Purpose:
Deep sky photography
Location:
SDAA - TDS (elev. 4000')
Time:
Begin 19:00 PDT 27 SEPT 2003, end 03:00 28 SEPT 2003.
Best results:
The Meade drive training procedure was performed in order to see if any more pointing accuracy could be obtained.
Canon Goto Camera images:
Caldwell 14 Double Cluster in Perseus. A short 30 second exposure is enough to bring out detail in this bright cluster. 2003.09.27 22:11:17 400.0 mm 29 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: 3,556KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
NGC6543 Catseye Nebula in Draco. 2003.09.28 00:04:22 400.0 mm 44 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: 3,734KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
Horsehead Nebula in Orion. This is a tough dark nebula (circled in the above thumbnail) barely visible even in extended exposures. The bright nebula is NGC2024. 2003.09.28 01:02:21 400.0 mm 74 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: 3,769KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules. Focal length was boosted to 800mm for this exposure. 2003.09.27 19:38:09 800.0 mm 44 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: 2,390KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M27 Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula. 2003.09.27 20:20:58 400.0 mm 44 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: 3,512KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M31 Andromeda Galaxy. 2003.09.27 20:51:53 400.0 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: 3,573KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M31 Andromeda Galaxy. 2003.09.27 20:54:07 400.0 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: 3,682KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M33 Pinwheel Galaxy in Triangulum. 2003.09.27 21:09:34 400.0 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: 3,766KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M33 Pinwheel Galaxy in Triangulum. By boosting the exposure to 90 seconds, the extended spiral arms start to come out. 2003.09.27 21:28:34 400.0 mm 89 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: 3,596KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M42 Great Nebula in Orion. This one is tougher than it might seem. The center is so bright it blows out very easily. ISO was dropped to 800 for this 1-minute shot. 2003.09.27 23:50:33 400.0 mm 59 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Manual Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 800 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: 2,791KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M45 Pleiades. 2003.09.27 23:34:56 400.0 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: 3,613KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M57 Ring Nebula in Lyra. 2003.09.27 19:56:37 800.0 mm 44 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: 2,403KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
M74 Spiral Galaxy in Pisces. 2003.09.27 23:01:15 400.0 mm 58 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: 3,490KB Image size: 2464 x 1648 Sharpness level: Off Custom Functions: CFn 3: Extended ISO sensitivity
Webcam CCD Images:
Mars as disk. One month after the great opposition, Mars is still almost as big (21"). The polar cap is much smaller. Philips Toucam Pro on Meade 14" LX200 GPS, stack of seven frames.
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.
