Horsehead Nebula (in Explore 30 April 2022)
The famous Horsehead Nebula in the constellation Orion, taken back in March.
For more information please see my Astrobin: astrob.in/fw4yw0/I/
The Great Orion Nebula and friends (in Explore 10 April 2022)
The nebulae, in the sword of Orion, are the brightest in the northern skies and include the Orion Nebula itself (M42), de Mairan's Nebula (M43) and the Running Man Nebula (NGC 1977). They are 1500 light years away and are visible to the naked eye.
NGC 1333 (Embryo nebula) (in Explore 7 March 2022)
My latest project which has taken over a month to complete with data from 5 separate nights, totalling 12h 35' of LRGB.
The giant molecular cloud complex, surrounding the reflection nebula NGC 1333, in this region of Perseus, lies approximately 1000 light years away and contains more than 10,000 solar masses of gas and dust. There are also several designated LBN, LDN and Vdb objects in this region which covers an area of 6º by 2º in total.
This was tough to process but I hope I've done it justice.
The Cone & Fox Fur Nebula and Christmas Tree Cluster
This region of the Milky Way, in the constellation of Monoceros, is full of interest, including the Cone and Fox Fur Nebulae and the Christmas Tree Cluster designated as NGC 2264. In this field of view, Barnard's Variable Nebula, NGC 2261 and the open cluster NGC 2259, are also visible in the frame.
Processed in narrowband in my version of the SHO Hubble palette. I had no time to capture the stars as RGB so they have uncorrected colours from the narrowband data.
Rosette Nebula (in Explore 14 Feb 2022)
The beautiful Rosette or Skull Nebula in the constellation Monoceros, lying 5219 light years away and 65 light years across.
Captured with my ZWO mono camera with Ha, OIII and SII filters with about 4 hours of integration time for each filter. Processed in the SHO (Hubble) palette.
Flaming Star and The Tadpoles (in Explore 23 Jan 2022)
The Flaming Star and the Tadpoles
The Flaming Star Nebula (IC405) and the Tadpoles Nebula (IC410) are two neighbouring emission nebulae in the constellation Auriga. The former is 1500 light years away and the latter is 12000.
My first target for 2022 during a clear spell of 4 nights. 7h 30' of narrowband data with my ASI294MM-Pro on the Takahashi FSQ-85EDX Baby-Q with 0.73x reducer. I wasn't expecting to get anywhere near this with the bright Moon but my dark (Bortle 4) skies definitely help.
I processed this as a modifed SHO Hubble palette in APP and Photoshop with StarXTerminator to separate the stars and Topaz Denoise AI for noise reduction.
More details on Astrobin: astrob.in/vc2q85/0/
Greenfinch
A very handsome male Greenfinch from my garden back in December
Goldfinch
A very Happy New Year and wishing you all a fruitful 2022 with lots of photo opportunities
Treecreeper
One of my resident Treecreepers in my garden in fading light.
Wishing all my Flickr friends a very Happy Christmas and New Year.
Blackbird & bokeh
One of my resident male Blackbirds in the garden with some nice bokeh in the background
Lion Nebula SH2-132 (in Explore 13 December 2021)
Lion Nebula - Sharpless 132
The Lion Nebula, catalogued as Sharpless 132, in the constellation Cepheus, is a faint emission nebula around 10,000 ly away. It contains two ionizing Wolf Rayet stars and two dark nebulae (LDN 1150 & 1154).
My latest astro project and my first attempt at mono with my ASI294mm-Pro. Processing was done with AstroPixelProcessor and Photoshop with StarXTerminator. A total of 17h 10' of exposure time with Ha, OIII and SII 7nm ZWO filters. The colours are false using a SHO palette which maps the SII signal to red, Ha signal to green and OIII signal to blue and the colours then changed in Photoshop.
More details and full resolution on Astrobin: astrob.in/yghdzf/E/
Great Spotted Woodpecker
A female Great Spotted Woodpecker in my garden a couple of week ago.
Robin
An Autumn Robin from my garden this week, looking rather splendid.
Pacman Nebula (NGC 281)
This bright emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia is 9,459 light years away and is named because of it's similarity to the famous video game character.
