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

Camera: ZWO ASI071MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: 2” Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, Meade DSI Pro II, PHD

Exposure: 22x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32×0.2sec, sky flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.2 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

M32 is the smaller and brighter of two prominent satellite galaxies of M31. If you look closely you can see the outskirts of M31 to the upper right of M32. M32 is a typical small elliptical galaxy composed primarily of older red and yellow stars and does not exhibit any significant star formation regions or dust. Interestingly, M32 may have originally have been a small spiral galaxy, but lost most of its stars to M31 as it passed through the disk of the larger galaxy. M31 and M32 also host super massive black holes in their cores; a 500 million solar mass hole occupies the core of M31 and a 100 million solar mass black hole lies at the center of M32. M32 is currently speeding back towards M31 at about 100 km/sec.

M32 along with M31 is currently well placed high overhead in the early evening. M32 is fairly easy to spot in the same field as M31 and in a small telescope it may appear as an out of focus star.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI294MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: 2” Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, Meade DSI Pro II, PHD

Exposure: 22x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, sky flats taken at dusk

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

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

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

M110 is the larger and fainter of two prominent satellite galaxies of M31. If you look closely you can see the outskirts of M31 in the lower left corner of this field. M110 is fairly unique in that it shows some hints of structure and dust clouds near its core. Most elliptical galaxies tend to be relatively featureless. Visually M110 is relatively faint and diffuse, lying on the opposite side of M31 from the smaller and brighter M32 and a bit farther out.

M110 along with M31 and M32 are currently well placed high overhead in the early evening.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

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

Exposure: 26x120sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x120s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dawn

Average Light Pollution: Bortle 8, poor transparency, bright moonlight

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 17.5 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

NGC 1245 is a relatively faint but rich open cluster in central Perseus. It may be a tad faint for small telescopes, but blossoms into a fine patch of stardust in larger telescopes.

NGC 1245 is currently well placed high in the northeast as the sky darkens.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

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

Exposure: 37x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dawn

Average Light Pollution: Bortle 8, poor transparency, bright moonlight

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 17.1 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, 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, along with NGC 1851, 2298, and 2808, may not be a native of the Milky Way, but may be associated with the Canis Major dwarf galaxy which is currently passing very close to our galaxy.

This was the next to last test image taken with this new scope and was taken primarily to examine how well the telescope held collimation and guiding near the southern horizon, a location that is particularly challenging for my equipment. The telescope showed a little bit of focus shift after slewing to this location, but remained stable once it was reset. The collimation also remained stable showing no changes after slewing. Guiding also remained spot-on. In fact, it is guiding so well that I might introduce a bit of dithering between images, but that’s for next year. 🙂

M79 is currently well placed in the evening rising in the southeast as the sky darkens. The cluster is located in southern Lepus, about halfway between the ‘feet’ of Orion and the horizon.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

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

Exposure: 36x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dawn

Average Light Pollution: 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: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

NGC 2419 is one of the most remote globular clusters orbiting the Milky Way at a distance of 300,000 light years out in the fringes of the globular cluster halo, that’s nearly twice as far as the Large Magellanic cloud! At one time it was believed that NGC 2419 was not gravitationally bound to the Milky Way and was nicknamed the Intergalactic Wanderer, however it has since been shown to be a member of the Milky Way family. Its great distance and the interstellar dust between here and there contributes to the cluster’s beautiful soft color.

NGC 2419 is currently well placed in the evening rising in the northeast as the sky darkens. It is located about 7 degrees west of Castor, a little bit farther than the angular distance between Castor and Pollux.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

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

Exposure: 31x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dawn

Average Light Pollution: Bortle 8, poor transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.2 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

This is NGC 1514, a planetary nebula in Taurus. Planetary nebula form from a star very late in its life when it becomes unstable and sheds its outer surface, forming an expanding bubble of gas. In this case the shell is very uneven and detailed images show that it includes several sweeping loops. It has been conjectured that the central star in this case is a double and that the expanding shell of gas from one star has been contorted by its close companion. Neat stuff.

NGC 1514 is currently well placed in the evening rising in the northeast as the sky darkens.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

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

Exposure: 21x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dawn

Average Light Pollution: Bortle 8, fair transparency

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

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

NGC 2903 is a fairly bright (Mv 9.0) galaxy located just south of the head of Leo (the Lion). I first spotted this galaxy while star-hopping around Leo and Cancer. It is an easy target in an 8” scope where I was able to clearly see the core and bar. The sweeping arms are gorgeous in the photograph, but they are not visible from my backyard.

NGC 2903 is currently a morning object and is high overhead around 3:30am.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

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

Exposure: 44x120sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x120s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dawn

Average Light Pollution: Bortle 8, very poor transparency, haze, moonlight

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 17.5 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

M46 is one of several relatively bright open clusters that grace the evening sky in winter. This particular cluster also sports a beautiful little planetary nebula (NGC 2438) in the foreground. This little nebula looks quite stunning in a modest size telescope with the rich open cluster in the background.

This image was a complete surprise. The evening was pretty rough with a thin veil of haze and bright moonlight and my primary goal was to continue a set of shake-down tests on this new scope. This was one of two images that I took to check out the stability of the optical train a low altitudes and it performed very well. Getting a fairly nice image was a bonus. I was particularly interested in getting a good look at the little planetary nebula. I’m pretty happy with how this turned out, but I’d still like to try this again when it is actually clear.

M46 is currently fairly well placed rising in the southeast around 8:30 local time.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

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

Exposure: 11x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dawn

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

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

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

This is M109, a beautiful little spiral galaxy in Ursa Major located very near the bowl of the Big Dipper. M109 is an example of a barred galaxy, named for the bar of stars that pass through the galaxy’s core from upper left to lower right. Our own Milky Way galaxy is also believed to be a barred spiral much like M109. If you look closely you can also see two satellite galaxies of M109; UGC 6969 to the left and UGC 6940 near the bottom of this field.

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

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

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

Exposure: 21x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dawn

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: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

I was a bit surprised at how well this turned out. The sky conditions were very poor with a fair amount of haze and very poor seeing. The result was a soft image with very low contrast. Processing recovered more detail than I thought it would and down-sampling the image helped to sharpen it a bit. Not a bad result, though I’m looking forward to trying this again under better conditions. So much to try, so few clear nights…

M81 is a beautiful spiral galaxy that is interacting with the nearby M82. The sky conditions for imaging this delicate galaxy were far from optimal, but it is still neat to see the beautiful sweeping arms tinged with blue star forming regions resulting from a close encounter with M82.