Several astrophotos of galaxies I have taken over the last few years.
Galaxies are always challenging objects because they require relatively high focal lengths, good seeing conditions and many can be dim. Hopefully you will notice some improvement from my very first astrophoto to one of my more recent attempts. This has been quite a learning process for me!
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This is my first galaxy - and literally my first astrophoto! Like many - when I first got active in astronomy in 2001 I was determined to see the Whirlpool galaxy. Little did I know how nearly impossible that would be from my Katy back yard - even with a new 8" LX200GPS. In February 2003 Kirk Kendrick helped me see the Whirlpool for the first time using the C-14 at the Columbus Site the month before I took this image. In 2004 I attended my first TSP and was amazed that I could pick out the Whirlpool in a pair of 10x50 binos - and learned first hand how precious really dark skies are.
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M51
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This is my first color galaxy photo. It was taken using the C-14 at the HAS Columbus site since I was having difficutly making my 8" LX200GPS behave well enough. The sub-frames were taken unguided - proving how good the mount is (thanks AlIen & Chuck!). I also realized pretty quickly from this effort, that a precise tracking mount makes the image capture [b]MUCH LESS[/b] frustrating.
Captured - 10-12-2004 - C-14 + Meade 0.63FR
ST-7E - LRGB and CCDSoft Ver 5
Lum 50 min (20 x 2.5 min)
RGB 60 min (each 10 x 2 min)
Calibration and Stacking - CCDSoft
Final Processing - Adobe PS CS
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M74 - First Galaxy Picture
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By early 2005 I felt like I had improved a bit in my astrophoto ability using my 8" LX200 GPS. Meade was running an astrophoto contest to promote its product lineup, so I borrowed Mike Edstrom's Meade DSI to see if I could make the grade. No joy from the contest, though I feel I did improve some.
Captured - 4-7-2005 - Meade 8" LX200 GPS + Meade 0.63FR
Autoguided using Orion ED80 and ST-237
Imager - Meade DSI I Color - 25 x 4min subframes
Calibration and Stacking - Meade Astrophoto Suite
Final Processing - Adobe PS CS
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M64 with DSI
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In 2005 I took an overseas assignment to Kuala Lumpur - which turned out to be a good place for me to be professionally, but due to the tropical weather (it is almost always cloudy / misty at night) not so good for astronomy. I also acquired a Takahashi TOA130 on an EM 200 mount. My strategy was to use this equipment on home leaves. Of course - one of the very first things I wanted to do was to re-image M51. This image was taken at TSP in 2006 - the first of four I flew in from half way around the world to attend. Due to weather and my unfamiliarity with new equipment this is the sum total of my finished images from that TSP. But I did have plenty of time to work on processing back in KL! I know that now I can improve on this one - so watch this space - I will reimage the Whirlpool at some point!
Captured - 4-27-2006- Takahashi TOA 130/EM200
ST-7E - LRGB and CCDSoft Ver 5
Lum 70 min (7 x 10 min)
RGB 90 min (each 3 x 10 min)
Calibration and Stacking - CCDSoft
Final Processing - Adobe PS CS
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M51 - Redeaux
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At Christmas time in 2006 I was back in Houston with a newly acquired Canon 350D (XT) and an itch to capture some photons. This image of M81 & M82 was one of three I captured in a single evening out at the HAS Columbus site. I have since attempted twice to re-image these two - but have not yet completed the project.
Captured - 12 22-2006- Takahashi TOA 130 + FR (f/d = 5.6) & EM200 mount
Canon 350D 45 min (9 x 5 min)
Calibration and Stacking - IP ver 2.7
Final Processing - Adobe PS CS
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M81 & M82 - OSC
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This image of M33 is a composite using two different cameras. The luminance was shot 12/30/2007 with my ST-10XME at the Columbus Observatory site, but I was not able to get any color. That came in October 2008 using a Canon 350D. Both were shot using the TOA130 refractor.
Lum - 60 min (12 x 5min subs) ST-10XME
RGB - 120 min (24 x 5min subs) @ ISO 800 Canon 350D
Calibration & Stacking using CCDStack /Nebulosity 2
Final assembly and processing - Photoshop CS2
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M33
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M31 is a very large (abt as large a a full moon) - very bright (3.5 mag) in the constellation Andromeda. It is so large and bright that it can be seen with the naked eye at a reasonably dark site. At about 2.3 million light years from earth it is one of the most distant objects you can see with your own eyes. Being so close it has been studied in great detail. Cephid variable stars in M31 and M33 observed by Edwin Hubble with the Mt Wilson 100 inch telescope were used to prove in 1925 that "island universes" (now known as galaxies) did exist separated from the Milky Way. You would think that M31 being so large and bright would be an easy target - think again! It is so large that a mosaic is needed to truly get the detail in hi-res, and the range of brightness makes processing it very difficult. Here is my first attempt - a simplified single frame shot.
Captured - 12-28-2008 - WO Zenithstar SD 66 - f/d=4.7 Tak EM200 mount.
Canon XT - 350D Nebulosity 2 for capture calibration and staking. 95 min (5 min subs) at ISO 1600
Final Processing - Adobe PS CS3
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M31 - OSC
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Shot at TSP in April of 2009 using the TOA130 refractor and the EM200 mount
luminance: 120 min (12 x 10 min subs)
RGB: 50 min each (5x10min subs)
Calibration and stacking in CCDStack Final processing in Photoshop CS3
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M101
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The trio in Leo is made up of 3 galaxies which are gravitatonally bound to each other. They are M65 M66 and NGC 3628 (the edge on one).
This image was captured on two different scopes/mounts using two different cameras on the same night. Luminance was captured using the combination of an Orion ED80 and ST-10XME the chromanance was captured using the Astrotech 6" RC and Canon 350D.
I have been working on capturing images of each individual galaxy so I can create a hi-res mosaic version of this image. Stay tuned!
Lum: 3 hours (36 x 10 min subs) ST-10XME
RGB 1.5 hours (36 x 5 min subs) Canon 350D at ISO 1600
Calibration and stacking CCDStack / Nebulosity 2
Final processing PS CS3
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Trio in Leo
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NGC891 is an edge on spiral galaxy sometimes referred to as the "Outer Limits" galaxy since its image was used on the intor to the 60s TV show of that name.
This is the first image I have completed using a new telescope & mount combinatation - an Astrotech 12" RC mounted on a Takahashi EM400. Seems to be working well.
Captured 10/27/2011 in the Texas Hill Country
AT 12RC and ST10XME
Lum: 2 hours (24 x 10 min subs)
RGB 30 min each (3 x 10 min subs)
Calibrated and stacked using CCDStack
Final processing using PS CS3
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NGC891
