Amateur Astronomy from Edinburgh
This website is a place where I can post my images purely for the fun of it. You can find more information about the equipment I use on the About/Equipment page.
To give me something to aim for, I have set up pages to get as many Messier and Lunar 100 objects as I can. The Deep Sky page is for objects not in Messier’s catalogue and includes some more recent lists such as the Caldwell and Finest NGC catalogues.
Light pollution is a serious problem for amateur astronomy here on the edge of Edinburgh, Scotland, so this is a battle of photons vs sodium! Please come back and visit as the site develops, I make lots of mistakes, the weather gets worse and the skies get brighter.
I am a member of the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh and some of my pictures are displayed on their Flickr page.
Mark
Recent posts
Comet 21P/Giacobin-Zinner animation
Moving through the constellation of Cassiopeia
| Object ID | 21P/Giacobini-Zinner |
| Details | 2018-08-03 22:12 – 22:25 UT Approx. mag. 9 |
| Telescope | 200mm Newtonian f5 |
| Camera | ZWO ASI 290MC |
| Exposure(s) | 20 x 10s exposures, 30seconds apart |
| Capture | SharpCap |
| Processing | Photoshop |
Saturn 1 day after opposition – infrared
Very low and in the trees but just managed to image it – just…
| Object ID | Saturn |
| Details | 2018-06-28 23:31 UT and 23:45 UT Seeing III / V but very low altitude |
| Telescope | 200mm Newtonian @f5 and @f10 |
| Camera | ZWO ASI290MC Infrared pass filter |
| Exposure(s) | 60s 30fps AVI and 90s 30fps AVI |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AutoStakkert3 (beta), Registax 6, Photoshop |
Lunar Mosaic in infrared 11.06 days
That annoying moment when you realise you’ve missed a tiny bit from the mosaic. Always better to overlap the frames more for safety. I though I was!
| Object ID | Lunar mosaic 7 frames |
| Details | 2018-06-24 21:07 – 21:16 UT Low down and seeing II (I-V) |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian |
| Camera | ZWO ASI290MC ZWO Infrared pass filter |
| Exposure(s) | 7 x 60s AVIs, 20% stack |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AutoStakkert, Photoshop |
6 pane lunar mosaic
Mosaics are simple using the new camera.
| Object ID | Lunar mosiac, 6 panes |
| Details | 2018-06-20 22:14 – 22:22 UT 7.15 days 55.9% illumination Seeing: II (I-V) |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian |
| Camera | ZWO ASI290MC unfiltered |
| Exposure(s) | 6 x 60s AVIs at 20fps |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AutoStakkert and Photoshop |
Amazing NLC display over Edinburgh
One of the best I’ve seen. Almost overhead too.
| Object ID | Noctilucent Clouds |
| Details | 2018-06-18 23:12 UT |
| Telescope | – |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 1.6s @ f3.5 ISO 400 |
| Capture | In camera |
| Processing | Lightroom |
Infrared Lunar mosaic
Put the 200P back on the mount to use with ZWO camera. Seems like a good combination – I’d forgotten what a nice telescope it is. I didn’t plan to do a full mosaic but didn’t realise just how close I was.
| Object ID | 7 frame incomplete lunar mosaic 5.12 days 33.6% illumination |
| Details | 2018-06-18 20:24 – 20:41 UT Poor seeing (over neighbour’s chimney smoke) and gusty conditions which shook the telescope occasionally. |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian |
| Camera | ZWO ASI 290MC ZWO infrared pass filter |
| Exposure(s) | 7 x 60s AVI @ 20fps |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AutoStakkert, Photoshop |
Sunspots 2018-06-13
The Sun has been very featurless for a while now but this just beginning to appear round the limb.
Poor seeing but testing out the new ZWO ASI 290MC. Getting a frame rate of almost 100 fps. Heavy processing required to get anything out of the turbulence. No matter how fast the frame rate, or how sensitive the camera, if the seeing is bad you still won’t get much.
| Object ID | Sunspots |
| Details | 2018-06-13 09:58:05 UT Poor seeing: I-II (I-V) |
| Telescope | 180mm Mak-Cass at f15 Baader solar film – gives blue colour |
| Camera | ZWO ASI 290MC |
| Exposure(s) | 60s video at 97 fps ROI 800×500 |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | Photoshop CC |
Jupiter 2018-06-06
Pretty low down but Ok seeing
| Object ID | Jupiter |
| Details | 2018-06-06 21:19 UT |
| Telescope | 180mm Mak-Cass at f15 |
| Camera | DBK 21AU618.as UV/IR filter |
| Exposure(s) | 90s AVI at 60fps |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AutoStakkert, RegiStax and Lightroom |
Noctilucent Clouds
First sighting this year and one of the very earliest to appear on Twitter.
