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Posts Made By: Dave Erickson

November 20, 2012 03:30 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

SH2-173 Hydrogen Emission Nebula and NGC103

Posted By Dave Erickson

Thought you might enjoy something different from Cassiopeia, a bit unusual but thats what I've been shooting the past few months. SH2-173 Hydrogen Emission Nebula and Lower left of center NGC103. RGB (3) 2min R,G and (3) 3min B sub frames RGB (12)HAlpha 5 min sub frames 81 min total exposure. Taken using 8" F/2.6 at Sierra Chaparral Observatory. www.hbastro.com

November 21, 2012 03:06 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Cave Nebula---SH2-155 SH2-154 NGC 7419

Posted By Dave Erickson

Cepheus is home to many fine objects. Here from top to bottom are the Cave nebula SH2-155 its neighbor SH2-154 and a tight open cluster NGC 7419. RGB (4) 2min R,G and (4) 3min B sub frames RGB (12)HAlpha 5 min sub frames 88 min total exposure taken Sep 19, 2012 Sierra Chaparral Observatory 8" F/2.6 Astrograph. www.hbastro.com

November 28, 2012 08:13 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Old Film Image vs. First Light CCD image 30 years

Posted By Dave Erickson

I thought it would be interesting to post an example of the significant advantage CCD imaging has brought to amateur astronomy. The image on the left is from 1975 taken with a home made 5" F/4 wright Schmidt guided with an an off axis 5" F/8 Schmidt cassegrain. This is a manually guided 1.5 hour exposure using 103aF film and an R60 filter, the HAlpha filter of the day. It was one of the first amateur images published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in their Mercury Magazine as an example of how amateur images rivaled those of professionals. Not a good image by todays standards...

The one on the right is a first light 60min HAlpha image taken with a home made 8" F/2.6 catadioptric, taken 30 years later in 2005 using an SBIG STL11000m self guided camera.

I think the difference speaks for its self. While I miss the romance of the darkroom and wet chemistry there is no comparison in the image quality and capability available to amateurs today. Happy Imaging... Dave

March 15, 2013 06:06 PM Forum: Comets

Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Setting

Posted By Dave Erickson

I had the good fortune of spending a few days in the Sierras and the weather was clear most nights. It was clear at sunset on Tuesday so I managed a few shots of the comet and moon. I thought this one of the moon and comet setting was interesting so I thought I'd post it. I used a 300mm Nikon F/2.8 lens and a Nikon D7000 body. I have more images from the series on my website www.hbastro.com. Oh, the streak above and left of the moon is a jet flying across over the Central Valley.
Regards,
Dave

March 16, 2013 04:35 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

First Light for new wide field setup.

Posted By Dave Erickson

Antares and surrounding area with an upgraded wide field remote camera. First light image using HAlpha filter (3)15min sub frames taken March 13 2013 from Sierra Chaparral Observatory. Seeing 1.2 arc seconds Sky Quality 22 mag/arc sec.

April 18, 2013 09:53 PM Forum: Telescope Making

New Astrograph for Sierra Chaparral

Posted By Dave Erickson

Not exactly a glamour shot of my newly completed astrograph, an 18" focal length f/4 astrograph with Clement focuser and (4) dove tail plates for attaching additional instruments. Instruments like a wide field ST8300 camera on top and an off axis guide scope for those objects with unusual orbits. Not shown is the STIL11000M camera for it. Attached as well is the solid model of it on an AP1200 mount for scale…

April 19, 2013 03:29 PM Forum: Telescope Making

Next Astrograph for Sierra Chaparral

Posted By Dave Erickson

Thought I'd post a CAD rendering for the next Astrograph currently under construction for the Sierra Chaparral Observatory. Its a 12.5"F/6.8 Schmidt Cassegrain. Primary mirror is complete and the other optics including the corrector plate are in fine ground state. Tooling for the aspheres is being worked at the moment... Dave

April 22, 2013 08:27 AM Forum: Comets

Image of comet ISON and small tail

Posted By Dave Erickson

Here is an image of comet ISON taken Friday April 19... Dave

May 28, 2013 05:39 AM Forum: Comets

PanStarrs is back near Polaris May 26, 2013

Posted By Dave Erickson

Here is an image of Comet PanStarrs sporting a tail more than 5° long taken May 26 using a 3" F/4 astrograph and Sloan Yellow Filter (1) 6 min exposure...

May 28, 2013 05:46 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

WideField Veil Nebula area in HAlpha

Posted By Dave Erickson

Veil Nebula area HAlpha image 2-pane mosaic using (3) 20 min HAlpha exposures each and the 4.5" aperture F/4 astrograph taken May 14 and May 24, 2013