B343 widefield published in Astronomical League Magazine (hardcopy)

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Hi everyone,
A quick note to mention that my relatively recent image of Barnard 343 was Published in Astronomical League's quarterly Reflector Magazine, Dec 2014 issue, pg 19!

My original image is here:  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/B343_30Aug14.htm

Here is a screenshot from the magazine:

Playing catch-up: M82 , LDN 778 , and NGC 7000

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi everyone!  Ok, this entry is going to be a "catch-up" entry to add in some images that I have not yet put into the blog.  So, I will go back to March of this year and pick up a few since that time.  I know, it is cheating a little, but the end of the year is approaching and I need to catch up a little!  :)  So, here we go, the small sample images with links to the main site images that have the details.  Hope you enjoy if you haven't yet seen :)

M82 (w/super nova!):  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/M82SN_28Mar14.htm

LDN 778 (this was published in the Las Cruces Astronomical Society's "High Desert Observer" publication):  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/LDN778_30Aug14.htm

NGC 7000 (*at link* is an interactive version, switching from LRGB to LHaRGB):  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/NGC7000_30Aug14.htm

Rosette Nebula in Monterrey, Mexico newspaper!

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Hi all, just a quick note to share here about my Rosette Nebula being published in the Milenio Newspaper, Monterrey, Mexico on 19 Oct 14 (pg 12)!  :)  This is my second image published in this newspaper, kindly featured by Cesar Cantu, the editor for this section. Thank you, Cesar!  Below is a screenshot of the article, and here is a link to my original image:  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/Rosette_6Jan14.htm

Barnard 343 - Dark nebula in Cygnus

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all...just the most recent result while I am posting it in other locations.  I plan to add earlier work to this blog, as well!  :)  Meanwhile, here is the latest result from my backyard - where I setup/takedown each night I go out...this was over 2 nights, so 2 setups/takedowns, :)

Barnard 343 - Dark nebula in Cygnus (imaged over 2 nights)
FS-60C, EM200, QSI540wsg
5x15min Ha; 2x5min ea RGB (all bin1x1); 10xdarks/flats/fdarks/bias

Here is a link to the full image and details:  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/B343_30Aug14.htm

And preview pic:

Astronomy Magazine - Pacman Nebula!

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Hi again, all - as usual, I missed this when it happened - however, found out my image of the Pacman Nebula made Astronomy Magazine's 'APOD' on 1 Oct 14! (a week ago Wed)  This was especially interesting as this is something I imaged over a year ago, so it is so great they picked it!  If you saw this on my site, you will see this was also published in a Monterrey, Mexico newspaper last December.

Ok, here is a screengrab from Astronomy Magazine's site (can only see a thumbnail as it is in their archives):

And here is a link to my original image (with details on the image):  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/NGC281_28Sep13.htm

All for now...have a great weekend! :)

Black Eye Galaxy - AAPOD

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Hi all, a quick note to mention that Amateur Astronomy Picture of the Day (AAPOD) selected my Black Eye Galaxy (M64) as their picture on 7 Sep 14! They notified me through email that I was the winner for that day, so I am honored with my second image there :)

Here is the link to the image for the day:  http://www.aapodx2.com/2014/20140907.html

Here is a small version of my image (not yet in this blog, and was imaged with the larger TOA-130F scope):

And here is a link to the image at my site:  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/M64_3Apr14.htm

All for now, and by the way...I am working on the new data I have collected, so hope to start putting up some new results on my main page. As normal, I will follow with entries here :)

Until next time... :)

M42 - Great Nebula in Orion (LHaRGB)

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi again, all...catching the blog up. Also, this past weekend I was finally able to get out on a couple of nights (Sat and Sun) as conditions were great. A nice break in our weather which has been cloudy/rainy the past 2+ months. I will work on processing the data over the coming days (four objects, so will span the upcoming weeks). I am so happy to have new data to work on.

Ok, back to the current post...this was a late season Orion from earlier this year, and was my first try at it using narrowband, and was also the first time I imaged this since back in 2006!

Here is the link to the result on my main site: http://jeffjastro.com/dso/M42Ha_28Mar14.htm

And here is a small preview:

Thanks for looking and see you next time! :)

Astronomy Magazine chooses my Rosette Nebula!

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Hi all, just a quick note...once again, I missed this when it happened - however, found out my image of the Rosette Nebula made Astronomy Magazine's 'APOD' on 8 Aug 14 - featured on a Friday so ran the entire weekend! I really wish I could track better...but many times it happens when I am at work. This time it was a weekend (so up for 3 days), so my bad :( In any case, I am once again honored by the great folks at Astronomy Magazine (Astronomy.com).

Here is my original image at my site:  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/Rosette_6Jan14.htm

And here is a screengrab of my image and info from their archive:

NGC 3953 - Barred spiral galaxy in Ursa Major

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi again, all.  Next in line is a galaxy which I have imaged several times.  For this and the rest so far this year, I switched to the larger scope (the TOA-130F).  This most recent result is easily my best effort for this challenging object.  Here is my description from my "Notes" area at my main site:

One of my favorite galaxies to image - but, a challenge as NGC 3953 is still a relatively small object for this focal length (1000mm). The "original" (uncropped) version shows lots of other more distant galaxies. Seeing was only slightly above average on this night, unfortunately.

