| 2010 Gallery |
The 'second' Leo Triplet
From left to right, M105 elliptical galaxy, M96 and M95 spiral galaxies all found in the constellation of Leo
Exposures: 30x 5 minute exposures |
The Andromeda Galaxy
A new attempt at imaging the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), taken at Slapton, South Devon. With very dark skies and no need for a light pollution filter I got a great result. Exposures: 19x 5 minute exposures |
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The Perseus Double Cluster
One of my favourite deep sky objects to observe is the Perseus Double Cluster. A wonderful sight in both binoculars and modest sized scope. Oddly, its hard to capture the visual beauty of this object with photography.
Exposures: 18x 5 minute exposures @ISO400 |
The Crab Nebula (M1)
... Exposures: 39x 5 minute exposures @ISO800 |
The Bubble Nebula
... Exposures: 25x 5 minute exposures @ISO800 |
| 2009 Gallery |
M42 & The Running Man
The Great Orion Nebula and 'The Running Man' is one of the most beautiful area's of the whole sky featuring a vast cloud of gas and dust where star formation is taking place. Exposures: 30x 25second exposures and 16x 5 minute exposures combined |
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M13 Hercules Cluster (Redo)
A much improved photo of the great Hercules Golbular Cluster. (Click to enlarge to see the detail captured). Exposures: 10x 3 minute exposures @ ISO 800 |
Western Veil Nebula
Also known as 'the witches broom', this extremely faint object is part of the large veil nebula in Cygnus. Its the remaining gas and material left over from an exploded star Exposures: 25x 5 minute and 23x 10 minute exposures @ ISO 800 |
M15 Globular Cluster
M15 is a compact example of a globular cluster that can be found in Pegasus Exposures: 30x 3 minute exposures @ ISO 800 |
M99 Spiral Galaxy
A Spiral Galaxy, the first galaxy I have imaged that lies in the constellation of Virgo. This area of sky is littered with galaxies Exposures: 15x 5 minute exposures @ ISO 800 |
M81 Spiral Galaxy
Another spectacular spiral galaxy found in Ursa Major. This is a more detailed picture of one of the Bodes Galaxies seen further down the page. Exposures: 18x 5 minute exposures @ ISO 800 |
NGC 4565
An improved image of this fantastic edge on view spiral galaxy in the constellation of Coma Berenices Exposures: 25x 5 minute exposures @ ISO 800 |
M101 The Pinwheel Galaxy
My first go at this galaxy and also my first time using my new guiding setup. A wonderful 'face on' galaxy in Ursa Major that is thought to be around 20 million light years distant. Exposures: 26x 4 minute exposures @ ISO 800 |
M51 The Whirlpool Galaxy
A well known and very photogenic spiral galaxy famous for its neighbouring companion appearing to extend off from the main galaxy. I hope to add more exposures to this when the opportunity arrives. Exposures: 50x 4 minute exposures @ ISO 800 (two nights imaging combined) |
The Leo Triplet Revisited
An improved photo of the Leo Triplet as seen further down the page. This time I've added more longer exposures to last years making a vast improvement on the image. Exposures: 37x30 seconds (last year) and 20x 4 minute exposures @ ISO 800 |
| 2008 Gallery |
M31 Andromeda Galaxy (improved)
An improved shot of the closest galaxy to our own. Due to the sheer size of this object in the sky, I used a normal 70-300mm zoom lens on my camera (No telescopes used here!) Exposures: 35x150sec exposures and 9x5 minute exposures |
M13 Hercules Cluster
The 3rd time i've imaged this popular object. However its the first one using the large telescope and I'm pleased with the results. Exposures: 16x30sec & 10x20sec exposures @ ISO 800 |
M45 The Pleiades (7 sisters)
The Pleiades (aka the seven sisters) is the closest star cluster to our solar system. This widefield shot shows some of the nebulosity behind the star cluster. Exposures: 17x 5 minute exposures @ ISO 800 (Canon 70-300mm lens) |
NGC4565
One of the finest examples of an 'edge on' view spiral galaxy. Simply known as NGC4565 (its catalogue number), it is located in the constellation of Coma Berenices. This area of the sky is literally riddled with galaxies, many of which are visible in amateur telescopes. Exposures: 9x 45 seconds @ ISO 1600 |
The Leo Triplet
Three galaxies in the constellation of Leo all of which can be seen in the same field of view. The group of galaxies is roughly 35 million light years away. The galaxies are identified as M65 (top right), M66 (bottom right) and NGC3628 (left). Exposures: 37x 30 seconds @ ISO 1600 |
M97 - The Owl Nebula
A distinctive planetary nebula resembling two wide eye's looking back at you in the sky. Quite a strange object both photographically and visually through a telescope Exposures: 25x 75 seconds @ ISO 1600 |
