Telescope: ES Comet Hunter MN6 at f/4.8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 48x60sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/4sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.0 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

This is a nice example of the wide field offered by the Comet Hunter and the full-frame D610a showing Antares to the left, NGC6144 to the upper right of Antares, M4 on the right, and delta Scorpius (Alniyat) in the upper right corner. Antares is a red super giant with a diameter about 400 times that of the sun. If it were placed at the center of our solar system its surface would extend out beyond the orbit of Mars. M4 is one of the closest globular clusters lying only 7,200 light years away in the general direction of the galactic core. It appears reddish-brown due to dust along the galactic plane. Being so close M4 can be resolved into individual stars in a relatively small telescope. NGC 6144 is somewhat sparse and much farther away at an estimated distance of about 28,000 light years.

Antares and M4 are currently morning objects rising low in the southeast after midnight and transiting in the south shortly after 4am.

Telescope: ES Comet Hunter MN6 at f/4.8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 31x120sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/4sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.3 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

This wide field image taken near the center of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster includes M89 near the center of this field, M58 to the lower left, M90 to the upper left, and M87 (Virgo A) to the right. Below M89 is a nice pair of galaxies; NGC 4551 (upper left) and 4550 (lower right).

The Virgo Galaxy Cluster is currently well placed in the evening sky low in the east after sunset and rising high overhead by midnight.

Telescope: ES Comet Hunter MN6 at f/4.8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 23x60sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/4sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.0 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M48 is a rich open cluster located in western Hydra near the border with Monoceros in a relatively open stretch of sky on the fringe of the Milky Way. A fine object in binoculars or small telescope it may even be glimpsed without an optical aid under dark skies. This is another fine example of the wide field offered by the combination of the DHL Comet Hunter and a full-frame DSLR.

M48 is currently well placed in the evening sky high in the south after sunset.

Telescope: ES Comet Hunter MN6 at f/4.8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 18x60sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/4sec, 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 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M27, the Dumbbell nebula, is an expanding shell of gas that was ejected from a sun-like star as it exhausted its hydrogen fuel. Swollen into a red giant, the star shed its outer shell while its core collapsed into a white dwarf. Fierce UV radiation from the collapsed core sets the surrounds gas aglow with the blue/green light of doubly ionized oxygen. The diameter of the nebula is about 1 light-year with an estimated age of 9,800 years. Located between Sagitta and Cygnus, M27 is fairly easy to find with a small telescope. Visually, it shows two lobes connected by a neck of nebulosity, giving the nebula its characteristic dumbbell shape.

M27 is currently a morning object rising after midnight and is high in the east at dawn.

Telescope: ES Comet Hunter MN6 at f/4.8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 30x60sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/4sec, 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 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M56 is a relatively small, dense globular cluster that tends to get a bit lost against the background Milky Way. I have always found this to be a somewhat challenging object visually (at least from my backyard) but it blossoms beautifully with a large telescope. This field also shows how well the Comet Hunter fills a full frame camera.

M56 currently rises in the northeast around midnight and is high in the east at dawn.

Telescope: Meade 12” LX850 ACF @ f/8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, ASI290MM Mini, PHD2

Exposure: 20x60sec, ISO 200, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x60s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32×1/2sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 17.8 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard Nikon, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

This is M13, the Great Cluster in Hercules. M13 appears large in part because it is relatively close at a distance of about 25,000 light years. Also, it is in fact quite large with a diameter of 145 light years. Globular clusters like M13 are relics of the early universe and M13 is believed to be about 12 billion years old, about as old as the Milky Way. If you look carefully at M13 you can see a dust lane to the lower left of the cluster. This is a very unusual feature for globular clusters and it is not clear if this is actually associated with M13 or simply lies in the line of sight with the cluster. I have tried several time to glimpse this feature visually, but so far it has evaded me. Something to keep working on!

M13 currently rises in the northeast late in the evening and is high overhead at dawn.

Telescope: Meade 12” LX850 ACF @ f/8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610; Gain: 200

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, ASI290MM Mini, PHD2

Exposure: 39x60sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x60s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32×1/2sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 17.8 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard Nikon, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

M3 is a beautiful example of a globular cluster in a relatively lonely stretch of sky. The cluster is a member of the galactic halo and spends much of its time orbiting well outside the plane of the galaxy. It is presently 33,000 light years away from us, 40,000 light years from the galactic core, and 33,000 light years ‘above’ the galactic plane. Home to about 500,000 stars, M3 is relatively young as globular clusters go with an estimated age of 8 billion years.

M3 rises in the northeast during the early evening and is high overhead by midnight.

Telescope: ES Comet Hunter MN6 at f/4.8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610; Gain: 200

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 25x60sec, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/4sec, 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 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

This is M13, the Great Cluster in Hercules. Also in the picture is the galaxy NGC 6207 (Mv 11.6) in to the upper left of M13. If you look carefully at M13 you can see a dust lane crossing the lower left quadrant of the cluster. This is a very unusual feature for globular clusters and it is not clear if this is actually associated with M13 or simply lies in the line of sight with the cluster.

M13 rises in the northeast during the late evening and is high overhead a few hours before dawn.