Venus at the bottom with Castor and Pollux above. ß Aurigae (Menkalinan) to the upper right.
| Object ID | Noctilucent Clouds |
| Details | 2018-06-01 22:52 UT, 22:53 UT |
| Telescope | Kit lens 27mm at f4 Fixed tripod |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | ISO 400 1.6s |
| Capture | In Camera |
| Processing | Lightroom |
Observatory build
Old observatory going away, new observatory with Pulsar 2.2m short height dome going up on new wooden walls. The whole thing will sit on top of the remnants of walls from an old WWII air raid shelter. Watch this space…
The old run-off roof one lasted about 10 years without any signs of moving in some very strong winds (the previous 2 had roofs blow off into the field!). It did however leak pretty badly at the corners.
Lunar First Light for new observatory
A quick First Light in broad daylight of the Moon through the Mak.
| Object ID | Moon |
| Details | 2018-05-23 18:52UT 8.34 days 68.3% |
| Telescope | 180mm Maksutov at f15 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 600D |
| Exposure(s) | ISO 100, 1/100s |
| Capture | In camera |
| Processing | Processed in Lightroom |
3 Crescent Moons in a row
3 days from New Moon in a row.
| Object ID | New Moon |
| Details | 2018-05-16 20:39UT 1.41 days 2.8% 2018-05-17 20:53UT 2.42 days 8.1% 2018-05-18 21.13UT 3.43 days 15.9% |
| Telescope | C80ED at f7.5 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 1/60s, 1/100s, 1/50s |
| Capture | In camera |
| Processing | Processed in Lightroom |
Moon 1.41d 2.8pc illumination
The youngest Moon I have ever seen or imaged. Just 5 degrees above the horizon.
| Object ID | Moon |
| Details | 1.41 days 2.8% illumination 5 degrees altitude 2018-05-16 20:39 UT |
| Telescope | C80ED at f7.5 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 1/60s |
| Capture | In camera |
| Processing | Processed in Lightroom |
Three Moon shots
Various Moon shots over the past few months. With my equipment dismantled for the observatory rebuild, this all I can do for now. Still fun though.
| Object ID | Moon |
| Details | 3,26 days, 4.76 days, 8.35 days |
| Telescope | C80ED at f7.5 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 1/60s, 1/250s, 1/200s |
| Capture | In camera |
| Processing | Process in Lightroom |
Testing RC8 and 460EX on Mizar and Alcor
Just for test purposes but quite fun. Focus not spot on though.
| Object ID | Mizar and Alcor |
| Details | Double star(s) Ursa Major |
| Telescope | RC8 at f/8 |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | RGB 6x10s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT, no guiding |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop |
Orion and Running Man nebulae
Red channel has poor focus.
| Object ID | M42,43 and Sh2-279 |
| Details | Nebulae, Orion Mag. 4 Size 65’x60′ |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f5.6 (x0.75 reducer) |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | L 10x60s 1×1, RGB 10x60s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT, finder guiding with PHD2 |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop and Lightroom |
Rosette Nebula C49 and NGC 2244
Had to discard the L channel as underexposed.
| Object ID | C49 Rosette Nebula and NGC 2244 |
| Details | Nebula and Open Cluster, Monoceros Mag. 9 Size 1.3 degrees |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f5.6 (x0.75 reducer) |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | RGB 10x60s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT, finder guiding with PHD2 |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop and Lightroom |
Horsehead, Flame and Alnitak
First for a while. Far too few subs and poor focusing. Big reflection of Alnitak too.
Processed (very harshly to get anything out of it) in Nebulosity 3, Photoshop and Lightroom. Noise reduction very heavily used!
| Object ID | NGC 2024 Flame nebula, Barnard 22 Horsehead nebula |
| Details | Nebula and Dark Nebula, Orion Mag. 2 Size 30′, 8’x6′ |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f5.6 (x0.75 reducer) |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | L 2x60s 1×1, RGB 2x60s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT unguided |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop and Lightroom |
Jupiter and Mars conjunction 2018-01-7
A very close conjunction.
| Object ID | Jupiter and Mars in conjunction |
| Details | A very close conjunction, less than 14′ between the two planets. Poor seeing and very low altitude <15degrees |
| Date/Time | 2018-01-7 05:47UT, Inset 06:03UT |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f7.5 |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 30s, inset 0.6s no darks, flats or bias |
| Capture | APT unguided |
| Processing | Processed in Photoshop |
M45 Pleiades
A new combination tonight.
| Object ID | M45, Pleiades |
| Details | Open Cluster, Taurus Mag. 1.6, Size 110′ |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f5.6 (x0.75 reducer) |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | L 10x60s 1×1, RGB 10x60s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT unguided |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop |