Almost Heaven Star Party 2023

The 2023 edition of the Almost Heaven Star Party lived up to its name with three glorious star-filled nights of observing and photography. My experience is best documented in photos and video. Please check out the image below and the YouTube video for a full presentation of the event. For details on the images, please see the Astrobin link in the description of each image.

A 7 frame two-row panoramic of the AHSP observing field on Saturday night.

Milky Way in between clouds at Spruce Knob Lake on Thursday night.

Astrobin Link

https://www.astrobin.com/q5tyd8/

Milky Way portrait from Friday night.

https://www.astrobin.com/kbgzsn/

Cygnus Milky Way with hydrogen alpha supplementation.

https://www.astrobin.com/izjbxs/

Clamshell Nebula in Cygnus.

https://www.astrobin.com/vpdo2e/

Clamshell Nebula in HOO.

https://www.astrobin.com/0obu9l/

Veil Nebula detail in HOO.

https://www.astrobin.com/g2ughq/

Prominence and sunspot

https://www.astrobin.com/9vir1w/

New images while waiting for clouds and smoke to clear

To say it has been a frustrating summer would be an understatement. I haven’t had a good look at the Milky Way yet! Canadian smoke and untimely clouds have really sacked our dark sky opportunities. While waiting…I began a new backyard narrow band project I will detail in an upcoming YouTube video. The area of focus in the Cygnus constellation…one of my faves. I also revisited some data with new techniques and rendered an RGB palette with narrow band data of the North America and Pelican Nebulae. Clear and smoke-free skies!

Part of the Cygnus constellation in Hydrogen Alpha wavelength. Adding O3 and SII data when clouds permit.

North America and Pelican Nebulae in RGB rendering of narrow-band data.

A Dark Sky EV Adventure

In January I received my long-awaited Ford F150 Lightning EV. Check out my YouTube videos where I discuss the truck for astronomical photography. A second video details the truck as an EV navigating the mountains of West Virginia. Thanks for checking them out.

How is the truck as a dark sky astrophotography vehicle at the 2023 Night Owl Star Party?

A more detailed look at the Lightning as an EV in the mountains of West Virginia.

Stargazing Cabin at Calhoun County Park YouTube video and images

Hello astronomer! Would you believe it if I told you that there is a first-class cabin at a dark sky you can rent during new Moon periods to enjoy the best of astronomy observing and imaging in comfort? As Han Solo once said…”It’s true….all of it”. Please check out the latest video where I present the wonderful Stargazing Cabin at Calhoun County Park in Grantsville, WV.

November 23, 2022 Solar Prominences putting on a fantastic show in the Daystar Quark.

The Stargazing Cabin and the Andromeda Galaxy overhead.

The Stargazing Cabin light-painted with star trails overhead.

NGC 1333 and chunky dust in the Milky Way.

Sh2-115 in a stunning narrow band palette.

Cederblad 214 in narrow band palette. Please check out my YouTube video on “What is a Cederblad?”

Lunar Eclipse November 8, 2022

A wonderful early morning view of the total Lunar Eclipse was available in Huntington, WV on November 8, 2022. We had great conditions. I scouted out some landscape opportunities, but none panned out and I returned to one of my compositions from several years ago. I had better equipment and technique and improved upon the image from nearly 10 years ago. I hope you had a chance to see the eclipse. Looking forward to the Mars-Moon occlusions on December 7. I hope to live stream the event on my YouTube channel. Clear skies.

The image is a blend of two exposures taken with my Canon Ra and Sigma 250-600mm zoom at 172mm at f/5 ISO 800 and .4 and 1/6 second exposures.