Starship Asterisk*

GLOBULAR STAR CLUSTER MESSIER 4 (NGC 6121)


Messier 4 (NGC 6121) is a globular cluster of stars in the constellation Scorpio, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Chéseaux in 1745 or 1746.
The cluster is at a distance of just 7,200 light-years from Earth, considered the closest globular cluster to Earth until 2007, when the distance of the FSR 1767 cluster was estimated to be just 4,900 light-years from Earth.

BEST DETAILS:
https://www.astrobin.com/full/3em9jb/0/

EQUIPMENTS:
ZWO ASI 6200MC COLED
Esprit 1500mm
Mount cem60
101x100"

08/09/2021

Location: Jales - SP - Brazil
Copyright: Fernando Oliveira de Menezes
(Organizing author of the book Astrofotografia Amadora no Brasil
https://clubedeautores.com.br/livro/ast ... -no-brasil )

Venus and Moon
Recently, Venus is getting closer to the earth, and its apparent diameter is getting larger and larger. This photo was taken on December 7 with the same focal length of Venus and Crescent Moon. The apparent diameters of Venus and Moon are 43.0" and 32'55.7”, respectively. That is to say, the moon looks about 46 times the size of Venus. I copied the images of Venus and placed them in a row on the diameter of the moon. Just 46 Venus images are needed!

Equipment：Canon EOS 600D + SIGMA 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 S DG OS HSM Sports
Post-production：Use PowerPoint to copy the Venus images and arrange them in a row on the diameter of the moon, and compare their sizes.
Location : Taipei, Taiwan
Time：Dec 7, 2021
photographer : Meiying Lee (李美英)

topboxman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:23 pm Andromeda Galaxy, M31 . RGB + Luminance. 0.78"/pixel image scale.

Chroma Red filter, 5 x 10 minutes, 1x1. 12/1/2021.
Chroma Green filter, 6 x 10 minutes, 1x1. 12/1/2021.
Chroma Blue filter, 6 x 10 minutes, 1x1. 12/1/2021.
Chroma Lum filter, 18 x 10 minutes, 1x1. 12/3/2021.

Total 5 hours and 50 minutes

Reno, NV USA

QHY600M camera settings:
Mode: 0
Gain: 0
Offset: 20
Temperature: -10C

TEC 160FL APO F/7 with TEC FRC (F/6.2), Astro-Physics A-P1100GTO GEM with absolute encoders. QHY600M. Sagitta OAG and Ultrastar autoguider (1.19"/sec), Starlight Instruments HSM motorized focuser.

Three different processes. Which one do you like best? I think I like the first one best.

Thanks,
Peter Nagy

Click here

---

Click here

---

Click here

---

I like the sharp third image which brings out details in both M32 and NGC 205, the two principal satellite galaxies of M31.

Ann

Orion Constellation
https://www.lucperrot.fr/
Copyright: Luc Perrot

Hello,
Here is my version of the constellation Orion and its clouds of gas and dust.
Hoping that this image will hold your attention.

Focal length : 105mm 1250 iso
57 x 90sec
73 x 45sec
59 x 5sec
Total 2h25 + DOFs

Hydra Galaxy Cluster
One of the most beautiful galaxy clusters visible with ground based telescopes, relatively easy target yet not so often imaged. Most of the yellow spots recorded in this image are in fact galaxies far far away
https://www.glitteringlights.com/Images ... /i-Tq7tTVg
Copyright: Lorenzi/Lau/Tse https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-Tq7 ... TVg-X4.jpg

I would like to submit my recent work in Cygnus from July-December 2021. It's a 12 panel mosaic complete with narrowband, broadband, and solved datasets.  The image is fully interactive on my website.  Please make the jump to see the data presented. The image is comprised of 160 hours of collection at a remote west texas observatory.  The final image is 700 megapixels and is viewable via deepzoom here on my website:

https://www.spaceforeverybody.com/Cygnus/

You can find the integration details here: https://www.astrobin.com/qqrgon/

Small image-  2k vs 30k in the link above.

Southwest lunar limb
Southwest lunar limb by Tom Glenn, on Flickr

This image shows the southwest lunar limb captured under an extremely favorable libration. The South Pole is near the top of the image and the infrequently observed craters Drygalski and Hausen are located along the limb, with many prominent craters in deep shadow along the sunset terminator, including Longomontanus at the bottom. Image taken November 28, 2021 at 13:45UT from San Diego, CA, with a C9.25 Edge HD telescope and ASI183mm camera with 610nm red long pass filter.

