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Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Grayscale Wonders part IV
Usually most of the details are in hydrogen alpha emission line. Gray scale images can be really beautiful and many times I personally like them best. I will publish now some of my images from this winter season as a grayscale compositions. This is a part IV of Grayscale Wonders, part one, two and three can be seen here: Part one, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/greyscale-wonders.html
Part two, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/grayscale-wonders-part-ii.html
Part three, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/grayscale-wonders-part-iii.html
Please, open the full size photo by clicking the image, it's really worth it!
Cederblad 214, the Cosmic Question Mark
Photo in colors can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/02/new-photo-of-cederblad-214-cosmic.html
Sh2-216 & Sh2-221 Supernova remnant and a planetary nebula
Photo in colors can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/two-ways-to-go-in-same-field-of-view.html
From the Bubble to Cave Nebula
Photo in colors can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/deep-red-glow-of-hydrogen-from-bubble.html
Friday, April 24, 2020
All my photos from the Winter season 2020 in visual colors
It can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/all-my-photos-from-winter-season-2020.html We have lost the astronomical darkness for about six months, up here 65 North.
Next time I'm going to be able to do the deep sky imaging will be at mid September 2020.
This time I'm publishing the same image set in visual colors. Colors are combined from narrowband channels emission from an ionized hydrogen, sulfur and oxygen (H-alpha, S-II and O-III) are combined by following method;
Hydrogen and sulfur are both in red channel, oxygen has split between green and blue channel.
I was able to have my imaging system up and running very late, at first week of January 2020. I build my imaging system around an old Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lens by mating the Apogee Alta U16 camera with it. Not an easy task due to very large CCD in Apogee camera and lack of back focus distance in Tokina lens.
I even used an angle grinder to shorten up the lens!
Some info and images about my imaging tools can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-frankenstein-monster-my-current.html
I made a poster format presentation about all of my new photos from the Winter season 2020.
There are some very rare images from this imaging season. Photo 2 in poster might be the first three band image of this nebula pair. Photo 12 might be the first color image ever showing this area in sky. Boths targets are dim to extreme and lots of exposure time was needed even though I was using very fast optical configuration (Under sampled optics, ~6 arcseconds/pixel)
Winter season 2020
A very large image, 3300 x 4800 pixels and 17 MB
All of the photos in this poster has been taken with the Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lanes, Apogee Alta U16 astronomical camera and the Astrodon narrowband filter set. (5nm H-alpha, 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III) All photos have been shot from my down town observatory. Location is very light polluted, the sky quality is Bortle scale eight!
IMAGE INFO
All of the photos in this poster has been taken with the Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lanes, Apogee Alta U16 astronomical camera and the Astrodon narrowband filter set. (5nm H-alpha, 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III) All photos have been shot from my down town observatory. Location is very light polluted, the sky quality is Bortle scale eight!
IMAGE INFO
- Cederblad 214 and Sh2-170, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/02/new-photo-of-cederblad-214-cosmic.html
- Supernova remnant and a planetary nebula in a same field of view, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/two-ways-to-go-in-same-field-of-view.html
- From Bubble to Cave Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/from-bubble-to-cave-round-ii.html
- Supernova remnant CTB1, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/02/ctb1-supernova-remnant-in-cassiopeia.html
- Supernova remnant IC 443, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/supernova-remnant-ic-443-wide-field.html
- NGC 1499, the California Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-deep-view-to-california-nebula-in.html
- IC 405 & IC 410, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/new-photo-deep-in-to-darkness.html¨
- IC 63 & NGC 281, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/ic-63-and-ngc-281.html
- Simeis 147, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/02/simeis-147-sh2-240-large-supernova.html
- Heart Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/deep-in-to-my-heart-ic-1805-in-mapped.html
- C 1396, the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/ic-1396-wide-field-reprocessed.html
- The Grande Mosaic of Auriga, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-grande-mosaic-of-auriga.html
- Sharpless 205, NGC 1491 and Lynds Bright Nebula 696, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-two-frame-mosaic-photo-of-sharpless.html
- The Grande Mosaic of Auriga, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-grande-mosaic-of-auriga.html
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Grayscale Wonders part III
Usually most of the details are in hydrogen alpha emission line. Gray scale images can be really beautiful and many times I personally like them best. I will publish now some of my images from this winter season as a grayscale compositions. This is a part III of Grayscale Wonders, part one and two can be seen here: Part one, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/greyscale-wonders.html
Part two, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/grayscale-wonders-part-ii.html
Please, open the full size photo by clicking the image, it's really worth it!
