TAG Nebula
Deep Sky / Gear / Long Exposure Photography / Telescope
Pumpkin out, Cassie in
There are quite a few planets coming around for a pass; Jupiter is up pretty early in the evening these days, and by morning, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn are arrayed across the […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Another beautiful night.
I stayed up way too late on First Light night, but the sky was clear again the next night, so out I went. I did a little testing to start the evening, […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Final First Light photo
I finally got through processing all the images from the first few nights of shooting. The workflow is very slow, and I am using unfamiliar tools, but it’s starting to come back. […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
Last minute scramble
I’m in the process of changing houses. Among all the other concerns, this means that Ad Astra Observatory at Newark, CA is nearing the end of its run. I’ve had a lot […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC7293, The Helix Nebula in Aquarius
This is my final photo from GSSP 2010. This is 4h total exposure, twelve 20m subframes, shot with Cassie/350D.
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC6888, The Crescent Nebula in Cygnus
I shot this on the final night of GSSP 2010. This is 1h total exposure, three 20m subframes, shot with Cassie/350D.
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
B27, The Snake Nebula in Scorpius
I shot this on the final night of GSSP 2010. This is a single 10m subframe, shot with Cassie/350D. Scope was pointed East at the time.
Deep Sky / General / Long Exposure Photography / Observing Reports
GSSP Night 4
The second night out with Cassie was only slightly less frustrating than the first. I don’t know whether there was a slight drop in the seeing or what, but when I really […]
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
NGC6820, Emission Nebula in Cygnus
I shot this on the third night of GSSP 2010. This is 40m total exposure, two 20m subframes, shot with Cassie/350D. Scope was pointed West at the time.
Deep Sky / Long Exposure Photography
B27, The Snake Nebula in Scorpius
I shot this on the third night of GSSP 2010. This is a single 20m subframe, shot with Cassie/350D. Scope was pointed West at the time. When this frame trailed so badly, […]
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.