Starship Asterisk*

Comet 21P / Giacobini-Zinner on 15.09.2018
near open clusters M 35 and NGC 2158
Copyright: Velimir Popov, Emil Ivanov Irida Observatory More info and hi-res images on website
apologies for the bigger image in the previous post

Comet 21P / Giacobini-Zinner between nebulae and star clusters
Giacobini-Zinner on 16.09.2018 between IC 443 (Jellyfish Nebula) and open clusters M 35 and NGC 2158
Copyright: Velimir Popov, Emil Ivanov Irida Observatory More info and hi-res images on website

In the early morning of September 15, Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner could be seen cruising in front of open star cluster M35 in Gemini. To its lower right is another fine cluster, NGC 2158.

Attaching a single frame taken as part of the video seen here: http://www.pbase.com/wjshaheen/image/168126991/original

Copyright William J. Shaheen

NGC 1360 – The Robins Egg Nebula

This large beautiful planetary nebula can be found in the constellation Fornax. Its common name, “The Robin’s Egg Nebula” describes the object perfectly. It looks like a Robins egg floating in space. NGC 1360 is a typical evolved planetary nebula. The term evolved means “aging”, and that the planetary nebula does not contain any obvious shell morphology. Contrasting this, if you compare this with another planetary nebula, i.e., “The Skull Nebula” you will find defined well-marked boundaries and symmetry present in younger Planetary Nebula (PN). NGC 1360 is fairly diffuse and showing areas interacting with the interstellar medium.

The interesting colour is caused by the excitation of oxygen from its hot central star. In fact, the central star is known to be a binary star system consisting of two evolved white dwarf stars.

Reddish jet like glows located along the longer axis are believed to have been ejected from the original star before its final collapse. In time, everything will fade, with just the white dwarf in the centre remaining. It will take several billion years to finally cool off.

The image was constructed using five filters, Luminance, Red, Green, Blue, and Hydrogen-Alpha (Ha). The total imaging time is 65.75 hours.

NGC 1360 by Terry Robison, on Flickr

Field of View / Plate Solving
Center (RA, Dec): (53.307, -25.868)
Center (RA, hms): 03h 33m 13.730s
Center (Dec, dms): -25° 52' 06.408"
Size: 37 x 24.7 arcmin
Radius: 0.371 deg
Pixel scale: 0.804 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: Up is 47.1 degrees E of N

Exposure Details:
Lum 75X900
Red 35X450
Green 36X450
Blue 49X450
Ha 32X1800
Total time 65.75 hours

Instruments Used:
10 Inch RCOS fl 9.1
Astro Physics AP-900 Mount
SBIG STL 11000m
FLI Filter Wheel
Astrodon Lum, Red, Green, Blue Filters
Baader Planetarium H-alpha 7nm Narrowband-Filter

Software Used
CCDStack (calibration, alignment, data rejection, stacking)
Photoshop CS 6 (Image processing)

Thanks for looking

Perseids with bolid.
location: Jeseníky Mountains in the Czech republic.
in the picture is: Perseid meteor shower with a bright bolide. On the left is Mount Praded, the highest mountain in Moravia. The rocks on the right are called Peter's Stones.
date: 12.-13.8.2018
Processing Information: Panorama from 55 shots.
Landscape: 6 frames, 2x BKT, ISO 3200, f / 2.8, 160 s and 40 s.
Stars: 49 frames, ISO 12800, f / 2.8, 13 s and ISO 3200, f / 2.8, 47 s.
Full resolution http://www.vaclavhyza.cz/galerie/praded_full.jpg

The comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner this morning, near the open cluster Messier 35. Below M35, the tight open cluster NGC2158.
Celestron Rowe-Ackermann 11 " (280mm f/2.2) & Sony Alpha 7S, 9 x30s.

http://www.astrophoto.fr/20180916_giaco ... ner_fb.jpg

Comet 21P / Giacobini-Zinner
on 16.09.2018 near NGC 2174 (Monkey Head Nebula)
Copyright: Velimir Popov, Emil Ivanov Irida Observatory More info and hi-res images on website

The great planet parade of 2018
Jupiter, Saturn and Mars were all prominent in southern skies this year, each approaching Earth in turn between May and July. This is a collection of one image per month between March and September to show each planet getting larger on approach, then shrinking as it moves away, as well as many changing features on each. Phases show as Earth moves from one side to the other of the Sun in relation to each planet. For Jupiter, it's the ever-changing storms, with interesting activity near the Great Red Spot this year (the South Tropical Disturbance). The equatorial region has got progressively redder through the season, and Ganymede has photobombed twice! For Saturn, we've seen the brightest high latitude storms since 2011, first appearing in April. Mars has had it's closest opposition in 15 years, and apart from the dramatic change in size as it approached, a global dust storm quickly blanketed the planet in May, hiding all the usual darker markings, which have slowly reappeared as the planet went through opposition. The south polar cap has been shrinking as Mars headed into southern summer and perihelion this month.

