Needle Galaxy NGC4565

NGC 4565 or Needle Galaxy (C38) is an edge on spiral galaxy located in constellation Coma Berenices and about 40 million ly away from Earth.

Setting : TAL200K f/8.5 and ASI2600MC; ZWO 30/120 guidescope with ASI224MC

Lights : 12x300s, darks, bias, flats and darkflats

Software : N.I.N.A, Stellarium, PHD2, APP, CS4, DeNoise AI

Sunset Horizon

No clouds and an free view on the horizon. Pictures are taken from the VVV tower (18.75m) @Tessenderlo.

Pictures taken with Nikon D7500 and 10-24 lens

Dr Eugene Parker has passed away

On Tuesday March 15, Dr. Eugene N. Parker (94), visionary of heliophysics has passed away. In 2018, Dr. Parker became the first person to witness the launch of a spacecraft bearing his name, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe.

Moon Halo

In the evening of March 14, an 360° halo around the Moon could be observed. First the halo was visible with some faint clouds but later that evening the sky was covered with a plain faint fog.

Moon 5% Illuminated

Moon on March 4th, only 5% illuminated.

The effect of guiding calibration

Before guiding (PHD2) gets started it will be doing a calibration session. Pulses are giving to move the star out of center so the software knows what to do in case the star is not following anymore..

The effect of this calibration session was imaged and is seen below. Picture in H-Alpha with 180s exposure time.

Horsehead and Flame Nebula in H-Alpha ASI2600MC

The Horsehead Nebula (IC434 or Barnard 33) is located in constellation Orion and about 1375 light years away from Earth. The Flame Nebula (NGC2024) is also located in constellation Orion and about 1350 light years away from Earth.

The pictures are taken using a H-Alpha filter. 

Setting : ASI2600MC with TLAPO80/480

Guiding : ZWO Guidescope 30/120 with ASI224MC

Lights : 10x300s, 2x600s (total exposure 70min)

Software : N.I.N.A., Stellarium, PDD2, APP, CS4, DeNoise AI.