Also on Astrobin: astrob.in/4sorxj/D/
Technical details:
Imaging telescope: Takahashi FSQ-85EDX Baby-Q
Imaging camera: ZWO ASI533MC-Pro
Mounts: iOptron CEM70
Guiding telescope: Primaluce 60mm Guidescope
Guiding cameras: ZWO Optical ASI290MC
Focal reducers: Takahashi Flattener 1.01x for FSQ-85EDX
Software: StarXterminator · Aries Productions Astropixel Processor · openphdguiding.org PHD2 v2.6.10 · Incanus Ltd. Astro Photography Tool · Adobe Photoshop v22.5
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 1.25"
Accessory: ZWO EAF 5V Electronic Auto Focuser
Dates:Sept. 19, 2021 , Sept. 20, 2021
Frames:Optolong L-eXtreme 1.25": 124x300" (10h 20') (gain: 100.00) -10C bin 1x1
Integration: 10h 20'
Darks: 30
Flats: 50
Flat darks: 50
Bias: 50
Cygnus Wall (in Explore 31 October 2021)
The Cygnus Wall is the central part of the North America Nebula (NGC 7000) in the constellation Cygnus. It lies approximately 2202 light years away.
Gear and capture details:
Imaging telescope: Takahashi FSQ-85EDX Baby-Q
Imaging camera: ZWO ASI533MC-Pro
Mount: iOptron CEM70
Guiding telescope: Primaluce 60mm Guidescope
Guiding camera: ZWO Optical ASI290MC
Focal reducer: Takahashi Flattener 1.01x for FSQ-85EDX
Software: Adobe Photoshop v23 · Aries Productions Astropixel Processor · openphdguiding.org PHD2 v2.6.10 · RC Astro StarXterminator · Incanus Ltd. Astro Photography Tool
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 1.25"
Accessory: ZWO 8x 1.25" EFW · ZWO EAF 5V Electronic Auto Focuser
Dates:Oct. 12, 2021 , Oct. 16, 2021
Frames:Optolong L-eXtreme 1.25": 39x300" (3h 15') (gain: 100.00) -10C bin 1x1
Integration: 3h 15'
Darks: 30
Flats: 50
Bias: 50
astrob.in/zkc087/0/
Eastern Veil Nebula (in Explore 19 September 2021)
Eastern Veil Nebula (C33)
I've recently upgraded my astro setup with a new scope (Takahashi FSQ-85EDX Baby Q) and also had several clear nights to try it out (amazing as new gear normally comes with clouds). I've also been learning AstroPixelProcessor for stacking and processing which has made a big difference to the final results.
The Eastern Veil nebula (designated parts IC1340, NGC6992 and NGC6995) is part of the larger Cygnus loop - a supernova remnant about 1500 light years away in the Cygnus (Swan) constellation and is 5000-8000 years old. The total size of the nebula is about 3 times the width of the full moon.
Technical card:
Imaging telescope: Takahashi FSQ-85EDX Baby-Q
Imaging camera: ZWO ASI533MC-Pro
Mount: iOptron CEM70
Guiding telescope: Primaluce 60mm Guidescope
Guiding camera: ZWO Optical ASI290MC
Focal reducer: Takahashi Flattener 1.01x for FSQ-85EDX
Software: Aries Productions Astropixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop v22.5 · PHD2 v2.6.10 · Icanus Ltd APT 3.88.3
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme 1.25"
Accessory: ZWO EAF 5V Electronic Auto Focuser
Dates:Aug. 28, 2021 , Aug. 29, 2021
Frames:Optolong L-eXtreme 1.25": 111x300" (9h 15') (gain: 100.00) -10C bin 1x1
Integration: 9h 15'
Avg. Moon age: 20.99 days
Avg. Moon phase: 62.16%
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 4.00
astrob.in/ih54vz/C/
Marbled White ♀️ (in Explore 15 August 2021)
A female Marbled White in my local meadow. I only found two individuals, this female and a male, hopefully they managed to start another generation
Meadow Brown
Taken in my local meadow, as the sun was going down.
Small Copper
A Small Copper, in the same meadow as the Marbled Whites, roosting on a Dandelion head
Marbled White (in Explore 25 July 2021 & 27 Jan 2022)
A successful week on my local patch, a pair of Marbled Whites showing really well. It was hot work chasing them around the meadow but managed to keep my eye on them as they settled for the evening. This shot of the male, with the sun going down behind him, is my favourite.
