Wednesday, September 21, 2011
A small set of image pairs, Wide field vs closeup
I have shot many targets with least two different focal lengths, usually a 200-300mm camera lens and my old Meade LX200 GPS 12" telescope. I have done earlier some scale studies as a zoom in series, with Moon circle as a scale.
Now I have done just simple image pairs, showing both, a wide field and a closeup from the same objects.
IC1396 and the "Elephant's Trunk Nebula"
In constellation Cepheus
Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission.
Links to an original images used in series from top to bottom
- http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2011/01/ic-1396-reprocessed.html
- http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2011/01/elephants-trunk-nebula-inside-ic-1396.html
IC 1848, the "Soul Nebula"
In constellation Cassiopeia
Image is in HST-palette, (HST=Hubble Space Telescope)
from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen.
Links to an original images used in series from top to bottom
- http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2011/02/ic-1848-soul-nebula-finalized.html
- http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/11/soul-nebula-closeup-finalized.html
NGC1499, the "California Nebula"
RA 04h 03m 18.00s Dec +36° 25′ 18.0"
Links to an original images used in series from top to bottom
- http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2011/06/ngc-1499-california-nebula-reprocessed.html
- http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2010/12/ngc-1499-california-nebula-closeup.html
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Moon images from new point of view, set II
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I'm a deep sky photographer and the Moon usually is just an other form of light pollution to me.
The Moon can be a source of inspiration too. (An sometimes good for romantic feelings, I have been told...)
As an astronomical photographer I started with Moon images, as so many do. The 3D-transformation technique of mine gives a possibility to see the Moon from an angle not seen from Earth. This brings a new life to an old Moon image back from 2004.
In this series, some major features in full Moon are seen directly overhead
3D-twisted image, Mare Imbrium seen directly overhead.
3D-twisted image, Crater Tycho seen directly overhead.
3D-twisted image, Mare Crisium seen directly overhead.
3D-twisted image, Crater Stevinus seen directly overhead.
3D-twisted image, Craters Copernicus and Kepler, at lower Right center, seen directly overhead.
At previous post, you will see why I'm playing with old Moon images...
So much about the first light for this season...
Source: www.foreca.fi
I was hoping to be having an opening picture for the Autumn season 2011 here to show...
Weather broadcast for next six days tells it all.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Season opened... kind of
Last night was finally clear! I took my previous picture at March 15., after that, there was no astronomical darkness to work with, since I live at 65N. My first target was the "Propeller Nebula" in constellation Cygnus.
About six months mandatory pause makes no good ones skills and routines. Last night I forget to plug in a power cord of the filter wheel, stupid me. I thought, that I was shooting H-alpha channel, instead I shot four hours of very weak O-III signal. That's OK, I can use it later for a color image, but due my mistake I have nothing to show here, there is very little to see in ionized Oxygen band . (Mainly stars, noise and some very dim signal from the ionization)
Since I don't have anything to show in this post, please, have a visit in my portfolio, there is some re organization done lately: http://astroanarchy.zenfolio.com/
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Moon images from a new point of view
Buy a photographic print from HERE
Buy a photographic print from HERE
"Surface" view to half a Moon
Buy a photographic print from HERE
Moon images in this post looks kind of odd...
They are real images of the moon, imaged by me years ago, showing a half Moon with the Earth shine.
(Shadowed side of the Moon get lit by the light reflected from the Earths atmosphere, hence the bluish color)
Actually you can't see the Moon from Earth at this angle!
Images are done by re projecting the moon image to a sphere made by a 3D-software. After that you can select any new viewpoint to a Moon, as long as the point of interest stays on the visible side of the Moon. It's kind of having a private Moon orbiter.
I like this method, since the actual image data stays practically untouched, it just get seen from an other angle.
Images are done by re projecting the moon image to a sphere made by a 3D-software. After that you can select any new viewpoint to a Moon, as long as the point of interest stays on the visible side of the Moon. It's kind of having a private Moon orbiter.
I like this method, since the actual image data stays practically untouched, it just get seen from an other angle.
I developed this technique back in 2005. At the time it gets published by the "Sky & Telescope" magazine.
(J-P Metsävainio, A New Way of Looking at the Moon. Sky & Telescope, Jan 2005, p 142-146.)
I have made several short movies with this technique, here are some links to them:
This movie shows the principle of the technique used:
Please note. To see the movies at full resolution, click the HD-resolution selector at the lower Right corner of the Youtube Window. Double click the movie window to see the movie in full screen.
A Moon surface image series, converted from an image at top of the page.
