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Friday, September 25, 2015

Astro Anarchy gets published



The Cnet published an article about Messier 31, the Great galaxy  of Andromeda, photo.
Photo of Messier 31 is produced by collaboration between David Lane and me.

You can read the Cnet article by Michelle Starr from 




The Wired noticed us too
Ten must-read articles for 25 September
Our photo is number five on the list


Thursday, September 24, 2015

Messier galaxies, M81-M82, with integrated flux nebula


A new collaboration image with David Lane. Beside beeing a deep sky astrophotographer he is also a master of landscape astrophotographing, please, have a look at his homepage: http://www.davelaneastrophotography.com/

Image acquisition is made by David Lane. He sent a massive amount of data to me to process and here is the result, Messier galaxies 81 and 82 with a large amount of  dim integrated flux nebula at front of them.
Total exposure time is around 40 hours with the William Optics GT81 telescope and SBIG STL-1100 3 CCD-camera. 



Messier 81 and 82 with an integrated flux nebula
Click for a large photo

So dusty, don't they ever clean up there...


An experimental starless photo
Click for a large photo

Brighter dots in this starless image are more distant galaxies


 A horizontal composition
Click for a large photo

A better resolution photo

Technical details

Data acquisition, David Lane
Image processing, J-P Metsavainio

Processing workflow

Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 33% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
 William Optics GT81

Camera
SBIG STL-1100 3 CCD

Exposure times
Total ~40h






Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Messier 31, M31, the Great Galaxy of Andromeda


Another collaboration image, this time with David Lane. He is also a master of landscape astrophotographing, please, have a look at his homepage: http://www.davelaneastrophotography.com/ 

Image acquisition is made by David Lane. He sent a massive amount of data to me to process and here is the first result, the Great Galaxy of Andromeda with 37 hours of exposure time.


Messier 31, M31, the Galaxy of Andromeda 
Click for a large image

A deep H-alpha boosted LRGB exposure of the Galaxy of Andromeda


Large resolution detail from the image above
Click for a large image

Dust lanes of Andromeda


A starless view
Click for a large image

This photo shows the M31 as it was seen just outside of our home galaxy, the Milky way. All the stars in the first photo are located in Our galaxy at maximum distance of few tens of thousands light years. M31 lies at distance of about 2.5 million light years. There is 2.5 million light years of nothing between us and Messier 31. Dim dots at the starless image are more distant galaxies and some hundred of globular cluster associated to M31 galaxy .


A vertical composition of M31

A poster format view to the M31


INFO

The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224, is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light years from Earth. It is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way.

The Milky Way and Andromeda are expected to collide in 3.75 billion years, eventually merging to form a giant elliptical galaxy or perhaps a large disk galaxy.

At 3.4, the apparent magnitude of the Andromeda Galaxy is one of the brightest of any of the Messier objects, making it visible to the naked eye on moonless nights even when viewed from areas with moderate light pollution. It has an apparent diameter of six times as wide as the full Moon


An experimental test

This funny looking image is just stretched vertically to try to show the actual round shape of the galaxy.
It looks like a barred spiral to me.


Technical details

Data acquisition, David Lane
Image processing, J-P Metsavainio

Processing workflow

Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 33% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
 William Optics GT81

Camera
SBIG STL-1100 3 CCD

Exposure times
Luminance, 18h
H-alpha, 1h
Red = ~6h
Green = ~6h
Blue = ~6h
Total 37h





Thursday, September 17, 2015

APOD by NASA, Astro Anarchy gets published




Astronomy Picture of the Day

My shot of the Pickering's Triangle in Veil Nebula was selected today as an APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day) by NASA. You can see the NASA page here: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150917.html

Pickering's Triangle
Be sure to click for a large image!


INFO

Original blog post about this image, with technical details, can be seen here:

You can buy a real, museum quality, photographic print from HERE

This is my eighth APOD, older ones can be seen here:
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap141115.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131214.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110218.html





Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Pickering's Triangle, my first light for the Autumn season 2015



This is my opening photo for the Autumn season 2015. I started this imaging project a year ago, at Autumn 2014. Back then I shot 12h of the light form an ionized oxygen, O-III. This is a two frame mosaic of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant. This Autumn I shot 5h of light from an ionized hydrogen, H-alpha. I was able to make a Hubble palette image by using the S-II from my older wide field photo of the Veil Nebula.


Pickering's Triangle
Be sure to click for a large image!