NGC 1491
Photo in colors can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-two-frame-mosaic-photo-of-sharpless.html
California Nebula, NGC 1499
Version in mapped colors can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-deep-view-to-california-nebula-in.html
Supernova remnant Simeis 147
Version in mapped colors, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/02/simeis-147-sh2-240-large-supernova.html
Version in visual colors, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/simeis-147-sh2-240-with-more-light-from.html
California Nebula, NGC 1499
Version in mapped colors can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-deep-view-to-california-nebula-in.html
Supernova remnant Simeis 147
Version in mapped colors, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/02/simeis-147-sh2-240-large-supernova.html
Version in visual colors, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/simeis-147-sh2-240-with-more-light-from.html
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
All my photos from the Winter season 2020
We have lost the astronomical darkness for about six months, up here 65 North.
Next time I'm going to be able to do the deep sky imaging will be at mid September 2020.
This imaging season was different than before. I was able to have my imaging system up and running very late, at first week of January 2020. I build my imaging system around an old Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lens by mating the Apogee Alta U16 camera with it. Not an easy task due to very large CCD in Apogee camera and lack of back focus distance in Tokina lens.
I even used an angle grinder to shorten up the lens!
Some info and images about my imaging tools can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-frankenstein-monster-my-current.html
I made a poster format presentation about all of my new photos from the Winter season 2020.
There are some very rare images from this imaging season. Photo 2 in poster might be the first three band image of this nebula pair. Photo 12 might be the first color image ever showing this area in sky. Boths targets are dim to extreme and lots of exposure time was needed even though I was using very fast optical configuration (Under sampled optics, ~6 arcseconds/pixel)
Winter season 2020
A very large image, 3300 x 4800 pixels and 17 MB
All of the photos in this poster has been taken with the Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lanes, Apogee Alta U16 astronomical camera and the Astrodon narrowband filter set. (5nm H-alpha, 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III) All photos have been shot from my down town observatory. Location is very light polluted, the sky quality is Bortle scale eight!
INFO
INFO
- Cederblad 214 and Sh2-170, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/02/new-photo-of-cederblad-214-cosmic.html
- Supernova remnant and a planetary nebula in a same field of view, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/two-ways-to-go-in-same-field-of-view.html
- From Bubble to Cave Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/from-bubble-to-cave-round-ii.html
- Supernova remnant CTB1, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/02/ctb1-supernova-remnant-in-cassiopeia.html
- Supernova remnant IC 443, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/supernova-remnant-ic-443-wide-field.html
- NGC 1499, the California Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-deep-view-to-california-nebula-in.html
- IC 405 & IC 410, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/new-photo-deep-in-to-darkness.html¨
- IC 63 & NGC 281, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/ic-63-and-ngc-281.html
- Heart Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/deep-in-to-my-heart-ic-1805-in-mapped.html
- IC 1396, the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/ic-1396-wide-field-reprocessed.html
- The Grande Mosaic of Auriga, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-grande-mosaic-of-auriga.html
- Sharpless 205, NGC 1491 and Lynds Bright Nebula 696, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-two-frame-mosaic-photo-of-sharpless.html
- Great Mosaic of Cepheus, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/great-mosaic-of-cepheus.html
- Simeis 147, The Birth of Venus, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-birth-of-venus.html
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Grayscale Wonders part II
All the photos, I have published, are taken with a grayscale astronomical camera. Each color channel is shot separately and then combined to RGB color image. Since I'm doing only narrowband imaging due the extensive light pollution color channels are are emission line images. Most of the time I'm capturing three emission lines hydrogen, sulfur and oxygen. (H-alpha, S-II and O-III)
Usually most of the details are in hydrogen alpha emission line. Gray scale images can be really beautiful and many times I personally like them best. I will publish now some of my images from this winter season as a grayscale compositions. This is a part II of Grayscale Wonders, part one can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/04/greyscale-wonders.html
Please, open the full size photo by clicking the image, it's really worth it!
