Category Archives: Astrophotos

IC1848 Soul Nebula – 2016

IC1848 Soul Nebula - 2016
IC1848 Soul Nebula – 2016

2016-10-04 21:00-03:30
Some low clouds, windy, 80% humidity, 5 degrees C

IC1848
Exposures Luminance:
90x30s+25x120s+20x240s LIGHT
100x240s DARK
200 BIAS

2014-04-03 22:00-05:00 (2 hours lost due to a combination of hardware and software problems)
Clear, moon at the horizon, no wind, 0 degrees C

IC1848
Exposures RGB:
8x480s LIGHT
28x480s DARKS
200 BIAS

Camera L: ASI1600MM-COOL, IDAS LPS-D1, gain 77, offset 12, -20C
Camera RGB: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: Sequence Generator Pro, BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M33 – 2016

M33 - 2016
M33 – 2016

2016-10-03 21:00-03:30
Some initial high clouds, some wind, 85% humidity, 5 degrees C

M33
Exposures Luminance:
59x30s+30x120s+39x240s LIGHT

100x240s DARK
200 BIAS

2016-09-09 22:00-01:30
Clear followed by fog, setting moon, no wind, 99% humidity, 12 degrees C

M33
Exposures Luminance:
126x30s+64x120s LIGHT

2014-10-29 22:30-00:30
Some initial clouds followed by clear, humid, 2 degrees C

2014-10-28 19:30-23:30
High and fast moving low clouds, humid, 9 degrees C

M33 – Triangulum Galaxy
Exposures RGB:
30+20x360s LIGHT
40+40x360s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera L: ASI1600MM-COOL, IDAS LPS-D1, gain 77, offset 12, -20C
Camera RGB: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: Sequence Generator Pro, BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

NGC7331 and Stephan’s Quintet – 2016

NGC7331 and Stephan's Quintet - 2016
NGC7331 and Stephan’s Quintet – 2016

2016-09-08 22:00-01:30
Clear, no moon, no wind, 98% humidity, 15 degrees C

NGC7331
Exposures L:
120x30s+60x120s LIGHT
200 DARK
200 BIAS

2015-08-21 22:30-03:30
Clear, no moon, no wind, 12 degrees C

2015-08-20 00:00-01:00
Low clouds, no moon, no wind, 14 degrees C

2015-08-19 23:00-03:00
Very clear, no moon, no wind, 14 degrees C

NGC7331
Exposures RGB:
52x480s LIGHT
85 DARK
200 BIAS

Camera L: ASI1600MM-COOL, IDAS LPS-D1, gain 77, offset 12, -20C
Camera RGB: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: Sequence Generator Pro, BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

NGC6888 – Crescent Nebula

NGC6888 - Crescent Nebula
NGC6888 – Crescent Nebula

2016-09-05 21:30-00:30
Some high clouds, no moon, some wind, 80% humidity, 9 degrees C

NGC6888 L
Exposures:
240x30s LIGHT
200 DARK
200 BIAS

NGC6888 RGB
Exposures:
7x480s LIGHT
100 DARK
200 BIAS

Camera L: ASI1600MM-COOL, IDAS LPS-D1, gain 139, offset 21, -20C
Camera RGB: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: Sequence Generator Pro, BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

NGC869, NGC884 – Double Cluster

NGC869, NGC884 - Double Cluster
NGC869, NGC884 – Double Cluster

2016-08-14 23:00-02:00
Clear, moon, some wind, 96% humidity, 10 degrees C

Doble Cluster L
Exposures:
60x45s LIGHT
100 DARKS
200 BIAS

2016-01-04 17:30-19:00
High clouds followed by low clouds, no wind, -5 degrees C

2016-02-03 19:00-03:30
Clear, no wind, no moon, moist, -2 degrees C

Double Cluster RGB
Exposures:
9x300s+8x480s LIGHT
120x480s DARK
200 BIAS
Camera L: ASI1600MM-COOL, IDAS LPS-D1, gain 0, offset 10, -20C
Camera RGB: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: Sequence Generator Pro, BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

