Deep Sky
Emission nebulae
Gamma Cygni: IC 1318 emission nebula and NGC 6910 open cluster
The brilliant star is Gamma Cygni and below it and to the right is the open cluster
NGC 6910. The red nebulosity is part of the extensive emission nebula, IC 1318.
Megrez 80mm fluorite triplet apo refractor @ F4.8; SXV-H9 CCD; Baader UV/IR blocker; Trutek RGB filters.
R = 46 x 1 min.; G = 36 x 1 min.; B = 46 x 1 min. RRGB blended image.
Mediocre transparency: limiting naked-eye magnitude about 5.5.
IC 1318
80mm Megrez triplet fluorite apo refractor @ F4.8.
Total exposure times of 100 mins H-alpha and 30 mins with each of R, G and B using SXV-H9 CCD.
North America and Pelican Nebulae
135mm F2.8 lens with Astronomik 13nm H-alpha filter mounted in front.
Total exposure of 3h 07m with an SXV-H9 CCD.
Orion Nebula, M42
SXV-H9 CCD on Orion 80 ED Apo refractor @ F4.8
Blend of 43 x 1min H-alpha, 43 x 15sec Luminance, 34 x 30sec Blue, 42 x 30sec Green
Click for: 600 x 448 medium resolution version
NGC 2264 Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula
Can you spot the Christmas Tree arrangement of bright stars in the centre?! The brightest
star is the 'trunk' and the Cone Nebula is about where the fairy might sit at the top of the tree.
Telescope: 80mm Megrez fluorite triplet apo refractor
F-ratio: 4.8
Camera: Starlight Xpress SXV-H9 CCD
Filter: Astronomik 13nm H-alpha
Exposures: L = 101 x 2 min
Conditions: substantial crescent moon nearby but fairly
transparent skies
NGC 7635 'The Bubble' and M52
H-alpha:G:B 45x2mins:20x2mins:24x2mins SXV-H9 CCD on Orion 80 ED Apo refractor @ F4.8
Planetary nebulae
M27 'The Dumbbell'
80mm Megrez triplet fluorite apo refractor @ F4.8.
Exposures of H-alpha 30 x 2', Green 11 x 2 min and Blue 10 x 2' with an SXV-H9 CCD.
NGC 2392 'Eskimo' 
IC5148
M57 'Ring' 
M76 'Lttle Dumbbell'
M97 'Owl' 
M27 'Dumbbell'Reflection nebulae
NGC2261 
NGC7023 
NGC 1975
M78Stars and Star Clusters
24.10.08 LRGB L = 47 x 1 min; R = 10 x 1 min; G = 12 x 1 min; B = 12 x 1 min all binned 2x2.
Megrez 80mm Apo Refractor @ F4.8; SXV-H9 CCD; Baader UV/IR rejection filter; Trutek R,G and B.
NGC 869 and NGC 884: The Double Cluster in Perseus
27.10.08 RGB R = 12 x 1 min; G = 11 x 1 min; B = 10 x 1 min
Megrez 80mm Apo Refractor @ F4.8; SXV-H9 CCD; Baader UV/IR rejection filter; Trutek R,G and B.
NGC 457: The Owl Cluster
27.10.08 RGB R = 11 x 1 min; G = 10 x 1 min; B = 10 x 1 min
Megrez 80mm Apo Refractor @ F4.8; SXV-H9 CCD; Baader UV/IR rejection filter; Trutek R,G and B.
Open clusters M35 and NGC 2158 in Gemini
The cluster on the left (M35) appears larger than the one on the right (NGC 2158) because
at a distance of a 'mere' 2,700 light years, M35 is less than a sixth of the distance to
NGC 2158. M35 is believed to be 'only' 95 million years old and so it is dominated by 'young'
brilliant blue-white stars. NGC 2158 has been around for more than a billion years and so
a far higher proportion of its stars have evolved into red giants, giving this cluster a more
mellow hue. Technical details: stack of a total of 64 x 2 min exposures through R, G and B
filters using a SXV-H9 CCD on a Megrez 80 Apo refractor @ F4.8. Cloud meant it took three
nights to complete!
'Owl cluster' M67
M11 'Wild duck cluster'
Omega Centauri - the largest globular star cluster in our galaxy
~ 15min exposure Elitechrome 200 colour reversal film, 25cm Meade LX200 SCT @ F6.3
Double Cluster in Perseus
135mm F2.8 lens with Astronomik 13nm H-alpha filter mounted in front.
Total exposure of 21min with an SXV-H9 CCD.
Arcturus through a net curtain! Albireo (colourful double star)
Galaxies
 |
NGC 4565
Telescope: 30cm Meade LX200 SCT
F-ratio: 6.3
Camera: Starlight Xpress SXV-H9 CCD
Filters: Trutek LRGB, Baader UV/IR blocker,
Astronomik 13nm H-alpha
Exposures: L = 102 x 1 min 2 x 2 binned;
R = 11 x 1 min in H-alpha 4 x 4 binned,
28 x 1 min in R 4 x 4 binned; G = 20 x 1 min
4 x 4 binned; B = 33 x 1 min 4 x 4 binned.
Conditions: crescent moon throughout L
exposures. Good transparency for most of
the time, but deteriorated as I progressed
through to the B filter.
|
M81, M82 and NGC 3077 - a galaxy trio
Megrez 80mm fluorite triplet Apo refractor @ F4.8; SXV-H9 CCD; Trutek LRGB filters and Baader UV/IR
blocker. L = 130 minutes total exposure 1x1, R = 29 minutes 2x2 binned, G = 29 minutes 2x2 binned,
B = 30 minutes 2x2 binned.
M31 'Andromeda Galaxy'
Orion 80 ED Apo refractor @ F4.8 with SXV-H9 CCD.
60 x 2mins Luminance: 8 x 2mins 2x2 binned for RGB.
NGC253 
NGC4038/9 
NGC55 
NGC7814 
NGC891 
M83
M104 M51
Constellations
Ursa Major aka 'Plough' or 'Great Bear'
Bootes and Corona Borealis aka 'Herdsman' and 'Northern Crown'