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Archives for February 2023

NGC 2903 – Spiral Galaxy in Leo

February 24, 2023 by
NGC 2903 – Spiral Galaxy in Leo

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: 23x300sec, 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, 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

NGC 2903 is a fairly bright (Mv 9.0) galaxy located just south of the head of Leo (the Lion). The galaxy is 20.5 million light years away and is 80,000 light years across, making it a little slammer than the Milky Way. 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 well-placed rising in the east during the early evening. (Photo credit: John Graham, 2/13/2023)

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging

NGC 2392 – The Eskimo Nebula in Gemini

February 22, 2023 by
NGC 2392 – The Eskimo Nebula in Gemini

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: 19x300sec, 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, fair transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.5

Stacking: Average, 1 sigma clip

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

NGC 2392, Eskimo Nebula, is a wonderful little planetary nebula Gemini. Visually this nebula looks much like its nickname, even in a small telescope. Planetary nebula are formed when a star sheds its outer shell as it nears the end of its life. The core collapses into a fiercely bright white dwarf whose intense radiation sets the expanding shell of gas aglow, often with a beautiful blue/green color. The layered structure of NGC 2392 shows that it has experienced several shedding events.

The Eskimo Nebula is currently well placed high in the east during the early evening. (Photo credit: John Graham, 2/13/2023)

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging, Uncategorized

NGC 2775 – Spiral Galaxy in Cancer

February 21, 2023 by
NGC 2775 – Spiral Galaxy in Cancer

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: 36x300sec, 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, 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

NGC 2775 is a small, tightly wound spiral galaxy with a bright central core surrounded by a gossamer outer veil. A complex spiral pattern emerges in the outer veil in high resolution images, but here it appears only as a soft golden glow with just a hint of spiral structure. Visually, the core appears as a soft, out of focus star similar to a small planetary nebula.

NGC 2775 is currently well placed in the eastern sky during the early evening. (Photo credit: John Graham, 2-12-2023)

Filed Under: Deepsky Imaging

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) – 2/12/2023 19h06m to 19h51m EDT

February 14, 2023 by
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) – 2/12/2023 19h06m to 19h51m EDT

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

Camera: QHY 367c Pro, -20C, Baader Mk III MPCC

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

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

Exposure: 46x60sec, gain 2800, offset 50, saved as FITS

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

Flats: 64x300ms, 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, Nebulosity, Photoshop

I finally had a chance to take a peek at Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) as it passed south of Mars. When this image set was taken the comet was 44 million miles away to the northeast of the Hyades. Mas lay 4 degrees to the north of the comet and more than twice as far away in the background at a distance of 92 million miles. The stars trailing in the background shows the motion of the comet while the source images were being taken. The comet was moving so quickly the telescope was setup to track on the comet so that the nucleus of the comet was reasonably sharp while the stars trailed behind. (Photo credit: John Graham, 2–12-2023)

Filed Under: Solar System Imaging