May 2006 Astro Images

May 2006 Images

Page 2

______________________

The biggest globular cluster in the sky is Omega Centauri. It is not visible to most observers above 35 degrees north latitude. Since I live at about 30 degrees north latitude, I can see and image it! It skims just above the southern horizon (about 7 degrees) at this time of year before midnight. Check it out:

Omega Centauri Globular Cluster on 5/19/06. Taken with a Celestron C-8 at F/6.3 (1260mm.) Guided with a Meade DSI and 100mm F/5 refractor. Camera is a Hutech Type 1 modified Canon 350 XT. Exposure was 43x30 second sub-images at 800 ISO plus 40x60 second sub-images at 1600 ISO. Processed and stacked in IRIS with dark, flat and bias calibration. Photoshop, RC-Astro's Gradient XTerminator and Noel Carboni's Astronomy Tools for post processing. Neat Image for noise reduction. Click here to see the full size hi-res version.

______________________

NGC-5128,
The Centaurus "A" Radio Galaxy
on 5/21/06

Visible right above Omega Centauri is this unique galaxy that was one of the first radio sources identified by radio telescopes. It is also called the "Hamburger Galaxy" after it's shape. LoL!

NGC-5128 on 5/21/06. Taken with a Celestron C-8 at F/6.3 (1260mm.) Guided with a Meade DSI and 100mm F/5 refractor. Camera is a Hutech Type 1 modified Canon 350 XT. Exposure was 13x60 second sub-images at 1600 ISO. Processed and stacked in IRIS with dark, flat and bias calibration. Photoshop, RC-Astro's Gradient XTerminator and Noel Carboni's Astronomy Tools for post processing. Neat Image for noise reduction. Click here to see the full size hi-res version.

______________________

M101 Galaxy on 5/20/06

My project to image M101 has progressed nicely. I was able to get 40x150 second sub-images of the object on Saturday night, May 20, 2006. I combined these with the 27x90 second subs I had from the session the night before the last full moon (May 12, 2006.) Here is the combined data from those two sessions:

M101 Galaxy on 5/20/06. Taken with a Celestron C-8 at F/6.3 (1260mm.) Guided with a Meade DSI and 100mm F/5 refractor. Camera is a Hutech Type 1 modified Canon 350 XT. Exposure was 23x90 second sub-images at 800 ISO plus 41x150 second sub-images at 1600 ISO. Processed and stacked in IRIS with dark, flat and bias calibration. Photoshop, RC-Astro's Gradient XTerminator and Noel Carboni's Astronomy Tools for post processing. Neat Image for noise reduction. Click here to see the full size hi-res version.

______________________

NGC-4631 - The Whale Galaxy and "Pup"
on 5/25/06

I was surprised at how big this galaxy is. It is not a galaxy that is popular with the observing and imaging crowd, despite it's size. To me, this is a great object and the irregular "Crowbar" Galaxy in the same field makes it even more interesting.

The Whale Galaxy and Pup on 5/25/06. Taken with a Celestron C-8 at F/6.3 (1260mm.) Guided with a Meade DSI and 100mm F/5 refractor. Camera is a Hutech Type 1 modified Canon 350 XT. Exposure was 23x150 second sub-images at 1600 ISO. Processed and stacked in IRIS with dark, flat and bias calibration. Photoshop, RC-Astro's Gradient XTerminator and Noel Carboni's Astronomy Tools for post processing. Neat Image for noise reduction. Click here to see the full size hi-res version.

______________________

M57 - The Ring Nebula
on 5/28/06

On Saturday after midnight, May 28, 2006 I had a chance to image, but the conditions were not great. Clouds were beginning to move in and out unpredictably. I wanted to setup for something longer, but it was no use since I would only be able to get a few frames with clouds coming in. I paid another visit to my old friend, the Ring Nebula, for some quick 30 second shots. I managed to get about 15, of which 11 were usable. Here is the result:

M57, the Ring Nebula on 5/28/06. Taken with a Celestron C-8 at F/6.3 (1260mm.) Guided with a Meade DSI and 100mm F/5 refractor. Camera is a Hutech Type 1 modified Canon 350 XT. Exposure was 11x30 second sub-images at 1600 ISO. Processed and stacked in IRIS with dark, flat and bias calibration. Photoshop, RC-Astro's Gradient XTerminator and Noel Carboni's Astronomy Tools for post processing. Neat Image for noise reduction. Click here to see the full size hi-res version.

Return to my Home Page

Visitors since May 23, 2006

This page was last updated on 5/28/2006