M33 Triangulum Galaxy

Took this shot with the DSLR (Canon 350d modified) the other night. 16X3min guided, SW254N, EQ5p.

from Wikipedia:
The Triangulum Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 3 million light years (ly) from Earth in the constellation Triangulum. It is catalogued as Messier 33 or NGC 598, and is sometimes informally referred to as the Pinwheel Galaxy, a nickname it shares with Messier 101. The Triangulum Galaxy is the third-largest member of the Local Group of galaxies, which includes the Milky Way Galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy and about 30 other smaller galaxies. It is one of the most distant permanent objects that can be viewed with the naked eye.

IC1795

IC1795
I've been attempting longer exposures and was able to get great guiding last night, so thought I would try this target. It's very faint so was pretty happy with the results.

20 each 6 minute images ISO800. SW254N, EQ5p, guided, Canon 350d modified.

from Atlas of the Universe:

The Nebulae associated with the Heart and Soul Nebulae

IC 1795 is a bright nebula attached to the right side of IC 1805. NGC 896 simply seems to refer to the brightest part of IC 1795.

M32

I've been on a 'messier marathon' of sorts lately. Lots of short (30 second) exposures to capture as many Messier objects as I can. (up to 50 now!) Anyway, one of the ones I shot the other night came out kinda neat. I took 3 minute images of this one to try to overwhelm the Andromeda galaxy as M32 is on the edge of M31 (Andromeda). Here are the results.

I took 25 each 30 second images of Comet Garradd last night. Combined them into the following video.

Bubble Nebula

I was able to get some really great guiding working last night! I have taken images of the Bubble nebula last year with the DSI IIc. so figured I would give it a shot with the modified DSLR. Here's the results:

SW 254N, EQ5 pro, guided, Canon XT (modified) 3 minute images, ISO 1600, 33 minutes total.

From Wikipedia:

NGC 7635, also called the Bubble Nebula, Sharpless 162, or Caldwell 11, is a H II region^[2] emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia. It lies close to the direction of the open cluster Messier 52. The "bubble" is created by the stellar wind from a massive hot, 8.7^[2] magnitude young central star, the 15 ± 5 M_☉^[4] SAO 20575 (BD+60 2522).^[7] The nebula is near a giant molecular cloud which contains the expansion of the bubble nebula while itself being excited by the hot central star, causing it to glow.^[7] It was discovered in 1787 by Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel.^[6] The star SAO 20575 or BD+602522 is thought to have a mass of 10-40 Solar masses.

M31 Andromeda

This is my 2nd attempt at M31 with the modified DSLR (Canon XT) ISO800

 17 each 3 minute images.

The Pelican Nebula (also known as IC5070 and IC5067)

23 each 2 minute images, ISO800 modified Canon XT, SW254N scope, EQ5pro mount:

From Wikipedia:

The Pelican Nebula (also known as IC5070 and IC5067) is an H II region associated with the North America Nebula in the constellation Cygnus. The nebula resembles a pelican in shape, hence the name. The Pelican Nebula is a large area of emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan), close to Deneb, and divided from its brighter, larger neighbor, the North America Nebula, by a molecular cloud filled with dark dust.
The Pelican is much studied because it has a particularly active mix of star formation and evolving gas clouds. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming cold gas to hot and causing an ionization front gradually to advance outward. Particularly dense filaments of cold gas are seen to still remain. Millions of years from now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican, as the balance and placement of stars and gas will leave something that appears completely different.

NGC6992 Eastern Veil Nebula

This was the first serious attempt at a very faint nebula that is mostly red wisps. I was able to get about 1/2 of the nebula as framing it is very difficult. Any way here's the result. 10 each 2 minute images Canon XT modified.

Update! I gave this subject another run last night. Turned down the ISO to 800 and took 23 images. Also found the 'Veil' part of the nebula and snapped this one off. I personally think this is the best I've done to this point:

M27 Dumbbell nebula with modified DSLR

I decided to try for M27 with the modified Canon XT last night. 10 each 1 minute images.

