Telescope: Unitron 155 4” f/15 refractor, Atlas EQ-G

Camera: QHY 367c Pro, –20C, GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Orion 50mm Guidescope, ASI120MM, PHD

Exposure: 12x300sec, gain 2800, offset 50, saved as FITS, dithered every 2 images

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

Flats: 64×0.5sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.2

Stacking: Average, 1 sigma clip

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M53 is a moderately bright and rich globular cluster located just to the northeast of Alpha Comae Berenices (Diadem). Located approximately 60,000 light years from the galactic center and 58,000 light years from the sun, M53 is one of the more distant globular clusters.

M53 is currently well-placed high overhead at sunset.

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!

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: 9x300sec, 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

M79 is one of the few globular clusters in the northern hemisphere’s winter sky. Although relatively bright (Mv 7.7), M79 can be a bit of a challenge for backyard observers as it hides low in the south and is often obscured by skyglow. Interestingly, there is some speculation that M79 may not be a native to the Milky Way, but instead it may be associated with the Canis Major dwarf galaxy which is currently passing very close to our galaxy.

Telescope: Meade SN6 Comet Tracker at f/3.6, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: QHY 268c, Mode 0, Gain 30, Offset 30, –20C

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Orion 50mm, ZWO ASI120MM mini

Exposure: 37x180sec, saved as RAW16/FITS

Darks: 32×180 sec

Flats: 64×1/0.250sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.4 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M31 is an iconic spiral in the constellation of Andromeda. Under dark skies it is easily visible to the naked eye and from urban skies it is an easy object for binoculars and small telescopes. At a distance of some 2 million light years, it is the farthest object visible to the naked eye. M31 also has several satellite galaxies, two of which are visible here. M32 is about as bright as the core of M31 and is located at the bottom center of this field. To the upper right is the much fainter M110. It is easy to be disappointed with the visual appearance of M31 since it is often shown in highly processed images such as the one I give here. However, the true appearance is quite beautiful in its own way. The core is relatively bright and almost stellar, surrounded by a soft luminous glow that I always think of as pearl.

M31 is currently well place high in the east at sunset.

Telescope: Meade 10” LX850 ACF @ f/8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: QHY 367c Pro, GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, ASI120MM Mini, PHD2

Exposure: 76x60sec, gain 2800, offset 50, -10C, saved as Raw16/FITS

Darks: 32x180sec, gain 2800, offset 50, -10C, saved as Raw16/FITS

Flats: 64×0.250sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 17.9

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

For a long time there was some debate as to whether the two clusters that make up the Double Cluster are actually associated with each other or just happened to appear in the same line of sight with one lying behind the other. It now appears that they are indeed lying next to each other, each about 7,000 light years away and about 100 light years apart. However, there is some evidence that the two clusters are of different ages, so while they may have formed separately from each other, they are now traveling companions.

The Double Cluster is currently rising in the northeast after sunset.

Telescope: Meade 10” LX850 ACF @ f/8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Canon EOS Ra

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, ASI120MM Mini, PHD2

Exposure: 20x120sec, ISO 800, saved as Raw

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/50sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, Bortle 8, fair transparency, light haze

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.3

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard EOS, Deep Sky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

This is my annual pilgrimage to the frozen outlands beyond the orbit of Neptune and my homage to Clyde Tombaugh who discovered Pluto on photographic plates taken at the Lowell Observatory in 1930. These two images were taken almost exactly 24 hours apart showing Pluto’s apparent motion against the background stars (marked by red ‘V’ symbols). I say ‘apparent’ as this motion has more to do with the Earth than Pluto. The true motion of the outer planets is from west to east, but in these images Pluto appears to move from east to west (retrograde). This results from our changing perspective as the Earth sweeps past Pluto in its orbit around the sun. Pluto will remain in retrograde motion until October 6th.

When these images were taken Pluto was 3.14 billion miles away shining at Mv 14.4. The sun’s illumination took a little over 4-1/2 hours to reach Pluto and the feeble reflected sunlight took another 4-1/2 hours to make the journey back to the Earth.

Pluto is currently well placed in the southern sky at dusk.

Telescope: Meade 10” LX850 ACF @ f/8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Canon EOS Ra

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Orion 50mm, ASI120MM Mini, PHD2

Exposure: 52x60sec, ISO 800, saved as Raw

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard EOS, Deep Sky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

M15, a bright, condensed globular cluster in a relatively lonely stretch of sky in Pegasus. It is one of the oldest known globular clusters with an estimated age of 13.2 billion years and the first globular cluster found to have a planetary nebula (Pease 1), one of only four planetary nebula associated with a globular cluster. M15 is also one of the most condensed globular cluster and at some point in the distant past it experienced a core collapse that may have heralded the formation of a black hole in its nucleus. This is supported by the fact the M15 is an x-ray source.

M15 is currently well placed in the southeast as the sky darkens.