Images of the Month
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Previous Images of the Month
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| A mosaic of ten images taken with a 20" Obsession Telescope on a Dual-axis Aluminum Platform. Click on the image to see the remarkably detailed full shot. | Deslandres region of the moon photographed
on subsequent nights. |
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The Dumbell Nebula (M27) and Ring Nebula (M57)
Images by Bob Brunck
Date and Location: August 9, 2007 from Soap Creek Valley, at Corvallis,
Oregon
Imaging Scope: Obsession 25" f/5 on a Tom Osypowski Dual Axis Aluminum
Equatorial Platform
Guide Scope: Orion 8" f/4 with a 2x Barlow
Autoguider: Phillips ToUcam Pro II, Shoestring Astronomy GPUSB guideport
adapter, and PHD guiding software
Camera: Canon EOS 10D at prime focus with a Lumicon minus-violet filter
(keeps out dust and moisture)
Exposures for M57: 9 x 120 sec at ISO 800, 3 x 120 sec Darks
Exposures for M27: 6 x 120 sec plus 3 x 180 sec at ISO 800, 3 x 120
sec Darks and 3 x 180s Darks
Processing: Raw files converted with Photoshop CS3 to 16bit TIFs. Calibrated,
aligned, and combined in Images Plus. Final color and luminance adjusted
in ACDSee. The original 3036 x 2024 pixel image was resized to 67% and
a 1024 x 768 crop taken for the final image.
The Horsehead Nebula (B33)
Photographic Details:
Date & Location: March 16th 2007, Fort
Mckavett, Texas.
Scope: Obsession 20” f/5 on a Tom Osypowski
Dual Axis Equatorial Platform, Orion 100mm f/6 Guidescope.
Autoguider: SC1 Mod Celestron Neximage Cam,
Shoestring GPUSB guide port interface adapter, and Guidemaster software.
Camera: Canon 20D DSLR (unmodded), homemade
serial control shutter release cable, and DSLR Shutter from Stark
Labs.
Filters: None
Conditions: Temp 63F, Humidity 48%, Winds 2-5
mph, Transparency 8/10, Seeing 7/10.
Exposures: 35 x 60sec @ 3200 ISO Sub Frames,
9 x 60sec Darks.
Post-processing: 3504x2336 Raw files converted
to Lossless 16-bit FITS, calibrated, aligned, and combined with ImagePlus.
Slight wavelet filtering with Registax 4. Final processing PhotoImpact
Pro.
Image by Glenn Schaeffer
The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293)
The Helix
Description:
The Helix Nebula (also known as NGC 7293) is a planetary nebula about 650 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius. It is one of the closest planetary nebulae to Earth. The Helix has often been referred to as the Eye of God and also as the "Eye of Sauron" due to its resemblance to said object in the "Lord of the Rings" movie. This was shot during the fall trip to Fort McKavett Texas where dark skies are the norm.
Photographic Details:
Date: October 20th 2006
Scope: Obsession 20” f/5 on a Tom Osypowski
Dual Axis Equatorial Platform, Orion 100mm f/6 Guidescope
Autoguider: SC1 Mod Celestron Neximage Cam, Shoestring
GPINT-PT guide port interface adapter, and Guidemaster software.
Camera: Canon 20D DSLR (unmodded), homemade serial
control shutter release cable, and DSLRControl remote shutter software.
Filters: None
Conditions: Temp 54F, Humidity 40%, Winds 5-10
mph, Transparency 8/10, Seeing 7/10
Exposures: 20 x 60sec @ 3200 ISO Sub Frames,
21 x 60sec Darks
Post-processing: 3504x2336 Raw files converted
to Lossless 16-bit FITS, calibrated, aligned, and combined with ImagePlus.
Slight wavelet filtering with Registax 3 as well as color balancing
with histogram function. Final processing PhotoImpact Pro.
