NGC 1977 - Running Man Nebula NGC 7793 Spiral Galaxy IC 410 Nebula M74 Spiral Galaxy NGC 1491 Emmission Nebula NGC 2174 Monkey Head Nebula M 77 Barred Spiral Galaxy M45 - The Pleiades NGC 246 Skull Nebula IC 405 Flaming Star Nebula Daytime Infrared Photos YouTube Video of above images
2014 Fall Star Party: I attended the Fall Star Party hosted by the Chiefland Star Party Group (CSPG) in Chiefland, FL. The Fall Star Party is made possible by the generosity of the village's Tom Crowley and John Novak, along with assistance and hard work by the CSPG volunteers. Attendance allowed me to spend time with old observing friends, make some new friends and image under some of the darkest Florida skies. Nighttime temperatures a few nights of the star party went below freezing. Transparency varied with stubborn clouds passing to the South, the direction I was hoping to image. Here is a photo of the three areas of the field where most were set up during the star party:
Light pollution maps show that this area may be the last refuge from light pollution in the state. Skyglow rises about 30 degrees to the North from Chiefland, there is very low skyglow along the Eastern horizon and this site's best skies are to the West and Southwest in the direction of the Gulf. My imaging focus was on deep sky targets that were low in the South. Because of that, I had to deal with some gradients in post processing.
IMAGES:
Images were taken with a Full Spectrum Modified Canon 6D full frame DSLR camera. Telescope used for imaging was an Astro Tech 12" Richey-Chretien Telescope at prime. The Astro Tech RC and ST80 guide scope were mounted on an Orion HDX110 mount. The EQMOD ASCOM driver was used to drive the HDX110 mount directly via a USB2EQ5 Interface Cable. All images are Full Frame unless otherwise noted.
Equipment used:
NGC 1977 - Running Man Nebula in Orion - 11/18/14 - Full Frame:
26 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 5 dark frames, 58 flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
NGC 7793 Spiral Galaxy in Sculptor -11/19/14 - Full Frame:
22 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 15 dark frames, 58 flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
IC 410 Nebula - 11/19/14 - Full Frame:
26 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). No dark frames, 58 flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
M 74 Spiral Galaxy in Pisces - 11/21/14 - Full Frame:
23 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 23 dark frames, 58 flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
NGC 1491 Emmission Nebula in Perseus - 11/21/14 - Full Frame:
20 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 23 dark frames, no flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
NGC 2174 Monkey Head Nebula and NGC 2175 Open Cluster - 11/21/14 - Full Frame:
13 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 10 dark frames, 58 flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
Cropped and Rotated view to better see the Monkey Head - Can you see it?
M 77 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Cetus - 11/21/14 - Full Frame:
13 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 19 dark frames, 58 flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
Cropped:
M45 - The Pleiades - 11/16/14 - Full Frame:
9 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 9 dark frames, 21 flats and 21 bias frames were used for calibration.
NGC 246 Skull Nebula, a planetary nebula in Cetus:
24 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 10 dark frames, 58 flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
IC 405 Flaming Star Nebula - 11/20/14 - Full Frame:
28 six-minute exposures at ISO 1600 captured with AT12RC at prime using Full Spectrum modified 6D were combined using DeepSkyStacker and reduced in size for display (1200X800). 10 dark frames, 58 flats and 40 bias frames were used for calibration.
Daytime Infrared Images - The 10 images below were taken on an overcast day at Shell Mound Park , Manatee Springs State Park and Cedar Key using a Full Spectrum modified Canon T4i (650D) with Canon EF 28-135mm IS lens and Astronomik ProPlanet 742 clip filter. I processed the images false color by using Photoshop to mix the blue with red channels and reduced the color saturation. All images reduced in size for display (1200X800):
Shell Mound Park:
Manatee Springs State Park:
YouTube Slideshow Video of the above images:
CLICK HERE for a direct link to the video on YouTube. Select a quality of 1080P for the High Resolution (HD) version.
Image taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park on October 25, 2014 CLICK HERE
Images taken of Comet Jacques at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park in August 2014 CLICK HERE
Image taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park on August 17, 2014 CLICK HERE
Images taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park in May 2014 CLICK HERE
Images taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park in April 2014 CLICK HERE
Images taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park in August 2013 CLICK HERE
Images taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park in May 2013 CLICK HERE
Images taken at the Fall Star Party at Chiefland, Florida in November 2012 CLICK HERE.
Images taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park in August 2012 CLICK HERE
Images taken at Cherry Springs Dark Sky Park in July 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, 650D & 700D 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
Astro images with the modified 450D: CLICK HERE
My Astro YouTube videos: CLICK HERE