My latest image was captured from the backyard over the past few months. The region is an amazing section of our Milky Way with many tendrils of gas and dust expanding and contracting in the constellation Cygnus. The North America and Pelican nebulae are the two of the most obviously named deep sky objects in the Milky Way. For technical details, please see my Astrobin page linked on the contact page. This image is now part of the “Narrow Band Gallery”.
Solar Observing and Imaging with the Daystar Quark Chromosphere Filter
Please take a moment to check out my latest YouTube video where I share my first 8 months with the Daystar Quark Chromosphere filter for observing our very active Sun.
Summer Skies gifted with Solar Prominence
Our family vacationed in Surfside Beach, SC this past week. I had envisioned a video production celebrating the “Summer Sky”. I planned on capturing the beauty of the sky with clouds, stars, Milky Way, Sun, and Moon. I brought my Astro-Physics Stowaway and Daystar Quark Chromosphere Eyepiece along for hydrogen alpha views and images of the Sun. Boy was I in for a treat. I viewed/imaged the Sun every morning and was taken aback with the views on August 3. The prominence was fantastic and lingered well into the next day. Below are the images and links to the video production. I will soon have a video reviewing and discussing viewing imaging with the Daystar Quark Chromosphere eyepiece. So far, it has been a blast since I picked it up in December. Clear skies and thanks for stopping by.
The solar prominence arc on August 3, 2022.
The arc is still visible on August 4, 2022.
Celebrating “Summer Skies” with clouds, Sun, Moon, stars, and lightning.
The solar prominence animated on Aug. 3, 2022. This animation represents 40 minutes of motion. This is a 4 segment loop of a forward/reverse presentation.
Green Bank Star Quest 2022
The Green Bank Star Quest is a premier astronomy event in the U.S. The host facility, the Green Bank Observatory is a first-class facility. The are over 24 hours of lectures in the modern lecture halls and rooms. You can sign up for hands-on training and operation of a radio telescope as well as tour the Green Bank Telescope, an engineering and scientific marvel. Oh yeh, the skies are pretty dark there, too. I had 2 excellent nights of imaging, one night being a solid 9.5 out of 10. Please check out the YouTube video for sights and sounds from the party and I hope you enjoy the images below. See you next year at GBSQ 2023.
Star Trails over Green Bank
Milky Way at Green Bank with 35mm
Green Bank Observatory Milky Way
Rainbow Lagoon Nebula in SHO palette
“Pillars of Creation" in Eagle Nebula M16
Monongahela Milky Way from May 2022
I visited the wonderful mountains of West Virginia during the May new moon period. Two locations were on tap and both are in the Monongahela National Forest. Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is a premium destination for hiking on the east coast. It is pretty dark there, too. Brent Maynard, and his son Cameron, joined me for some astrophotography one night in Dolly Sods. Please see the YouTube video for a bit more background on this experience. I then spent a few nights at Experience Learning Center on Spruce Knob. The visit to the forest is best presented in the YouTube video. Here are the images from the trip. If you need more details on the images, please visit my Astrobin page linked in my “contact info” page. Clear skies.
Milky Way rising over the Eastern Continental Divide in Dolly Sods Wilderness Area
Milky Way over Forest Road 75
Enchanted Tree in Dolly Sods Wilderness Area
Head of Scorpius
IC 4592 Blue Horse Head nebula
IC 4604
Sunspots 3023 and 3024 on May 31, 2022
Filament and Spicules on the solar limb on May 31, 2022
M8, M20, and M21 in Sagittarius
M8, M20, and M21 in Sagittarius