M20 after DSLR modification

I got a Hap Griffith IR blocking filter (Astrodon) for my Canon 350d that I had decided to modify on my own. It was quite a challenge and not something I would recommend doing for anyone that doesn't have experience working with very small electronic components (imagine the inside of a computer reduced down by 80%!) Anyway I was successful in my attempt at it. The theory behind all of this is that the normal IR filter placed in DSLRs by the factory are made for normal photography. With Astrophotography we are attempting to capture extremely faint lights and colors. The normal IR filter does a very (overly good) job of blocking reds. Many of the deep sky objects we are attempting to capture contain significant amounts of red. Hence that is the light the normal IR filter blocks. So a few after market manufactures have a modified IR filter you can use as a replacement. However this requires getting into the guts of the DSLR to change it. The end result is a lower exposure time and much brighter reds. Here's my result from last night. No color tweeks just normal processing. Keep in mind I was shooting this with a 1/2 moon very close to the target object so it wiped out some of the blue portions that I captured in the earlier image.

M20 Trifid Nebula (dslr)

Here's the latest Trifid Nebula capture. SW 254N, EQ5pro, guided, Canon 350d unmodified:

from Wikipedia:
The Trifid Nebula (catalogued as Messier 20 or M20 and as NGC 6514) is an H II region located in Sagittarius. Its name means 'divided into three lobes'. The object is an unusual combination of an open cluster of stars, an emission nebula (the lower, red portion), a reflection nebula (the upper, blue portion) and a dark nebula (the apparent 'gaps' within the emission nebula that cause the trifid appearance; these are also designated Barnard 85). Viewed through a small telescope, the Trifid Nebula is a bright and colorful object, and is thus a perennial favorite of amateur astronomers.^[2]

M8 The Lagoon Nebula

Here's my attempt at the Lagoon from last night. SW 254N, EQ5 pro, guided, Canon 350d, 5 minute images, 6 each.

M16 Eagle Nebula

From Wikipedia:

The Eagle Nebula (catalogued as Messier 16 or M16, and as NGC 6611) is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745-46. Its name derives from its shape which is resemblant of an eagle. It is the subject of the famous "Pillars of Creation" photograph by the Hubble Space Telescope, which shows pillars of star-forming gas and dust within the nebula.


6 each 5 minute images: Canon xt (un modified), SkyWatcher 254N 10" newtonian, SW EQ5pro, guided.

M57 the Ring Nebula

I have been doing some major mount alignment, getting it dialed in so the autoguider doesn't have to do quite so much work. I have started using PHD to fine tune the polar alignment and also have changed the position of my OTA so as to help eliminate some of the weight issues. Last night I finally got things dialed in so figured I would attempt to image something. Here's a 16 minute (8 x 2 min)  guided image using my Canon XT (unmodified). I used my doghouse flat panel to take my flats, this time I used the 5 led tap light to illuminate the panel. Very little post processing was done to this image so I'm really happy about how things are working now.

M13 with DSLR

I attempted to capture the M13 Hercules Cluster last night after changing my method of taking flat frames. I now use a white panel at the end of the dog house as my flat capture point. It seemed to work much better and faster than the 't-shirt' method I was using before.

Anyway. Here's my attempt. 4 each 2 minute images ISO 1600 Canon 350d un-modified.

Coma Cluster

You may need to zoom in on this image a bit. But if you look closely the majority of the 'stars' are not really stars at all. They are galaxies!

from Wikipedia:


The Coma Cluster (Abell 1656) is a large cluster of galaxies that contains over 1,000 identified galaxies.^[2][3] Along with the Leo Cluster (Abell 1367), it is one of the two major clusters comprising the Coma Supercluster.^[4] It is located in and takes its name from the constellation Coma Berenices.
The cluster's mean distance from Earth is 99 Mpc (321 million light years).^[3][5][6] Its ten brightest spiral galaxies have apparent magnitudes of 12–14 that are observable with amateur telescopes larger than 20 cm.^{[citation needed]} The central region is dominated by two giant elliptical galaxies: NGC 4874 and NGC 4889.^[7] The cluster is within a few degrees of the north galactic pole on the sky. Most of the galaxies that inhabit the central portion of the Coma Cluster are ellipticals. Both dwarf, as well as giant ellipticals, are found in abundance in the Coma Cluster.^[8]

M102

I was doing some testing of my guiding setup and a new 'light shield' last night so decided to add the my Messier list (up to 34 now).