Target: M81 / M-82 - Bode's Galaxy and The Cigar Galaxy (Nov/Dec 2021)
Imaging Telescope: Explore Scientific ED127 CF
Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM-Pro
Guide Scope: William Optics 200mm f/4
Guide Camera: ZWO 290mm-Mini
Mount: iOptron CEM40
Polar Alignment: iPolar / ASIAir Pro
Bortle Class: 6
Frames: 110 x 180s (Luminance) (12 Dec 2021)
100 x 180s (Red) (23 Nov 2021)
100 x 120s (Green) (24 Nov 2021)
100 x 120s (Blue) (01 Dec 2021)
Integration Time: 17 Hours 10 Minutes
Filter: Astrodon LRBG
Integration: PixInsight
Topaz DeNoise AI
09 Dec 2021

Full Resolution: https://astrob.in/5qqh4j/B/

https://pbase.com/wjshaheen/image/172187100

In this brief video, Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) can be seen cruising by a background galaxy, NGC 5523, which I refer to as the "Baby Whale" since to me it resembles NGC 4631.

Captured in the early morning hours of 05-Dec-2021, the exposure data appear below:
Mount: Orion HDX110 German equatorial mount controlled by TSXPro (Software Bisque) via EQASCOM
Telescope: Celestron RASA 11 V2. 11" Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph, 620mm FL, f/2.2
Imaging camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro. Gain 100; Offset 21; Filters: Optolong L-Pro.
Image capture scale: AS/P=1.237" (i.e., unbinned). Resized to 33% for display.
Image capture software: Software Bisque TSXPro Camera Addon.
Exposures: 25 @ 60s, interval 60s, beginning 12/05/2021 04:58:31am MST.
Image Position Angle: 0° 44' from north through east
Center RA (2000.0): 14h 10m 57.97s; Center Dec (2000.0): +25° 39' 11.3" at approx 05:39am.
Calibration: 16 bias frames, 13 darks, 9 flat frames; Autoguided.
Guide camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini. Autoguide software: PHD2 Guiding 2.6.10dev2. Tracking: ~0.49"-0.52" Total RMS.
Post processing software: ImagesPlus6.5; LuminarAI from SkyLum; ThumbsPlus Pro 10.

For a six minute still frame exposure, see: https://pbase.com/image/172187267

Copyright William J. Shaheen, Gold Canyon, AZ

C/2021 Leonard @ Baia di Portonovo by Andrea Amici - Andrystix

Here is my first and only attempt at Comet Leonard!
It was from the end of November that I was looking for the ideal weather conditions, but unfortunately it never stopped raining and the sky was always overcast.
I had almost lost hope, but this morning (Friday 10 December) after I woke up at 3.45 AM, I was finally able to take the shot I so wanted to do.
Miraculously the conditions were optimal and Leonard's magnitude was 4.85 (considering the air masses).
I was able to shoot until around 6 AM and eventually I also captured a small thunderstorm along with the twilight lights of dawn.

Nikon D750 modded, AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
Panorama 3 blocks @ 70mm: landscape (1x13sec, ISO 2540, f/5.6), sky (1x20sec, ISO 3200, f/2.8), Leonard (85x20sec, ISO 3200, f/2.8 + 45 dark frames, bias, flats)

A shark in Cepheus
Copyright: Jonathan Talbot
http://www.starscapeimaging.com/LDN1235/LDN1235.html
The Shark Nebula in Cepheus along with VdB 149 and VdB 150

Ann wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 6:32 am
I like the sharp third image which brings out details in both M32 and NGC 205, the two principal satellite galaxies of M31.

Ann

Hi Ann,

The first process was minimal and no sharpening so it would look more natural. Second process involving aggressive taming of the core and sharpening. Third process was less aggressive than second process. The sharpening created minor side effects. It created halos around the companion galaxies at left side and a little bit at right side but made M31 look pretty darn good.

Peter

Merope. KG Observatory, Julian, CA.

I was curious on how the 24" might capture Pleiades. We'll here's one of the sisters.

"In Greek mythology, Merope is one of the seven Pleiades, daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Pleione, their mother, is the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys and is the protector of sailors. Their transformation into the star cluster known as the Pleiades is the subject of various myths."

https://www.astrobin.com/jndsuc/

CLUSTERS IN THE DORADO CONSTELLATION

In the central part we have the cloudiness next to the NGC 2147 cluster
On the right is the cluster quintet in Dorado: NGC 2160, NGC 2156 , NGC 2164 NGC 2159 and NGC 2172, from right to left, respectively.