A two frame mosaic photo of Sharpless 205, NGC 1491 and Lynds Bright Nebula 696
Image details and a mapped color version can be found here,
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-two-frame-mosaic-photo-of-sharpless.html
nebula in visual colors can be seen here,
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/sharpless-205-ngc-1491-and-lynds-bright.html
Great Mosaic of Cepheus
Image details and a mapped color version can be found here,
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/great-mosaic-of-cepheus.html
Great Mosaic of Auriga
Image details and a mapped color version can be found here,
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-grande-mosaic-of-auriga.html
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-two-frame-mosaic-photo-of-sharpless.html
nebula in visual colors can be seen here,
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/sharpless-205-ngc-1491-and-lynds-bright.html
Great Mosaic of Cepheus
Image details and a mapped color version can be found here,
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/great-mosaic-of-cepheus.html
Great Mosaic of Auriga
Image details and a mapped color version can be found here,
https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-grande-mosaic-of-auriga.html
Sunday, April 5, 2020
Supernova remnant IC 443 in visual spectrum
I have published this image in mapped colors at March 2, this time I have combined the narrowband emission channels so, that the result is very close to a visual colors.
IC 443, NGC 2175 & Messier 35
Click for a large image, it's worth it!
The red glow from an ionized hydrogen (H-alpha) is dominating the view, bluish hues are from an ionized oxygen (O-III)
H-alpha alone
Click for a large image
3h of light emitted by an ionized hydrogen, H-alpha.
INFO
Source Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_443
NGC 2175
H-alpha alone
Click for a large image
3h of light emitted by an ionized hydrogen, H-alpha.
INFO
IC 443
IC 443 (also known as the Jellyfish Nebula and Sharpless 248 (Sh2-248)) is a Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) in the constellation Gemini. It locates visually near the star Eta Geminorum at distance of about 5000 light years.
IC 443 may be the remains of a supernova that occurred 3,000 - 30,000 years ago. The same supernova event likely created the neutron star CXOU J061705.3+222127, the collapsed remnant of the stellar core. IC 443 is one of the best-studied cases of supernova remnants interacting with surrounding molecular clouds
IC 443 may be the remains of a supernova that occurred 3,000 - 30,000 years ago. The same supernova event likely created the neutron star CXOU J061705.3+222127, the collapsed remnant of the stellar core. IC 443 is one of the best-studied cases of supernova remnants interacting with surrounding molecular clouds
Source Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_443
One of the reasons i took this image is the "Monkey head nebula", NGC 2175, at lower right corner.
I have shot this area with a much longer focal length back in 2015. At my image there is a very faint extended shape visible in my photo. I wanted to see, if I'm able to catch it with my current imaging system as well. This very dim feature is strongly visible in my new photo too! (Monkey head nebula is rotated 180 degrees in large image below.)
Older long focal length photo of NGC 2175 from Spring season 2015, more info here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2015/03/ngc-2174-monkey-head-nebula-project.html
Technical details
Processing workflow
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 33 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.
Imaging optics
Tokina AT-x f2.8 camera lens
Mount
10-micron 1000
Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and an old spotting scope of Meade LX200
Astrodon filters,
5nm H-alpha 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III
Total exposure time
H-alpha, 9 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 3 h
O-III, 3 x 1200 s, binned 2x2 = 1 h
S-II, 3 x 1200 s. binned 2x2 = 1 h
O-III, 3 x 1200 s, binned 2x2 = 1 h
S-II, 3 x 1200 s. binned 2x2 = 1 h
Saturday, April 4, 2020
Greyscale wonders
All the photos, I have published, are taken with a grayscale astronomical camera. Each color channel is shot separately and then combined to RGB color image. Since I'm doing only narrowband imaging due the extensive light pollution color channels are are emission line images. Most of the time I'm capturing three emission lines hydrogen, sulfur and oxygen. (H-alpha, S-II and O-III)
Usually most of the details are in hydrogen alpha emission line. Gray scale images can be really beautiful and many times I personally like them best. I will publish now some of my images from this winter season as a grayscale compositions.
