2004 BL86 Approaching Beehive Cluster

A test shot, but the only shot I got, of near Earth asteroid 2004 BL86 approaching the star cluister M44, the Beehive, on the night of January 26, 2015, at 9:23 pm MST. This was a test shot to check framing, to set up a sequence running from 9:45 to 11 pm MST when the asteroid would be moving past M44. But before I could start the sequence proper, clouds moved in. Aargh! This was 90 seconds at ISO 1600 with the Canon 6D and TMB92mm refractor.

Abell 21, the Medusa Nebula

Abell 21, the Medusa Nebula, a large but faint planetary nebula in Gemini. Above and to the right of it is a very loose open cluster NGC 2395. This is a stack of 15 x 8-minute exposures at f/4.4 with the TMB apo refractor and Canon 5D MkII at ISO 1600. Taken from the backyard of the Silver City, New Mexico, house, March 15, 2015.

Abell 426, the Perseus Galaxy Cluster

Abell 426, the populous cluster of galaxies in Perseus, that includes the active radio source galaxy, NGC 1275, aka Perseus A, at the heart of the cluster. To the right of 1275 is slightly dimmer NGC 1272. The galaxies are about 235 million light years away, and appear as fuzzy stars scattered across this field. This is a stack of 10 x 8-minute exposures with the Quattro 8-inch astrographic Newtonian reflector at f/4 with the coma corrector. The camera was the Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800. While shot with 800mm of focal length even that is not really enough to do the cluster justice — the galaxies are small smudges.

Abell 426, the Perseus Galaxy Cluster

Abell 426, the populous cluster of galaxies in Perseus, that includes the active radio source galaxy, NGC 1275, aka Perseus A, at the heart of the cluster. To the right of 1275 is slightly dimmer NGC 1272. The galaxies are about 235 million light years away, and appear as fuzzy stars scattered across this field. This is a stack of 10 x 8-minute exposures with the Quattro 8-inch astrographic Newtonian reflector at f/4 with the coma corrector. The camera was the Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800. While shot with 800mm of focal length even that is not really enough to do the cluster justice — the galaxies are small smudges.

Acrux, in the Southern Cross

Alpha Cruxis, or Acrux, the brightest star in the Southern Cross, Crux. It is a blue-white star 320 light years away. This is a superb double star but is not resolved here. Small star clusters NGC 4349 (above) and NGC 4609 (at left) appear near Acrux. The area is also rich in dark nebulas near the Coal Sack. I shot this April 3, 2016 from the Tibuc Cottage, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia using the 77mm f/4 astrographic refractor and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII, for a stack of 4 x 6 minute exposures at ISO 1600.

Alpha and Beta Centauri

Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to the Sun (at left and aka Rigel Kentaurus) and Beta Centauri (at right, aka Hadar) in Centaurus, and together known as the Pointer Stars. The open cluster NGC 5617 is to the right of Alpha. The field simulates a binocular field of view. 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 AP 400 mount.

Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Perseus and an Aurora

A weak aurora on July 15, 2017m below the stars of Perseus, Cassiopeia, and Andromeda, with the Andromeda Galaxy, M31, at upper right. The Double Cluster in Perseus is above centre. Capella is below the faint lone spire of auroral curtain. A single 25-second exposure at f/2.8 and ISO 1600 with the 24mm Sigma Art lens and Nikon D750.

Andromeda Rising at Dinosaur Park

The constellation of Andromeda with the famous Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31) rising on an early summer night at Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta. This was June 30, 2022. The Square of Pegasus is at right. Several star clusters are at left: the Double Cluster at upper left, M34 below it, and NGC 752 to the right of M34. To the right of NGC 752 is the fuzzy patch of Messier 33, the Triangulum Galaxy. The main three stars of Triangulum are just rising above the hill at left. Green airglow tints the sky, as well as blue from the perpetual twilight at this time of year and latitude of 50° N. This is a blend of tracked exposures for the sky and untracked for the ground: all 2 minutes at f/2 with the RF28-70mm lens at 28mm and Canon R5 at ISO 800. The tracker was the Star Adventurer Mini. As the camera was aimed east to the rising sky, I took the static untracked shots first, followed by the tracked shots, so the ground would better cover the blurry horizon in the tracked shots -- i.e. the static horizon would be higher in the frame requiring less manual moving to cover the blurry horizon. LENR employed on all shots on this mild night. NoiseXTerminator applied to the sky.

