TAG Narrowband
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Familiar landscape — NGC 6888 and Sadr
I was running out of ideas of things to shoot; I’m getting pretty worn out from several nights in a row of being up late shooting, and I’m starting to make bad […]
Long Exposure Photography / Observing Reports
In search of more Cygnus nebulosity — Sh2-115, 116, and 112
It was cloudy on Saturday night, but Sunday night I decided to try out another run at the Cygnus Milky Way. I have a decently large target list of nebulae that are […]
Pumpkin hits FOV limit – IC1396
I went off in search of more Ha targets in Cygnus tonight. Among “famous” astrophoto targets, IC1396 is one of those huge targets that defy most attempts to capture them in one […]
Going off-script: More Ha in Cygnus
I am attempting to work my way around Cygnus, and intended to shoot the region near Sadr (IC1318). This region is large enough that even Pumpkin can only capture a piece of […]
Cutting swathes through the summer Milky Way
The shutter was open for about 4 hours total last night. These have had darks and bias subtracted but no flats (my flat box is dead). This is all through the Ha […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Another attempt at NGC7000
This time I tried 20m subframes (polar alignment not good enough — much field rotation) and settled on 10m subframes (lots of detail but no star trails). I forgot to change the […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
300D first light, Ha filter first light, and an old nemesis
Since my Gemini mount is up in WA and my Nikon died, I had a lot of new stuff going on. In particular, I tried out the Canon 300D for the first […]
stacking vs. subframe
While I was testing out the Ha filter last night, I decided to test out a theory. Like most astrophotographers, I take lots of short subframes of my subject, then stack them […]
DSLR Narrowband Imaging – trying again
I had nothing but trouble the last time I tried H-alpha imaging with the D70. I bought a 2” Baader filter, and decided that the Astronomik filter slide system would be perfect. […]
RECENT UPDATE
Polar Alignment Calculations
Here’s a page that derives Polar Alignment Calculations. (update 5/2020: the original site is gone, so I found the text on Wayback and am inserting it below. This is by the original […]
Gear / Observatory / Telescope
Special Guest Star takes the mount at Hilltop O
The Astro Jedi needed somewhere to store his light sab—- I mean, bucket, and I was only too happy to accommodate him. I have decided that I need to come to a […]
General / Maintenance / Observatory
Dome shutter is motorized again!
I finally decided to bite the bullet and fix the shutter motor. Things went sideways last winter, and I’ve been opening the shutter manually (and tying it shut with rope, so we […]
Trixie 2017 – tube mods
I finally got around to cutting the MTA-UTA tubes to length; the only eyepiece that would come to focus with the focuser spacer in place is the Televue 55mm Plossl. If I […]
MOST COMMENTED
Observatory
Observatory 2.0 – Time has come today!
General / Maintenance
First Light, a deeper look
Mount / Observatory / Telescope
Observatory 2.0 – Result!
Observatory
Observatory 2.0 – The Pier goes in
Gear / General / Maintenance
Martin Farmer Wormblock installation notes
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC2244, The Rosette Nebula
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Another beautiful night.