Astronomy Photos - Al Takeda

(click image to view & discuss)	Moon Canon 20D, Takahashi Epsilon-180, 1/500 sec, f2.8. Color balance and sharpness changes with Adobe Photoshop. April 22, 2007, 21:20 hrs. Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/21/2007 20:42:07
(click image to view & discuss)	Straight Wall Imaged using a Philips ToUCam camera, Celestron Super C-8 with 2.5X Teleview Powermate, F/25. Aligned, stacked and wavelet processing with Registax. Image Processing with Adobe Photoshop. ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA. May 25, 2007, 21:20 hrs. Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/21/2007 20:43:41
(click image to view & discuss)	ISS and the space Shuttle Atlantis over the Clubhouse International Space Station (top) and the Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-117) following below next to the Big Dipper. Wide angle shot. Image taken with a Canon 20D, Canon 16-35L (at 16 mm), 6 seconds, f/2.8, tripod, ISO 800. You could see that the ISS had a reddish cast to it due to the newly installed solar panels. June 20, 2007, 21:23 hrs. Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/21/2007 20:47:04
(click image to view & discuss)	ISS and the Space Shuttle Atlantis near the Dipper International Space Station (top) and the Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-117) following below next to the Big Dipper (Cropped Image). Image taken with a Canon 20D, Canon 16-35L (at 16 mm), 6 seconds, f/2.8, tripod, ISO 800. June 20, 2007, 21:23 hrs. Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/21/2007 20:47:54
(click image to view & discuss)	Globular Cluster M-13 and Galaxy NGC6207 Globular Cluster M-13 and Galaxy NGC6207 in Hercules - This globular cluster can be seen as a small fuzzy patch with the naked eye under dark skies. With a 90 mm scope the outer stars of the cluster become visible but it will require an 8 inch scope or greater to show it's true grandeur. Takahashi Epsilon-180, hyperbolic astrograph, Canon 20D DSLR, (7 images x 3 minutes), from the ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA. 16 June 2007. Submitted by Al Takeda on 08/19/2007 20:58:20
(click image to view & discuss)	NGC 7000 (North American Nebula) “eastern coast” and IC 5067 (Pelican Nebula) in Cygnus NGC 7000 (North American Nebula) “eastern coast” and IC 5067 (Pelican Nebula) in Cygnus – A 1.5 degree diameter nebulous area 3 degrees East of Deneb. This area can be seen with binoculars or a small wide-field telescope under dark skies. Takahashi Epsilon-180, hyperbolic astrograph, Canon 20D DSLR, (15 images x 2 minutes) total of 30 minutes from the ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA. 23 June 2007. Submitted by Al Takeda on 08/19/2007 21:02:25
(click image to view & discuss)	NGC 6992 (Veil Nebula – “eastern region”) NGC 6992 (Veil Nebula – “eastern region”) – A 2.6 degree diameter supernova remnant in Cygnus. While the Veil can be seen with a 7x50 binoculars in dark skies the filamentary structure can only be seen visually with a large scope of 25 inches or larger. Takahashi Epsilon-180, hyperbolic astrograph, Canon 20D DSLR, (39 images x 2 minutes) total of 1 hr 18 min from the ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA. 9 August 2007. Submitted by Al Takeda on 08/19/2007 21:04:50
(click image to view & discuss)	NGC 6960 (Veil Nebula – “western region”) and star 52 Cygni NGC 6960 (Veil Nebula – “western region”) and star 52 Cygni – Supernova remnant in Cygnus. The star 52 Cygni is a foreground object and is not part of the nebula.  Takahashi Epsilon-180, hyperbolic astrograph, Canon 20D DSLR, (43 images x 1 minute) from the ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA. 13 August 2007. Submitted by Al Takeda on 08/19/2007 21:06:53