All images taken with a C14 & ASI290MM camera from Sydney, Australia.

Full resolution: https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipP ... EsLezmMm6M

Copyright: Andy Casely

The shots cover a period from August 13th to September 13th and the subject in question, or rather the subjects in question, are respectively the NGC 7331 and the Stephan's Quintet.

We are talking about 45 million light years for the NCG 7331 and 210/340 million instead for the Quintet.

The data can be found in the info on Flickr.

NGC 7331 and Stephan's Quintet by Paolo De Salvatore, su Flickr

Einstein Cross. KG Observatory.

Shown here is my attempt to image the very difficult Einstein Cross. The cross itself is a Quasar, 8 Billion light year's distant, having its light bent into 4 points by the foreground galaxy's gravity (400 million light year's distance). This is visual proof of Einstein's theory about gravity being able to bend light. What you see here has also been simulated mathematically and it expected.

Unfortunately the cross is only 1.6" in diameter. With the CDK24, I have a 2 micron spot size (assuming perfect seeing) on 9 micron pixels with 0.47" per pixel. With an 0.2" RMS max tracking error, I should be able to see the cross. But my best 16 300-sec luminance subs were around 2" seeing. Thus the "cross" stars overlap as you see here.

I'd need less than 1" seeing to clearly see the cross. But that is very rare with my exposure times and 4,200' altitude. I think I'd need to resort to planetary techniques to see this. That is, a CMOS video camera with magnification and <1 second subs. The best subs with a very short exposure should be less than 1" seeing (i.e., Lucky Imaging). I assume I'd need hundreds or thousands of exposures to do it. Looking forward to doing this in the future when the new hi-res CMOS cameras are available.

Imaging telescope or lens:Planewave CDK24
Imaging camera:FLI Proline 16803
Mount:Planewave L600
Guiding camera:Starlight Xpress Ultrastar
Focal reducer:None
Software:Planewave PWI4, Planewave PWI3, PixInsight 1.8, Maxim DL6, PHD Guiding 2, Neat Image V7, Photoshop CS3, Sequence Generator Pro
Filters:Astrodon 50mm R, Astrodon 50mm B, Astrodon 50 mm G, Astrodon 50mm L
Accessories:FLI CFW-5-7, Astrodon Monster MOAG, Hedrick Focuser, Planewave Delta-T, Planewave EFA
Resolution: 4016x4052
Dates: Sept. 8, 2018, Sept. 11, 2018, Sept. 13, 2018
Frames:
Astrodon 50 mm G: 8x900" -20C bin 1x1
Astrodon 50mm B: 6x900" -20C bin 1x1
Astrodon 50mm L: 16x300" -20C bin 1x1
Astrodon 50mm R: 7x900" -20C bin 1x1

Integration: 6.6 hours
Darks: ~20
Flats: ~80
Flat darks: ~80
Bias: ~20
Avg. Moon age: 11.38 days
Avg. Moon phase: 8.02%
Mean SQM: 21.50
Mean FWHM: 2.00
Astrometry.net job: 2256880
RA center: 340.126 degrees
DEC center: 3.357 degrees
Pixel scale: 0.468 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 179.266 degrees
Field radius: 0.371 degrees
Locations: KG Observatory, Julian, CA, United States
Data source: Backyard

The Propeller Galaxy (NGC 7479). KG Observatory.

The Propeller Galaxy (NGC 7479) is a barred spiral galaxy located about 105 million light-years away from Earth in the northern constellation of Pegasus, while it is racing away from us at some 2381 kilometers per second.

It has a very asymmetric spiral structure with a bright, long bar. Its tightly wound arms create an inverted ‘S’, as they spin in an anticlockwise direction. However, at radio wavelengths, it spins the other way, with a jet of radiation that bends in the opposite direction to the stars and dust in the arms of the galaxy.

This radio jet in the Propeller Galaxy was probably put into its bizarre backwards spin by a recent minor merger with another galaxy.

Star formation is reignited by galactic collisions, and indeed NGC 7479 is undergoing starburst activity, with many bright, young stars visible in the spiral arms and disk. The brightest stars in this image, however, are foreground stars.

NGC 7479 is also classified as a Seyfert galaxy, a galaxy with an extremely bright, active galactic nucleus (AGN), that contains a supermassive black hole.

Two supernovae occurred in the Propeller Galaxy: SN 1990U that reached mag 16, was discovered on July 27, 1990, and SN 2009jf with a maximum brightness of mag 15, was discovered on September 27,2009 by the Lick Observatory Supernova Search.