"Fly over the terminator zone"
Monday, September 12, 2011
Couple of image collections with very different instruments, Tokina 300mm camera lens and the Meade LX200 GPS 12" telescope 3000mm
Images taken with a Tokina AT-X 300mm f2.8 camera lens
Images are in HST-palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen & B=Oxygen.
Note. Images in this poster are not in same scale.
All images in this collection can be found from my portfolio, with technical details:
Tokina AT-X 300mm camera lens is an excellent astrolens!
Here is a blog post about the lens and the first light for it:
Tokina lens at top of the Meade LX200 GPS 12" telescope, it's a large lens with the dew shield attached.
Imaging bath, more info in this blog post:
http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/09/active-otics-and-meade-lx200-gps-12.html
All the images above are shot from my city center observatory, under a heavy light pollution.
The narrowband imaging is must under my conditions. Dark place is better naturally, now I'm able to use every cloudless moment, unlike with an observatory in distant dark location.
A collection of images taken with a Meade LX200 GPS 12" 3000mm f10 telescope, forced to work at ~f5.
My old Meade LX 200 GPS12" telescope, on its original fork mount, is not a perfect instrument for astronomical imaging. I have managed to get it work like a real imaging platform, not an easy task though.
Great help is an active optics unit, SXV-AO, from Starlight express. (UK based company)
Most of the images are in HST-palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen & B=Oxygen. Red ones are in natural narrowband colors. Note. Images in this poster are not in same scale.
All images in this collection can be found from my portfolio, with technical details:
My old Meade LX 200 GPS12" telescope, on its original fork mount, is not a perfect instrument for astronomical imaging. I have managed to get it work like a real imaging platform, not an easy task though.
Great help is an active optics unit, SXV-AO, from Starlight express. (UK based company)
Imaging bath, more info in this blog post:
http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/09/active-otics-and-meade-lx200-gps-12.html
All the images above are shot from my city center observatory, under a heavy light pollution.
The narrowband imaging is must under my conditions. Dark place is better naturally, now I'm able to use every cloudless moment, unlike with an observatory in distant dark location.
A collection of Sharpless catalog objects
I have imaged some Sharpless catalog objects during the years. Many of them are very dim but there are some familiar objects too. All images are in HST-palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen & B=Oxygen. Note. Images in this poster are not in same scale.
All images in this collection can be found from my portfolio, with technical details:
Labeled
Many ways to die
A collection of passed away stars, both, planetary nebulae and supernova remnants.
Note. Images in this poster are not in same scale.
UPDATE
"Jake" from Finnish astronomical group, http://foorumi.avaruus.fi/ , pointed out, that Sh2-223 (Sharpless 223) is now uncatalogued as a supernova remnant, it's just a HII region.
UPDATE
"Jake" from Finnish astronomical group, http://foorumi.avaruus.fi/ , pointed out, that Sh2-223 (Sharpless 223) is now uncatalogued as a supernova remnant, it's just a HII region.
"G166.2+2.5 (=OA 184) (aka Sh2-223) was removed from the 2006 April version of the catalogue, as it was identified as an HII region by Foster et al. (2006)."
I left the image as it is, since there is a real SNR in the image, Sh2-224.
All images in this collection can be found from my portfolio, with technical details:
Labeled
There are some very rarely imaged objects in the poster, like Jones1, Jones-Emberson1, Medusa Nebula, Sh2-188, Sh2-221, Sh2-216, Simeis 147 and supernova remnant pair Sh2-223, 224.
PL = planetary Nebula, SNR = supernova remnant
PL = planetary Nebula, SNR = supernova remnant
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Cygnus Treasures
A collection of objects in constellation Cygnus.
All images are in HST-palette from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen & B=Oxygen.
Note. Images 1,2,3,5,9 are in same scale as a group (300mm Tokina lens @ f2.8). Closeup images, 4,6,7,8 are in same scale. (Meade LX200 GPS 12" reduced to f4,65)
Note. Images 1,2,3,5,9 are in same scale as a group (300mm Tokina lens @ f2.8). Closeup images, 4,6,7,8 are in same scale. (Meade LX200 GPS 12" reduced to f4,65)
I made this image since I haven't have an opportunity to do any imaging yet, due the weather. We have couple of hours of astronomical darkness now and my first targets will be locating in constellation Cygnus.
Original image is really large, since I kept all the images in native resolution, 11.000 x 12.000 pixels!
Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission. Star colors are mixed from the NB channels, Red=H-a, G=O-III and B= 85%O-III + 15%H-a.This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.