BEST DETAILS:
https://www.astrobin.com/full/s4nyf5/B/

EQUIPMENT:
ZWO ASI 6200MC COLED
Esprit 1500mm
CEM60 mount
75 X 100"

08/08/2021

Location: Jales - SP - Brazil
Copyright: Fernando Oliveira de Menezes
(Organizing author of the book Astrofotografia Amadora no Brasil
https://clubedeautores.com.br/livro/ast ... -no-brasil )

CGN 51 - Barnard 30 and nebulosity around Meissa in ORION

by gc.iaffaldano, su Flickr


Copyright Iaffaldano G.C.

andrystix wrote: ↑Fri Dec 10, 2021 2:56 pm C/2021 Leonard @ Baia di Portonovo by Andrea Amici - Andrystix

Here is my first and only attempt at Comet Leonard!
It was from the end of November that I was looking for the ideal weather conditions, but unfortunately it never stopped raining and the sky was always overcast.
I had almost lost hope, but this morning (Friday 10 December) after I woke up at 3.45 AM, I was finally able to take the shot I so wanted to do.
Miraculously the conditions were optimal and Leonard's magnitude was 4.85 (considering the air masses).
I was able to shoot until around 6 AM and eventually I also captured a small thunderstorm along with the twilight lights of dawn.

Nikon D750 modded, AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
Panorama 3 blocks @ 70mm: landscape (1x13sec, ISO 2540, f/5.6), sky (1x20sec, ISO 3200, f/2.8), Leonard (85x20sec, ISO 3200, f/2.8 + 45 dark frames, bias, flats)

I love this picture! The colors and composition are outstanding!

Note the perfect colors of the comet itself. There is the green coma, of course, and the reddish color of the brightest part of the tail, but then the the tail turns into a muted cyan color. Note how the background sky sparkles with stars of many different colors. Note the long indigo cloud bank, lit up by the brooding red reflections of a thunderstorm. Note how the shape of the comet is mirrored by the shape and direction of the shimmering light cones on the water, reflecting bright lights near buildings on the shoreline of the bay. Note how the shape of the bay and the tree sticking up at lower left adds to the exquisite composition of the image. Note how the brownish coppery and dull green hues of the vegetation adds to the rich palette of muted colors in this image.

I love it!

Ann

Iaffaldano Giuseppe Carmine wrote: ↑Sat Dec 11, 2021 8:03 pm CGN 51 - Barnard 30 and nebulosity around Meissa in ORION

by gc.iaffaldano, su Flickr


Copyright Iaffaldano G.C.

I love this image!

The colors are saturated, and I love it. Lambda Orionis, Meissa, is the bluest-looking star that I have ever seen through a telescope, so I love the fact that its blue color is brought out here. I love the elegant line of bluish stars culminating in Meissa, and I love the large red Lambda Orionis nebula, ionized by O8-type giant star Meissa itself.

Ann

Orion
https://www.bastienfoucher.com/en
Copyright: Bastien Foucher
A 76 hours exposure time and 24 tiles mosaic made with an EOS 6D DSLR and Canon EF 300mm F4L lens.

A zoomable version of the picture is available here : https://www.bastienfoucher.com/en/galle ... ooms/orion
A higher resolution picture is available here : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/fUjgu6- ... muqi8S.jpg

GUM15
Copyright:Wolfgang Promper http://www.astro-pics.com/gum15rcm.htm

M77
Copyright:Wolfgang Promper http://www.astro-pics.com/m77rcm.htm

NGC2467
Copyright:Wolfgang Promper http://www.astro-pics.com/2467rcm.htm

SH2-254 thru SH2-258

The nebula complex SH2-254 thru SH2-258 lies on the border between constellations Orion and Gemini and is a part of the GEM OB1 molecular cloud.

Click on the images for detailed information and full resolution pictures.


---
My Homepage
RSS news feed

California-Taurus-Pleiades Equipment: Samyang 135mm/2.0 lens, ASI071MC camera
4 panel mosaic, about 10 hours total integration time
Higher res.: https://i.ibb.co/VNDvm4V/cal2-M45-mos-2 ... 0prc-s.jpg
Copyright: Evzen Brunner

SH2 278 amongst M42 and Witch Nebula - Lhrgb by Spacecat 51 and Sbig 16200 - from Colorado sky.

by gc.iaffaldano, su Flickr


Copyright Iaffaldano G.C.

Ann wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 7:08 am

Iaffaldano Giuseppe Carmine wrote: ↑Sat Dec 11, 2021 8:03 pm CGN 51 - Barnard 30 and nebulosity around Meissa in ORION

by gc.iaffaldano, su Flickr


Copyright Iaffaldano G.C.

I love this image!

The colors are saturated, and I love it. Lambda Orionis, Meissa, is the bluest-looking star that I have ever seen through a telescope, so I love the fact that its blue color is brought out here. I love the elegant line of bluish stars culminating in Meissa, and I love the large red Lambda Orionis nebula, ionized by O8-type giant star Meissa itself.

Ann

Hi Ann, i am glad you like this image; also with a good little scope (my Sbig does the rest of matters) it is possible to achive good results.
All the best.
Carmine