Image by Glenn Schaeffer
The Great Orion Nebula is the brightest
nebula visible to the naked eye, forming the middle part of
the Hunter's sword in the famous constellation Orion. It is
a breathtaking view in dark skies with my 20" Obsession
where tendrils of gas can be appreciated. This is my “second
light” with my Canon 20D and scope setup. I wanted to practice
my imaging and processing techniques with an easy and bright
target. The objective of this shot was to observe different
ISO settings and the amount of noise from each. Because no flats
or darks were taken and short shutter times, graininess was
observed in the darker areas around corners of image. This shot
shows the approximate FOV that my camera/scope has at f/5. Image
by Glenn Schaeffer.
Photographic Details:
Date: January 30th 2006
Scope: Obsession 20” f/5
on a Tom Osypowski Dual Axis Equatorial Platform, Orion 100mm
f/6 Guidescope
Autoguider: SC1 Mod Celestron
Neximage Cam, Shoestring GPINT-PT guide port interface adapter,
and Guidedog software
Camera: Canon 20D DSLR (unmodded),
homemade serial control shutter release cable, and DSLRControl
remote shutter software
Filters: None
Conditions: Temp 48F, Humidity
51%, Winds Calm, Transparency 7/10, Seeing 6/10
Exposures: 20 x 10sec @ 800 ISO,
18 x 10sec @ 1600 ISO, & 16 x 20sec @ 3200 ISO (no flats
or darks)
Post-processing: 3504x2336 Raw
files converted and resized 1200x800 (non-linear) using Canon’s
Digital Photo Professional. Aligned, optimized, stacked, and
stretched with Registax 3. Slight use of Wavlet filtering in
Registax as well as color balancing with the Histogram function.
ISO 800 & 1600 used for core region. Final processing in
Photoimpact SE
Moon images take by Robert Schulz of Austria with
a
12.5" Portaball Telescope on a Dual-axis Platform.
Click images to view full size.
Clavius
Heinzel
Hesiodus
Kopernikus
Plato
Ramsden-Marth
Glenn Schaeffer of Santa Fe,
TX took these images of Mars. Here are his comments:
"Thanks for the compliment.
Of course you may use my Mars image for your site. Make sure you
let your customers know that this was my "first" imaging
session with your platform!!!!
I used 823 of 1232 and 585 of 902 frames respectively. Was track
and stacked with Registax3 and processed with the waveletts filters.
Final editing was done with Ulead Photoimpact SE.
I obtained f/20 by using my 2x Super Barlow coupled to an old
2x Meade Shorty barlow. Kinda of a poor man's 4x Powermate. Seems
to work ok for me.
I've posted my results so far to my Club's user group (Johnson
Space Center Astronomical Society), Toucam and Obsession Yahoo
user groups. Been getting rave reviews with my image obtained
with your platform. "
NGC 891
M27
M13
Click Images To Enlarge
All three of these images were taken by Bob
Brunck through a 25" f/5 Obsession with a 4.0" diagonal
on a Dual-axis Aluminum Platform. All were guided manually with
an 8" f/4 scope, using a 10 mm illuminated reticle eyepiece
and a 2x barlow. All were taken with a standard Canon EOS 10D
with a minus violet filter, without a Coma corrector, all with
ISO 800. M13 is the combination of 2 x 10 sec, 2 x 30 sec, and
3 x 60 sec exposures. NGC 891 was the average of 1 x 120 sec
and 3 x 180 sec exposures. M27 is 3 x 120 sec. Images were combined
and enhanced with ImagesPlus and ACDSee7.
Jupiter - Moon occultation.
Taken by Becky Coretti with Bill Williams, using a 15" Obsession
and a Tom O Compact Platform. A ToUCam was used with
a TeleVue 4x Powermate.
Total Eclipse of the Moon on October 27, 2004.
This image was taken by Gary Meehan with a 12.5" Dobsonian on
an Equatorial Platform. Gary says, "This was about a 6 second
exposure using a Canon PowerShot A70 and a 40mm Tele Vue Plossl. There's
no way I could have made this shot without such a terrific product!"
