Our Beautiful Universe - Photos and Videos

[pinball1970]

Some nice spacey wallpapers here... : Earth From Space
e.g.
View attachment 218833

View attachment 218834

I could try and better that but I would rather just look at it, lovely.

 

[davenn]

First shot of the moon using the Skywatcher 120mm x 1000mm fl Black Diamond refractor telescope and the ZWO ASI1600MM camera

All my previous moon imaging was with a DSLR camera and telephoto lens

Dave

 

[davenn]

the imaging setup for the above photo ...

 

[Andy Resnick]

Recent lunar pic:

Along the centerline is Rima Hyginus (with crater Hyginus), above the rima is Mare Vaporum (the lava flows have only a few hundred meters elevation variation), below the rima are the craters Hyginus A, Triesnecker, and at the base of the 600m high eastern ridge of Murchison, Chladni (which is relevant since we just covered sound in Physics I)

 

[bruha]

HI recently I made some scope pictures of Arcturus and Spica.(its quite fuzzy due to long exp. time) but I think that colour difference is remarkable (Arcturus surf temp. cca 4300 K, Spica cca 24000 K).

 

[DennisN]

Tour of the Moon in 4K (NASA Goddard)
Take a virtual tour of the Moon in all-new 4K resolution, thanks to data provided by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft . As the visualization moves around the near side, far side, north and south poles, we highlight interesting features, sites, and information gathered on the lunar terrain.

 

[davenn]

Tour of the Moon in 4K (NASA Goddard)

very cool

 

[Andy Resnick]

The clouds parted for 2 days, and while the moon is annoyingly bright, I was able to get a nice start on M101. The first image includes some surrounding galaxies, while the second is a close-up. Images acquired with a 400/2.8 lens, 15 second exposures (yay, declination!), ISO 500.

I can still do a good bit of denoising and improve the flat field correction, but what I really need is less moonlight.

 

[davenn]

The clouds parted for 2 days, and while the moon is annoyingly bright, I was able to get a nice start on M101. The first image includes some surrounding galaxies, while the second is a close-up. Images acquired with a 400/2.8 lens, 15 second exposures (yay, declination!), ISO 500.

I can still do a good bit of denoising and improve the flat field correction, but what I really need is less moonlight.

nice work, Andy

 

[Andy Resnick]

Another good night of viewing- no moon this time. Up to about 2 hours total integration time.

 

[bruha]

Hi I attach moon colour enhanced image (registax+photoshop). Are you experienced with this process ? O would like to know if is true that you can visualise true colour of object (for example rock of moon and so on) which can not see by naked eye...

Have nice astro experiences

 

[davenn]

Hi I attach moon colour enhanced image (registax+photoshop). Are you experienced with this process ? O would like to know if is true that you can visualise true colour of object (for example rock of moon and so on) which can not see by naked eye...

Have nice astro experiences

awesome effort

just remember tho, the moon isn't really that colourful ... it's basically all grey

up this thread a few posts back...
Post #302 ... my moon pic and post #304, Andy's pic. show the natural colour of the moon

So in summary ... great detail in your pic., just go easy on the colouring Dave

 

[bruha]

Hi thank for your post. Ya I noticed as well that moon is basically grey (since some green and blue rare rock are present as I read). It is as I read quite lot instruction on web how to enhance image moon colour and just wandering if it is only " game" or has it some relevant (real) matter.
You have absolutely beatiful and detailed images. -congratulation

 

[davenn]

You have absolutely beatiful and detailed images. -congratulation

thankyou

you didn't comment on what telescope, camera etc you used to take that image ?

 

[Andy Resnick]

Hi thank for your post. Ya I noticed as well that moon is basically grey (since some green and blue rare rock are present as I read). It is as I read quite lot instruction on web how to enhance image moon colour and just wandering if it is only " game" or has it some relevant (real) matter.
You have absolutely beatiful and detailed images. -congratulation

There is real science behind colorimetric imaging of the moon, primarily in connection with minerology:

https://ac.els-cdn.com/001910356490...t=1526472151_debd8bcfa9b5c281b2e39e270b7ac68a
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1996SoSyR..30..352O

Enhancing the color (increasing the saturation) is a fairly standard approach:
https://astrophotographylk.wordpress.com/colors-of-the-moon/

The region around Aristarchus is especially colorful:
http://bartoszwojczynski.com/picture-151124-aristarchus

 

[bruha]

Hi thank you very much for answer and links- I am interested about this theme so I will study this. My picture was made by hyperion eyepiece 8 mm on Newton 100 x 600 mm and sony compact camera objective just attached through T-ring . But now I got Nikon DS 200 body with bajonet .. so I will hope that made some improvement.