Almost full moon!

Decided to try using the Canon XT to capture the moon. Came out pretty good considering I didn't spend much time focusing.

M99 and M100 galaxies

This time of year the galaxies are abundant in our skies. I picked a couple out last night that are close together and fit the DSI IIc image chip size well.

Here are the results: 15 or so 90 second images.

M99

 

M100

M106

Gave capturing M106 a shot last night. 21 each 4 minute images:

From Wikipedia: 

Messier 106 (also known as NGC 4258) is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. M106 is at a distance of about 22 to 25 million light-years away from Earth. It is also a Seyfert II galaxy, which means that due to x-rays and unusual emission lines detected, it is suspected that part of the galaxy is falling into a supermassive black hole in the center.^[7] NGC 4217 is a possible companion galaxy of Messier 106.^[6]

M97 The Owl nebula

I'm still going through the learning curve. However I was able to get some great guiding last night and tried changing my ISO to 1600. I found this worked great and took 30 each 2 min images. Captured and pre-processed in Nebulosity, final process in PS elements.
SW 254N / EQ5pro / Canon 350d / guided image binned 2x2.

 

From Wikipedia:

The Owl Nebula (also known as Messier Object 97 or NGC 3587) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781.
M97 is regarded as one of the more complex of the planetaries. The 16th magnitude central star has about 0.7 solar mass and the nebula itself about 0.15 solar mass. The nebula formed roughly 6,000 years ago.
The nebula gets it name due to the appearance of owl-like "eyes" when view through a large (>200 mm) telescope under dark sky conditions with the aid of a so-called "nebula filter." The "eyes" are also easily visible through photographs taken of the nebula.

M95 galaxy

Trying out some different techniques with the DSLR. This is my first attempt using 'flats'. It seemed to work pretty well.

from Wikipedia:
Messier 95 (also known as M95 or NGC 3351) is a barred spiral galaxy about 38 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781, and catalogued by Charles Messier four days later.

M81 Bodes Galaxy

I've been playing with the 'new' Canon XT. I'm starting to get the hang of processing now. I tried some 5 minute exposures the other night and got 7 of them to come out pretty good. (out of 12 taken). These were processed using bias and bad pixel mapping. Since I'm still working on getting my flats taken I just used a "false flat" layer in PS elements and subtracted it so I could remove the vignetting that I have using the DSLR. Anyway I'm pretty happy with the results.

Super Nova SN1120b

I thought I would give this a try as it's not going to be visible for much longer.

14 each 120 second images at ISO800.

1st attempt at Rosette Nebula

Here's my 1st attempt at 4 minute exposures with a Canon 350d (un-mod). 16 images stacked ISO200.

Orion Nebula

Well here's my 1st serious attempt with the DSLR. This is 20 each 10 second ISO 200 images that have been stretched about as much as I can to pull the data in and yet keep the contrast minimal. I also took some 30 second images but I like the results of these better. I now know just how bad I need the long exposure control. I ordered the parts today and should have it put together this weekend.

DSLR 1st light

Keeping in mind this is a first attempt and I was trying for a very dim object that is hard to capture with an un-modified DSLR.

If you look very closely in the upper middle of this photo you can just make out the horse head nebula. This is 15 each 30 second images so it was probably not the best first light object.

DSLR imaging is gonna be fun!

This years Crab Nebula (M1)

I had about 1/2 moon tonight and it was very close to M1 so it cast some "tube shadows" in the image. Tonight was more for doing some testing and getting set up for my new (used) DSLR camera. Should be here next week and if the sky's hold I will be ready to really do some new work.

 In the mean time here's the Crab: 37 images 30 second long stacked.