Please, open the full size photo by clicking the image, it's really worth it!
Deep in the Heart Nebula
Heart Nebula in light of an ionized hydrogen, color image and technical details can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/01/deep-in-to-my-heart-ic-1805-in-mapped.html
Supernova remnant IC 443
Color image and technical details can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/supernova-remnant-ic-443-wide-field.html
IC 405 & 410
Color image and technical details can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/new-photo-deep-in-to-darkness.html
Supernova remnant IC 443
Color image and technical details can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/supernova-remnant-ic-443-wide-field.html
IC 405 & 410
Color image and technical details can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/new-photo-deep-in-to-darkness.html
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Two ways to go in a same field of view, planetary nebula Sh2-216 & supernova remnant Sh2-221
I have reprocessed this photo from March 1 2020, now the composition is more dynamic and colors are more vivid. Original photo can be seen here, https://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2020/03/two-ways-to-die-sh2-216-sh2-221.html
This must be one of the dimmest targets I have shot. The supernova remnant Simeis 147 is large and dim but this nebula pair in Auriga is much dimmer. There are very few images about this target around. Photo is taken with Tokina AT-x 300mm f2.8 camera lens and Apogee Alta U16 astro camera.
Supernova remnant and a planetary nebula in the same field of view
Click for a large photo, it's worth it!
Image spans about six degrees horizontally, at left lays the large and very dim planetary nebula Sharpless 216 (aka Simeis 288, Marsalkova 44, LBN 742, GN 04.41.3)
This planetary nebula is the closest known planetary nebula to Earth, about 390 light years, and also one of the oldest known. Due the old age, it's very diffused, dim and large, apparent diameter is about 1,6 degrees. (Full Moon is about 0,5 degrees wide)
At right side of the photo lays a dim nad diffused supernova remnant Sh2-221 (SNR G160.4+02.8, HB9) it locates in constellation Auriga, about one degree West from star Capella. (Doesn't show in my image) The distance from the Earth, 2600 light years, is determined recently at 2007. This object was recognized as a supernova remnant back at seventies.
H-alpha, 36 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 12 h
O-III, 33 x 1200 s, binned 2x2 = 11 h
S-II, 9 x 1200 s. binned 2x2 = 3 h
An experimental starless image
Click for a large photo
Mapped colors from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen.
Image spans about six degrees vertically!
Photo in visual spectrum
Click for a large photo
The red glow from an ionized hydrogen (H-alpha) is dominating the view, bluish hues are from an ionized oxygen (O-III)
H-alpha image
INFO
Sh2-216, the closest planetary nebula to earth ever discovered.
Image spans about six degrees horizontally, at left lays the large and very dim planetary nebula Sharpless 216 (aka Simeis 288, Marsalkova 44, LBN 742, GN 04.41.3)
This planetary nebula is the closest known planetary nebula to Earth, about 390 light years, and also one of the oldest known. Due the old age, it's very diffused, dim and large, apparent diameter is about 1,6 degrees. (Full Moon is about 0,5 degrees wide)
Supernova remnant Sh2-221
At right side of the photo lays a dim nad diffused supernova remnant Sh2-221 (SNR G160.4+02.8, HB9) it locates in constellation Auriga, about one degree West from star Capella. (Doesn't show in my image) The distance from the Earth, 2600 light years, is determined recently at 2007. This object was recognized as a supernova remnant back at seventies.
Technical details
Processing workflow
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2.
Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 33 iterations, added at 50% weight
Color combine in PS CS3
Levels and curves in PS CS3.
Imaging optics
Tokina AT-x f2.8 camera lens
Mount
10-micron 1000
Cameras and filters
Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel
Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and an old spotting scope of Meade LX200
Astrodon filters,
5nm H-alpha 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III
5nm H-alpha 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III
Total exposure time 26h
H-alpha, 36 x 1200 s, binned 1x1 = 12 h
O-III, 33 x 1200 s, binned 2x2 = 11 h
S-II, 9 x 1200 s. binned 2x2 = 3 h
Orientation in Auriga
An experimental starless image
Click for a large photo
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