M45 - The Pleiades (aka The 7 sisters)
The closest open cluster to our solar system is well known as 'The seven sisters', easily visible to the naked eye. Through a telescope many more stars are revealed. In behind the stars is cloudy nebulosity which you can only see a hint of in this photo. Exposures: 8x 90 seconds @ ISO 1600 |
M1 - The Crab Nebula
This Nebula represents the left over gas and material from an exploded star. Exposures: 10x 60 seconds @ ISO 1600 |
M81/M82 - The Bodes Galaxies
These two galaxies in Ursa Major are in gravitational combat with each other and m82, the cigar shaped galaxy, is the one loosing the battle hence its irregular shape. Exposures: 30x 45 seconds @ ISO 1600 |
M31 - The Andromeda Galaxy
The closest galaxy to the Milky Way at a staggering distance of 2.2 million light years. That means the light from this photo has taken 2.2 million years to reach my camera! Taking photos of galaxies really is like looking in to the past. Exposures: 10x 60 seconds @ ISO 1600 |
M42 - The Great Orion Nebula
My first photo of 2008 and first taken through the 250px telescope mounted on the EQ6 Synscan mount. The Orion Nebula is the closest star forming region to our solar system. The colourful clouds of dust and gas are collapsing in to create bright new stars. It is these very stars which illuminate the immense clouds for us to see in all their glory.Exposures: 7x 20 & 2x 40 seconds @ ISO 1600 |
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| 2007 Gallery |
M27 - The Dumbbell Nebula
The Dumbbell Nebula (M27), is a planetary nebula. This is the result of a star that reached the end of its life and the remaining shell of 'star material' is expanding outwards. The left over dwarf star can be seen in the center of the nebula in this photo. Taken with DSLR and 120mm refractor. |
M57 - The Ring Nebula
The Ring Nebula (M57) is a fascinating object. Another example of a planetary nebula that through a telescope looks like a tiny grey smoke ring hanging in the sky. The ring is made up of a shell of gas and plasma formed by certain types of stars at the end of their lives. There is a very faint central star in the middle however it would take a very large telescope to view it. |
M81 & M82 Galaxies
Two Galaxies that can be found in Ursa Major. M81 to the left is a large spiral galaxy with a bright core. M82 to the right is an irregular galaxy, a messy pulp of exploded stars and violently colliding gas. It is also known as 'the cigar' due to its shape. Both galaxies are locked in gravitational combat with each other. 9x90 second exposures at ISO 800. |
M13 - The Hercules Cluster
Click images for normal version
Click here for large version
The Great Hercules Cluster is a globular cluster of stars containing several 100,000 stars. This object can just be seen with the naked eye in a dark moonless sky resembling a dim fuzzy like star. A showpiece object through a telescope. These two images were created from a composite of 18 exposures ranging from 30 to 60 secs taken with the Canon 400D DSLR camera attached to telescope. |
The Double Cluster
The Double Cluster in Perseus is one of my favourite objects to view in the sky. A photograph never seems to be able to capture the richness of these clusters when viewed in an eyepiece. Taken with Canon EOS 400D connected to telescope, 2x 60 sec exposure, ISO 800/1600 |
M37 - Open Cluster
The richest of the three open cluster's in the constellation of Auriga, M37. Thought to contain over 500 stars. 9x1 minute exposures taken with Canon EOS 400D |
M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy
My first Digital SLR image of the Whirlpool Galaxy. Using the DSLR nicely shows the surrounding area with M51 'hanging' in the sky. A better picture can be found further down the page. I need to practice more to get a better quality image of this magnificent deep sky object. Multiple images totalling around 15 minutes of exposure time. |
M42 - The Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula. A composite of 3 images taken at 1,2 and 3 minute exposures on the same night as the left image. Processed in ImagesPlus Software. |
| The 3 images below were taken in unpolluted skies of North Devon at astro-adventures using my telescope and a borrowed Meade Deep Sky Imager - May 2006 |
M13 - The Hercules Cluster
M13 - The Hercules Cluster contains several 100,000 stars and can be just seen with the naked eye in a dark moonless sky resembling a dim fuzzy like star. Taken using a Meade Deep Sky Imager, Meade software and finalised in Paintshop Pro |
M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy
M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy. In all its glory again taken with the Meade DSI. |
M82 - Irregular Galaxy
M82 - A side on view galaxy also taken with the Meade DSI. |
