M57 - The Ring Nebula 29-Apr-2017

Distance 2.3kly (per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_Nebula )

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: Best 10 of 12 images at a variety of exposures between 180 and 360 seconds at IS800. Ambient temp ~49°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 arc-seconds/pixel (i.e., un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 15.5 arc-min. Image capture using TSXPro Camera Add On (Software Bisque) via BackyardNikon.
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount. Autoguided with a QHY5L-II monochrome planetary & autoguider camera, a Celestron OAG (off-axis guider) using PHD2 autoguiding software, not dithered.
Post processing: ImagesPlus 6.5: NEF conversion and calibration, alignment, stacking/combining using 0 dark frames, a 9 bias frame master and 0 flat frames, HDR Adaptive Add Average combined.
Stretching and DDP in ImagesPlus Image Processing 6.5.
One pass unsharp mask in ThumbsPlus v10.

Cropped to final dimensions and resized to 50pct. Final image scale/resolution 0.82 as/p.

Seeing: FWHM: 3.04 pixels, 2.49 arcseconds (per TSXPro ImageLink).

20170429_M57_CombAdpHDRAddExc-IPstr-TPadj3.jpg

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

M13 - The Hercules Globular Cluster 29-Apr-2017

Distance 22.2kly (per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_13 )

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: Best 9 of 11 images at a variety of exposures between 30 and 180 seconds at IS800. Ambient temp ~53°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 arc-seconds/pixel (i.e., un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 41.1 arc-min. Image capture using TSXPro Camera Add On (Software Bisque) via BackyardNikon.
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount. Autoguided with a QHY5L-II monochrome planetary & autoguider camera, a Celestron OAG (off-axis guider) using PHD2 autoguiding software, not dithered.
Post processing: ImagesPlus 6.5: NEF conversion and calibration, alignment, stacking/combining using 0 dark frames, a 9 bias frame master and 0 flat frames, Sigma Clipped Average combined.
Stretching and DDP in ImagesPlus Image Processing 6.5.
One pass unsharp mask in ThumbsPlus v10.

No cropping; resized to 50pct. Final image scale/resolution 0.82 as/p.

Seeing: FWHM: 2.80 pixels, 2.30 arcseconds (per TSXPro ImageLink).

20170429_M13_CombSigAvg-IPddp-TPadj.jpg

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

M16 - The Eagle Nebula in Serpens 22-Apr-2017

Distance 7,000 ly

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: 6 - 10 min. exposures at IS800. Ambient temp ~58°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 arc-seconds/pixel (i.e., un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 22.2 arc-min. Image capture using TSXPro Camera Add On (Software Bisque) via BackyardNikon.
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount. Autoguided with a QHY5L-II monochrome planetary & autoguider camera, a Celestron OAG (off-axis guider) using PHD2 autoguiding software, not dithered.
Post processing: ImagesPlus 6.5: NEF conversion and calibration, alignment, stacking/combining using 0 dark frames, a 9 bias frame master and 0 flat frames, Sigma Clipped Median combined.

Cropped to final dimensions and no resizing. Final image scale/resolution 0.41 as/p.

Seeing: FWHM: 3.69 pixels, 3.02 arcseconds (per TSXPro ImageLink).

20170422_M16_CombSigMed-IPddpadj-TPcrop-TPadj-IPnr-Crop2.jpg

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

M104 - The Sombrero Galaxy in Virgo 25-Mar-2017

Distance 31.13 ± 0.42Mly

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: 10 - 10 min. exposures at IS1600. Ambient temp ~53°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 arc-seconds/pixel (i.e., un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 35.5arc-min. Image capture using TSXPro Camera Add On (Software Bisque) via BackyardNikon.
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount. Autoguided with an SBIG Sti autoguider, a Celestron OAG (off-axis guider) using PHD2 autoguiding software, not dithered.
Post processing: ImagesPlus 6.5: NEF conversion and calibration, alignment, stacking/combining using 0 dark frames, a 9 bias frame master and 0 flat frames, Sigma Clipped Median combined and finished with a one pass unsharp filter in ThumbsPlus 10.