Part of the two frame mosaic of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant, the Pickering's Triangle.
Colors are from the ionized elements, Hydrogen, Sulfur and Oxygen. 
S-II = Red, H-alpha = Green and O-III = Blue. 

Same area in light of an ionized oxygen only
(A content of this O-III image can be seen as a blueish color at image above.)


Pickering's Triangle in light of an ionized oxygen, O-III, alone.


A zoom out series to the whole two frame mosaic

A closeup
Click for a large image



A less zoomed version
Click for a large image



The whole two frame mosaic
Click for a large image

A two frame mosaic of the Pickering's Triangle


A wide field photo of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant

The Pickering's Triangle can be see at one o'clock position.
My blog post about the wide field shot can be seen HERE.


Technical details

Processing work flow

Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 33 iterations, added at 33% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
Celestron Edge HD 1100 @ f7 with 0,7 focal reducer for Edge HD 1100 telescope

Mount
10-micron 1000

Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x2 and SXV-AOL

Astrodon filter, 5nm H-alpha
Astrodon filter, 3nm O-III
Astrodon filter, 3nm S-II

Exposure times
H-alpha, 15 x 1200s = 5h
O-III, 36 x 1200s binned = 12h (Autumn 2014)
S-II,  from my older wide field photo of the Veil Nebula = 3h 
Total 20h





Tuesday, September 8, 2015

IC 4603, at the core of the colorful Scorpion


This is a third image produced as a collaboration with me and Eric Recurt. The data is shot from his observatory at Tenerife. The Observatory locates at 2400 m altitude and at 28 degrees North. The site has excellent seeing conditions, 0.8 " on average and can be below 0.3 "  


IC 4603, the core region of the Rho Ophiuchi complex in the constellation Scorpion 
Click for a full size image

This is a broadband LRGB natural color image of the IC 4603 from a remote observatory in Tenerife.


Full scale closeups
Click for a full size image






Technical details

Processing workflow

Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 33% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
 340mm F3.3 astrograph

Mount
ASA DDM 85

Cameras and filters
FLI PL 16803



Exposure times
Luminance, 10 x 300s 
Red = 10 x 180s
Green = 9 x 180s
Blue = 8 x 180s
Total 2h 11min






Sunday, September 6, 2015

"Howling Wolf" Nebula, vdB 149, vdB 150, LDN 1235 and PGG 67671



The second photo published from the Deep Sky West observatory. Lights are taken under a very dark skie. Unlike in my current light polluted location, it's now possible to image broadband targets, galaxies, reflection nebulae and dark nebulae! HERE is some more info about the Deep sky West Observatory.

I gave the nickname "Howling Wolf" after I saw the photo first time in my monitor. At the end of this blog post, there is an explanation for the nickname.


VdB 149 and companions in the constellation Cepheus
Click for a large image

Beautiful collection of dark and reflection nebulae in Cepheus including a galaxy. This is a broadband LRGB image in natural colors.


Full resolution details from the image above

LDN 1235



vdB 150



vdB 149



vdB 149 and some interesting shapes in the dust cloud
Click for a large photo



PGG 67671



An experimental starless version
Click for a large photo

A starless version to show better the actual dust cloud


Howling Wolf

This is how I see the photo in my head.


An animated GIF, stars vs starless
Click for a large image



Technical details

Processing workflow

Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 33% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
 Takahashi FSQ-106EDXIII

Mount
 Astro-Physics Mach1AP GTO with GTOCP3

Cameras and filters
QSI683WSG

Astrodon Luminance Tru-Balance E-Series Gen
Astrodon Red Tru-Balance E-Series Gen 2
Astrodon Green Tru-Balance E-Series Gen 2
Astrodon Blue Tru-Balance E-Series Gen 2

Exposure times
Luminance, 32 x 900s = 8h
Red = 13 x 900s = 3.25h
Green = 12 x 900s = 3h
Blue = 5 x 900s = 1.25h
Total 15.5h





Friday, September 4, 2015

Half a million stars and Messier 7


This is a second image produced as a collaboration with me and Eric Recurt. The data is shot from his observatory at Tenerife. The Observatory locates at 2400 m altitude and at 28 degrees North. The site has excellent seeing conditions, 0.8 " on average and can be below 0.3 "  


Messier 7, "My God, it's full of stars!
Be sure to click for a full size image! (Quote, 2001: A Space Odyssey)

Image shows the dense starfiel of Milkyway. Bright star cluster at lower middle is called Messier 7.
Just right from the Messier 7 locates a dark nebula B 287. In this image is visible about 500.000 stars of our Milky Way. 
Click the photo to see all of them! (2100x2100 pixels)

A closeup of Messier 7
Click for a large image



Planetary nebula PN Hf2-1 
Click for a large image

Planetary Nebula PN Hf2-1 is a blue dot at middle of the image area.


