2.7°. This is a stack of 10 x 6-minute exposures with an Askar FRA500 astrograph (500mm focal length at f/5.5), and stock Canon R6 camera at ISO 800. No filters were employed here, and the R6 performed very well for picking up the faint red nebulosity. Even so, nebulosity was brought out using successive curves with luminosity masks generated by Lumenzia, plus an application of the Nebula Filter action in PhotoKemi Startools Photoshop action set. All alignment and layering in Photoshop. Taken from home on January 26, 2022. Autoguided with the MGEN3 guider and dithered. LENR dark frame subtraction was employed to eliminate the edge amp glow the camera is prone to. Some light haze in some frames added the star glows.

Complex of Nebulas in Central Auriga (Canon Ra)

This is a framing of the rich array of nebulas in central Auriga. The complex of star cluster Stock 8 and IC 417 is at upper left. The large nebula at lower centre is IC 410 with the star cluster NGC 1893 embedded in it. The large nebula at right is IC 405, aka the Flaming Star Nebula, with a mix of red emission and blue reflection nebulosity. The colourful asterism of stars between IC 410 and IC 405 is variously known as the Little Fish or the Flying Minnow., made of the stars 16, 17, 18 and 19 Aurigae. The field of view is just under 4° by 2.7°. This is a stack of 10 x 6-minute exposures with an Askar FRA500 astrograph (500mm focal length at f/5.5), and filter-modified Canon Ra camera at ISO 800. However, no filters were employed here. Nebulosity was brought out using successive curves with luminosity masks generated by Lumenzia, plus an application of the Nebula Filter action in PhotoKemi Startools Photoshop action set. All alignment and layering in Photoshop. Taken from home on January 27, 2022. Autoguided with the MGEN3 guider and dithered. No LENR or dark frame subtraction was employed on this mild winter night. Some light haze in some frames added the star glows.

Clusters and Nebulas in Auriga

This is a portrait of the main glowing nebulas amid star clusters in central Auriga, the Charioteer. The main nebula at right is the Flaming Star Nebula, aka IC 405. But in this long exposure its mass blends into the central roundish nebula, IC 410. At top left is the pair of Sharpless nebulas, Sh 2-232 and the small Sh 2-235. The fingerlike nebula at top centre is Sh 2-230. The star cluster just to its left is Messier 38, with the small cluster NGC 1907 just below M38. The star cluster at left centre is Messier 36. At centre frame is the nebula IC 417 around the cluster Stock 8. The line of colourful stars at lower right between IC 405 and IC 410 is the Little FIsh or Flying Minnow asterism, aka Mel 11. This is a stack of 6 x 8-minute exposures at ISO 3200 through an Optolong L-Enhance dual-band nebula filter, blended another filtered set of 6 x 16-minute exposures at ISO 3200 with the Optolong L-eXtreme narrowband filter, all blended with a stack of 6 x 8-minute exposures without a filter (for more natural star colors and the blue reflection nebula in IC 405) at ISO 800. All with the Canon EOS Ra camera through the f/5 51mm William Optics RedCat astrograph with a Starizona filter drawer. Autoguiding was with the Lacerta MGEN3 autoguider which applied a dithering shift between each frame to help cancel out thermal noise when stacking. No darks or LENR were used here on this mild winter night at -5° C or so. All stacking, alignment and blending was in Adobe Photoshop 2021. Luminosity masks (DM2, D and M) applied with Lumenzia helped bring out the faint nebulosity. The set was taken as part of testing the L-eXtreme filter to determine its effectiveness in bringing out more nebulosity. It did not contribute much to this stack and required even more exposure time that would have been better spent taking more unfiltered and L-eNhance frames.

The Northern Autumn Milky Way (15-35mm RF lens at 35mm + EOS Ra)

A test image of the northern autumn Milky Way from Cassiopeia at left to northern Cygnus at right. The bright North America Nebula and dark Funnel Clkoud Nebula are at right near Deneb. IC 1396 in Cepehus is at centre. This was taken with the Canon RF 15-35mm lens wide open at f/2.8 and at 35mm focal length and with the Canon EOS Ra camera at ISO 800 for a stack of two 2-minute tracked exposures. Taken as part of testing the camera and lens.

Nebulas of the Northern Milky Way

The bright and dark nebulas along the northernmost segment of the Milky Way, from Perseus at upper left to Cygnus at lower right. At centre is Cassiopeia and Cepheus. The bright nebulas include — from upper left to lower right: the IC 1805/1848 complex known as the Heart and Soul Nebulas, the Ced214/NGC7822 complex, IC 1396 in Cepheus, and the North America Nebula NGC 7000 and the Gamma Cygni IC 1318 complex at lower right. The dark Funnel Cloud Nebula stands out above the North America Nebula. However, the entire field is coloured by subtle streams and bands of interstellar dust adding a yellow hue to the Milky Way. The Andromeda Galaxy, M31, is at lower left. This is a stack of 35 x 3-minute exposures with the Canon RF28-70mm lens at 28mm and at f/2.8, on the Canon EOS Ra camera at ISO 800, on the Star Adventurer Mini tracker. Shot with an URTH Night light pollution filter. Taken from home October 7, 2021. Luminosity mask adjustments applied with Lumenzia. A mild Orton glow added with Luminar AI.