Images from upper Left to a lower Right corner:
Images from upper Left to a lower Right corner:
1. Wide field image of NGC6888, the "Crescent Nebula"
2. Wide field image of the "Butterfly Nebula"
3. Wide field image of the Sharpless 101, the "Tulip Nebula"
4. Closeup of the NGC6888, "Crescent Nebula"
5. "Veil Nebula", a supernova remnant
6. Closeup of the Sharpless 101, the "Tulip Nebula"
7. Closeup of the NGC7000, the "North America Nebula"
8. Closeup of the "Pelican Nebula"
9. Wide field image of the North Ameriac and the Pelican Nebulae.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
M27, the "Dumbbell Nebula", reprocessed ones again
Since my processing technique gets better and weather doesn't give any support, I have reprocessed some older images. There is now star colors added and other processing is tweaked too.
Messier 27, the "Dumbbell Nebula"
Ra 19h 59m 36.340s Dec +22° 43′ 16.09″
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I redid the composition too, the old one was little too static to my taste, image is cropped.
The Dumbbell Nebula (also known as a Messier 27, M 27, or NGC 6853) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula, at a distance of about 1360 light years. It has a large angular diameter as a planetary nebula, about 8 x 5,6 arc minutes. (Rarely imaged outer halo is not included, it can be seen in my image. With an outer shell, the diameter is over 15'' (more than a size of the half a Moon))
Planetary nebulae are shells of gas shed by stars late in their life cycles after using up all of their nuclear fuel. The star then ejects a gaseous shell, which is illuminated by its extremely hot central star, a core left from the original star. n this image, the central star is clearly visible at very center of the nebula. M27's central star has a magnitude of 13.5 and is an extremely hot blueish dwarf with a temperature of about 85,000 K.
Our own star, the Sun, is expected to undergo the same process in a couple of billion years.
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This is the whole field image with the old composition.
Buy a photographic print from HERE
Previous version of the M27 can be found here:
Details:
Camera, QHY9
Optics, Meade LX200 GPS 12" @ f4.65
Guiding, Lodestar and SXV-AO @ 13Hz
image scale is 0.8 arcsecond/pixel
Exposures:
9x1200s Binned 1x1+ 7x600 Binned 2x2 with 7nm H-alpha filter
6x600s, binned 2x2, for O-III
2x600s, binned 3x3, for S-II.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Bubble Nebula reprocessed, again
Since my processing technique gets better and weather doesn't give any support, I have reprocessed some older images. There is now star colors added and other processing is tweaked too.
Sharpless 162, NGC 7635, the "Bubble Nebula"
Ra 23h 20m 48s Dec +61° 12′ 06″
A closeup
A closer closeup of the bubble feature
Not a bad resolution for an olde Meade LX200 GPS 12" telescope...
I made this animation originally to be sure, that I don't have any artifacts from my experimental processing workflow.
I made this animation originally to be sure, that I don't have any artifacts from my experimental processing workflow.
This is one of the most interesting looking structures in a sky.
NGC 7635 aka "Bubble Nebula, Sh2-162 or Caldwell11, is a Hydrogen emission nebula in constellation Cassiopeia. It locates near the open cluster M 52 at distance of about 11.000 light years from the Earth.
The bubble structure is created by a strong stellar wind, a radiation pressure, from massive hot magnitude 8,7 central star, SAO 20575, it can be seen in an image inside of the bubble, off centered at Right.
NGC 7635 aka "Bubble Nebula, Sh2-162 or Caldwell11, is a Hydrogen emission nebula in constellation Cassiopeia. It locates near the open cluster M 52 at distance of about 11.000 light years from the Earth.
The bubble structure is created by a strong stellar wind, a radiation pressure, from massive hot magnitude 8,7 central star, SAO 20575, it can be seen in an image inside of the bubble, off centered at Right.
Bubble is an expanding shock front inside a giant molecular cloud and it has a diameter more than Six light years. The spherical formation is expanding at speed of 6500.000 km/h, due the huge scale and distance we can't see the movement easily. In a century, the bubble in this image will be only about one pixel wider, than now! ( ~1 arc second)
Strong UV-radiation from a central star ionized elements in a gas and makes them glow at typical wavelength to each element. (Hydrogen glows Red light as Sulfur, Oxygen emits Green/Blue light at visible wavelengths)
If you are interested about color schemes used in my images, I wrote a small study about them, please, have a look here: http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/11/colors-in-astro-images.html
Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission. Star colors are mixed from the NB channels, Red=H-a, G=O-III and B= 85%O-III + 15%H-a.This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.
A closeup
Previous version of the Bubble Nebula can be seen here:
Please, let me know, if this one looks better!
Processing work flow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations.
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.
