Nov 112013
 

NGC 1973/5/7 is a reflection nebula 1/2 degree northeast of the Orion Nebula. The three NGC objects are divided by darker regions. It is also called The Running Man Nebula and Sharpless Catalog 279.

This object was named ‘The Running Man Nebula’ by Texas Astronomical Society member Jason Ware. Approximately 20 years ago his down stairs neighbor looked at the object and said it looked like a running man. He brought this up a TAS club meeting and the name stuck. Now widely accepted as ‘The Running Man’.

Description Courtesy of Wikipedia

Oct 282013
 

IC 405 (also known as the Flaming Star Nebula, SH 2-229, or Caldwell 31) is an emission/reflection nebula[1] in the constellation Auriga, surrounding the bluish star AE Aurigae. It shines at magnitude +6.0. Its celestial coordinates are RA 05h 16.2m dec +34° 28′.[2] It surrounds the irregular variable star AE Aurigae and is located near the emission nebula IC 410, the open clusters M38 and M36, and the naked-eye K-class star Hassaleh. The nebula measures approximately 37.0′ x 19.0′, and lies about 1,500 light-years away.[2] It is believed that the proper motion of the central star can be traced back to the Orion’s Belt area.[2] The nebula is about 5 light-years across.[1]

Description Courtesy of Wikipedia

Oct 012013
 
Sep 212013
 


This area is rich in diversity offering the Open Cluster M52, Emission Nebula SH2-157 aka The Lobster Claw Nebula as well as SH2-161.  Also included is the more famous Bubble Nebula NGC 7635.

Imaged from my backyard outside Pittsburgh, PA.

Telescope:  Tak FSQ-106ED

CCD:  Apogee U16

Mount:  AP900GTO3

Exposure Time:  H-Alpha = 14x20min, O[III] = 9x20min, S[II] = 10x20min

Total Exposure Time = 11 Hours

 

Aug 282013
 

The A694 finally saw first light after an extended bought of bad weather and other personal issues.  This is a single 20 minute frame without any bias, dark, or flat calibration taken through an AP130EDT f/8 reduced to f/6.35 with the AP 0.75X reducer all riding on an Atlas mount.

 

Apogee A694 First Light AP130EDT w/ Reducer Atlas EQ-G No Calibration

Apogee A694 First Light
AP130EDT w/ Reducer
Atlas EQ-G
No Calibration