Barnard's Star in Ophiuchus

The nearby and fast-moving star, Barnard’s Star in Ophiuchus, captured in a wide field of view about 6° wide taking in nearby IC 4665, a large open cluster above Beta Ophiuchi, aka Cebalrai. Barnard’s Star, as discovered by EE Barnard in 1916, has a large “proper motion” across the sky of 10.4 arc seconds per year, among the largest known, in part because of its proximity of only 6 light years away, making it the closest single star to our solar system (Alpha Centauri is closer but is a multiple star system). Its rapid motion causes it to move 1/4 of a degree in a human lifetime. However, its rapid motion is also because it is plunging through the local solar neighbourhood from the galactic halo where it was born. It does not belong to our local spiral arm and is an intruder from afar. The red dwarf star also has a very low metallacity, meaning it lacks elements heavier than helium, again evidence for its place of origin and old age, as it was born before many of the heavier elements were synthesized in later generations of stars like our Sun. An inocuous looking star with a curious tale to tell! It was tough to identify the star at first because the digital (SkySafari) and print atlases (such as Millennium Star Atlas) showed the nearby stars and patterns fine, as in the photo, but not the star in question. Why? Because Barnard’s Star had moved north since the data for those atlases, even the digital ones, was compiled. They were plotting the star farther south but there was nothing at that spot on my photo. (Starry Night did seem to plot it for its current, not past position.) Even so, Barnard’s Star, while rated as magnitude 9.5, is faint (as you can see) and not an obvious sight at all in the eyepiece in a visual look earlier this night with the 105mm refractor. It did not look red visually and does not look red on the photo, unlike the mag. 6.7 star toward the centre of the frame (HD 162648) which does look quite red. I would have expected Barnard’s to be similar, being a red dwarf. But not so. It is too faint, or simply not red enough despite its temperature of 3200 K. This is a stack of 18 x 2-minute exposures with the Borg 7mm f/4 astrographic refractor and Canon 6D MkII at ISO 800. Taken August 8, 2019 from home just as and after local moonset.

Belt of Orion with Horsehead Nebula & M78 (77mm 5DII)

The Belt of Orion with the Horsehead Nebula at botton, the dark nebula set in the bright emission nebula IC 434. The nebula at left of the Zeta Orionis (aka Alnitak) is the Flame Nebula, NGC 2024. The reflection nebula at upper left is the M78 complex with NGC 2071. The other Belt stars are Alnilan (centre) and Mintaka (upper right). The field contains a wealth of other blue reflection and red emission nebulas. Taken from Australia, March 2014 with the Borg 77mm astrographic apo refractor (330mm focal length) at f/4.3 for a stack of 5 x 10 minute exposures with the filter-modified Canon 5D Mark II at ISO 800.

Red and Blue Nebulas in Perseus

This is the California Nebula (aka NGC 1499) in Perseus, a classic red emission nebula emitting mostly at the red wavelength of hydrogen-alpha light but also with a strong hydrogen-beta emission line in the blue-green part of the spectrum. By contrast, below is the small blue reflection nebula known only as IC 348, a cloud of dust surrounding hot blue stars and reflecting their light. But the region also contains some dim red emission nebulosity. Also throughout the field are patches of yellow-brown dust that form obscuring dark nebulas. The main dark nebulas are Barnard 5 (above IC 348) and Barnard 4 below. This is a stack of 8 x 8 minute unfiltered exposures at ISO 800 blended with a stack of 9 x 15-minute exposures through an Optolong L-Enhance narrowband filter, to bring out the emission nebulas. All were with the Canon EOS Ra camera through the William Optics RedCat 51mm astrograph at f/4.9, equipped with the Starizona filter drawer. Autoguiding was with the Lacerta MGEN3 stand-alone autoguider on the Astro-Physics Mach 1 mount. All stacking, alignment and blending was with Photoshop. Luminosity masks applied with Lumenzia to do selective curves adjustments to various tonal ranges. Shot from home November 15, 2020.

