This July 12 day new moon period offered 3 clear nights and 3 partly cloudy nights for imaging. Most nights the ambient temperature was between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit and were very humid with dew as a problem. Another problem with the high humidity was increased skyglow to the East from Marcellus Gas Drilling Fracking Operations and Flarings. See Youtube video below. Widefield images taken to the East had gradients from the skyglow so were not processed.
I was imaging with a Peltier Cooled Whole DSLR Camera system, so the imaging DSLR was operating in the 30 degrees Fahrenheit, for very noise free images. Here is a photo of my 5" Triplet and 20" Stamaster imaging setup looking to the East with an 8mm fisheye lens. The blue tarp structure is an old canopy with the top removed and walls that I can adjust as needed for imaging with my 5" scope.
IMAGES:
Images were taken with a Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon Rebel T2i (550D). Temperature of the peltier cooled camera ranged between 30 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit allowing for low-noise imaging with the DSLR. Telescope used for imaging was an Astro Tech 127mm ED APO Triplet refractor at prime. The Astro Tech 127 and ED80 refractor guide scope were mounted on an Orion Atlas EQ-G mount. The EQMOD ASCOM driver was used to drive the mount directly via an EQDIR interface module. All images are Full Frame.
Equipment used:
M20 - Trifid Nebula - 7/17/12 :
Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon T2i (550D) with 127mm Triplet at Prime. 14 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1300X865):
NGC 6946 Fireworks Galaxy and Star Cluster -7/18/12:
Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon T2i (550D) with 127mm Triplet at Prime. 10 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1300X865):
NGC 7380 Wizard Nebula - 7/22/12:
Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon T2i (550D) with 127mm Triplet at Prime. 18 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1300X865):
NGC 7142 Open Cluster and NGC 7129-33 Nebula - 7/21/12:
Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon T2i (550D) with 127mm Triplet at Prime. 15 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1300X865):
NGC 896 Nebula - 7/24/12:
Only had ten exposures to stack because of clouds. Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon T2i (550D) with 127mm Triplet at Prime. 10 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1300X865):
M5 - Globular Cluster - 7/22/12 :
Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon T2i (550D) with 127mm Triplet at Prime. 5 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1300X865):
Cederblad 214 Nebula - 7/24/12:
Pickering's Triangle - 7/16/12:
Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon T2i (550D) with 127mm Triplet at Prime. 40 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1300X865):
NGC 281 Pacman Nebula - 7/17/12:
Peltier Cooled Full Spectrum Modified Canon T2i (550D) with 127mm Triplet at Prime. 21 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1300X865):
Daytime Infrared Images - The 13 images below were taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park on 7/24/12 using a Full Spectrum modified Canon T2i (550D) with kit lens and Hoya R72 infrared filter. I processed the images false color by using Photoshop to mix the blue with red channels. No, it's not a winter scene. Vegetation glows bright in infrared and clear sky is very dark. All images reduced in size for display (1000X667):
All Night Milky Way Animation - 7/24/12:
This five hour time-lapse animation was taken between 11:38 pm and 4:38 am using a Bower 8mm Fisheye lens at f3.5 aimed straight up on a fixed tripod. One minute exposures at ISO 1600 were used. A green cast from light pollution was removed using the free Photoshop plug-in by Rogelio Andreo. The astro and infrared still images above were also added to the video. Best viewed in HD 1080P resolution.
Fracking Light Pollution - 7/22/12: A few of us at Cherry Springs got excited when we saw bright beams of light in the East as clouds were clearing. Instead of an Aurora...it was from gas flarings and gas drill construction lights to the East. I posted a youtube video (Hi-Def 1080P) HERE. Best viewed in HD 1080P resolution.
Images taken at the Fall Star Party at Chiefland, Florida in November 2012 CLICK HERE.
Images taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park in June 2012 CLICK HERE
Detailed instructions for modifying a Canon 450D, 1000D, 1100D, 500D, 550D & 600D CLICK HERE
Considering a DSLR for astro imaging? Link to my DSLR Modification Service.
Detailed instructions for building a whole camera peltier cooling system CLICK HERE
Other astro images with the modified 450D: CLICK HERE
My Astro YouTube videos: CLICK HERE