The Milky Way, from Andromeda to the Pleiades

The northern autumn Milky Way from Cassiopeia (at top) to Perseus (at bottom), running along the left, with Andromeda and the Andromeda Galaxy at upper right, and the Pleiades in Taurus ar lower right. The red streak is the California Nebula, NGC 1499, in Perseus. The Milky Way here is rife with dark lanes and dust clouds. The star cluster below the Andromeda Galaxy is NGC 752. This is a stack of 5 x 2.5-minute exposures at f/2.8 and ISO 1600 with the 35mm lens and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII, plus two other exposures taken through a Kenko Softon filter to add the star glows. Taken from the Quailway Cottage near Portal, Arizona.

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.

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 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.

Autumn Constellations Over Moonlit Hoodoos

The northern autumn constellations of Pegasus (partially seen at right), Andromeda (across the centre), Perseus (at lower left) and Cassiopeia (at upper left) rising over moonlit formations at Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta. Illumination is from the waxing gibbous Moon, setting in the southwest so it is providing a warm "bronze-hour" light. The Andromeda Galaxy, M31, is at centre. The star clusters NGC 752, M34 and the Double Cluster are at left, as well as the Perseus OB Association of stars. Some of the small star clusters in Cassiopeia are resolved as well. Some green bands of airglow also tint the sky, otherwise lit blue by the moonlight. The scene provides a nice contrast of warm earth and cool sky tones. Taken July 8, 2022, this is a blend of tracked (for the sky) and untracked (for the ground) exposures — a stack of 2 for the ground but only one for the sky: 2 minutes at f/5.6 and ISO 800 for the ground and 1 minute at f/2.8 and ISO 400 for the sky, all with the RF28-70mm lens at 28mm and Canon R5. A mild Pro Contrast effect filter added to the ground with Nik Collection 5 and a mild Orton glow added to the sky with Luminar AI. The tracker was the Star Adventurer Mini. Noise reduction applied to the single sky image using RC-Astro Noise XTerminator. I didn't take any more sky shots as the Moon was fast setting and disappearing into clouds, so the light for the ground shots taken after the sky shot would be going away soon. Plus clouds were moving into the frame. The mosquitoes enjoyed my presence here this warm July night!

Autumn Stars RIsing at Driftwood Beach

The autumn constellations rising over the autumn trees at Driftwood Beach, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada, on a moonless night on September 24, 2016. The Pleiades is at lower right, the Andromeda Galaxy at upper right. The W of Cassiopeia is at upper left, Capella in Auriga is at lower right. Perseus is centre right. Illumination is from starlight and by lights from the glow of the townsite across the lake. Faint bands of red airglow are visible in the sky. This is a stack of 8 x 30 second exposures, mean combined to smooth noise, plus one 30-second exposure for the sky, all with the Sigma 20mm lens at f/2.5 and Nikon D750 at ISO 4000.

Autumn Stars Rising at Lake Edith

The autumn constellations of Perseus and Cassiopeia above, with bright Capella in Auriga and the Pleiades star cluster in Taurus, at bottom, rising in the northeast over Lake Edith in Jasper National Park, on a clear autumn night. The Double Cluster is at centre, above the larger group of stars around Mirfak called the Perseus Association. This is a blend of a single tracked 2-minute exposure for the sky and water with the reflected stars, with a stack of two untracked 3-minute exposure for the rest of the ground, both at f/2.8 with the Canon RF15-35mm lens at 17mm and Canon R5 at ISO 1600. I shot this October 16, 2022. The tracker was the Star Adventurer Mini. The reflected stars are trailed not just because of the water movement but also because the tracker is following the stars in the sky, not the water. Having untrailed reflected stars would require polar aligning the tracker on the reflected celestial pole, in this case some 53° below the horizon due north. Mild Orton glows added with Radiant Photo and Luminar Neo.