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M20 Trifid Nebula in LRGBHa

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Posts Made By: Jeff Hapeman

November 21, 2003 05:47 AM Forum: Wildlife Photography

Aurora in WI

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
We had a good show here tonight, although unfortunately during the best part of the show, I had the camera slightly out of focus. This is from the end of the show, after I tightened the focus up. Note the Big Dipper rising in the north.

Thirty seconds at ISO 400 with the Nikon D100 and 17-35mm lens at f/3.2.

Jeff

November 22, 2003 09:33 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

New Image: Horsehead Region

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
This is a first-light test of my new ST2000-XM. This is a 180:60:60 minute RGB taken with my Takahashi FSQ-106N on an AP600E GTO mount. Focused with the FLI DF-2 digital focuser. Composed of 30-minute sub-exposures.

Nice to not have to deal with heavy blooming on Alnitak. I think this camera is a keeper.

Jeff

December 1, 2003 01:37 AM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

Message for Cal

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
Cal,

Thanks for sharing all of the great shots from Panama! It brings back many vivid visual memories of my last trip to Costa Rica about ten years ago. You have posted pictures of many of the birds I saw. Your photos are all wonderful, and bring back wonderful memories to boot.

Was this a work trip? If so, I want your job!

Jeff

December 9, 2003 02:35 AM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

Evening Grosbeak

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
We were up at our house in northern WI over Thanksgiving, and had a nice little snowfall over several days. I was hoping that we would get some northern birds up there, so I loaded up the feeder, and on the last day of our trip we had redpolls, a pine grosbeak and this femail evening grosbeak. This is the only bird I was able to photograph. I'm amazed the image came out; it was a handheld shot at 1/100s with the 80-400mm VR lens. The VR technology really does wonders. Nikon D100, ISO 400.

Not an ideal pose or shot, but I was happy to see this bird, and this time of year there are not a lot of other birds in WI.

Jeff

December 21, 2003 04:20 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Wide-field M42

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
I was testing my Takahashi Teegul Sky Patrol II mount tonight, and decided to try a 200mm macro lens on my Nikon D100, which yields an effective FL of 300mm. I must have gotten the polar alignment nailed pretty well, as it guided quite nicely. I should have some fun with this mount. Anyway, this is a very short exposure, 4x30s stacked at ISO 800. Regardless, it goes down to about magnitude 13, which surprised me. Resized for the web.

Jeff

December 31, 2003 09:37 PM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

Pine Grosbeak

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
We are up at our northern home for the holidays (and dial-up stinks) and several pine grosbeaks have been coming to the feeders--mostly at dawn and dusk. This shot was taken as the afternoon sun nicely lit up this adult male. Nikon D100 with the 80-400mm VR lens hand-held (cold hands!).

Beautiful birds that I don't see very often.

Jeff

January 1, 2004 10:35 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Northwoods Orion

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
We are enjoying our holidays at our home in northern WI--it's good to get away from the more urban southern part of the state--and we had a few hours of clear sky last night until just after midnight. I took this photo of Orion over the pines on the shore near our home. It's a 30s exposure with the Nikon D100 and 17-35mm lens at ISO 800. There was a setting 1/2 moon that illuminated the pines and approaching clouds.

It was amazing to stand on the ice and listen to it crack and groan beneath me as it continued to "make ice" as it was only 0F outside. A memorable night.

Jeff

January 1, 2004 10:40 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

New Year's Aurora

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
While out to shoot Orion, I saw a very faint glow to the north, and realized there was a dim auroral display going on, so I took another 30s expsoure with the D100 at ISO 800. The 1/2 moon interfered a bit, but a nice show popped up on the screen, and really evokes the feeling of the northwoods.

BTW, I have been shooting in RAW mode now and then editing with Photoshop CS, which can do RAW imports, and the results are much better than letting the camera doing the jpegs on it's own.

Jeff

January 2, 2004 12:54 AM Forum: Wildlife Photography

Northern Pike

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
Up here in northern WI we ice fish when winter arrives. Actually, this time of year the pike are very active under the ice, and we could see green weeds thriving down there, too.

In case you are wondering, he was not let go...swallowed the hook. However, he made a good dinner for several people.

Jeff

January 4, 2004 07:08 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

HaRGB Horsehead

Posted By Jeff Hapeman
This is sort of a test image for me. I took recent data from my FSQ and ST2000-XM and combined it with some deep Ha data from the ST-10XE and FSQ taken in January 2002. I used Registar to align these images since they were at different plate scales. I blended the 180m of R data from the ST2000-XM with 210m of Ha data in an attempt to reduce the blue halos that can result when using Ha for the L layer; it worked generally well, although there are still smallish blue halos--although I don't find them objectionable.

I really like the very smooth appearance I got with so much data, and how deep I was able to go, especially in the area below the HH, which is often shown as black, but is really full of faint nebulosity.

After registration in Registar, image assembly was done in Photoshop CS, followed by curves, levels, saturation and contrast adjustments. The L layer of Ha data was adjusted separately with many of the same steps, including some light unsharp masking to reveal details in the nebulosity.

Total integration time for this image is 8.5 hours: 3.5 hours of Ha, 3 hours of R, and one each of G and B. This image was reduced 50% for posting.

Jeff

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