The Great Orion Nebula is the brightest nebula visible to the naked eye, forming the middle part of the Hunter's sword in the famous constellation Orion. It is a breathtaking view in dark skies with my 20" Obsession where tendrils of gas can be appreciated. This is my “second light” with my Canon 20D and scope setup. I wanted to practice my imaging and processing techniques with an easy and bright target. The objective of this shot was to observe different ISO settings and the amount of noise from each. Because no flats or darks were taken and short shutter times, graininess was observed in the darker areas around corners of image. This shot shows the approximate FOV that my camera/scope has at f/5. Image by Glenn Schaeffer.
Photographic Details:
Date: January 30th 2006
Scope: Obsession 20” f/5 on a Tom Osypowski Dual Axis Equatorial Platform, Orion 100mm f/6 Guidescope
Autoguider: SC1 Mod Celestron Neximage Cam, Shoestring GPINT-PT guide port interface adapter, and Guidedog software
Camera: Canon 20D DSLR (unmodded), homemade serial control shutter release cable, and DSLRControl remote shutter software
Filters: None
Conditions: Temp 48F, Humidity 51%, Winds Calm, Transparency 7/10, Seeing 6/10
Exposures: 20 x 10sec @ 800 ISO, 18 x 10sec @ 1600 ISO, & 16 x 20sec @ 3200 ISO (no flats or darks)
Post-processing: 3504x2336 Raw files converted and resized 1200x800 (non-linear) using Canon’s Digital Photo Professional. Aligned, optimized, stacked, and stretched with Registax 3. Slight use of Wavlet filtering in Registax as well as color balancing with the Histogram function. ISO 800 & 1600 used for core region. Final processing in Photoimpact SE
Moon images take by Robert Schulz of Austria with
a
12.5" Portaball Telescope on a Dual-axis Platform.
Moon images take by Robert Schulz of Austria with a
12.5" Portaball Telescope on a Dual-axis Platform.
Click images to view full size.
Glenn Schaeffer of Santa Fe, TX took these images of Mars. Here are his comments:
"Thanks for the compliment. Of course you may use my Mars image for your site. Make sure you let your customers know that this was my "first" imaging session with your platform!!!!
I used 823 of 1232 and 585 of 902 frames respectively. Was track and stacked with Registax3 and processed with the waveletts filters. Final editing was done with Ulead Photoimpact SE.
I obtained f/20 by using my 2x Super Barlow coupled to an old 2x Meade Shorty barlow. Kinda of a poor man's 4x Powermate. Seems to work ok for me.
I've posted my results so far to my Club's user group (Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society), Toucam and Obsession Yahoo user groups. Been getting rave reviews with my image obtained with your platform. "
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NGC 891 |
M27 |
M13 |
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Click Images To Enlarge
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All three of these images were taken by Bob Brunck through a 25" f/5 Obsession with a 4.0" diagonal on a Dual-axis Aluminum Platform. All were guided manually with an 8" f/4 scope, using a 10 mm illuminated reticle eyepiece and a 2x barlow. All were taken with a standard Canon EOS 10D with a minus violet filter, without a Coma corrector, all with ISO 800. M13 is the combination of 2 x 10 sec, 2 x 30 sec, and 3 x 60 sec exposures. NGC 891 was the average of 1 x 120 sec and 3 x 180 sec exposures. M27 is 3 x 120 sec. Images were combined and enhanced with ImagesPlus and ACDSee7.
Jupiter - Moon occultation.
Taken by Becky Coretti with Bill Williams, using a 15" Obsession and a Tom O Compact Platform. A ToUCam was used with a TeleVue 4x Powermate.
Total Eclipse of the Moon on October 27, 2004.
This image was taken by Gary Meehan with a 12.5" Dobsonian on an Equatorial Platform. Gary says, "This was about a 6 second exposure using a Canon PowerShot A70 and a 40mm Tele Vue Plossl. There's no way I could have made this shot without such a terrific product!"