Here it is at my site: http://jeffjastro.com/dso/NGC3953_28Mar14.htm

And here is a small preview image:

See you next time :)

IC 410 - Tadpoles (HaRGB)

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Hi all :)  Ok, I am going to spend a little time catching up on my blog, here.  Working forward from the last new image I put up here, here is a shot of IC 410 (also known as the Tadpoles) together with IC 417 in the upper left corner.  This image is still using the smaller (very capable) FS-60C scope.  This is more from data I collected earlier this year.  It is a good thing I collected so many photons, as we are now in our monsoon season, here - meaning the past weeks have been cloudy as well as recent rains.  Not much rain, granted, but it is the clouds/winds (even a little) that are enough to mess things up!

So, as normal, here is a small version, and the full version can be seen at my main site, here:  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/IC410_6Jan14.htm

As always, thanks for looking and see you next time! :)

Irregular Galaxy NGC 4214 featured on Astronomy.com!

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Hi all :)  Well, I recently found out my image of NGC 4214 made Astronomy Magazine's 'APOD' on 9 Jul 14 - last Wed! Image was one I took last year, so pretty cool. Below is a screengrab from the archive, small version of the image, and link to image: http://jeffjastro.com/dso/NGC4214_14Mar13.htm

Space.com also had an article about this last year that I didn't realize was out there until recently Here is that article: http://www.space.com/21190-deep-space-oasis-galaxy-photo.html
 

Rosette Nebula - my first try on this object

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Hi again, all - just updating/playing catch-up on my blog, here :)  So, here is the Rosette Nebula in LHaRGB - my first try at this particular (and often imaged) object.  This was published on Space.com as one of the images of the month.  Here is a description of what is in this image from my notes area at my site:

"Burning Rose on a Stem" LHaRGB image - my first try at the Rosette. This image is LHa_HaRGB, where Ha:L (80:20) was used for Luminance, and Ha:R (80:20) was used for the Red channel. Lastly, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - William Shakespeare 

Image at main site (where you can find larger images):  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/Rosette_6Jan14.htm

See you all next time! :)

First Milky Way ultra-widefield shot

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Hi all :)  My first real attempt at the Milky Way. I drove about 20 miles west from my home in Las Cruces to get away from the heavy light pollution. Even so, El Paso light dome is prominent at lower left - about 50 miles from where I was located. The sky was otherwise very dark, so very enjoyable. Desert foreground in the image at same settings, processed separately.

This was a first real exercise at deep sky for the relatively new Canon T3i DSLR (unmodded) camera that I have.  I also want to mention that being out under the relatively dark skies was a night to remember.

Link to main image/info:  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/MilkyWay_5Jun14.htm

Here is a small version of the image as a preview:

Full Moon - just before eclipse

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all, just putting this image from last month up here (it's not on my main site, yet).  It was more of a test using my Canon T3i camera and the 18-135mm lens I picked up for it not too long after I bought the camera.  On this night (the night of the eclipse), the seeing was pretty bad and worsened by the time of the full eclipse (I also went to bed before the full eclipse for this reason - as well as work :)  However, here is a stacked result from that night (details on image).  Certainly not near the result from earlier in my blog using the Tak scope and QSI camera, but it is ok for a handheld result :)

Sadr image - First AAPOD

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all, wow...I am really getting behind, here.  Alas, work is pretty busy right now and will be through next month, so not able to update the blog so much.  Thanks for understanding :)

For this post, just some news (and the subject refers to it).  It turns out my Sadr image made AAPOD on 20 May 14 (my first AAPOD)  You can see the image posted, here:

http://www.aapodx2.com/2014/20140520.html

(here is a link to my original blog post on Sadr, which wasn't too long ago: http://jeffjastro.blogspot.com/2014/04/sadr-surrounded-by-ic-1318.html)

All for now :)

Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day - Easter Weekend

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all, a nice surprise for me on Easter weekend a few weeks ago was finding out that Astronomy Magazine had published my image of "Xi Cygni" on 18 April 2014 (a Friday).  So, the image stayed as their APOD for the entire weekend!  This image was also featured on Space.com, so has had some great exposure, already.  Here is my earlier blog post mentioning the Space.com feature and showing the image/info:  http://jeffjastro.blogspot.com/2014/03/xi-cygni-featured-on-spacecom.html

And here is a screenshot of the Astronomy Magazine APOD from that weekend:

All for now and as always thank you for reading! :)

Link to publications...

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all, just a very short note here before I get back to posting some more results that I recently finished processing.  I created a page that lists out the 'publications' I have as I was having a hard time keeping track, myself, lol.  There are several publications that happened last year that I didn't even know about until a couple of weeks ago (doh!) :)  Anyway...here is the link to the list:

http://jeffjastro.com/about/pubs.html

All for now... :)

Astronomy Magazine publishes my Barnard 343 image! (my first magazine pub)

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all, I am honored to have my image of Barnard 343 featured in "Astronomy Magazine" May 2014 issue!!!  The image is on page 73 and next to some big names in the astro community...it came as quite a surprise to me.

