Total Solar Eclipse!!!

Yes, I made it (with my family)!!

Clouds cleared just in time! (Killeen, TX) And...
Here are my results from my Canon T3i, 250mm Canon lens @ f/5.6, ISO200, and 1/40s (and re-doing focus continuously throughout --- super difficult as had to WAIT for it to come out of the clouds in most instances). All shot at 250mm, just cropped differently in these .jpgs (for size consideration here).
However... the clouds did magic actually in varying the results. I think my favorite is the "10 carat" diamond ring effect...looking like an explosion. And, you can STILL see the prominences as it comes out of Totality.
Summary: It was incredible... indescribable...but I will try: Unlike anything I have ever seen in my life...and I have seen and captured many, many, MANY eclipses that were *near* total... including full annular...
But nothing, NOTHING comes even close to a Total Eclipse. Nothing.
Yes... THAT incredible! 🙂
Jeff

Featured in BBC Sky at Night MAGAZINE!!!

Super Honored!!!

My image has been published in BBC Sky at Night MAGAZINE!!!

They let me know today that indeed they featured my galaxy NGC 7331 image in their January 2024 issue (PRINTED MAGAZINE)!!!

My original image is here: http://jeffjastro.com/dso/NGC7331_5Sep23.htm
Screengrab from the magazine, attached.

PREVIEW: NGC 3953 --- a close look

I took the "giant" RC scope out back for the second time --- another 3hr setup with the RC and the AP, but fun in a weird way, haha.
I went out on Valentine's Eve 🥰 ...and this was one of a couple of targets I got that night.

This is just a preview.

The seeing conditions were not great, but I still had fun to finally get out again! AND...this target is one that is near and dear to my heart:
NGC 3953 @ 55 million light years away ❤️
This is LUM only, and I collected all LRGB so will process as I go 🙂
#galaxy #astronomy #farfaraway

NGC 7662 - Blue Snowball planetary nebula

Hi all,
Not yet on my website:
The last object I imaged with the new RC scope and AP mount was this (attached - one is center crop, other is uncropped). It was the same night as my previous two results (5 Sep) and this was was the last for the night. Bright, but tiny object (from here), and the moon really wreaked havoc on the contrast, as the moon was high in the sky and 65% illuminated, so only a hint of the outer areas for this object.
So, this was *still* my "first light" night with the RC and was to the west (Las Cruces light dome).
NGC 7662 - Blue Snowball planetary nebula from Las Cruces in LRGB. Distance: ~5730 LY This nebula was discovered October 6, 1784 by the German-born English astronomer William Herschel.
Setup: TPO RC 12" Truss-tube @f/8 (2432mm focal length) AP1100GTO mount QSI690wsg 19x5min L, 4x5min ea RGB (and then the sun rose)

Galaxy NGC 772 --- 130 million light years away...

This was the most distant *primary target* for me to date. Very small and very dim. I captured this the same night as my NGC 7331 result with the same RC scope, QSI camera, and AP mount. The Moon had risen and was at 65% illumination - and it was also close to my FOV, which made this very difficult (and bad decision by me to go after this one on this night!). So it goes 🙂

My Trifid Nebula image featured in national astronomy magazine

Received a surprise in the mail, this week!
Honored!!!
My M20 nebula image featured in a printed national astronomy magazine!
"Reflector" magazine is published by the Astronomical League. My original image that they featured is here: http://jeffjastro.com/dso/M20_24May23.htm
#astronomy

Composite from the Total Annular Eclipse

On 14 October 2023, I went to Roswell, New Mexico to view the Total Annular Eclipse with my loved ones. It was AMAZING!!!