Great Tit (juvenile)
Nice to see a family of Great Tits in my garden this week.
Goldfinch
A brief period of decent light in my garden today allowed faster shutter speeds for some flight shots. I was pleased to catch this Goldfinch in the frame and in focus.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (juvenile)
It's been lovely to see this juvenile Spotty in my garden this week, they are regulars each year but later than usual this year.
Siskin ♂️
A male Siskin, one of a pair showing well in my garden at the moment
Common Blue ♂️
A male to go with the female in my previous post. Still fewer butterflies around this year, the wet and cold May has not been good for them.
Common Blue ♀️ (in Explore 12 June 2021)
Although they're late emerging this year, I managed to find a few Common Blues in my local meadow, including this female laying her eggs.
Siskin (female)
A first for me in my garden, such beautiful birds, I'm hoping they hang around for a while.
Wheatear (male)
I finally managed to get out with my camera and shoot some wildlife this week. This male Wheatear popped up on top of a wall in front of me, just as it started to hail.
IC410 (in Explore 25 April 2021)
The Tadpoles
A dusty emission nebula in Auriga, approximately 12,000 light years from Earth.
Technical card:
Captured 6 March 2021
Bortle 4
iOptron CEM70 guided and dithered with PHD2
ASI533MC-Pro at -15°C, gain 101, offset 15
Canon EF 600mm f4 L IS II lens
Optolong L-eXtreme filter
3 hours 10 mins, 19x600" lights
No darks, flats and flat darks
Captured with APT
Stacked and processed with DSS and Photoshop
Thor's Helmet (in Explore 14 March 2021)
Thor's Helmet NGC 2359
This is another one of my first images taken with my new astro camera. The object, in the constellation Canis Major, is a hydrogen emission nebula named after the Norse God due to it's resemblance to his Helmet. It lies around 15,000 light years from Earth and at it's centre is a highly luminous Wolf Rayet class star.
Technical card:
iOptron CEM70 guided and dithered with PHD2
ASI533MC-Pro at -15°C, gain 101, offset 10
Canon EF 600mm f4 L IS II lens
Optolong L-eXtreme filter
1 hour 55 mins (300s subs) lights
No darks, flats or flat darks
Captured with APT
Processed with DSS and Photoshop + Topaz Denoise
Monkey Head Nebula
Monkey Head Nebula NGC 2174/2175
This is my first image with my new dedicated cooled Astro camera, a ZWO ASI533MC-Pro.
The Monkey Head Nebula, NGC 2174, is a Hydrogen Alpha emission nebula in the constellation Orion and contains the open star cluster NGC 2175 near it's centre. It is approximately 6400 light years from Earth.
Acquisition and processing details:
iOptron CEM70 guided and dithered with PHD2
ASI533MC-Pro at -10°C, gain 101, offset 20
Canon EF 600mm f4 L IS II lens
Optolong L-eXtreme filter
5 hours 25 mins (300s subs) lights
No darks, flats or flat darks
Captured with APT
Processed with DSS and Photoshop + Topaz Denoise
Triangulum Galaxy (M33)
Triangulum Galaxy M33
The Triangulum Galaxy is the third largest of the local group of galaxies including ourselves, the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy and lies 2.73 million light years from Earth. This was taken over two nights in early January.
Technical stuff:
Bortle 4 skies
Canon EF 600mm f4 + 7D II on iOptron CEM70
Primaluce 60mm Guidescope + ASI290MC
Optolong L-Pro filter
4 hours of 10 min subs
Stacked in DSS
Processed with Photoshop & Topaz Denoise
Alnitak, the Horsehead and Flame nebulae (in Explore 21 Feb 2021)
My latest and probably most pleasing astro image so far taken from my backyard.
Alnitak is the eastern most star of Orion's belt and is surrounded by clouds of dust and star forming regions including the famous Horsehead Nebula (B33), the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) and NGC 2023.
Technical stuff:
iOptron CEM70 (guided)
Canon 7D Mark II (ISO 1600) with Optolong L-Pro filter
Canon EF 600mm f4 L IS II + 1.4x Teleconverter
FL 840mm, f5.6, fov 1.52°×1.01°, 1.00" per pixel
Captured with APT + PHD2 (dithered every frame)
2 hours of 5 min lights stacked in DSS (no darks, 30 flats/bias)
Processed in Photoshop + Topaz Denoise
Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula can be seen with the naked eye in dark skies and is located in the belt of the Orion constellation.
This image actually consists of several catalogued objects including:
M42 the Great Orion Nebula
M43/NGC 1982 de Mairan's Nebula
NGC 1977 the Running Man Nebula
The Trapezium cluster
Technical stuff:
iOptron CEM70 mount
Canon 7D Mark II (ISO1600) + Canon EF 600mm f4 L IS II (f4)
Optolong L-Pro filter
Primaluce 60mm guidescope + ZWO ASI290MC
Capture software: APT + PHD2
25 mins of 2 minute exposures + 20 10 second exposures (blended in PS)
Stacked in DSS
Processed in Photoshop + Topaz Denoise
The Pleiades
The Pleiades taken this week during a surprise and brief period of dark skies and no clouds.
The Pleiades or Seven Sisters, catalogued as Messier 45, is an open star cluster of middle-aged hot blue B-class stars in the constellation Taurus, approximately 444 light years from Earth. The glowing blue nebulosity is thought to be an interstellar dust cloud, illuminated by the stars.
Rosette Nebula (In explore 31 Jan 2021)
My first post for a long time, the reason being I've been learning astrophotography and setting up my new gear to take images of the cosmos.
This is the Rosette Cluster and Nebula, NGC2239/NGC2244/C50 and NGC2237/C49 in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way.
The capture details are:
iOptron CEM70 mount
Canon 7D Mark II (ISO1600) + Canon EF 600mm f4 L IS II (f4)
Optolong L-Pro filter
Primaluce 60mm guidescope + ZWO ASI290MC
Capture software: APT + PHD2
1 hour 12 mins total integration (5 min guided subs)
Stacked in DSS (15 lights, 12 darks, 64 flats/64 dark flats)
Processed in Photoshop + Topaz Denoise
Southern Hawker (Explored 22 September 2020)
I always have a resident Southern Hawker around my pond this time of year and 2020 is no exception. I was happy to be able to capture this male in flight a couple of weeks ago.
Common Blue ♂️
A male Common Blue butterfly roosting on a Bird's Foot Trefoil flower in my local meadow
Jay
Lovely to see this Jay in my garden last week
Marbled White (Explored 24 July 2020)
I went back for a second visit to the Marbled Whites, early morning, to catch some open winged shots. They were already quite active but I managed a few shots of them sunning themselves.
Chaffinch (juvenile)
One of several young Chaffinches in my garden recently. This one looks like a male as it's starting to develop the chest colouration
Small Copper
Taken in a local meadow
Marbled White (male)
A male Marbled White from my recent shoot in my local meadow, resting on a Heath Spotted Orchid.
PS. spot the Crab Spider!!
Marbled White (female)
A solitary female Marbled White butterfly, resting on a Heath Spotted Orchid, from the shoot at my local meadow last week.
Marbled Whites (Explored 5 July 2020)
A pair of Marbled White butterflies roosting on a Heath Spotted Orchid in a local meadow.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (juvenile)
Another shot of one of the juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers in my garden recently.
Goldfinches
Another flight shot of one of the juvenile Goldfinches in my garden recently with an adult flying through as an added bonus.
Greenfinch (juvenile)
Another juvenile in my garden recently.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (juvenile)
The Woodpeckers have been conspicuous by their absence over the last few weeks but this weekend two juveniles and a male adult appeared. This youngster showed well for me, allowing me to capture lots of shots, this being my favourite.
Blue Tit (juvenile)
A juvenile Blue Tit in my garden
Andy,Had a look at your web,some cracking images,love the layout of your web,clean and easy to navigate,did you design it yourself?
John
Hi John,
Many apologies for the delayed reply, don’t check my website as often as I should. Thanks for taking the time to have a look and leave a comment. Yes I did design the layout, it’s a WordPress theme using Nextgen Gallery for the images, really glad you like it, it’s nice to get some feedback. I must admit it’s due for an overhaul and would like to include a marketplace for selling prints (work in progress).
Thanks again and see you back on Flickr, Andy