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Posts Made By: dan kowall

January 30, 2006 01:48 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M 101

Posted By dan kowall

A break in the weather has finally allowed me to image again.
Information, larger images, and galaxy identifications can be found here:
http://www.photonhunter.com/M101.html

ST2000XM on a Tak FSQ
LRGB: 150/90/60/45 minutes

Thanks for looking,

dan kowall

January 30, 2006 04:32 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

IC 2169, WIP

Posted By dan kowall

Well, we had a couple of nights suitable for imaging. Now the clouds are back.
In the meantime, I decided to do a quick processing of some incomplete data to see what I had with this Work In Progress.
This rarely imaged reflection nebula is faint; I'm working with 30 minute color subexposures.
There's a lesson to be learned here: I should have framed this better at the start. There's some interesting stuff off-frame to the lower left, but now I don't want to give up my hard earned exposures here to start over.

ST2000 on an FSQ
LRGB (synthetic luminance)

Patiently waiting for clear skies,
dan kowall

February 9, 2006 05:19 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC 7538

Posted By dan kowall

Though the data for this was gathered last summer and fall, it took me a while before I had an image that I was satisfied with.
A mid-sized image is attached, but a larger image and an object description are available here:
http://www.photonhunter.com/NGC7538.html

ST10 on a 12" reflector
HaRGB: 270-60-90-60 minutes

Thanks for looking,

dan kowall

February 12, 2006 05:32 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Changing Nebulae

Posted By dan kowall

Here's a companion piece to Jim Thommes' fine M 78.
There aren't too many nebulae that change appearance within a human's lifespan. McNeil's Nebula, next to M 78, is one and NGC 2261, known as Hubble's Variable Nebula, is another.
Attached is a mid-sized image of NGC 2261 that I just finished.
A larger image and explanation for the variability can be found here:
http://www.photonhunter.com/NGC2261.html

ST10 on a 12" reflector
RGB: 150-135-95 minutes

dan kowall

February 13, 2006 05:03 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Changing Nebulae-An Animation

Posted By dan kowall

This is a follow up to my post the other day of NGC 2261, Hubble's Variable Nebula.
Jeff Hapeman and Joe McBride generously shared their versions of this nebula in response and that started me wondering if changes could be seen over the course of these images.
Just for the grins, and with apologies to Jeff and Joe for hijacking their images, I made a gif of these three images morphing into one another. This is, of course, in no way accurate or scientific. I only made a feeble attempt to normalize the background and brightness levels.
One must remember that these images were taken with different scopes, different skies, and different processing. At one point, some stars 'materialize' in one corner because of missing data.
The gif begins with Jeff's image from 2002, then Joe's of 2005, and finally mine from 2006.
(Animation is about 700kb)
http://members.cox.net/dakoan/NGC2261.gif
Let me know what you think.

dan kowall

March 7, 2006 08:14 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC 2903

Posted By dan kowall

This was imaged under my usual light polluted skies with the added bonus of windy conditions.
The wind is good because it usually improves the seeing, but bad because the scope sometimes thinks it's a sail.
Full details and a larger image here:
http://www.photonhunter.com/galaxies/NGC2903.html

dan kowall

March 26, 2006 04:01 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC 7331

Posted By dan kowall

I've been reprocessing old images during the recent bad weather.
Attached is a mid-sized image of NGC 7331 from last year.
ST10 on a 12" reflector
LRGB: 240-90-75-60 minutes
A larger image, details, and galaxy identifications can be found here:
http://www.photonhunter.com/galaxies/NGC7331.html
Thanks for looking,

dan kowall

April 4, 2006 06:23 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M106

Posted By dan kowall

Attached is a mid-sized image of this busy galaxy.
Extragalactic jets, a super massive black hole, intense star forming regions, and a water vapor maser can all be found in this one galaxy.
A larger image and full details may be found here:
http://www.photonhunter.com/galaxies/M106.html
ST10XME on a 12" reflector
LRGB: 230-60-70-80 minutes

Thanks for looking,

dan kowall

April 9, 2006 04:24 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

The Whirlpool

Posted By dan kowall

As always, this was imaged from my light polluted back yard.
I cobbled together some old and new data for this one.
Attached is a mid-sized image, but a larger image and image details may be found here:
http://www.photonhunter.com/galaxies/M51.html
Thanks for looking,

dan kowall

April 18, 2006 01:45 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M 13

Posted By dan kowall

I reprocessed some old data the other day. A year's improvement in processing skills made a noticeable difference in this image.
When the weather clears, I'd like to try this one again with some new exposures.
Attached is a mid-sized image.
A full-sized image and details can be found here:
http://www.photonhunter.com/clusters/M13.html

dan kowall