-
Imaged in three nights between 27.09 - 04-09 2009, seeing varys between 4-2,5 FWHM
Telescope, Meade LX200 GPS 12" @ f4.65 Camera, QHY9 Guiding, SXV-AO @ 11Hz
Exposures:
H-alpha 21x1200s Binned 1x1 = 7h
S-II 10x600s Binned 3x3
O-III 5x600s Binned 3x3
A study of the apparent scale in a sky
NOTE. The size of the full Moon (0,5 degrees) is marked as a scale.
3D-study of the Bubble Nebula:
http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/10/bubble-nbula-as-stereogram.html
3D-study of the Bubble Nebula:
http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/10/bubble-nbula-as-stereogram.html
Wide field images of the Bubble Nebula area
Sharpless 157, Sh2-157, in a middle, Bubble Nebula can be seen at about ten a clock position.
A panoramic, two panel mosaic, from the Bubble to the Wizard Nebula at Right.
Friday, September 2, 2011
IC 1848, the "Soul Nebula", reprocessed
Since my processing technique gets better and the time of year doesn't give any support, I have reprocessed some older images. There is now star colors added and other processing is tweaked too.
IC 1848, the "Soul Nebula"
Ra 02h 51m 36.24s Dec +60° 26′ 53.9"
Image is in HST-palette, (HST=Hubble Space Telescope)
from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen.
Star colors are mixed from the NB channels, Red=H-a, G=O-III and B= 85%O-III + 15%H-a.
This image is taken with a Tokina AT-X 300mm F2.8 camera lens.
Soul Nebula (Sh2-199, LBN667) is an emission nebula in Cassiopeia at distance of about 7500 light years.
This complex is the eastern neighbor of IC1805 (Heart Nebula) and the two are often mentioned together as the "Heart and Soul".
Here is a "scale study" about the apparent scale of the IC1848 in a sky:
http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2011/06/ic1848-soul-nebula-apparent-scale-in.html
Here is a "scale study" about the apparent scale of the IC1848 in a sky:
http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2011/06/ic1848-soul-nebula-apparent-scale-in.html
Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission. This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.
Processing work flow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07.
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 20 iteration, added at 50% weight.
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.
Equipments:
Tokina AT-a 300mm f2.8 @ f2.8
Platform and guiding, Meade LX200 GPS 12" @ f5
Camera, QHY9
Guider, Lodestar
Image Scale, 3,79 arcseconds/pixel
Exposures:
Baader H-alpha 7nm 15x1200s, binned 1x1
Other channels are from an older image
Older images from the same target
Image shows both, Soul and Heart, nebulae
Colors for a new image are taken from this older one.
Soul Nebula closeup 1
Soul Nebula closeup 2
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
NGC 2070, the "Tarantula Nebula", reprocessed
Since my processing technique gets better and the time of year doesn't give any support, I have reprocessed some older images. There is now star colors added and other processing is tweaked too.
The Tarantula Nebula, in Dorado
Ra 05h 38m 38s Dec -69° 05′ 07″
NGC 2070 in HST-palette
from the emission of ionized elements, R=Sulfur, G=Hydrogen and B=Oxygen.
I redid the processing and composition for this southern target. Original version, with wider field, can be seen here: http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2010/09/ngc-2070-tarantula-nebula.html
Tarantula nebula, NGC 2070, also known as 30 Doradus, is an ionized Hydrogen region in the Large Magellanic cloud, visible in southern hemisphere. Distance from Earth is about 160.000 light years,
it's the most active and largest starburst region known in local group of galaxies.
Image is taken with a Northern Galactic groups remote telescope in Australia.
Image is taken with a Northern Galactic groups remote telescope in Australia.
Natural color composition from the emission of ionized elements, R=80%Hydrogen+20%Sulfur, G=100%Oxygen and B=85%Oxygen+15%Hydrogen to compensate otherwise missing H-beta emission.
This composition is very close to a visual spectrum.
The telescope and technical information:
16" RCOS ja Apogee U9000 camera.
LRGB combo.
H-alpha 5x1200s, Dark and artificial Flat calibrated.
2 x O-III 1200s and 5 x 900s Dark and artificial Flat calibrated.
2 x S-II 1200s, Dark and artificial Flat calibrated.
Raw data is shared with "Team Finland"
Processing workflow:
Image acquisition, MaxiDL v4.xxx
Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack.
Deconvolution with a CCDSharp, 30 iterations added 50% to non convoluted data
Levels, curves and color combine in PS CS3.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Astro Anarchy gets published
The Daily Mail has used my image of NGC281, the "Pac-Man Nebula" in its article
The very same image was selected as an APOD, (Astronomy Picture of the Day) by the NASA at August 25.
Original blog post, with more images and technical details, can be seen here:
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