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Archives for April 2023

Waxing Crescent Moon – 4/26/2023 8:45 EDT

April 28, 2023 by

Waxing Crescent Moon – 4/26/2023 8:45 EDT

Telescope: Unitron 155c 4” f/15, Orion Atlas mount

Camera: QHY 367c Pro

Filter: 2” GSO IR Cut Filter

Exposure: 512x50msec, Gain 2800, Offset 50, -20C, saved as FITS/RAW16

Seeing: Poor, 2/5

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Sharp Cap Pro, Autostakkert, Registax, Nebulosity, Photoshop

This is quick image of the waxing crescent moon taken during twilight with my Unitron 155c and QHY 367c Pro full frame camera. This shows the exceptionally sharp image from the Unitron with no hint of chromatic aberrations. Wonderful scopes!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

NGC 3115 – the Spindle Galaxy in Sextans

April 8, 2023 by

Telescope: Astro-Tech 8” f/8 Ritchey-Chretien, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: QHY 367c Pro, -20C, Baader Mk III MPCC, GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, ZWO ASI120MM mini, PHD2

Exposure: 25x300sec, gain 2800, offset 50, saved as FITS, dithered every 2 images

Darks: 32, -20C, gain 2800, offset 50, saved as FITS

Flats: 64×0.3sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, Bortle 8, poor transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.3

Stacking: Average, 1 sigma clip

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: SharpCap Pro, Deep Sky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

NGC 3115 is an edge-on lenticular galaxy in Sextans. Lenticular galaxies are similar to spiral galaxies in that they in the form of a broad, thin disk, however, the disk of a lenticular galaxy is smooth and relatively featureless without any clear spiral structure. Another feature of NGC 3115 is that it does not show a significant dust lane along the plane of the galaxy. NGC 3115 has apparently consumed nearly all of its interstellar matter and star birth has come to a stop and the galaxy is composed primarily of old stars. The absence of a dust lane gives the galaxy its characteristic shape and nickname; the Spindle Galaxy. NGC 3115 is one of two galaxies known as the Spindle, the other being NGC 5866 in Draco.

NGC 3115 is relatively small, but a fairly easy visible target and is currently well low in the southeast during the early evening.

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging

Waxing Gibbous Moon – 9:30pm 4/2/2023 EDT

April 2, 2023 by

Telescope: Tasco 9F 60mm f/13.3 (800mm) Refractor

Camera: ZWO ASI 294MC, 1.25” to 0.965” adapter

Filter: GSO IR Cut Filter

Exposure: 512x6msec, Gain 200, saved as SER

Seeing: Good, 4/5

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: SharpCap Pro, AutoStakkert, Registax, Nebulosity, Photoshop

This 50 year old Tasco produces a sharp, high contrast image with little or no chromic aberration. The lightweight mount proved to be suitably stable and vibrations quickly damped, but like all lightweight mounts it takes a bit of a light touch. The slow motion controls in both altitude and azimuth were easy to use and effective. I chose to use my uncooled ASI294MC as is it a very lightweight color camera with a modest size chip and since there is no shutter there wasn’t a problem with vibrations. This does a fairly good job showing the excellent image quality and the lack of color fringing. Very nice!

Filed Under: Beginner Imaging, Solar System Imaging