 

NGC 7023 – Iris Nebula

NGC 7023 - Iris Nebula
NGC 7023 – Iris Nebula

2016-08-07 00:00-03:00
Low clouds, no moon, no wind, 99% humidity, 12 degrees C
2016-08-12 00:30-02:30
Clear, setting moon, no wind, 94% humidity, 5 degrees C

NGC7023 L
Exposures:
214x30s+40x45s+60x120s LIGHT
300 DARKS
200 BIAS
Camera L: ASI1600MM-COOL, IDAS LPS-D1, gain 77, offset 12 and gain 100, offset 17, -20C

2015-08-14 23:30-03:00
Very clear, no moon, some wind, 14 degrees C
2015-08-18 23:00-03:00
Clear, no moon, some wind, 14 degrees C

NGC7023 RGB
Exposures:
52x480s LIGHT
85x480s DARK
200 BIAS
Camera RGB: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800

Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: Sequence Generator Pro, BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

Coma Cluster – 2016

Coma Cluster - 2016
Coma Cluster – 2016
Coma Cluster - 2016, annotated
Coma Cluster – 2016, annotated (885 galaxies!)

2014-04-26 00:00-03:30
Some high clouds initially, no moon, no wind, 10 degrees C

2014-04-27 00:00-03:30
Some high clouds, no moon, no wind, 10 degrees C

2016-04-11 23:00-04:00
Clear, setting moon, little wind, 4 degrees C

Coma Cluster
(20+22+26)x480s LIGHT
179x480s DARKS
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M53, NGC5053 – 2016

M53, NGC5053 - 2016
M53, NGC5053 – 2016

2014-05-01 23:30-03:00
Clear, no moon, no wind, 2 degrees C

2016-04-11 23:00-04:00
Clear, setting moon, little wind, 4 degrees C

M53+NGC5053
Exposures:
(21+8)x480s LIGHT
122x480s DARKS
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M101 and friends – 2016

M101 and friends - 2016
M101 and friends – 2016

2015-03-13 23:00-04:00
Clear, rising moon, no wind, -1 degrees C

2016-03-31 22:00-00:00
Low clouds followed by clear weather, some wind, no moon, 1 degrees C

2016-04-09 22:00-04:00
High clouds followed by clear weather, no wind, no moon, -1 degrees C

M101
Exposures:
(32+9+30)x480s LIGHT
192x480s DARKS
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

Double Cluster – 2016

NGC869, NGC884 - 2016, Double Cluster
NGC869, NGC884 (Double Cluster) – 2016

2016-01-04 17:30-19:00
High clouds followed by low clouds, no wind, -5 degrees C

Exposures:
9x300s LIGHT

2016-02-03 19:00-03:30
Clear, no wind, no moon, moist, -2 degrees C

Exposures:
8x480s LIGHT
120x480s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M81, M82 – 2016

M81, M82 - 2016
M81, M82 – 2016

2014-04-27 23:00-03:30
High clouds, no moon, no wind, 10 degrees C

M81+M82
Exposures:
28x480s LIGHT

2016-02-03 19:00-03:30
Clear, no wind, no moon, moist, -2 degrees C

M81+M82
Exposures:
24x480s LIGHT

2016-02-12 20:30-01:30
Clear followed by cloudy weather, no wind, setting moon, -6 degrees C

M81+M82
Exposures:
8x480s LIGHT

2016-02-28 19:30-23:00
Clear followed by fog, no wind, no moon, -3 degrees C

M81+M82
Exposures:
26x480s LIGHT

Total:
86x480s LIGHT
448x480s DARKS
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M46, M47

M46, M47
M46, M47

2016-02-29 19:30-22:30
Clear, no wind, no moon, -4 degrees C

M46+M47
Exposures:
30x240s LIGHT
116x480s DARKS
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M78 – 2016

