Category Archives: Natural World

Cocoon nebula, surrounded by a dark nebula, reddening and blocking light from background Milky Way stars.

Striking colors at the Oregon Star Party

This very young group of hot blue stars is surrounded by dust which reflects the blue light of the stars. It is one of the closest of open clusters to Earth, and is easily visible to the unaided eye in … Continue reading →

This spherical collection of 100k to 1M ancient metal-poor stars is one of the most often observed summer objects in the northern hemishpere, and glitters like diamond dust in the eyepiece. Photo taken with Canon 60Da DSLR, multiple exposures, through … Continue reading →

Star clusters are very sparkly through the eyepiece, but tend to look flat in photos. This large double cluster requires a very wide field of view. Taken with Canon 60Da DSLR camera, combination of multiple exposures, through an 8″ f/4 … Continue reading →

M51 face-on spiral near handle of Big Dipper. Taken Jul 28 2011, with Canon 20Da camera on 8″ f/4 AstroTech AT8IN newtonian

NGC 891, multiple exposures at Oregon Star Party, with Canon 60Da through 8″ f/4 AstroTech AT8IN newtonian, with coma-corrector.

Trifid Nebula, showing both hydrogen-alpha (red) emission, and dust reflection (blue) nebulosity. Taken at Oregon Star Party, with Canon 60Da and 8″ f/4 AstroTech AT8IN newtonian with coma-corrector.

California Nebula, from Oregon Star Party, taken with Canon 60Da through 8″ f/4 AstroTech AT8IN newtonian

From Oregon Star Party, Canon 60Da and 8″ f/4 AstroTech AT8IN newtonian

Large bright edge-on galaxy visible in the spring in Canes Venatici. Taken at Camp Delany Apr 11 2013, multiple 60-sec exposures at ISO 1600 with Canon 60Da, and 8″ f/4 AstroTech AT8IN newtonian telescope

A classic spring trio of galaxies, and a supernova to boot! Taken Apr 11 at Camp Delany, with Canon 60Da, multiple 60-sec exposures at ISO 1600, with an 8″ AstroTech AT8IN newtonian, on G11 mount. Images combined in MaximDL5. Curves, … Continue reading →

Comet PanSTARRS was circumpolar at this time; taken in early am of Apr 11, with Canon 60Da, 10x 60sec, 1600 ISO, with an 8″ f/4 AstroTech AT8IN newtonian, coma-corrector, on G11 mount

This is essentially the view from space over Washington State – from Blue Marble. From any of the glowing areas, (where the people are) it is very hard to see the night sky.