 

[bruha]

Hi

 

[bruha]

Hi I attach my last attempt colour saturated moon image by photoshop- jpg format,( but when I saved as jpg from photoshop it lost almost 50% of saturation- -I do not why and original photoshop is too large-cca 120 MB!). If you could estimate if it could be real colour ...?

 

[Andy Resnick]

M13 is visible here this time of year:

This was digitally zoomed to mimic a 2400mm focal length (stacking w/ 3X dithering), total integration time 24 minutes @ f/5.6. This cluster has long been difficult (for me) to obtain a decent image: @davenn checked through my work a while ago, and it really helped. Every year I learn improved ways to acquire, stack, denoise, and convert to a 8-bit/channel final image. It's also a good warm-up for imaging the dense starfields in Cygnus in another month or so.

 

[davenn]

M13 is visible here this time of year:

M13 doesn't get above the horizon for me in the southern hemisphere, instead we have the majestic Omega Centauri globular cluster

This is the first deep space object I have imaged through the Skywatcher scope ( the same setup as in post #303 up this page)
Skywatcher 120mm x 1000mm focal length, Black Diamond, refractor telescope and the ZWO ASI1600MM camera
a 2 sec exposure @ F8.3

Dave

 

[Andy Resnick]

Now the Ring Nebula (M57) is viewable from my backyard; here's a full frame (800mm) image of the region, combining images taken this year and last year:

Note the flat-field correction gets worse at the periphery, where image fields don't overlap anymore. Even so, the correction is pretty good over the entire field. Here's a 1:1 crop of the nebula and surrounding region:

IC 1296 is (barely) visible. Now what I've learned imaging Hercules is paying off: here's a 3X version of the nebula, clearly showing the 14m white dwarf at the center:

and a cluster nearly shows that my image can clearly distinguish stars 4.0 arcsec apart (the short vertical group, distance data from Aladin)

4.0 arcsec corresponds to a diffraction-limited aperture of 3.1 cm (500 nm wavelength). If we let the 'limit' go down to 3 arcsec (since the stars are clearly separated), the aperture diameter is given as 4.2 cm. Since my lens has an aperture of 14 cm, the impact of poor seeing is quite obvious.

 

[davenn]

Now the Ring Nebula (M57) is viewable from my backyard; here's a full frame (800mm) image of the region, combining images taken this year and last year:

great shots, Andy

 

[bruha]

Hi, really great shots!
I attach my attempt of Jupiter, but it is not satisfying.. First is made by compact Sony just pressed to hyperion ocular 8 mm (probably one moon is visible as well)
and second is made by Nikon D 200 body attached by bayonet to hyperion (it is quite dissapointment- I set ISO to 1600 and exp. time to 1/4 sec.(shorter time show nothing on display) .. If somebody have some advice for improving of Jupiter image I will appreciate,,,

 

[berkeman]

These photos taken by an astronaut at the ISS are pretty amazing

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2018/06/us/donald-pettit-space-cnnphotos/index.html

 

[davenn]

These photos taken by an astronaut at the ISS are pretty amazing

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2018/06/us/donald-pettit-space-cnnphotos/index.html

View attachment 227190

ohhh yes...

there is a youtube channel that has streaming video from the ISS ( it is not always live, due to various reasons)

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...8A922272EF12A95624E28&&mmscn=vwrc&FORM=VDRVRVDave

 

[davenn]

ohhh and one of my Fav's

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...E9C65D6F0A427EB5CFE3E9C65D6F0A427EB&FORM=VIRE

Pink Floyd, Marooned ( an instrumental) with views from the ISS

I absolutely love this music and video

 

[davenn]

live feed active now

some space walking happening

 

[Andy Resnick]

Final results (for this year) of the Ring nebula; 3.5 hours total integration time at ISO 1600.

Whole field of view:

1:1 crop (no dithering):

In related news, I have the opportunity to buy myself a present- I've had my eye on a 105/1.4 lens to replace my 85/1.4 that I lost due to migrating from a Sony camera to a Nikon camera two years ago. Hopefully I'll get it in time for imaging Cygnus this year. Stay tuned!

