Author: Peter Folkesson
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 … Continue readingSupermoon Eclipse 2015
Guide to DSLR-image processing in PixInsight posted
I’ve posted a guide (in Swedish) on how to process DSLR-images with PixInsight at: Guide: Behandling av DSLR-bilder i PixInsight A rough translation in English: Here is an example of a workflow for processing DSLR images in PixInsight. Note that the workflow is supposed to … Continue readingGuide to DSLR-image processing in PixInsight posted
NGC7023 Iris Nebula
2015-08-14 23:30-03:00 Very clear, no moon, some wind, 14 degrees C NGC7023 Exposures: 27x480s LIGHT 2015-08-18 23:00-03:00 Clear, no moon, some wind, 14 degrees C NGC7023 Exposures: 25x480s LIGHT 85x480s DARK 200 BIAS Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher … Continue readingNGC7023 Iris Nebula
IC5146 Cocoon Nebula
2015-08-13 23:30-01:30 Few high and low clouds, no moon, some wind, 14 degrees C IC5146 Exposures: 15x480s LIGHT 2015-08-23 22:30-02:00 Few high clouds, setting moon, some wind, 15 degrees C IC5146 Exposures: 26x480s LIGHT 91x480s DARK 200 BIAS Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: … Continue readingIC5146 Cocoon Nebula
NGC7331 and Stephan’s Quintet
2015-08-19 23:00-03:00 Very clear, no moon, no wind, 14 degrees C NGC7331 Exposures: 9x480s LIGHT 2015-08-20 00:00-01:00 Low clouds, no moon, no wind, 14 degrees C NGC7331 Exposures: 7x480s LIGHT 2015-08-21 22:30-03:30 Clear, no moon, no wind, 12 degrees C NGC7331 Exposures: 35x480s LIGHT 85x480s … Continue readingNGC7331 and Stephan’s Quintet
M52, NGC7635 (The Bubble Nebula)
2015-08-12 23:30-03:30 Very clear, no moon, no wind, 9 degrees C M52 Exposures: 27x480s LIGHT 49x480s 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 … Continue readingM52, NGC7635 (The Bubble Nebula)
NGC 7000 North America Nebula, IC 5070 Pelican Nebula
2015-08-08 23:30-03:30 Clear, rising moon, no wind, 10 degrees C NGC 7000 North America Nebula, IC 5070 Pelican Nebula Exposures: 24x480s LIGHT 52x480s 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 … Continue readingNGC 7000 North America Nebula, IC 5070 Pelican Nebula
M84, M86, M87, M89, M90, M91, Markarian’s Chain
2015-04-19 23:30-03:00 Clear, no moon or wind, 6 degrees C 2014-04-03 02:00-05:00 Clear, moon at the horizon, no wind, 0 degrees C M87+M88+M99+Markarian’s Chain Exposures: 23+21x480s LIGHT 45x480s DARK 200 BIAS Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener … Continue readingM84, M86, M87, M89, M90, M91, Markarian’s Chain
NGC4631, NGC4656
2015-04-20 23:00-03:00 Clear, no moon or wind, 7 degrees C NGC4631 Exposures: 24x480s LIGHT 44x480s 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: … Continue readingNGC4631, NGC4656
M13
2015-04-21 23:00-03:00 Clear, no moon, some wind, 6 degrees C M13 Exposures: 20×60+20×120+20×240+8x480s LIGHT 40×60+40×120+40×240+46x480s 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: … Continue readingM13
M98, M99, M100
2015-04-15 23:30-02:00 Very clear, no moon, some wind, humid, 3 degrees C Power supply broke, telescope set up in a hurry 2015-04-18 00:30-03:00 Initial low clouds followed by clear, no moon, little wind, 1 degrees C M98+M99+M100 Exposures: 39x480s LIGHT 67x480s DARK 200 BIAS Camera: … Continue readingM98, M99, M100
NGC2264
2015-03-11 20:00-00:00 Very clear, no moon, no wind, 1 degrees C NGC2264 Exposures: 28x480s LIGHT 2015-03-21 20:00-23:00 Very clear, no moon, no wind, -2 degrees C NGC2264 Exposures: 20x480s LIGHT 67x480s DARK 200 BIAS Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + … Continue readingNGC2264
M106 and friends
2015-03-22 00:00-04:00 Few high clouds, no moon, no wind, -6 degrees C M106 Exposures: 31x480s LIGHT 67x480s 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 … Continue readingM106 and friends
M101 and friends
2015-03-13 23:00-04:00 Clear, rising moon, no wind, -1 degrees C M101 Exposures: 32x480s LIGHT 67x480s 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: … Continue readingM101 and friends
M3
2015-03-12 00:00-03:30 Very clear, rising moon, no wind, -1 degrees C M3 Exposures: 20×60+20×120+20x300s LIGHT 39×240+68x480s 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 … Continue readingM3
NGC2237, NGC2244 – Rosette Nebula
2015-03-12 20:00-23:00 Some high clouds, no moon, no wind, 1 degrees C 2015-03-13 20:00-23:00 Few high clouds, no moon, no wind, 1 degrees C NGC2244 Exposures: 46x480s LIGHT 67x480s DARK 200 BIAS Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field … Continue readingNGC2237, NGC2244 – Rosette Nebula
M37
2015-03-04 21:30-00:00 Clear, full moon, some wind, -2 degrees C M37 Exposures: 28x240s+2x300s LIGHT 40x240s 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: … Continue readingM37
NGC1499
2014-12-25 18:30-23:00 Clear, setting moon, -10 degrees C NGC1499 – The California Nebula Exposures: 30x480s LIGHT 30x480s 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 … Continue readingNGC1499
IC405, IC410
