M82 ASI224MC Improved Version

M82 was observed on Jan 21, 2017 and pictures are taken using ASI224MC on TAL200K. Manual stacking using CS4 with following coverage :

Layer 1 : 100%
Layer 2 : 50%
Layer 3 : 33%
Layer 4 : 17%
Layer 5 : 9%
Layer 6: 4%

Other coverage : 100, 50, 33, 25, 17, 14, 10, 7, 5 (credit Guido Gubbels)

Further editing using CS4, mainly with focus on the optimizing the histogram and using gradient tool. Credit by Guido Gubbels and e-book "Handleiding Astrofotografie" by  Geert Vandenbulcke from VVS Werkgroep Astrofotografie.

Galaxy M77

M77 is Galaxy at a distance of 47 million lightyears and 100.000 ly big. I did try to make a good picture of M77 but the exposure time was to low. Anyway the picture shows some detail and I can't wait untill a next time...

M82 ASI224MC

First time that I'm able to take a picture of M82. This galaxy is about 11,4 million lightyears away from us.
The picture was taken with my ASI224MC on TAL200K. In total 11 pictures taken each 30s exposure. Manual stacking and editing using CS4. The image is not that great but still comparable what textbooks describe.

Orion Nebula M42 with ASI224MC

Weather conditions were again very good yesterday evening. Humidity was below 90% and temperature around -6°C. Objective this evening was to experiment with longer exposures for the ASI224MC. I started with M42, the Orion Nebula and a exposure of 20s. In total 50 pictures are taken and stacked using Registax and edited using CS4. In comparison with earlier M42 pictures much more details show up with more "red" color.

Sunspots in pairs

So far this year, one out of two days we see sunspots. Last year we had 32 days without sunspots.
Currently we have three pairs of sunspots. Sunspots mostly show up as pairs. This is because one "spot" is where the magnetic fieds leaves the photosphere and the magnetic fields re-entries in the other one. By convention, north is when the magnetic fields leaves the photosphere and re-entry is south.

Picture was taken using my Dobson 12" with Baader Astrosolar ND5.

Waning crescent Venus 46%

The past weeks you could not miss Venus at the evening sky. Venus is currently very bright and is now less then 50% illuminated. When using a telescoop Venus shows up as a "lunar phase" and is currently waning crescent.
Conditions this evening were very good (temperature -5°C, huminidy 89%). Observations done using Dobson 12" with SE 9mm clearly showed the phase of Venus which is currently 0.46. Below picture was taken with TAL200K and ZWO ASI224MC using Registax and CS4 for editing.

Book 15 Million Degrees

I'm halfway reading a book titled 15 Million Degrees (english and a dutch translated version is also available) by Lucie Green.
If you want to understand how the sun "works" and this in the context of historical achievements ... this is your book. Once finished I will post a detailed review.