Cropped to final dimensions. No downsizing. Final image scale/resolution 0.41 as/p.

Seeing: FWHM: 2.92 pixels, 2.39 arcseconds (per TSXPro ImageLink).

20170324_M104_CombSigMed-IPddpadj3-TPadj-INP.jpg

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

NGC3169/3166/3165 (l-r) - Galaxy grouping in Sextans 23-Mar-2017

Distance 57Mly

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: 7 - 8 min. exposures at IS1600. Ambient temp ~50°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 arc-seconds/pixel (i.e., un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 25.2arc-min. Image capture using TSXPro Camera Add On (Software Bisque) via BackyardNikon.
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount. Autoguided with an SBIG Sti autoguider, a Celestron OAG (off-axis guider) 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. No downsizing. Final image scale/resolution 0.41 as/p.

Seeing: FWHM: 3.26 pixels, 2.67 arcseconds (per TSXPro ImageLink).

20170323_NGC3169_CombExcAvg-IPddp-Crop-TPadj-INp.jpg

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

Horsehead 31-Jan-2017 Using Summed Luminance

This image was taken as part of testing TSXPro's Summed Luminance capture option. Dustmotes removed using Inpaint.

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: 2 - 10 min and 5 - 15 min. exposures at IS1600. Captured with TSXPro Camera Add On from Software Bisque using Summed Luminance mode.

20170131_HorseHead-mono_CombSigMed-IPddp-TPadj.jpg

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

M82 - The Exploding Cigar Galaxy in Ursa Major 20-Feb-2017

Distance 11.4-12.4 Mly

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: 6 - 8 min. exposures at ISO1600. Ambient temp ~42°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 arc-seconds/pixel (i.e., un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 27.9arc-min. Image capture using TSXPro Camera Add On (Software Bisque) via BackyardNikon.
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount. Autoguided with an SBIG Sti autoguider, a Celestron OAG (off-axis guider) 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 Sigma Clipped Median combined.
Cropped to final dimensions. No downsizing. Final image scale/resolution 0.41 as/p.

Seeing: FWHM: 4.01 pixels, 3.29 arcseconds (per TSXPro ImageLink).

20170223_M82_CombSigMed-IPddp-TPadj1-IPadj.jpg

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

NGC2903 - Spiral Galaxy in Leo 20-Feb-2017

Distance 30.6 ± 4.6 Mly

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: 9 - 8 min. exposures at ISO800. Ambient temp ~53°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 arc-seconds/pixel (i.e., un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 22.5arc-min. Image capture using TSXPro Camera Add On (Software Bisque) via BackyardNikon.
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount. Autoguided with an SBIG Sti autoguider, a Celestron OAG (off-axis guider) 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 Sigma Clipped Median combined.
Cropped to final dimensions and resized to 50pct. Final image scale/resolution 0.82 as/p.

Seeing: FWHM: 3.06 pixels, 2.50 arcseconds (per TSXPro ImageLink).

20170220_NGC2903_CombSigMed-IPddpadj-TPadj.jpg

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

M1 - The Crab Nebula 25-Jan-2017

Distance 6500 +/- 1600 ly. North is up, east to the left.

Telescope configuration: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 with the Celestron 0.7x focal reducer (fl=1960mm, f/7.0).
Camera: Nikon D5300a (IR-modified). Exposure data: 2 - 8 min. exposures and 5 - 10 min. exposures at ISO800. Ambient temp ~40°f.
Image capture scale: 0.41 arc-seconds/pixel (i.e., un-binned). Field of view (horizontal) = 13.6arc-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 Sigma Clipped Median combined.
Cropped to final dimensions of 2000x2000. No downsizing. Final image scale/resolution 0.41 as/p.

Seeing: FWHM 6.28 pixels, 2.57 arcseconds

20170125_M001_CombSigMed-IPddpadj-TPadj.jpg

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

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