INFO

Messier 7 (M7, NGC 6475) is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Scorpius. This is the southernmost object in Messier's catalog.  Distance from the Earth is about 900 light years and it has a radius of 25 light years. Estimated age is around 200 million years.

Technical details

Processing workflow

Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 33% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
 340mm F3.3 astrograph

Mount
ASA DDM 85

Cameras and filters
FLI PL 16803

Exposure times
Luminance, 11 x 300s = 55min
Red = 6 x 180s = 18min
Green = 6 x 180s = 18min
Blue = 6 x 180s = 18min
Total 1h 49min




Rosette Nebula from a professional observatory in Tenerife



This is my second remote image this year but with different partner. I get contacted by Eric Recurt and we started a cooperation between us. The imaging season, up here 65N, hasn't started yet. This is a great way to produce high quality photos during my mandatory summer pause.

Observatory

The Observatory locates at 2400 m altitude and at 28 degrees North. The site has excellent seeing condition usually below 1" year , 0.8 " on average to be exact and can be below 0.3 "  

Instruments

The instrument is a 340mm F3.3 astrograph with FLi Pro 16803 + Centerline 10 position filter wheel on a DDM 85 mount .

The first published photo from Teneriffe, 
NGC 2244, the Rosette Nebula
Click for a large image

This is a broadband LRGB image of the Rosette Nebula from a remote observatory in Tenerife.


A closeup
Click for a large image



Technical details

Processing workflow

Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 33% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
 340mm F3.3 astrograph

Mount
ASA DDM 85

Cameras and filters
FLI PL 16803

Exposure times
Luminance, 10 x 600s = 1h 40min
Red = 5 x 300s = 25min
Green = 5 x 300s = 25min
Blue = 5 x 300s = 25min
Total 2h 55min


An experimental starless version as an animation







Thursday, September 3, 2015

Something new! My first light from The Deep Sky West (DSW) remote observatory


The imaging season, up here 65N, hasn't start yet. I have had a wonderful opportunity to use couple of remote telescopes. One in Canary islands and the other in New Mexico. I'll publish more images from both telescopes soon.

The first photo published is from Deep Sky West observatory. It's taken under a very dark sky. Unlike in my current light polluted location, it's now possible to image broadband targets, like galaxies, reflection nebulae and dark nebulae! HERE is some more info about the Deep sky West Observatory


LDN 1250 & 1251
In constellation Cepheus, click for a large image

A natural color LRGB photo of  the dark nebula LDN 1250 in Cepheus


Closeups
Click for a large image





Galaxy behind the dust


Magnitude 16 galaxy at middle of the image is PGC 166755, size 1.3 x 0.6 arcmin.

An experimental starless photo of LDN 1250 & 1251 as an animation

The nebula stands out nicely without stars. There are couple of much more distant galaxies at the image. One at right most left and the other at upper left from middle.

INFO
Image contains objects LDN 1251, LBN 558, PGC 69472, PGC 166755
This low mass star forming region in Cepheus is an extended cloud of gas and dust.  There are two galaxies visible in the image. At most left middle lays magnitude 15.5 galaxy PGC 69472, angular dimensions are 
2.1 x 1.6 arcminutes. Galaxy PGC 166755 At middle left shines at magnitude 16 and has size of 1.3 x 0.6 arcminutes.


Technical details

Processing workflow

Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 27 iterations, added at 33% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.

Imaging optics
 Takahashi FSQ-106EDXIII

Mount
 Astro-Physics Mach1AP GTO with GTOCP3

Cameras and filters
QSI683WSG

Astrodon Luminance Tru-Balance E-Series Gen
Astrodon Red Tru-Balance E-Series Gen 2
Astrodon Green Tru-Balance E-Series Gen 2
Astrodon Blue Tru-Balance E-Series Gen 2

Exposure times
Luminance, 26 x 900s = 6.5h
Red = 14 x 900s = 3.5h
Green = 14 x 900s = 3.5h
Blue = 14 x 900s = 3.5h
Total 17h


A single calibrated and stretched 15 min. Luminance frame as it comes from the camera
Click for a large image