NGC891 - Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda 26-Dec-2016

Distance 27.3 ± 1.8 Mly

First light after removing the MoonLite Focuser and restoring the 2inch PreciseParts Adapter.

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300 (unmodified). Exposure data: 6 - 10 min. exposures at ISO800. Ambient temp ~50°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 (reduced from 0.43 as/p due to replacing the focuser with the Precise Parts adapter) (un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 25.5arc-min. Image capture using TSXPro Camera Add On (Software Bisque).
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount. Autoguided with an SBIG Sti autoguider, a Celestron OAG (off-axis guider) (without the Starlight Xpress SXV-AOLF (Adaptive Optics Large Format) device) using PHD2 autoguiding software, not dithered.
Post processing: ImagesPlus 6.5: NEF conversion and calibration, alignment, stacking/combining using 0 dark frames, a 0 bias frame master and 0 flat frames, Min/Max Exluded Average combined. Cropped to final dimensions of 3743x2940. No downsizing. Final image scale/resolution 0.41 as/p).

20161226_NGC891_CombExcAvg-IPddpadj.jpg

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Featured/Recommended Products

From time to time, we in the Superstition Mountain Astronomical League are frequently asked for recommendations of astronomy related products and services. Our members have an extensive knowledge base and own most of the products featured below.

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Saturn at Opposition 02-Jun-2016

Although you'd be hard pressed to see a difference from one night to the next, here is Saturn at Opposition 02-Jun-2016. For views of what Saturn has looked like over the course of the last 12 years, see http://www.pbase.com/wjshaheen/saturn_ring_tilt

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Saturn 2016

Taken @ 00:25am MST on 31-May-2016 (0725UT on 31-May-2016).

Although Saturn won't be at opposition until June 3rd, its distance at this point won't matter much.

Best 30 of 300 frames taken with the Celestron NexImage5 planetary imaging camera, Celestron 1100 EdgeHD telescope, no barlow, fl = 1960mm. Image scale 0.23 arc-secs/pixel. Video processed in ImagesPlus6.5 with RGB color channels split, aligned and re-combined.

North is up and east is to the left.

20160530_Saturn_CombRGB_IPadj-TPadj.jpg

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Mars at its closest 30-May-2016

Taken @ 11:33pm MST on 30-May-2016 (0633UT on 31-May-2016). Although Mars was at opposition on the 22nd of the month, tonight it was at its closest to the Earth for this year. 

Best 30 of 300 frames taken with the Celestron NexImage5 planetary imaging camera, Celestron 1100 EdgeHD telescope, no barlow, fl = 1960mm. Image scale 0.23 arc-secs/pixel. Video processed in ImagesPlus6.5 with RGB color channels split, aligned and re-combined.

North is up and east is to the left (of course) :O).

20160530_Mars_CombRGB_IPadj-TPadj.jpg

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Mars in 2003

I was doing some video housecleaning this morning and came across some from the Great 2003 Mars Close Approach. So, I took one of the videos and used today's newer software to process.

 

See video at https://youtu.be/DYt87RIxO8I

 

See sky charts from 2003 and today - http://www.pbase.com/wjshaheen/mars_2003 

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Jupiter and Great Red Spot 28-May-2016

If you have a telescope, try to catch Jupiter in the next couple weeks while it's still overhead at a reasonable time in the evening.

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Mars at Opposition 22-May-2016

Taken @ 12:22am MST (0722 UT) on 23-May-2016. Although Mars was at opposition at this point, the red planet will be at its closest to the Earth on the 30th, but the size difference will be negligible, at best a few tenths of an arc-second. Current diameter is 18.4 arc-seconds (angular width). This was from the best 30 of 300 frames taken with the Celestron NexImage5 planetary imaging camera, Celestron 1100 EdgeHD telescope, no barlow, fl = 1960mm. Image scale 0.23 arc-secs/pixel. Video processed in ImagesPlus6.5. North is up and east is to the left.

See source video at https://youtu.be/4wIabDYpKyk

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Transit of Mercury 09-May-2016

 

 

 

You had to be there to see it - visually, through an eyepiece. But, if you couldn't, this is the next best thing. Other sizes here: http://www.pbase.com/wjshaheen/image/163182013/large



 

 

 

 

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here

Unchoking the Light

Replacing the adapter between the telescope and Off-Axis-Guider really opened up the light cone.

First night's test using the new PreciseParts adapter. See the full story and photos here.

See video showing how the part was designed on-line here.

For camera conversion services, i.e., having your DSLR "IR Modded" (IR filter removed), visit Life Pixel Camera Conversion Services here