 

[pinball1970]

ohhh and one of my Fav's

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...E9C65D6F0A427EB5CFE3E9C65D6F0A427EB&FORM=VIRE

Pink Floyd, Marooned ( an instrumental) with views from the ISS

I absolutely love this music and video

Very nice combo

 

[bruha]

Hi I attach my recent attempt of Saturn images (by mobile camera on eyepiece hyperion). I was trying this method beacouse I can not catch it by Nikon body camera attached by bayonet. If somebody has some advice and experience of Saturn photo I would appreciated it..
Thanks and have nice days

 

[davenn]

Hi I attach my recent attempt of Saturn images (by mobile camera on eyepiece hyperion)...

good effort, I can make out the rings

I was trying this method beacouse I can not catch it by Nikon body camera attached by bayonet. If somebody has some advice and experience of Saturn photo I would appreciated it

I cannot remember what sort of telescope you have ?
let us know and also show a photo of the eyepiece end of your scope along with a photo of any adaptors you have to mount the Nikon onto the scopeDave

 

[bruha]

Hello,
thank you. I have Newton telescope diameter 110 mm x 600 mm focal distance and use with Hyperion eyepiece 8 mm. Photos are attached. Saturn images are made just by phone camera pressed on eyepiece. With Nikon body on photo I was succesfull only with moon up to know.
Thank you ….

 

[davenn]

Hello,
thank you. I have Newton telescope diameter 110 mm x 600 mm focal distance and use with Hyperion eyepiece 8 mm. Photos are attached. Saturn images are made just by phone camera pressed on eyepiece. With Nikon body on photo I was succesfull only with moon up to know.
Thank you ….

Thanks for that

Did you know there is a thing called a T-ring adaptor ? they are for connecting DSLR cameras to telescopes
There 2 parts needed, the actual T-ring and the extension tube
looking for your Nikon ……

here's a supplier close to me, but it will show you what to look for with a supplier near you
You can see they are not overly expensive

https://www.bintel.com.au/product/t-rings-dslrs/cheers
Dave

 

[bruha]

Hi And thank you for informativní.In fact I have this T ring ( asi on photos if ,you get IT) my Nikon body but without extension tube..do you think that this tube can improve taken images?
Thank you And nice day ( can i ask where you from)?

 

[davenn]

Hi And thank you for informativní.In fact I have this T ring ( asi on photos if ,you get IT) my Nikon body but without extension tube

OK so you have the T-ring ( the bit closest to the camera in that link photo)
You need that tube part that you see in front of it ... it slides into the eyepiece holder tube

In this mode, it is called Prime Focus imaging ( no eyepiece is used

do you think that this tube can improve taken images?

What it allows is for the camera to be held steady so that you can get focus easier
One of the biggest problems I have seen with your imaging so far is that they are all out of focus...
this is because the phone camera is trying to and failing to get correct focus when it is aimed at the eyepiece

Thank you And nice day

and you too ... looking forward to seeing your imaging improving as you get more experience and you get gear working well

can i ask where you from)?

You can

I'm in Sydney, Australia. I immigrated to Australia from New Zealand 18.5 years ago
It's almost impossible to do good astronomy from home ( other than Sun, Moon and planets). The sky is just too bright with light pollution.
For deep sky galaxies, nebula and star clusters etc. I often travel an hour to get to one of my darker sky sites so I can do observing or imagingcheers
Dave

 

[DennisN]

I got a link from a friend today, with this awesome image:

"You’re looking at the center of our galactic home, the Milky Way, as imaged by 64 radio telescopes in the South African wilderness."
Sources:

• New South African Telescope Releases Epic Image of the Galactic Center
• SA celebrates MeerKAT launch with dramatic Milky Way black hole image

 

[bruha]

Hi and thank you for explanation, I understand- and will try to get this tube. Anyway I am from Prague, Czech republic therefore we look on absolutely opossite sky hemispere! I was on NZ 10 year ago and liked it very much -I remember that only star constalation which I recognized from Europe was Orion but upside-down (I was in Sydney as well and although it is beautiful city I think that living on NZ is more pleasant..)
So lot of succes with your imaging and when l make some improvement I ll send it..