(click image to view & discuss)	Total Lunar Eclipse (Mid-eclipse) - Updated Total Lunar Eclipse (Mid-eclipse) - Updated. This image has been cropped and enlarged. Additional brightening, unsharp masking and Noise Ninja noise reduction have been applied. Takahashi Epsilon-180, hyperbolic astrograph, f/2.8, Canon 20D DSLR, (0.5 seconds), G-11 Gemini mount. Taken at the ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA. 20 February 2008. Submitted by Al Takeda on 02/22/2008 23:54:35
(click image to view & discuss)	P103/Comet Hartley 2 and the Double Cluster P103/Comet Hartley 2 and the Double Cluster in Perseus. The comet brightened to approximately 6th magnitude as it passed the open clusters NGC 869 and NGC 884. The clusters are separated by a few hundred light years (ly) and are 7,000 ly away. Takahashi Epsilon-180, Canon 20D DSLR, 2 - 5 minute sub frames. Chester, Vermont. 8 October 2010. Submitted by Al Takeda on 10/12/2010 13:23:34
(click image to view & discuss)	Comet Hartley2 (P103) Comet Hartley2 (P103). Losmandy G-11 in comet tracking mode. Takahashi E-180, Canon 20D DSLR, ISO-200, 19 -  90 second images. Combined and processed with Images Plus. Levels, curves, sharpness and cropping with Photoshop. ATMoB Clubhouse. 31 October 2010. Submitted by Al Takeda on 11/17/2010 12:32:23
(click image to view & discuss)	Comet McNaught (C2009 R1) Comet McNaught (C2009 R1) near the eastern horizon during astronomical twilight. Takahashi E-180, Canon 20D DSLR, ISO-200, 3 - 60 second images. Combined and processed with Images Plus. Levels, curves, sharpness and cropping with Photoshop. 16 June 2010. Submitted by Al Takeda on 11/17/2010 12:43:08
(click image to view & discuss)	Dec. 21st Total Lunar Eclipse; Partial phase through the clouds I decided to maintain a vigil at my apartment in hopes that I would get a break in the clouds. Around 1 am I could see the outline of the full Moon shining through the low cloud deck. The transparency was horrible, it was snowing and the wind made the subfreezing conditions even worst. Around 1:41 EST (06:41UT) I took a few images of the partial phase before the clouds thickened and completely obscured the Moon for the rest of the night. 1/100-second, f/8, ISO 800. Lens: Canon EF 400mm f5.6L + 1.4X Extender. Canon 20D DSLR. 21 December 2010. Submitted by Al Takeda on 12/21/2010 11:27:35
(click image to view & discuss)	Super Moon On March 19th a nearly perfect perigee-syzygy occured which made the apparent size of the Moon larger then normal. This happens on average, once every 18 years. Perigee is the point at which the Moon is closest in its orbit to the Earth and syzygy is a full or new moon, when the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are aligned. On Saturday the Full Moon occured at 18:10 UT (14:10 EDT)and was less then an hour away from perigee. TMB 92 f/5.5 Refractor + flat field corrector, Canon 20D DSLR, 1/1000-second, ISO 100, Levels, Curves, Unsharp Mask and cropping in Adobe Photoshop, ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA, Evening of 19 March 2011 Submitted by Al Takeda on 03/22/2011 12:46:12
(click image to view & discuss)	The Double Cluster Also known as Caldwell 14, the naked-eye open clusters NGC 884 (Chi Persei) and NGC 869 (h Persei) are 7600 and 6800 light-years away, respectively. The group is blue shifted and is approaching Earth at a speed of 14 miles/second (22 km/sec). Each cluster has over 300 blue-white super-giant stars with a total of approximately 13,000 to 20,000 objects with ages ranging from 5.6 million to 3.2 milion years old. Takahashi Epsilon-180, Canon 20D DSLR, 9 Images x 300 seconds subframe, Total= 45 minutes. Chester, Vermont, 9 October 2010. Submitted by Al Takeda on 04/14/2011 15:23:09
(click image to view & discuss)	M51 plus Supernova 2011dh This image of the Whirlpool galaxy M51 and the supernova 2011dh was taken at the Clubhouse after the Friday evening "Introduction to Astronomy DVD class". The 14.5 magnitude supernova was visually observed by many of the members present using the "light buckets" of Joe Henry's 15-inch  and Steve Clougherty's 18-inch Dobsonians. The type IIP supernova was discovered on May 30-31 by Amedee Riou and credit given to Tom Reiland, Amedee Riou, Thomas Griga, and Stephane Lamotte Bailey. 16 images  x 240-seconds subframe, Total= 1 hr. 4 minutes. TMB 92, f/5.5 plus field flattener, Unmodified Canon 20D DSLR, ISO 800, Processing by Images Plus 2.80 and Photoshop, ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA, 3 June 2011 Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/05/2011 16:01:54
(click image to view & discuss)	M51 - Before and After SN 2011dh These images show M51 last month and after the supernova exploded. The May 1st image has a lot of flaws but with the importance of the event I decided to post it anyway. Both images were taken at the ATMoB Clubhouse in Westford, MA. 1 May 2011 11 images x 240 seconds subframe, Total= 44 minutes, TMB 92, f/5.5 plus field flattener, Unmodified Canon 20D DSLR, ISO 800. 3 June 2011 16 images x 240-seconds subframe, Total= 1 hr. 4 minutes. TMB 92, f/5.5 plus field flattener, Unmodified Canon 20D DSLR, ISO 800, Processing by Images Plus 2.80 and Photoshop. Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/05/2011 17:59:41
(click image to view & discuss)	IC 1396 and The Elephant Trunk 9 images x 300-seconds subframe, Total= 45 minutes. Takahashi E-180, f/2.8, Unmodified Canon 20D DSLR, Astronomik Light Pollution filter, ISO 800, Processing by Images Plus 2.80 and Photoshop. 9 July 2011, ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA. Submitted by Al Takeda on 08/13/2011 23:29:02
(click image to view & discuss)	Comet Garradd and M 15 Periodic Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) shining at magnitude 6 has been an easy object to observe throughout the evening sky this year. During the latter part of July, the comet passed the globular cluster Messier 15 in the constellation of Pegasus. This image was taken one day before the closest approach to the cluster. 3 images x 360-second subframes and 11 images x 5-second subframes, Total= 18 minutes 55 seconds. Takahashi E-180, f/2.8, Unmodified Canon 20D DSLR, Astronomik CLS Light Pollution filter, ISO 800, Processing by Images Plus 2.80 and Photoshop. 31 July 2011, Chester, Vermont. Submitted by Al Takeda on 09/20/2011 13:07:39
(click image to view & discuss)	Aurora – September 26, 2011 That evening’s Planetary Kp index from the USAF Space Forecast Center was forecast to be in the range of 6-8 which meant that it was possible to see auroras at our latitude (Massachusetts). After sunset, I drove to a nearby location that afforded a northern horizon and set up my DSLR on a tripod. I took over thirty images hoping that the camera would capture the aurora. The sky was washed out by the lights of Nashua, Lowell and other towns in the area due to the high humidity levels. At 21:49 hrs EDT (9:49 pm) I noticed reddish vertical streaks in my image but they were invisible to the naked eye. I continued to image until the clouds and fog rolled in at around 23:00 hrs EDT (11 pm). 30-second image, EF 24-105mm at 40mm f/4, Unmodified Canon T1i, ISO 800, processed with Adobe Photoshop. 21: 49 hrs, 26 September 2011, Littleton, MA. Submitted by Al Takeda on 09/27/2011 09:38:18
(click image to view & discuss)	Comet Garradd and The Coathanger Comet Garradd continues to maintain a 6th magnitude level as it glided through the summer Milky Way region. The Coathanger asterism, also called Al Sufi’s Cluster, Brocchi’s Cluster and Collinder 399, is a grouping of stars in the constellation of Vulpecula (the Fox). The members of the Coathanger group range from magnitude 5.1 to 7.2 and is best viewed with a wide field telescope or binoculars since it occupies an area of 60 minutes of arc (1-degree). 2 images x 360-second subframes, Total= 12 minutes (Taken through thin clouds). Takahashi Epsilon -180, f/2.8, Unmodified Canon 20D DSLR, Astronomik CLS Light Pollution filter, ISO 800, Processing by Images Plus 2.80, PixInsight LT and Photoshop. ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA, 2 September 2011. Submitted by Al Takeda on 11/18/2011 09:00:32
(click image to view & discuss)	Jupiter without its Southern Equatorial Belt The Southern Equatorial Belt (SEB) started to fade during the latter part of 2009 and completely disappeared around May of 2010. It is believed that bright ammonia clouds obscure the dark belt at irregular intervals. The SEB previously vanished in 2007. The belt returned around November 2010. North is up in this image. Philips ToUcam Pro II - PCVC 840K, 640x480, IR Rejection Filter, Televue 2.5X Powermate, 8-inch Celestron Super C-8 Schmidt-Cassagrain at f/25, Losmandy G-11 Gemini EQ mount, Processed with Registax 5.1 and Adobe Photoshop, ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA, 28 August 2010. Submitted by Al Takeda on 03/29/2012 12:59:53
(click image to view & discuss)	Mars after the 2012 Closest Approach This image of Mars was taken 16 days after the March 5th closest approach to the Earth using the ATMoB’s 6-inch, f/15 Schupmann telescope. At this time Mars was 13.4-arcseconds in diameter (Maximum diameter was 13.9-arcseconds). The northern polar cap can be seen at the top of this image (North is up). The seeing was good at the beginning of the imaging session but started to degrade a few hours later. Telescope assistance was provided by John Blomquist. Philips ToUcam Pro II - PCVC 840K, 640x480, IR Rejection Filter, Televue 2.5X Powermate (imaging at f/37.5),  6-inch Schupmann telescope, Losmandy G-11 EQ mount. Processed with Registax 5.1 and Adobe Photoshop. Ed Knight Observatory, ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA, 21 March 2012. Submitted by Al Takeda on 03/29/2012 13:07:33
(click image to view & discuss)	Rosette Nebula This large circular H II (partially ionized hydrogen gas) region is a combination of NGC 2237, NGC 2238, NGC 2239, NGC 2246 and the central star cluster of NGC 2244 (Caldwell 50).This star forming region is also known as Caldwell 49 and is located in the constellation of Monoceros (Unicorn) in the Perseus arm of the Milky Way. The hot, young and blue O and B stars are thought to be exerting a stellar wind that is clearing out the central region. The nebula is roughly 5000 light years away and is about 130 light years in diameter. The Rosette covers over 2-degrees of sky and is only a small part of a larger area of nebulosity. 29 images x 90-second subframes, Total= 43 minutes. Takahashi Epsilon -180, f/2.8, Unmodified Canon 20D DSLR, Astronomik CLS Light Pollution filter, ISO 800, Losmandy Gemini G-11 EQ mount. Acquisition and processing by Images Plus 2.80, Additional processing using PixInsight LT and Photoshop. ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA, 3 December 2011. Submitted by Al Takeda on 04/20/2012 08:17:39
(click image to view & discuss)	Sunspot 1476 While checking out my equipment for the Venus transit, I imaged the naked eye sunspot #1476. This active region unleashed an M5-class flare while it transited the face of the sun and its 160,000 km size was greater then a dozen Earth diameters. Sunspots are temporary features in the Sun’s photosphere that are caused by intense magnetic field lines emerging from the interior. The spot appear dark because it is relatively cooler then the surrounding photosphere. The temperature of the spot is still approximately 4500 Kelvin. TMB-92, f/5.5 (imaged at f/22.5) + Lunt Herschel Wedge (White light), Televue 4X Powermate, Philips ToUcam Pro II - PCVC 840K, 640x480 webcam, IR Rejection Filter, Losmandy Gemini G-11 EQ mount. Processed with Registax 5.1 and Adobe Photoshop. ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA, 12 May 2012. Submitted by Al Takeda on 05/25/2012 09:05:53
(click image to view & discuss)	Venus Transit and Clouds Movie In an attempt to find a clear area to view the Venus transit, I drove down to southern New Jersey. Unfortunately I didn’t go far enough south or west to get away from the cloud cover. During the transit, a few tiny sucker holes would cross the face of the sun and show Venus transiting the sun for a few fleeting moments. This sequence of 4 images gives viewers a taste of what I had to deal with during those few short hours of that event. 90mm, f5.6 Orion Short Tube refractor + Majestic Optics custom Inconel glass filter, Canon T1i, 4 images, 1/640-second each, ISO 800, Losmandy Gemini G-11 EQ mount, near Mullica Hill, New Jersey. 08:06 EDT, 5 June 2012. Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/06/2012 13:24:43
(click image to view & discuss)	Venus Transit and Clouds This image shows one frame of the “Venus Transit and Cloud Movie”. 90mm, f5.6 Orion Short Tube refractor + Majestic Optics custom Inconel glass filter, Canon T1i, 1 image, 1/640-second, ISO 800, Losmandy Gemini G-11 EQ mount, near Mullica Hill, New Jersey. 08:06 EDT, 5 June 2012 Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/06/2012 14:35:40
(click image to view & discuss)	Venus Transit – On the Horizon As the Sun slowly sinks in the West, behind the clouds and trees, I can see the inky black dot of Venus for the final time. 90mm, f5.6 Orion Short Tube refractor + Majestic Optics custom Inconel glass filter, Canon T1i, 1/250-second, ISO 800, Losmandy Gemini G-11 EQ mount, near Mullica Hill, New Jersey. 08:19 EDT, 5 June 2012. Submitted by Al Takeda on 06/06/2012 15:01:43
(click image to view & discuss)	Sunspot 1515 in Hydrogen Alpha This naked eye sunspot region was taken with John Blomquist’s double-stacked hydrogen alpha filter system on a customized Televue 102i refractor and my color Philips ToUcam webcam and G-11 mount. You can see the plasma fibrils flowing with the magnetic fields surrounding the sunspot. The brighter areas in the center region show Field Transition Arches which are areas of opposite magnetic polarity. Tele Vue 102i f/8.6 APO with double-stacked Hydrogen alpha configuration (BW= 0.5 ÅngstrÆm), eyepiece projection with a Tele Vue 20mm Nagler, , Stack of 633 images  using a Philips ToUcam Pro II - PCVC 840K, 640x480 webcam,  IR Rejection Filter, Losmandy Gemini G-11 EQ mount. Processed with Registax 5.1 and Adobe Photoshop. ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA, Image by Al Takeda and John Blomquist, 1 July 2012. Submitted by Al Takeda on 07/13/2012 10:35:53
(click image to view & discuss)	Large and Small Magellanic Clouds These are 2 irregular dwarf galaxies that are members of the local group and are currently companions to our Milky Way galaxy. Both are fractions of the size of the Milky Way, are rich in Hydrogen and Helium gas and are undergoing star formation activity. The Large Magellanic Cloud is 160,000 light years away and The Small Magellanic Cloud (in the constellation Tucana) is 200,000 light years away. They are 75,000 light-years apart from each other. Recent studies by the Harvard Center for Astrophysics has found that the Magellanic Clouds are not gravitationally bound to our Milky Way galaxy. They are easily visible to the naked eye and generally can only be seen in the Southern Hemisphere. 31 images x 60-second subframes, Total= 31 minutes. Canon EF 16-35mm, f/2.8L lens using FL= 35mm, f/2.8, Unmodified Canon T1i DSLR, ISO 800. Processing by Images Plus 3.82B, Additional processing using PixInsight LT and Photoshop. Bustard Downs, Maryfarms, Far North Queensland, Australia, S 16-degrees 34.116-minutes,  E 145-degrees 11.336-minutes, 15 November 2012.