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

Camera: QHY 367c Pro, 0C, Baader Mk III MPCC

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

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

Exposure: 21x300sec, gain 2800, offset 50, saved as FITS, dithered every 2 images

Darks: 32, 0C, gain 2800, offset 50, saved as FITS

Flats: 64x500ms, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6

Stacking: Average, 1 sigma clip

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

It took a couple of nights to get this new camera settled in, but I think that I’m close. There’s a little bit of tweaking to do yet, bit I’m starting to get the results that I was hoping for.

M27 is currently well placed in the northeast in the early evening and is high in the south after midnight.

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

Camera: Full Spectrum Modified Nikon D810, Baader Mk III MPCC

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

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

Exposure: 26x120sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/20sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.7

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard Nikon, Nebulosity, 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 as seen from my backyard, but it blossoms beautifully with a camera.

M56 is currently placed high in the northeast at dusk. (Photo credit: John Graham, 5–30-2022)

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

Camera: Full Spectrum Modified Nikon D810, Baader Mk III MPCC

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

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

Exposure: 43x60sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/20sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.1

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard Nikon, Nebulosity, Photoshop

M62 is one of several small globular clusters that are well placed for observing during the early evening hours this time of year. M62 appears small in part due to its great distance; 25,000 light years from Earth and 5,500 light years from the galactic core. It is actually one of the larger clusters in the Milky Way with an estimated mass of 1.2 million suns. Visually, M62 appears a bit lop-sided with the core shifted off-center to the east giving it a comet-like appearance. This may be a result of the cluster’s close proximity to the galactic core.

M62 is currently placed low in the south at dusk.

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

Camera: QHY 367c Pro, Baader Mk III MPCC

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

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

Exposure: 17x180sec, gain 2000, offset 50, 0C, saved as FITS

Darks: 32×180sec, gain 2000, offset 50, 0C, saved as FITS

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

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 17.2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M9 is a relatively bright modestly condensed (Class 8) globular cluster located 3 degrees to the southeast of Sabik in Ophiuchus. It is relatively close to the galactic core being about 5,500 light years from the galactic core and 26,000 light years from Earth. It is interesting to note the dark lane cutting across the lower right corner of this field as compared to the star rich field to the upper left indicating a swath of dust along the Milky Way blocking the light from the distant star fields beyond.

This was the first test image taken with my new to me QHY 367C Pro full-frame camera. This camera uses the same sensor as my full spectrum modified Nikon D810 and it will be interesting to compare the two. As it turns out this image was taken at a relatively low gain. I used a fairly conservative gain of 2000 for this image as compared to the unity gain for the 367 of 2800that I used here. It has also been a long time since I previously used SharpCap Pro for deepsky imaging. I have a few adjustments to make as I get familiar with this new camera, but this is a good start, particularly given the poor sky conditions and bright moonlight.

M9 is currently well placed in the southeast at sunset.

Telescope: Meade SN10 at f/4, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Canon EOS Ra

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

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

Exposure: 81x20sec, ISO 800, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/5sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, poor transparency

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

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M63 is a beautiful spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici, the Hunting Dogs. It has an exceptionally tight spiral structure with a very beautiful and subtle color. The bright inner core is easy to see in small telescopes, while the outer spiral requires a modest scope and dark skies.

M63 is currently high overhead at dusk.

Telescope: Meade SN10 at f/4, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Full Spectrum Modified Nikon D810

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

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

Exposure: 30x30sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction)

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

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, fair transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.5 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

NGC 5907, the Splinter Galaxy, in the upper left corner, is a very slender edge-on spiral galaxy with a small central bulge and a pronounced dust lane. The dust lane shows some wonderful detail and tints the core a beautiful amber color. The galaxy itself is something of a giant lying 59 million light years away and 180,000 light years across. M102, in the lower right corner, is a beautiful edge-on spiral galaxy that is nestled in between Draco, Bootes, and Ursa Major. It is almost exactly edge-on to our line of sight and shows an extremely thin profile with only a slight central bulge and a slender dust lane. In the lower left corner is another edge-on spiral, NGC 5908, and a tiny face-on spiral, NGC 5905.

M102 and NGC 5907 are currently high overhead at dusk.

Telescope: Meade SN10 at f/4, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Full Spectrum Modified Nikon D810

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

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

Exposure: 98x30sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction)

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

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, poor transparency

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

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M106 is a beautiful, reasonably bright (Mv 8.4) spiral galaxy that is likely a member of the Ursa Major Group. In this image you can glimpse the outer veil of stars surrounding M106 as well as numerous background galaxies sprinkled across the field including NGC 4346 to the lower left, NGC 4220 to the upper right, and NGC 4217 to the lower right. Just to the upper right of M106 are 3 tiny background galaxies; NGC 4228, 4231, and 4232

M106 is currently high overhead at dusk.