M34
Strong moonlight
| Object ID | M34 Perseus |
| Details | 2021-01-24 Mag. 5.5 Size 35′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 15x90s 2/20 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
M52 & Bubble Nebula
Strong moonlight
| Object ID | M52 and NGC 7635 Cassiopeia |
| Details | 2021-01-23 Mag. 6.9, 10.0 Size 13′, 15’x8′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C Tri-band |
| Exposure(s) | 20x300s 2/20 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
M50 (NGC 2323)
Just caught it by the way…
| Object ID | M50, NGC 2323 Monoceros |
| Details | Mag. 5.9 Size 16′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 10x90s 10/50 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
Cone Nebula and Christmas Tree cluster
Problems with ice of dew somewhere, had to heavily crop this to remove rings and artefacts. Strange colouring also part of the problem. Not great!
| Object ID | NGC2264 |
| Details | 2020-12-21 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 30x180s darks, flats, dark-flats |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
NGC188 (C1)
Never noticed this one before. Very close to the pole so easy guiding as nothing moves very much round there.
| Object ID | NGC188, Caldwell 1 Open Cluster, Cepheus Mag. 10 Size 11′ |
| Details | 2020-04-06 22:42 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 OO Newtonian |
| Camera | ATIK 460EX @-15C |
| Exposure(s) | 3x180s 1×1 TR, 2x180s 1×1 TG, TB Darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
M37 in Auriga
Only 2 subs of each colour before clouds rolled in.
| Object ID | M37 Auriga |
| Details | 2019-03-27 |
| Telescope | 203mm RC8 f8 |
| Camera | Atik 460Ex @-20C Badder RGB filters IDAS P2 LP filter |
| Exposure(s) | 2x120s 1×1 RGB Darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
M44 Praesepe / Beehive cluster
Poor night of transparency and seeing so just got this in the passing. Lots of sky fog that got processed out.
| Object ID | M44 / Praesepe / Beehive cluster, Cancer |
| Details | 2019-01-07 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX Baader RGB filters |
| Exposure(s) | 10x60s each RGB 2×2 Darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
NGC 2264 Christmas Tree Cluster narrowband
After a HOYS-CAPS session added narrowband. Rat’s head in there?
No more MPCC and stars are much sharper at the edges.
| Object ID | NGC 2264, Christmas Tree Cluster |
| Details | 2019-01-29 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-20C Baader Ha, OIII, SII filters |
| Exposure(s) | 10x300s 2×2 each Darks |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop SHO colour mapping |
NGC 752
Heavy processing to remove moonlight background. First entry in the SAA 100 catalog.
| Object ID | NGC 752 Open Cluster, Andromeda Mag. 5.7, size 50′ |
| Details | 2018-09-21 Bright 90% Moon |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter Guided |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 10x40s, ISO 800, darks, flats |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
M103 (NGC 581)
Tighter open cluster, quite remote at 8,000 light years away.
| Object ID | M103 (NGC 581) Open cluster Cassiopeia Mag. 7.4, Size 6′ |
| Details | 2018-09-08 Not very transparent. |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter Guiding c80ED, ASI 290MC |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 10x60s, darks and flats |
| Capture | APT, PHD |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
M39 (NGC 7092)
Nice wide open cluster with a deep Milky Way background too.
| Object ID | M39 (NGC 7092) Open cluster Cygnus Mag. 4.6, Size 32′ |
| Details | 2018-09-08 Not very transparent. |
| Telescope | 200mm f5 Newtonian, MPCC IDAS P2 LPR filter Guiding c80ED, ASI 290MC |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 10x60s, darks and flats |
| Capture | APT, PHD |
| Processing | Nebulosity, 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 |
Double Cluster in Perseus NGC 869 and 884
First image using the C80ED for a long time.
| Object ID | Caldwell 14, NGC 869 and 884 |
| Details | Open Clusters, Perseus |
| Date/Time | 2017-12-10 19:41 – 20:01 UT |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f7.5 IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 30x30s lights, 10x30s darks ISO 1600 |
| Capture | APT, unguided |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop and Lightroom |
Cone Nebula and Christmas Tree Cluster
NGC 2264
Star forming nebula and Open cluster, Monoceros
Mag 3.9, size 20′
2017-01-29
200mm f8 RC at f6 (Revelation x0.75 reducer)
Piggyback guiding with 70mm f/7 refractor
L 5×240s 2×2, RGB 5×120s 4×4 Darks Bias Flats
Atik 460EX (-25C), LRGB filters, IDAS P2 LPR filter
Captured in APT, Processed in Nebulosity3, PS CC, LightRoom
Bad planning in that the object went behind the observatory roof after only 5 sets of exposures. Not great but better than expected though.