Jupiter taken through a 15" Obsession on a Compact Platform by Becky Coretti and Bill Williams at 1:15 AM EST on Feb. 7,2004. They used a Phillips ToUcam Pro 240K. The images were combined with Registax and processed in Photoshop by Tony Hallas. Here are Becky's comments:
"Ganymede has detail!! Woohoo! The shadow of Ganymede is seen to it's immediate left. The shadow below Ganymede's is not a shadow at all - rather it is Callisto, whose dark features make it appear as if there are two shadow transits! Kinda cool, huh?
Thank you so much for your excellent workmanship. The platform is beautiful and exceedingly functional!"
Comet Linear c/2002 T7. This is a combination of 20 - 30 second exposures taken by Doug Askew through an 18" Obsession Telescope riding on a Dual-axis Aluminum Equatorial Platform. Doug used an SBIG ST-5c to autoguide the exposures.
M76. This is a combination of 9 - 60 second exposures, taken with the same equipment as used for the Comet Linear image.
Saturn imaged with a Philips ToUcam using a 15" Obsession on a Compact Equatorial Platform. Photo by Becky Coretti and Bill Williams.Mars imaged with a Philips ToUcam using a 15" Obsession on a Compact Equatorial Platform. Photo by Becky Coretti and Bill Williams
A movie of Mars rotating, taken by Robert Schulz in Vienna, Austria. Click to download the image. Warning: It is a large file. Mr. Schulz used a 12.5" Portaball Telescope on a Dual-axis Equatorial Platform. Here are his comments:
"Your platform is excellent. The frame of the webcam is only 40arcsec wide, and tracking must be perfect to obtain such results. With the two axis fine correction, centering of a planet is a snap. Thank you for this beautiful, technical, and precise platform...it is as important as the optic itself!"
M51 M10
M51 taken by Doug Askew with an 18" Obsession on a Dual-axis Aluminum Platform. The image is a combination of 20 10sec unguided exposures taken with a Starlight HX9 CCD camera."
The Helix Nebula. One hour exposure on Kodak Multispeed Ektapress at prime focus of 12.5" f/5 with coma corrector and ST-4 autoguider. Photo by Del Johnson
M42 - Photo by Del Johnson. 45 minute exposure using Fuji ISO 100 Superia print film. 12.5" f/5 prime focus with Lumicon coma corrector and ST-4 autoguider, off-axis.
Leonids streaking through Orion. Photo taken with an Olympus 50mm lens at f2.8, piggy-backed onto a Dob on a Platform. Exposure was 10 minutes unguided, using Fuji 400 print film. Picture by Tom Osypowski. Image scanning and processing by Hallas Digital Services.
M42 -- the Orion Nebula. This image is a digital composite of two negatives taken on Ektar 1000 print film. Exposure of each negative was 7 minutes. The telescope was a 16" f5 Dob on a Dual-axis Equatorial Platform. Guiding was done with the Platform's hand control through a separate guide scope. Images by Tom Osypowski. Scanning and image processing by Tony and Daphne Hallas at Astro Photo.
M65, M66 and NGC 3628 in Leo by Del Johnson. Prime focus of 12.5" f/5 reflector using the Lumicon Coma Corrector. Summation of three separate one hour exposures on Kodak 35mm Multispeed Ektapress print film, autoguided with ST-4 CCD. Negatives scanned and digitally stacked by Astro Photo.
Horsehead Nebula: 60 minute exposure at prime focus of a 12.5" f/5 reflector with a Lumicon coma corrector, Kodak PJM Ektapress Multispeed film. Guided with an ST-4.
M13: a 10 minute exposure through a 16" f5 Dobsonian on a Dual-Axis Equatorial Platform, Ektar 1000 film. Image taken by Tom Osypowski. Image scanned and digitally processed by Jim Eiselt.
