Images

Galaxies, Nebulae, Star Clusters

Imaging Session April 30, 2020

Image Leave a comment
M63, the Sunflower Galaxy. 121×60 sec @ Gain 30, Offset 15, QHY183c at -10C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6
M5 Globular Cluster.. 172×60 sec @ Gain 30, Offset 15, QHY183c at -10C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6
M27 Planetary Nebula. 60×60 sec @ Gain 30, Offset 15, QHY183c at -10C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6

The Sunflower Galaxy was the second time this year for imaging it, so I combined the two data sets and got this detail view below.  It is 3.77 hrs total time:

M63, the Sunflower Galaxy. 152×30 sec, Gain 42, 121×60 sec @ Gain 30, Offset 15, QHY183c at -10C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6.
Comets, Galaxies, Moon, Star Clusters

Imaging Session April 29, 2020

Image Leave a comment
The Moon on Apr 29, 2020. Televue TV-85 at F/5.6, QHY183c, UHC-S filter.
Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) on Apr 30, 2020 UT. 20×60 sec, Gain 30, Offset 15, QHY183c at -10C, UHC-S Filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6.
M81 & M82 Galaxies, 3hrs on Apr 29, 2020. 180×60 sec, Gain 30, Offset 15, QHY183c at -10C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6.
M12 Globular Cluster on Apr 30, 2020. 70×60 sec, Gain 30, Offset 15, QHY183c at -10C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6.

These are all the objects I managed to image on the night of Wednesday, April 29, 2020 and on into Thursday morning.  SharpCap 3.2 LiveStacking with dark and flat calibration plus dithering was used for acquisition.  Only minimal processing for all of these captures in Fitsworks and PS CS3.

I was trying not to waste a very clear evening after a storm had moved through earlier that day.  Not too bad, I guess.

Comets

Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) Disintegration

Image Leave a comment
Comet ATLAS on Apr 14, 2020, 03:42 UT. 20×30 sec, Gain 37, Offset 49, QHY183c at -20C, UHC-S Filter, Televue TV-85 at F/5.6.

Looks like Comet ATLAS was a dud.  It broke up into pieces after it had brightened much higher than predicted last month.  The brightening and breakup so soon afterwards indicates a large release of material from inside the object as it cracked open, so to speak.

By the time I took this pic, there were at least 3 to 5 major pieces in a line and the out-gassing of volatiles available was over with.   Just rock and dust was all that was left.

Comets

Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4)

Image Leave a comment
Comet ATLAS (2019 Y4) on Mar 27, 2020, 3:05 UT. Base was 5×60 sec and I added another 10 minutes with 15 sec and 30 sec subs. QHY183c, UHC-S filter, TV-85 @ F/5.6.

I fought clouds on Mar 27, 2020 and also two nights before that on Mar 25, 2020.  The March 27th session produced this image.  The image data from the 25th was not worth posting.  This image, even though it is only a few minutes of exposure that I pieced together, was decent enough to post online.  Better than nothing, I suppose.

I am hoping that better conditions are coming soon.  I need to get a continuous set of  sub-images for this comet instead of having to put together a hodgepodge of exposures taken between bouts of cloud cover.

Galaxies

The Whale & Crowbar Galaxies

Image Leave a comment
Whale & Crowbar Galaxies on Mar 7, 2020. 184×30 sec, Gain 37, Offset 0, QHY183c cooled -20C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 @ F/5.6

Not the best of nights with moonlight and high clouds, but I did manage to get enough data for a preliminary image of the Whale and Crowbar Galaxies.

Here is the detail view:

Whale Galaxy and Pup on Mar 7, 2020. 184×30 sec, Gain 37, Offset 0, QHY183c cooled -20C, UHC-S filter, Televue TV-85 @ F/5.6. Detail view.