 

[davenn]

Up at 4 am to watch the total eclipse of the moon ...
Question ... If the sky is 1/2 covered in cloud, which half will the moon ( or other astronomical event) be in ?
Answer ... the cloudy 1/2, of course

Missed the start due to the cloud. It then cleared up and saw up to 10 minutes before totality started and only tiny glimpses between then and 6 am...
Didnt see max totality at 6:20 AM ( Sydney time) ... AGAIN ... that is 5 total eclipses in a row I have now missed due to cloud

Canon 6D 100 - 400mm zoom at 400mm and with a 2 x teleconverter.

cheers
Dave

 

[pinball1970]

Thats great despite missing the start due to cloud. Notice that between image one and two the tone overall went from green to red/ blue? The tone did not change after that till the final image, just the size of the shadow. Then red overall in the final image.

 

[Nelli]

very nice, thanks you for posting this

 

[davenn]

Notice that between image one and two the tone overall went from green to red/ blue?

There may well be a hint of green in the first image … I really have to look hard to tell …. images 2 to 5 look reasonably even

 

[Andy Resnick]

Progress to date for the region containing the North American Nebula in Cygnus: the full image is a 2 x 2 panorama taken at 400mm, the first image is a central crop, followed by some details of the nebula and the planetary nebula NGC 7048:

Each image is about 1.5 hours total integration time. I had to re-do the flat field correction a few times until I got a good enough set of flats, and getting the color balance matched between images is tricky. I honestly don't know how other people manage to make this seem easy.

 

[davenn]

awesome effort Andy

is that planetary neb. somewhere within the Nth American Neb. ?

 

[Nelli]

Up at 4 am to watch the total eclipse of the moon ...
Question ... If the sky is 1/2 covered in cloud, which half will the moon ( or other astronomical event) be in ?
Answer ... the cloudy 1/2, of course View attachment 228470

Missed the start due to the cloud. It then cleared up and saw up to 10 minutes before totality started and only tiny glimpses between then and 6 am...
Didnt see max totality at 6:20 AM ( Sydney time) ... AGAIN ... that is 5 total eclipses in a row I have now missed due to cloud View attachment 228471

Canon 6D 100 - 400mm zoom at 400mm and with a 2 x teleconverter.

View attachment 228464 View attachment 228465 View attachment 228466 View attachment 228467 View attachment 228468 View attachment 228469cheers
Dave

 

[Nelli]

Thanks Dave, I really enjoy looking at our wonderful creation from the tiniest life here on Earth to our vast universe. I wish NASA would hurry up and discover how to make artificial gravity and find a way to make a "warp" engine that could stand up to Einstein's theory of relativity. I know we will find a way! NASA is looking into it now, with a design to travel. Two physicists suggest that a future spaceship could fold a space-time bubble around itself to travel faster than the speed of light. This is an exciting time for our planet if only everyone in it could wake up and work together. Projects like Mars One and the other moon base designs are cool too. In college I went for a science major with focus on physics and geology. If I were only younger with what I know now... I love this site, I feel alive when I read all the stuff everyone comes up with. What a learning tool. ;-))

 

[Andy Resnick]

awesome effort Andy

is that planetary neb. somewhere within the Nth American Neb. ?

Yes-
RA: 21h14m15.2s
DEC: +46°17m17.9s

I 'discovered' it first in my image- I wondered why there was a blurry blob- and then identified it via Google Earth (Sky).

 

[Andy Resnick]

Improved background subtraction and blending:

 

[bruha]

Hi
your image are very interesting and beautiful.. Here in Czech Republik (Bohmerwald) was very cloudy so We see eclipset just in the end (and if partly visible it was of course normal (not darkened (red)) half of the moon !-- So I catch just Mars (it was good to see) and Saturn (images attached, Saturn is sharpened and little coloured in photoshop)

Lot of succes (we have terrible hot now I hope you do not as you have winter….

 

[MP9721NRC]

Something a little different- This is a 25 second exposure, just a Canon Rebel camera on a tripod. The white streak is the International Space Station, as it zips past Jupiter; I had to drive about 1.5 hours to get to the right spot to see it transit Jupiter. The stars to the left are Scorpius, and the moon is just out of the frame to the right, illuminating the clouds. The thunderstorms gave way to clear skies just in time; a beautiful evening.

 

[DennisN]

Something a little different- This is a 25 second exposure, just a Canon Rebel camera on a tripod.

A very cool photo!