Imaging telescope or lens:Planewave CDK24
Imaging camera:FLI Proline 16803
Mount:Planewave L600
Guiding camera:Starlight Xpress Ultrastar
Focal reducer:None
Software:Planewave PWI4, Planewave PWI3, PixInsight 1.8, Maxim DL6, PHD Guiding 2, Neat Image V7, Photoshop CS3, Sequence Generator Pro
Filters:Astrodon 50mm R, Astrodon 50mm B, Astrodon 50 mm G, Astrodon 50mm L
Accessories:FLI CFW-5-7, Astrodon Monster MOAG, Hedrick Focuser, Planewave Delta-T, Planewave EFA
Resolution: 2460x2195
Dates: Sept. 9, 2018, Sept. 10, 2018, Sept. 11, 2018

Frames:
Astrodon 50 mm G: 8x900" -20C bin 1x1
Astrodon 50mm B: 8x900" -20C bin 1x1
Astrodon 50mm L: 12x900" -20C bin 1x1
Astrodon 50mm R: 8x900" -20C bin 1x1

Integration: 9.0 hours
Darks: ~20
Flats: ~80
Flat darks: ~80
Bias: ~20
Avg. Moon age: 10.69 days
Avg. Moon phase: 1.73%
Mean SQM: 21.50
Mean FWHM: 2.00
Astrometry.net job: 2258433
RA center: 346.242 degrees
DEC center: 12.315 degrees
Pixel scale: 0.469 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 89.276 degrees
Field radius: 0.215 degrees
Locations: KG Observatory, Julian, CA, United States
Data source: Backyard

Comet 21P G/Z Between Gemini and Orion (annotated) by Transient Astronomer, on Flickr

Comet 21P G/Z Between Gemini and Orion by Transient Astronomer, on Flickr

Images Credit and Copyright Tom Masterson, Terry Hancock, Grand Mesa Observatory www.grandmesaobservatory.com

NGC 253

LRGB : full size : http://www.cielboreal.com/galerie/photo87f.jpg

done with CDK20, Moravian G4-16000 on Paramount ME2 near Actacama Desert in Chile, El Sauce Observatory

http://www.cielaustral.com
Copyright: Team CielAustral with J.C CANONNE, N.OUTTERS, P. BERNHARD, D. CHAPLAIN & L. BOURGON

Comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner (LRGB)
Full version : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/gp8IfNE ... hqkGbg.jpg

Setup : TSA102 - AZEQ6 - AtikOne6 - LRGB filters

2 series of 10 images x 60s for each filters (LRGB), bin1 for Luminance, bin2 for RGB.
1 serie of 10 images x 120s bin 1 for L.
1 serie of 10 images x 300s bin 2 for L

2 stacks for each serie : one on stars, the other one on the comet (with Pixinsight)
Final mix with Photoshop

The position of the comet on this image is the one at 21st august 2018, 4h08am (the one of the reference image for stacking). The comet was then distant of 0,45 AU (0,68 million km) from Earth.

Copyright: Jean-Baptiste Auroux - https://www.astrobin.com/users/Jean-Baptiste_Paris/

Core and jets of Comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner
Full version : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/QkYY5Za ... hqkGbg.jpg

Setup : TSA102 - AZEQ6 - AtikOne6 - LRGB filters

LRGB image :
2 series of 10 images x 60s for each filters (LRGB), bin1 for Luminance, bin2 for RGB.
1 serie of 10 images x 120s bin 1 for L.
1 serie of 10 images x 300s bin 2 for L
2 stacks for each serie : one on stars, the other one on the comet (with Pixinsight)
Final mix with Photoshop
The position of the comet on this image is the one at 21st august 2018, 4h08am (the one of the reference image for stacking). The comet was then distant of 0,45 AU (0,68 million km) from Earth.

Core and jets images :
Stack of 20 images of 60s L bin 1, comet alignement.
Rotational gradient processing + coded colors to improve contrast on jets.

Copyright: Jean-Baptiste Auroux - https://www.astrobin.com/users/Jean-Baptiste_Paris/

M83 (LRGB-Ha)
Full version : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/omCNlu7 ... hqkGbg.jpg

Setup : RC 1m - ASA DDM85 - FLI ProLine16803 - Chilescope remote

M83 in LRGB-Ha
Total integration : 9h15

Copyright: Jean-Baptiste Auroux & Bernard Michaud

IC2944 - SHO-RGB
Full version : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/RSmmHJZ ... hqkGbg.jpg

Setup : ASA Newton 20" - ASA DDM85 - FLI ProLine16803 - Chilescope remote
Raw files acquisition by AIP association (Astro Images Processing) and graciously made avalaible to its members for the Spring 2018 Processing contest. Remote acquisition from Chile (Chilescope).

Raw files courtesy of AIP association (www.astro-images-processing.fr).

