Category Archives: Astrofoto of the day from SPONLI

The Andromeda Galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 780 kiloparsecs (2.5 million light-years; 2.4×10¹⁹ km) from Earth. Also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224, it is often referred to as the Great Andromeda Nebula in older texts. The Andromeda Galaxy is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way, but not the nearest galaxy overall. It gets its name from the area of the sky in which it appears, the constellation of Andromeda, which was named after the mythological princessAndromeda. The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy of the Local Group, which also contains the Milky Way, the Triangulum Galaxy, and about 44 other smaller galaxies.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: William Optics GTF 81 APO 81GTF
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-G
RA center: 10.701 degrees
DEC center: 41.260 degrees
Pixel scale: 1.475 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 1.242 degrees
Field radius: 1.137 degrees

Author: casey

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

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The Large Magellanic Cloud

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is a nearby galaxy, and a satellite of the Milky Way. At a distance of slightly less than 50 kiloparsecs (≈163,000 light-years), the LMC is the third closest galaxy to the Milky Way, with theSagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal (~ 16 kiloparsecs) and the putative Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy (~ 12.9 kiloparsecs, though its status as a galaxy is under dispute) lying closer to the center of the Milky Way. The LMC has a diameter of about 14,000 light-years (~ 4.3 kpc) and a mass approximately 10 billion times the mass of the Sun (10¹⁰ solar masses), making it roughly 1/100 as massive as the Milky Way. The LMC is the fourth largest galaxy in the Local Group, after the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), the Milky Way, and the Triangulum Galaxy (M33).

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Samyang Walimex 85mm 1.4

Imaging cameras: Canon DSLR 1000(d) modifiziert

Mounts: Skywatcher EQ-5 + Synscan

Guiding cameras: ZWO optical ASI 120mm

Software: Fitswork4, Adobe Photo Shop

Resolution: 3837×2453

Dates: April 14, 2015

Frames: 20×240″

Integration: 1.3 hours

Avg. Moon age: 24.11 days

Avg. Moon phase: 29.73%

RA center: 80.858 degrees

DEC center: -67.791 degrees

Pixel scale: 13.675 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: -92.003 degrees

Field radius: 8.647 degrees

Locations: Gästefarm Wildacker, Grootfontein, Namibia

Author: sbothe

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

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NGC 4945, Spiral galaxy

NGC 4945 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Centaurus, and near the bright star, Zeta Centauri. The galaxy was discovered by James Dunlop in 1826. It is thought to be similar to the Milky Way Galaxy, although X-ray observations show that NGC 4945 has an unusual energetic Seyfert 2 nucleus that might house a large black hole.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: MEADE LX850 12″
Imaging cameras: Meade Starlock
Mounts: Meade LX850 Starlock
Guiding cameras: SBIG ST-8300C
Software: Nebulosity 3.2, Photoshop, Maxim DL, Software Bisque The Sky X
Resolution: 3030×1845
Dates: April 23, 2015
Frames: 24×600″
Integration: 4.0 hours
Avg. Moon age: 4.52 days
Avg. Moon phase: 21.43%
Locations: Canopo’s Observatory, Perth, WA, Australia

Author: Fabian Rodriguez

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

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M 63, Sunflower Galaxy

Messier 63 (also known as M63, NGC 5055, or the Sunflower Galaxy) is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici consisting of a central disc surrounded by many short spiral arm segments. M63 is part of the M51 Group, a group of galaxies that also includes M51 (the ‘Whirlpool Galaxy’).

