Some more active solar prominences

Some more active solar prominences today.

Scope: Coronado PST

Imaging Camera: Altair Astro GP-CAM 3 178M

Mount: Sky Watcher NEQ6 Pro

Time lapse video created from 240 frames taken at 15s intervals and compiled to video using PIPP.

NGC281 - The Pacman Nebula

I last imaged NGC281 over two years ago, so here's a new one taken on Christmas Eve 2020

Scope: Sky Watcher ED80 DS Pro
Mount: Sky Watcher NEQ6
Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 183C

Guide scope: Sky Watcher Evoguide 50ED
Guide cam: Altair Astro GP-CAM 290M

Image capture: SharpCap
Guiding: PHD2
Planetarium: Cartes du Ciel

51 x 5min Lights

21 x 5min Darks

32 flats

Stacked in DSS, total exposure after stacking 200mins.

Finished in Affinity Photo and Photoshop Elements.

 

Sunspot activity on the up

The latest sunspot cycle appears to have started about a year ago, slow to get going but on the up now.

These two images were taken on the 28th November.

White light image equipment

Scope: Sky Watcher ED80 DS Pro

Imaging Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 183C

 

Ha image equipment

Scope: Coronado PST

Imaging Camera: Altair Astro GP-CAM 3 178M

Mount: Sky Watcher NEQ6 Pro

White light, with active regions identified

 

In Ha combined image to show surface and prominences.

 

Mars Late September

 Here are the two best images from late September.

Scope: Sky Watcher ED80 DS Pro
Mount: Sky Watcher NEQ6 Pro
Imaging Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 183C + StarGuider x3 Barlow
Planetarium software: Cartes Du Ciel
Mount control: EQMOD

Guide Scope: Sky Watcher Evoguide 50ED
Guide Camera: Altair Astrom GP-CAM 290M
Guide Software: PHD2

26/09/2020

 

27/09/2020 

M33 Triangulum Galaxy

It's been nearly two years since I last imaged M33, so here is a new image.

Scope: Sky Watcher ED80 DS Pro
Mount: Sky Watcher NEQ6
Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 183C

Guide scope: Sky Watcher Evoguide 50ED
Guide cam: Altair Astro GP-CAM 290M

20/09/2020
60 x 120s Lights
30 x 120s Darks

21/09/2020
59 x 120s Lights
30 x 120s Darks

DSS Stack: 95 images out of 119.
Total exposure time after stacking: 3hrs 10mins

Image capture: SharpCap
Guiding: PHD2
Planetarium: Cartes du Ciel

Stacked in DSS, finished in Affinity Photo and PhotoShop Elements.

 

Mars - 13/09/2020

As Mars approaches opposition in early October it's increasing in brightness and size. This is probably my best image to date. The southern ice cap can be seen bottom right.

Scope: Sky Watcher ED80 DS Pro
Mount: Sky Watcher NEQ6 Pro
Imaging Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 183C + Celestron X-Cel LX x2 Barlow
Planetarium software: Cartes Du Ciel
Mount control: EQMOD

Guide Scope: Sky Watcher Evoguide 50ED
Guide Camera: Altair Astrom GP-CAM 290M
Guide Software: PHD2

 

Sun in Hydrogen Alpha Today

Sun spots AR2767, bottom left and AR2768 top right.

Scope: Coronado PST
Mount: Sky-Watcher NEQ6 Pro
Camera: Altair Astro GP-CAM 178M
Processed with Registax 6 and Photoshop Elements.

A prominence in action

The following video was compiled from 120 time lapse images taken at 15 second intervals. Best viewed full screen [] on 'loop', right click. It shows a closeup of the prominence top left in the picture above.