Good quality flats make such a huge difference. Much easier to process, especially when using the reducer.
NGC 663 (C12)
Open Cluster, Cassiopeia
Mag 7.1 Size 916′
2014-10-01
200mm f8 RC, piggyback guiding C80ED
L 8×120 2×2, RGB 5×120 3×3
Atik 460EX (-10C), LRGB filters, Lumicon DS filter
Captured in APT, Processed in Nebulosity, PS CC
First chance to try out the new 460EX properly.
A “mucky” night with low transparency. Lots of star bloat but the camera has almost no noise at -10C. Processing still needs some work. Too many very red stars. Could be caused by the DS filter?
NGC 7243 (C16)
Open Cluster, Lacerta
Mag 6.4 Size 21′
2013-010-10
200mm f5 Newtonian MPCC, piggyback guiding C80ED
15×60 10×180 10×90 ISO 1600, darks
Canon EOS 350D modded, Astronomik CLS
Captured in APT, Processed in Nebulosity, PS CS5
Not transparent enough tonight to image any galaxies (tried M33 but the image fogged after 2 minutes) or nebulae so a new open cluster for me.
M34 (NGC 1039)
Open Cluster, Perseus
Mag 5.5 Size 35′
2013-11-03
200mm f5 Newtonian MPCC, piggyback guiding C80ED
20×60 3×120 ISO 1600, darks
Canon EOS 350D modded, Astronomik CLS
Captured in APT, Processed in Nebulosity, PS CS5
NGC 7789 White Rose Cluster
Open Cluster, Cassiopeia
Mag 6.7 Size 16′
2012-10-5
200mm f8 RC, OAG
14x120s ISO 800, darks, flats
Canon EOS 350D modded, Astronomik CLS
Captured in APT, Processed in Nebulosity, PS CS5
I came across this one by accident. A lovely open cluster.
NGC 7789 is an open cluster in Cassiopeia that was discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783. Her brother William Herschel included it in his catalog as H VI.30. This cluster is also known as “The White Rose” Cluster or “Caroline’s Rose” Cluster because when seen visually, the loops of stars and dark lanes look like the swirling pattern of rose petals as seen from above. Wikipedia
M35 (NGC 2168)
Open Cluster, Gemini
Mag 5.3 Size 28′
2012-01-27
200mm f5 Newtonian MPCC Guided
Canon EOS 350D modded, Astronomik CLS
15x120s, darks, flats, ISO 800
Captured in APT, Processed in Nebulosity and PS CS5
Not great sky conditions – a little foggy.
25-01-2009
C80ED f7.5, Canon EOS 350D
9x30s subs
Processed in Nebulosity and PhotoShop CS3
NGC 2158 is also visible to the upper right
NGC 2237 Rosette Nebula (NGC 2244 / C49)
C49 Emission Nebula, Monoceros
Mag 9.0 Size 1.3°
NGC 2244, C50 Open Cluster inside nebula
Mag 4.8 Size 24′
2012-01-23
200mm f5 Newtonian MPCC Guided
Canon EOS 350D modded, Astronomik CLS
10x120s, 4x180s darks, flats, ISO 800
Captured in APT, Processed in Nebulosity, PS CS5 and Adobe Lightroom
Lost some subs due to clouds. Need more subs.
M36 (NGC 1960)
Open Cluster, Auriga
Mag 6.3, size 12′
2011-03-02
200mm f5 Newtonian MPCC Guided
Canon EOS 350D, Astronomik CLS
15x90s darks ISO 800
Processed in Nebulosity and PS CS5
M37 (NGC 2099)
Open Cluster, Auriga
Mag 6.2, size 24′
2011-03-02
200mm f5 Newtonian MPCC Guided
Canon EOS 350D, Astronomik CLS
10x60s 1x120s darks ISO 800
Processed in Nebulosity and PS CS5
M38 (NGC 1912)
Open Cluster, Auriga
Mag 7.4 Size 21′
25-01-2009
C80ED f7.5, Canon EOS 350D
10x30s subs
Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker, Processed in PhotoShop CS3
NGC 1907 is also visible to the right