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Gso RC 10″ GSO
Imaging cameras: FLI MicroLine 8300 CCD-camera FLI
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach1AP GTO with GTOCP3
Guiding telescopes or lenses: 90mm Guidescope Guidescope
Focal reducers: Astro Physics CDDT67
Software: Pixinsight 1.8
Filters: Baader 2″ Ha 7nm, Baader 2″ Green, Baader 2″ Blue, Baader 2″ Red, Baader 2″ Lum
Accessories: Starlight Xpress lodestar 2
Resolution: 3027×2002
Dates: April 24, 2015, April 25, 2015, April 26, 2015
Frames:
Baader 2″ Blue: 10×300″ -35C bin 2×2
Baader 2″ Green: 10×300″ -35C bin 2×2
Baader 2″ Ha 7nm: 6×300″ -35C bin 1×1
Baader 2″ Lum: 18×600″ -35C bin 1×1
Baader 2″ Red: 10×300″ -35C bin 2×2
Integration: 6.0 hours
Avg. Moon age: 6.44 days
Avg. Moon phase: 40.21%
RA center: 198.942 degrees
DEC center: 42.037 degrees
Orientation: 173.647 degrees
Field radius: 0.257 degrees
Locations: Home Observatory, Home, Worcestershire, United Kingdom

Author: Patrick (Paddy) Gilliland

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

Become a part of astronomers’ community, register on our web-site and start taking pictures of the Universe:
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Antares and Rho

This is a reprocess of this glorious image of space. About 11 hours of data at various exposure times and ISO settings. All up about 105 light frames. All at 100mm taken on the Canon 600D
Antares, also known by its Bayer designation Alpha Scorpii (abbreviated to α Scorpii or α Sco), is the seventeenth brightest star in the nighttime sky and the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, and is often referred to as “the heart of the scorpion”. Along with Aldebaran, Regulus, and Fomalhaut, Antares comprises the group known as the ‘Royal stars of Persia’. It is one of the four brightest stars near the ecliptic. Rho Ophiuchi (ρ Ophiuchi) is a multiple star system in the constellation Ophiuchus. It consists of at least two blue subgiants, ρ Oph A and ρ Oph B, both of which are of class B.

RA center: 247.208 degrees
DEC center: -26.454 degrees
Pixel scale: 8.982 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 89.143 degrees
Field radius: 7.166 degrees
Locations: Backyard, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Author: DJScotty

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

Become a part of astronomers’ community, register on our web-site and start taking pictures of the Universe:
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The Triangulum Galaxy, Messier 33, NGC 598

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, the Andromeda Galaxy and about 44 other smaller galaxies. It is one of the most distant permanent objects that can be viewed with the naked eye. The galaxy is the smallest spiral galaxy in the Local Group and it is believed to be a satellite of the Andromeda Galaxy due to their interactions, velocities and proximity of one another in the night sky.

RA center: 23.439 degrees
DEC center: 30.663 degrees
Pixel scale: 1.860 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: -101.776 degrees
Field radius: 0.495 degrees

Author: geco71

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

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Cigar Galaxy, Messier 82, NGC 3034

Messier 82 (also known as NGC 3034, Cigar Galaxy or M82) is a starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. It is about five times more luminous than the whole Milky Way and one hundred times more luminous than our galaxy’s center. The starburst activity is thought to be triggered by interaction with neighboring galaxy M81, and M82 is a member of the M81 Group. As the closest starburst galaxy to our own, M82 is the prototypical example of this type of galaxy. SN 2014J, a Type Ia supernova, was observed in the galaxy on 21 January 2014, see 2014 supernova. In 2014, in studying M82, scientists discovered the brightest pulsar yet known, designated M82 X-2.

Imaging cameras: Canon Hutech Modified 6D

Mounts: Astro-Physics AP 1600

Guiding cameras: Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2

Software: PixInsight, Adobe Photoshop CC (64 Bit), PHD2 Guiding

Accessories: Innovations Foresight On-axis guider XT

Resolution: 4336×2936

Dates: April 15, 2015

Frames: 49×600″

Integration: 8.2 hours

Avg. Moon age: 25.22 days

Avg. Moon phase: 19.64%

RA center: 148.978 degrees

DEC center: 69.682 degrees

Orientation: -136.916 degrees

Field radius: 0.252 degrees

Locations: Hangar Observatory at Bend Airport, Bend, Oregon, None

Author: John Hayes

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

We are already running! Become a part of astronomers’ community, register on our web-site and start taking pictures of the Universe:
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Spiral galaxy Messier 106, NGC 4258