Here is a screenshot of the publication (they sent two copies of the magazine to me):

And here is a small version of the image which was featured:

Original B343 image is here: http://jeffjastro.com/dso/B343_8Nov13.htm

And I talk some about this image within this blog, here: http://jeffjastro.blogspot.com/2014/01/b343-dark-nebula-in-cygnus.html

:)

Sadr surrounded by IC 1318

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all...updating the blog with a recent result as I continue to process data :)  I did (recently) get out in the backyard, again, too.  I switched to the larger scope for three different targets, one of which is the supernova in M82.  Those images to come later (thanks for your patience!) :)

Meanwhile, here is reduced-size version of "Sadr" (full size and details are here: http://jeffjastro.com/dso/Sadr_25Dec13.htm):

Imaged over 2 nights. Cygnus area supergiant Sadr (also known as Gamma Cygni, γ Cygni, or γ Cyg) is the center bright star, together with the diffuse emission nebula IC 1318 that lies in the background (red and dark color). This image is Ha_HaRGB, where Ha:R (80:20) was used for the Red channel, and Ha for Luminance.

Xi Cygni featured on Space.com and YahooNews (U.S. and abroad)!

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all, it turns out another recent object, Xi Cygni (http://jeffjastro.com/dso/XiCygni_23Dec13.htm), was featured on Space.com on 5 Mar 14!  A facebook friend let me know :)  Here is the link to the article on Space.com:

http://www.space.com/24706-orange-supergiant-star-nebula-photo.html

Link to the YahooNews story:

http://news.yahoo.com/orange-supergiant-star-shines-hazy-nebula-amazing-photo-120510522.html

Link to a YahooNews story in UK and Ireland:

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/orange-supergiant-star-shines-hazy-nebula-amazing-photo-120510522.html

Here is a small version of the image that was featured (this is an Ha_HaRGB image, Xi Cygni is the center star, and the "west coast" of NGC 7000 is the red/dark dust around it):

IC 5068 in Cygnus (HaRGB)

http://jeffjastro.com
Hi all, here is a strange looking area that I imaged as another with the smaller of my two scopes, here using the Takahashi FS-60C and imaged using Ha_HaRGB.  This area is near the North America Nebula, NGC 7000, which I will feature later in this blog.  For this particular object in Cygnus, I was able to capture color (where for NGC 7000 I was not, as you will see later).

So, here is a look at this area, IC 5068 (and the link to it at my main site http://jeffjastro.com/dso/IC5068_15Dec13.htm):

M33 featured on Space.com and YahooNews!

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I was traveling for the past week, but just before I left I found that M33 (the Ha version I have in my blog here and at my main site) was also featured at Space.com as well as YahooNews.  It was featured just before the M31Ha article.  Here is the link to the YahooNews article for any that may be interested:

http://news.yahoo.com/triangulum-galaxy-dazzles-stargazer-39-photo-112254911.html

Here is a small version of the featured image:

And here is a link to what I wrote in my blog about it:  http://jeffjastro.blogspot.com/2013/09/m33-triangulum-galaxy-look-at-h-alpha.html

Meanwhile, stand by for more work as I have been completing processing data of multiple targets that I grabbed in December and January.  As always, thanks for looking! :)

M45 - Pleiades

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Hi all :)  Here I will finally go back a little ways and post my shot of M45 here on my blog.  I have some comments at my main site for this which describe well some frustrations I ran into for this one :)  As I mention in later images, I corrected imaging train backfocal distance for the FS-60C scope and then proceeded to collect data in December and into early January 2014.  I am still (as of this writing) working on processing data from those outings, so I am pretty happy.  The little scope performed better than I expected, certainly.  What a great little Takahashi scope.

Ok, as I always do, I will include a link to the main image followed by a small sample.  Here you go (and see you next time!):  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/M45_6Dec13.htm

M31 featured on Space.com and YahooNews!

http://jeffjastro.com
Well, found out just a little while ago that my M31 result (not yet published in my blog here since I am still way behind :) has been featured on Space.com and YahooNews!  At my main site I added the ability to switch between Ha and non-Ha versions of the M31 result.  Here is the link to the Yahoo story:

http://news.yahoo.com/stargazer-snaps-stunning-view-andromeda-galaxy-photo-134110669.html

Here is a smaller version of the image featured:

B343 - Dark Nebula in Cygnus

http://jeffjastro.com
Once again, playing catch-up :)  Here is Barnard 343 - Dark nebula in Cygnus.  This is another shot with the TOA using HaRGB filters imaged on 8 Nov 2013.  This is actually one of my favorite objects of late and probably one of the best data sets I have collected.  I had much, much fun processing and experimenting with/learning techniques to complete this image.  Image details/larger at:  http://jeffjastro.com/dso/B343_8Nov13.htm