M78
M78

2016-02-04 18:30-23:30
Clear, no wind, no moon, -2 degrees C

M78
Exposures:
10x300s+28x480s LIGHT

2016-02-12 20:30-01:30
Clear followed by cloudy weather, no wind, setting moon, -6 degrees C

M78
Exposures:
21x480s LIGHT

206x480s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M35, NGC2158

M35, NGC2158
M35, NGC2158

2016-01-05 19:30-03:00
Some low clouds and ice crystals, no wind, -10 degrees C
Exposures:
8x480s LIGHT

2016-02-03 19:00-03:30
Clear, no wind, no moon, moist, -2 degrees C
Exposures:
14x480s LIGHT

169x480s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M42 – Orion Nebula

M42 - Orion Nebula
M42 – Orion Nebula

2016-01-05 19:30-03:00
Some low clouds and ice crystals, no wind, -10 degrees C
M42
Exposures:
6x480s+11x240s+10x60s+11x30s+10x15s LIGHT

2016-01-13 21:00-23:00
Clear, turbulent, low clouds, no wind, -11 degrees C
M42
Exposures:
8x300s LIGHT

2016-01-14 20:00-00:00
Clear, setting moon, no wind, -13 degrees C
M42
Exposures:
2x480s+18x300s+12x240s LIGHT

Total:
8x480s+26x300s+23x240s+10x60s+11x30s+10x15s LIGHT
79x480s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

IC434 – Horsehead Nebula

IC434 - Horsehead Nebula
IC434 – Horsehead Nebula

2016-01-06 20:30-01:00
Clear, no wind, -12 degrees C

IC434
Exposures:
35x300s+18x240s+2x120s LIGHT

2016-02-26 19:30-22:30
Clear, no wind, rising moon, -3 degrees C

IC434
Exposures:
2x120s+14x300s+12x480s LIGHT

Total
12x480s+49x300s+18x240s+4x120s
303x480s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

Heart and Soul Nebulae

Heart and Soul Nebulae
Heart and Soul Nebulae

Testing the PixInsight GradientMergeMosaic tool.

IC1848:
2014-04-03 22:00-05:00 (2 hours lost due to a combination of hardware and software problems)
Clear, moon at the horizon, no wind, 0 degrees C
Exposures:
8x480s LIGHT
28x480s DARK
200 BIAS

IC1805:
2015-12-13 17:30-21:00 (2 hours lost due to Canon driver issue with Windows 10 and USB 3.0 setting in VMWare Fusion 8.1.0)
Some low clouds followed by fog, no wind, -3 degrees C
Exposures:
9x480s LIGHT
60x480s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

IC1805, Heart Nebula

IC1805, Heart Nebula
IC1805, Heart Nebula

2015-12-13 17:30-21:00 (2 hours lost due to Canon driver issue with Windows 10 and USB 3.0 setting in VMWare Fusion 8.1.0)
Some low clouds followed by fog, no wind, -3 degrees C

IC1805
Exposures:
9x480s LIGHT
60x480s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

M31, M32, M110 – 2015

M31, M32, M110 - 2015
M31, M32, M110 – 2015

2014-09-26 22:00-01:30
Fast moving low clouds, windy, 10 degrees C

M31 – Andromeda Galaxy
Exposures:
20x60s+13x180s+5x480s LIGHT

2015-10-14 21:00-03:00
Some high clouds, no moon, some wind, 5 degrees C

M31 – Andromeda Galaxy
Exposures:
10x60s+40x480s LIGHT

48x60s+20x180s+100x480s DARK
200 BIAS

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop

Supermoon Eclipse 2015

Supermoon Eclipse 2015

The supermoon lunar eclipse photographed from my backyard.

6 s exposure at ISO200.

Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO200
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Software: BackyardEOS, Photoshop

 

I’ve also made a short timelapse movie of the event from my images taken that night: