Posts Made By: Dave Erickson

Here is an image of the triple conjunction taken Saturday night May 25 2013 from Sierra Chaparral Observatory

Over the weekend I drove to the site and collected last few weeks of data. Here is a preliminary HAlpha frame of NGC6888; its (4) 20 min using the 4.5" F/4 astrograph.

I am always disappointed with the way my narrow band imaging combines with color images so I thought I'd try something different. Here the stars are roughly the correct color but the HAlpha is white. What do you think?

Hi,
I am back from vacation in Yellowstone and another computer crash. Seemed a good time to update the mother board so I did. Everything is back on line and I am back processing images.

Conditions at Sierra Chaparral the past couple of months have been very transparent and dark. Measuring Sky Quality of ~22 mag/arc sec most nights. Seeing has been averaging a modest 2 arc seconds so conditions have been perfect for short focal length wide field imaging. I have been concentrating on the low hanging fruit in Scorpius near the stinger. These objects of interest never get 20 degrees above the horizon at my site.

Please find attached an HAlpha image of NGC 6357 the Lobster nebula (3) 20 minute subframes 4.5" F/4 astrograph. Processing has been limited to a non linear screen stretch to preserve the delicate structure of the surrounding nebula. Part of the Cat Paw nebula is also visible in the lower right corner. North is up.

NGC 6357 spans about 400 light years and lies about 8,000 light years away. This nebula includes the open cluster Pismis 24, which is home to several massive stars.

I will post a second image that highlights a long eared fox like structure between the lobster claws and includes an inset image of a long eared fox for reference.

Anyone else see the long eared fox between the claws of the lobster nebula? I included an inset image of a long eared fox for reference.

NGC 6357 spans about 400 light years and lies about 8,000 light years away.

www.hbastro.com

Here is M16 M17 where the stars are roughly the correct color but the HAlpha is nearly white. What do you think?

A different approach to image processing where the background stars are roughly the correct color but the HAlpha nebula is rendered nearly white.. Software used is Fits Liberator and Photoshop CS2.

Here is another low hanging object near the stinger in Scorpius. In this wide field image are

B257, Sh2-8_NGC6334_CatPaw, Sh2-5, Sh2-3, Sh2-4, Sh2-6, several planetary nebula, and more.

Conditions at Sierra Chaparral the past couple of months have been very transparent and dark. Measuring Sky Quality of ~22 mag/arc sec most nights. Seeing has been averaging a modest 2 arc seconds so conditions have been perfect for short focal length wide field imaging. I have been concentrating on the low hanging fruit in Scorpius near the stinger. This objecs never gets 20 degrees above the horizon at my site.

www.hbastro.com

Please find attached an image of the M107 Area that includes a portion of Sh2-27 and several LDN's. North is up. Taken in May 2013 with the 3" F/4 astrograph at Sierra Chaparral. Field Of View is nearly 4°x6°...

Best Dave
www.hbastro.com

Here is not so often imaged region of Cygnus that is centered on Sh2-118 RA:21h 36m Dec:+40° 10'. It also includes LBN346, 355, 366, 375, 395, 396, 397, and LBN 399 and to the upper Right is part of Sh2 113-114. FOV is about 4°X6°. www.hbastro.com

Sh2-126, with at no additional charge, LBN 428-30, 433, 437, 440, and LBN 442. Centered 22h 34m +38° 39' in the constellation of Lacerta. Taken by remote control from Sierra Chaparral using the 3" F/4 astrograph. August 2013. www.hbastro.com