Purpose:
Recording close approach of Mars; deep sky photography
Location:
Sunrise Highway
Time:
Begin 21:00 PDT 26 AUG 2003, end 04:00 27 AUG 2003.
Best results:
Canon Goto Camera images:
The Canon Goto Camera is not suited for planetary imaging, but the night of the Mars close approach was also moonless -- ideal for deep-sky imaging.
NGC 7293 Helix Nebula in Aquarius. Not too from Mars tonight is this large, faint, colorful nebula. 2003.08.27 01:20:07 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 3200 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 3,646KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
Hyades Cluster in Taurus. Aldebaran dominates this shot of the Hyades, imaged just off the horizon. 2003.08.27 00:15:34 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 1600 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 2,998KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules. 2003.08.26 21:53:10 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 1250 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 2,925KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules. By boosting the focal length to 800mm, the image size is increased and the bright core is brought under control. 2003.08.26 22:02:36 800.0 mm 59 sec, f/5.7 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 1250 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 2,195KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M27 Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula. 2003.08.26 22:09:38 800.0 mm 59 sec, f/5.7 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 3200 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 2,729KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
Spiral Galaxy M31 in Andromeda, with M32 and M110. M32 is the small bright elliptical galaxy nearest M31, and M110 is shown at the upper left. 2003.08.27 01:28:04 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 3200 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 3,378KB Image size: 2464 x 1648Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
Spiral Galaxy M31 in Andromeda, with M32 and M110. Another frame, for the purpose of stacking. 2003.08.27 01:39:29 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 3200 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 3,449KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M33 Pinwheel Galaxy in Triangulum. 2003.08.26 23:44:21 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 1600 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 2,797KB Image size: 2464 x 1648Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M36 and M38 open clusters in Auriga. M38 (top) and M36 (bottom). This full frame includes the digital camera corner burn typical of every digital camera I have seen. 2003.08.27 00:21:32 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 1600 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 3,185KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M45 Pleiades Cluster in Taurus. Exposure at extended ISO begins to pick up some of the interstellar gassiness. 2003.08.27 00:11:20 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 3200 AF mode: Manual Focus Drive: Continuous (high): frame 1 White balance: Auto Color matrix 1: sRGB natural-looking hue and chroma Flash: Off File size: 3,611KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
Webcam CCD Images:
Mars as disk. Imaged about two hours before closest approach. The dark feature near the center of the disk is Solis Lacus. Raw capture, cropped. Imaged through 10" Meade LX5 SCT with Philips Toucam Pro. Exposure 1/250 @ f/10.
Images are copyright ©2003 Paul C. Martinez & Philip Brents. They may be used for any educational or scientific use - however, please reference or link to this page if you do so.
