Maxim DL Difference...

I have not used MaximDL alot, but have started now because the new Orion DSCI needs it. I downloaded a copy of the Fat Tail Deconvolution script for it. This is the greatest thing ever! It really does a great job and doesn't add to the image noise. Here are a few images redone that you can compare with the regular Van Cittert method.

M94 Again!

I re-shot M94 with my new Starshoot CCD, just to compare it with it's cousin, the DSI-Pro. This image is 68 stacked 30 second images with 15 iterations of Maximum Entropy deconvolution. Turned out much different than the DSI version.

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy with New CCD

I took this image of the Whirpool Galaxy with the new Orion Starshoot DSCI camera. It is 35 images of 30 second duration using the default camera settings. I got this camera to use as a second guider, but this cam looks like it may be pretty good to use by itself. Much better in my opinion than the DSI one shot color, and it seems to give the DSI Pro a serious run for it's money.

First Light for New Guide Camera

I picked up several new things here lately. One of which is an old first generation Orion Starshoot DSCI I plan to use for guide cam duty. I have always wanted to play with one of these, but never have.

The moon was full and very bright, so I picked a relatively bright target for it's first shot. I picked the globular star cluster M3. This image is 50 ten second images stacked using the default values of the camera. Focus was off slightly, will have to do better next time.

New Scope coming on-line!

This is a very unusual post in that I do not yet have a photo for it. I have traded off the little Intes-Micro M500 Maksutov Cassegrain for its big brother, an MN66 Maksutov Newtonian. The M500 was great, but the MN66 should do a little better for some imaging I would like to try. I will post more when it is finally set-up.

Owl Redux

I redid my photo of the Owl Nebula. The colors are much better now. I don't remember the specs on this image, but I know it was done with my DSI-Pro and CMY filters through my old M500.

M66 - Last with the DSI-C

This is to be my last image with my DSI-Color. I have traded it for an Orion Starshoot. We will have to see how it works out.

This galaxy is M66. It is part of what is known as the Leo Trio. This trio is made up of NGC 3228, M65, and this galaxy, M66. It is a barred spiral galaxy with hints of an active nucleus. My image is 42 thirty second images stacked. Shot unguided.

Globular Cluster M13

Globular Clusters are great orb-like masses of stars in orbit around our galaxy. They are almost like a mini galaxy, only they are made up of typically a single type of star (usually hot blue stars) and they lack any gas or dust. What lies in their center is anyone's guess. If you lived on a planet there, your night sky would be an incredible star filled wonder, and night would probably not be dark like it is here. A large halo of these clusters circles our galaxy, and M13 is one of the more impressive ones.

My image is a stack of about 15 images varying from 5secs to 3 minutes, shot with my Canon 300D at ISO 1600 using my SN-10 telescope.

Messier 100

I took this image of M100 shortly after I did the M104 Sombrero picture. Even with twice the number of subs, the atmospheric conditions had already changed for the worst. This image shows it in it's lack of fine detail. It is a stack of 55 thirty second images with the DSI-C shot through my SN-10.

This galaxy is a fairly reliable producer of supernovas (exploding stars). Several have been recorded, with the most recent being SN2006X in 2006. There is one still visible in this photo. It is called SN1979C, and it is visible below and to the left of the nucleus, near the tip of the bright portion of the lower spiral arm. This is a rare type of supernova that is still glowing brightly nearly 30 years after it was discovered, while SN2006X has long faded. However, you cannot see it with your eyes. You would need X-Ray eyes, as it glows mostly in the X-ray spectrum.

My New Sombrero...

I took this image of M104 "The Sombrero Galaxy" a few nights ago. Seeing was exceptionally good, and I got lot's of detail on the ring structure of this galaxy. No one really knows exactly what kind of galaxy this is, as it has characteristics of both spirals and ellipticals. It appears to be an elliptical surrounded by a spiral ring seen from the edge.

This images is 25 thirty second images stacked from my DSI-C.