2014-12-25 23:30-04:00 Clear, setting moon, -10 degrees C IC405, IC410 Exposures: 30x480s LIGHT 30x480s 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, … Continue readingIC405, IC410
M45
2014-12-20 19:00-03:00 Very clear, no moon, -2 degrees C M45 – The Pleiades Exposures: 20x60s+20x120s+20x240s+29x480s LIGHT 30x480s 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 … Continue readingM45
Testing Pixinsight Drizzle Integration
The first picture is a test using Pixinsight drizzle integration on the same image data as the picture below it. Although the images have been processed quite differently, there is definitely an improvement in the amount of details possible when using 2X drizzle (artificially doubling … Continue readingTesting Pixinsight Drizzle Integration
M33
2014-10-28 19:30-23:30 High and fast moving low clouds, humid, 9 degrees C 2014-10-29 22:30-00:30 Some initial clouds followed by clear, humid, 2 degrees C M33 – Triangulum Galaxy Exposures: 30+20x360s LIGHT 40+40x360s DARK 200 BIAS Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED … Continue readingM33
M31, M32, M110
2014-09-26 22:00-01:30 Fast moving low clouds, windy, 10 degrees C M31 – Andromeda Galaxy Exposures: 20x60s+13x180s+5x480s LIGHT 20x60s+20x180s+18x480s 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 … Continue readingM31, M32, M110
Veil Nebula
2014-09-03 23:00-04:00 Clear, 12 degrees C Veil Nebulae Exposures: 30x480s LIGHT 18x300s 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
M11, NGC6712, IC1295
2014-08-27 22:45-02:00 Scattered low clouds, 11 degrees C M11, NGC6712, IC1295 Exposures: 24x300s LIGHT 50x300s 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: … Continue readingM11, NGC6712, IC1295
M27
2014-08-06 23:45-03:00 Setting moon, high clouds, 15 degrees C M27 Exposures: 16x300s+8x240s+9x180s LIGHT 16x300s+20x240s+13x180s 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, … Continue readingM27
NGC4565, NGC4559, NGC4494
2014-04-04 23:00-05:00 Clear, setting moon, no wind, 3 degrees C NGC4565+NGC4559 23x480s LIGHT 34x480s DARK 200 BIAS 40 FLAT 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 … Continue readingNGC4565, NGC4559, NGC4494
M53, NGC5053
2014-05-01 23:30-03:00 Clear, no moon, no wind, 2 degrees C M53+NGC5053 Exposures: 21x480s LIGHT 20x480s DARKS 200 BIAS 40 FLAT 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 … Continue readingM53, NGC5053
M81, M82, NGC2976, NGC3077
2014-04-27 23:00-03:30 High clouds, no moon, no wind, 10 degrees C M81+M82 Exposures: 28x480s LIGHT 45x480s DARKS 200 BIAS 40 FLAT 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 … Continue readingM81, M82, NGC2976, NGC3077
Coma Cluster
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 Coma Cluster Exposures: 42x480s LIGHT 45x480s DARKS 200 BIAS 40 FLAT Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit … Continue readingComa Cluster
NGC2403
2014-04-20 23:00-03:00 Some high clouds, no moon, no wind, 12 degrees C NGC2403 Exposures: 26x480s LIGHT 25x480s DARKS 200 BIAS 40 FLAT 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 … Continue readingNGC2403
M97, M108
2014-04-04 23:00-05:00 Clear, setting moon, no wind, 3 degrees C M97+M108 Exposures: 12x480s LIGHT 30x480s DARKS 200 BIAS 40 FLAT 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 … Continue readingM97, M108
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 IC1848 Exposures: 8x480s LIGHT 28x480s DARKS 200 BIAS 40 FLAT Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + … Continue readingIC1848
M84, M86, M87, M89, M90, M91, Markarian’s Chain
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 M87+Markarian’s Chain21x480s LIGHT30x480s DARKS200 BIAS40 FLAT Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattenerMount: HEQ5 ProSkywatcher SynGuider … Continue readingM84, M86, M87, M89, M90, M91, Markarian’s Chain
M65, M66
2014-04-01 01:30-04:30Mostly clear, some fog, no wind or moon, 0 degrees C M65+M66Exposures:19x480s LIGHT25x480s DARKS200 BIAS40 FLAT Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattenerMount: HEQ5 ProSkywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scopeSoftware: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop
M36, M38, NGC1931
2014-03-30 22:00-01:00 Increasing high clouds, no wind or moon, 6 degrees C 2014-03-31 22:30-00:30 High clouds followed by mostly clear, no wind or moon, 2 degrees C M36+M38+NGC1931 Exposures: 30x480s LIGHT 25x480s DARKS 200 BIAS 40 FLAT Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800 Lens: Sky-Watcher … Continue readingM36, M38, NGC1931
IC342
2014-03-29 21:00-01:30 Clear, no wind or moon, 2 degrees C IC342 Exposures: 3x300s+9x480s+16x600s LIGHT 20x600s DARKS 200 BIAS 40 FLAT 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 … Continue readingIC342
SKYWATCHER ESPRIT 80ED FIXED
After a lot of fiddling with lenses and stray light I have finally made the adjustments necessary to reduce the diffraction spikes that have plagued the photos taken with my SkyWatcher Esprit 80ED refractor. By first removing the dew shield, a soft cloth glued around the lens chamber … Continue readingSKYWATCHER ESPRIT 80ED FIXED