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. 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. NGC 4217 is a possible companion galaxy of Messier 106.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Gso RC 10″ GSO

Imaging cameras: FLI MicroLine 8300 CCD-camera FLI

Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach1AP GTO with GTOCP3

Guiding telescopes or lenses: 90mm Guidescope Guidescope

Focal reducers: Astro Physics CDDT67

Software: Photoshop CS 6 Photoshop CS6, Pixinsight 1.8

Filters: Baader 2″ Green, Baader 2″ Blue, Baader 2″ Red, Baader 2″ Lum

Accessories: Starlight Xpress lodestar 2

Resolution: 3084×2058

Dates: April 20, 2015

Frames:
Baader 2″ Blue: 10×300″ -35C bin 2×2
Baader 2″ Green: 9×300″ -35C bin 2×2
Baader 2″ Lum: 14×600″ -35C bin 1×1
Baader 2″ Red: 10×300″ -35C bin 2×2

Integration: 4.8 hours

Avg. Moon age: 1.37 days

Avg. Moon phase: 2.09%

RA center: 184.756 degrees

DEC center: 47.297 degrees

Pixel scale: 0.767 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: -5.667 degrees

Field radius: 0.395 degrees

Locations: Home Observatory, Home, Worcestershire, United Kingdom

Author: Patrick (Paddy) Gilliland

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

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NGC 4631, Whale Galaxy

NGC 4631 (also known as the Whale Galaxy or Caldwell 32) is an edge-on spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. This galaxy’s slightly distorted wedge shape gives it the appearance of a herring or a whale, whence its nickname. Because this nearby galaxy is seen edge-on from Earth, professional astronomers observe this galaxy to better understand the gas and stars located outside the plane of the galaxy.
Observation Notes : Very bright, very large, very much elongated 6 X 1 in PA 90, bright middle. At 100X this very mottled galaxy is a rather bizarre shape that members of the Saguaro Astronomy Club call “The Slug”. Discovered in 1787 by William Herschel.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Celestron C11 Celestron

Imaging cameras: 40D Canon

Mounts: CGEM Celestron

Guiding telescopes or lenses: 80mm EON Orion

Guiding cameras: Orion Star Shooter

Focal reducers: 6.3 reducer Celestron

Software: Deep Sky Stacker, photoshop, Noel’s Tools, 5.00 Images Plus

Resolution: 800×520

Dates: May 8, 2011

Frames: 23×120″

Integration: 0.8 hours

Avg. Moon age: 4.48 days

Avg. Moon phase: 21.07%

RA center: 190.566 degrees

DEC center: 32.495 degrees

Pixel scale: 2.941 arcsec/pixel

Orientation: 119.413 degrees

Field radius: 0.390 degrees

Locations: Leesburg home, Leesburg , Florida, United States

Author: AlBroxton

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

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Light Pillars and Airplanes

A light pillar is an atmospheric optical phenomenon in the form of a vertical column of light which appears to extend above and/or below a light source. The effect, sometimes also called the crystal beam phenomenon, is created by the reflection of light from numerous tiny ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere or clouds. The light can come from the Sun (usually when it is near or even below the horizon) in which case the phenomenon is called a sun pillar or solar pillar. It can also come from the Moon or from terrestrial sources such as streetlights.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Canon EF 15mm f/2.8

Imaging cameras: Canon 6D

Software: Adobe Lightroom 5.7, Photoshop CS6

Resolution: 2560×1280

Dates: April 23, 2015

Frames: 1×10″ ISO6400

Integration: 0.0 hours

Avg. Moon age: 4.52 days

Avg. Moon phase: 21.43%

Author: Samuli Ikäheimo

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.

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