The Interstellar Dust Clouds of Taurus and Perseus

A wide-field image of the region of Perseus and Taurus from the pink California Nebula (NGC 1499) at top, to the blue Pleiades star cluster (M45) at bottom. In between and surrounding the main bright objects are many tendrils of interstellar dust clouds, varying in shades of brown and pale blue. Around the Pleiades the faint clouds reflect some of the lblue light of the young stars, but away from the Pleiades the clouds take on a warm reddish tone, or appear as just dark fingers blocking all light from behind. At centre right are some brighter patches known as IC 348 around the star Atik, aka Omicron Persei. The glow at left in the darkest cloud is IC 2087. The small star cluster at upper right is NGC 1342. This is a stack of 30 x 4-minute exposures with the Canon EOS Ra camera at ISO 800, and the low-cost Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 lens at f/4 and shooting through a NISI Natural Night light pollution filter, a mild broadband filter. The lens, despite being stopped down, is still subject to some chromatic aberration, which lens corrections help with but cannot fully eliminate at the raw development stage. All stacking, alignment and processing with Photoshiop 2021, with luminosity masks created with Lumenzia v9 extension panel , which was very helpful in bringing the faint dust clouds out from the dark background. No dark frames or LENR applied on this cool winter night.

Canis Major from Australia (50mm 5DII)

The constellation of Canis Major and nearby open clusters and nebulas, taken from Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia, December 13/14, 2012, with Sigma 50mm lens at f/3.2 and the filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 for stack of 6 x 4 minute exposures. M41 is below Sirius, M46 and M47 are to the left edge of frame. M50 is above the Seagull Nebula, IC 2177 at upper left. Some exposures had light cirrus cloud passing through which added the star glows naturally. I have turned Canis Major right side up but from Australia it would appear upside down -- the part of the frame closest to the horizon when I took this was the top of the frame. Sirius is at upper centre, vastly overexposed.

Carina-Centaurus Nebulas Mosaic - Version 1

A mosaic of the amazingly rich area of Carina and Centaurus with their many superb nebulas and star clusters in this southernmost area of the Milky Way. The Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) is at upper right; the Running Chicken Nebula (IC 2948) is at lower left (aka the Lambda Centauri Nebula). The small red and magenta nebulas at centre are NGC 3603 and NGC 3576. The Southern Pleiades cluster (IC 2602) is at bottom right. The Pearl Cluster (NGC 3766) is above the Running Chicken at left. The cluster IC 2714 is to the right of the Chicken amid dark nebulas. The Gem Cluster (NGC 3324) is above and right of the Carina Nebula but small and unresolved here. The Football Cluster (NGC 3532) is top centre, though partly lost amid the rich starfield. This is a mosaic of three segments, taken with the camera in portrait orientation, stitched with Photoshop to make a square framing of the area. Each segment was a stack of 4 x 2-minute exposures at f/2.8 with the 200mm Canon L-series lens and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2500. Tracked on the AP400 mount but unguided. Shot from Tibuc Gardens Cottage, Coonabarabran, Australia.

Carina-Centaurus Nebulas Mosaic (with Labels)

A mosaic of the amazingly rich area of Carina and Centaurus with their many superb nebulas and star clusters in this southernmost area of the Milky Way. The Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) is at upper right; the Running Chicken Nebula (IC 2948) is at lower left (aka the Lambda Centauri Nebula). The small red and magenta nebulas at centre are NGC 3603 and NGC 3576. The Southern Pleiades cluster (IC 2602) is at bottom right. The Pearl Cluster (NGC 3766) is above the Running Chicken at left. The cluster IC 2714 is to the right of the Chicken amid dark nebulas. The Gem Cluster (NGC 3324) is above and right of the Carina Nebula but small and unresolved here. The Football Cluster (NGC 3532) is top centre, though partly lost amid the rich starfield. This is a mosaic of three segments, taken with the camera in portrait orientation, stitched with Photoshop to make a square framing of the area. Each segment was a stack of 4 x 2-minute exposures at f/2.8 with the 200mm Canon L-series lens and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2500. Tracked on the AP400 mount but unguided. Shot from Tibuc Gardens Cottage, Coonabarabran, Australia.

Carina-Centaurus Nebulas Mosaic v2

A mosaic of the amazingly rich area of Carina and Centaurus with their many superb nebulas and star clusters in this southernmost area of the Milky Way. The Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) is at upper centre; the Running Chicken Nebula (IC 2948) is at lower left (aka the Lambda Centauri Nebula). The small red and magenta nebulas at centre are NGC 3603 and NGC 3576. The Southern Pleiades cluster (IC 2602) is at bottom right. The Pearl Cluster (NGC 3766) is above the Running Chicken at left. The cluster IC 2714 is to the right of the Chicken amid dark nebulas. The Gem Cluster (NGC 3324) is above and right of the Carina Nebula but small and unresolved here. The Football Cluster (NGC 3532) is top centre, though partly lost amid the rich starfield. The Southern Crescent Nebula (NGC 3199) is at upper right. This is a mosaic of six segments, taken with the camera in landscape orientation, stitched with Photoshop to make a square framing of the area. Each segment was a stack of 4 x 2-minute exposures at f/2.8 with the 200mm Canon L-series lens and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 2500. Tracked on the AP400 mount but unguided. Shot from Tibuc Gardens Cottage, Coonabarabran, Australia.