Ha : 30x600s / OIII : 30x600s / SII : 29x600s
R : 10x300s / G : 10x300s / B : 10x300s
Total integration : 17h20

Copyright: AIP / Jean-Baptiste Auroux

NGC4565 "Needle Galaxy"
Full version : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/3zUovZn ... hqkGbg.jpg

Setup : TSA102 & C8 - AZEQ6 - AtikOne6
Total integration : 6h

Copyright: Jean-Baptiste Auroux - https://www.astrobin.com/users/Jean-Baptiste_Paris/

NGC4725 Group
Full version : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/pRYqj08 ... hqkGbg.jpg

The Coma II Group (or NGC4725 group), sub-group of Coma-Sculptor Group.
NGC4725 is the dominant galaxy of the Group ; a Seyfert galaxy with active nucleus, distant of 40 millions LY. Its classification is barred-spiral, but has the peculiarity to have only one spiral arm.

The smallest galaxy of the group is PGC 86434, at a distance of approximately 50 million LY
Galaxies NGC4747 and NGC4712 are both at a distance of approximately 200 million LY . The distortion in the structure of NGC 4747 is due to tidal interaction with NGC 4725.

Setup : TSA102 - AZEQ6 - AtikOne6
Total integration : 6h

Copyright: Jean-Baptiste Auroux - https://www.astrobin.com/users/Jean-Baptiste_Paris/

Farandole of planets on the Ecliptic line (Mars, Saturn, Moon, Jupiter & Venus)
Full version : https://cdn.astrobin.com/thumbs/QOzxKi8 ... hqkGbg.jpg

Setup : Canon 1100D - Samyang 16mm f/2
Mosaic of 4 photos (5s/800iso)
From left to right : Mars, Saturn, Moon, Jupiter and Vénus, at dusk over Atlantic Ocean.
Fouras Peninsula (France) - 19 august 2018

Copyright: Jean-Baptiste Auroux - https://www.astrobin.com/users/Jean-Baptiste_Paris/

NGC 4725
Copyright: Mark Hanson
This is a Re-Process of this objects data.
The first night I shot the luminance for this object I knew it was going to be a fun image. The resolution was just so noticeable(SBIG AOx Adaptive optics unit was used), I could not wait to download the images and start processing it. With 5 full nights of excellent seeing and transparency the data was collected. Only the best sub exposures were used. Nice tidal tail features of NGC 4725
NGC 4725 Is a spiral Galaxy much like our own milky way, but this spiral only has one very large arm that seems to wind counter clock wise out from the prominent bluish ring of newborn star clusters and Ha star forming regions. The yellowish dust lanes populated by older stars and obscuring the central bar structure. NGC 4725 is over 100 thousand light-years across and lies 41 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices.

All data was calibrated, aligned, combined in CCD Stack all other processing done using CC Photoshop and PixInsight.
Location and Equipment
Taken from Rancho Hidalgo in Animas New Mexico on 3-16-16, 3-17-16, 3-27-16, 4-1-16 and 4-2-16.

PlaneWave Instruments CDK24
PlaneWave Instruments Ascension 200HR German Equatorial Mount.
SBIG STX 16803 With AOx and filter wheel

Luminance 23-900sec images 345min
Red 195min/Green 195min/ Blue 210min all 900sec sub- exposures at bin 1x1.

Full Resolution image can be found here : https://www.hansonastronomy.com/ngc-4725

Thank you,
Mark Hanson

I tried to capture my bit of the Giacobini-Zinner comet. Little did I expect that there was another visitor getting all the attention.That's what I call photobombing on a cosmic scale.
Conditions were not ideal, with poor transparency.
Link to high res image: http://delsaert.files.wordpress.com/201 ... inner1.jpg

LBN 438

LRGB :



full size : http://delsaert.files.wordpress.com/201 ... 8_lrgb.jpg

Setup: Dreamscope 16" f3.75, ASA DDM85, FLI ML16803

http://delsaert.com/

Comet 21P / Giacobini-Zinner on 16.09.2018 between
NGC 2174 (Monkey Head Nebula) and IC 443 (Jellyfish Nebula)
Copyright: Velimir Popov, Emil Ivanov Irida Observatory More info and hi-res images on website

Earthquake at the Observatory
Copyright: Zachary Slepian / Dustin Lang / Legacy Surveys / NOAO / AURA / NSF
An image of the sky in the constellation of Pegasus taken on Sept 6, 2018 during a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile. The earthquake struck during the middle of the 120 sec exposure, which resulted in the telescope losing tracking due to the shaking. The images of the resulting star trails therefore record the event like a strip-chart recorder. The vertical vibrations by the telescope reach an amplitude of about 60 arcseconds. This image was taken using the Dark Energy Camera on the 4-meter Blanco Telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory by the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey Team. The telescope and camera were being operated by Alberto Alvarez and Dr. Zachary Slepian.

Full size (6 MB) image:
http://portal.nersc.gov/project/cosmo/t ... hquake.jpg