Tom's Astronomy Page

M51 and M82, M83 using my Carbonstar 200 mm scope. These are the first images captured since getting my QHY268M camera back from China. It had been out for repairs to the dew heating system and to clean the inside of the optical window that was covering the sensor. Filters were 25 year old Astrodon LRGB series E. Mount is my trusty 25 year old Losmandy G11. Took some work to remove artifacts of light pollution. Unfortunately some still remain.

This is my rig. The scope is a Carbonstar 200 with field flattener. The guide scope is a William Optics 73. The mount is my Losmandy G11 Gemini 2 with RA extension, purchased in 2001 and upgraded several times. The current imaging camera shown is the ASI 2600 mc pro. The guide camera is the QHY 5III174. I also have a QHY 268m with color filter wheel for RGB imaging. And I just upgraded both focus motors to Primaluce units. And everything works!

My first attemp at stitching together two frames of images into a mosaic. Seemed to work well. This the Rosette Nebula, just west of the Orion Nebula.

The Horsehead and Flame Nebula, along with the central area of the Pleiades star cluster. Taken with Carbonstar 200 with field flattener, ZWO ASI2600 color camera, on a G11 Gemini 2 mount. The flame nebula was 60 second subs x 30 images. The Pleiades was 120 second subs x 30. Processed in Pixinsight.

First image of M42 with new ZWO ASI2600 camera and Carbonstar 200 telescope.

An updated version of the Rosette Nebula.

The Rosette Nebula in Dual Narrowband. Taken with a 73 mm WO Zenithstar refractor, ZWO dual narrowband Filter (HOO). Camera is an ASI 533.

The Flaming Star Nebula, taken from my deck in Lancaster County, Pa. 23 images using a Zenithstar 73 mm refractor and an ASI533 camera.

Telescope: William Optics ASI533MC at f/5.9. Images taken every 15 minutes from 1:15 to 3:15 a.m.

20 subs 3 minutes each. Processed with Pixinsight.

Added a William Optics Zenithstar 73 with a Primaluce Sesto 2 focus motor. Tested out the focuser motor and it all works. Just need the wind to die off and I can test it out.

Posting for reference, this is the before image of the Horsehead Nebula before using Multiscale Gradient Correction. Note the green in the bottom right and the magenta gradient in the upper left.

When imaging dso’s this is replaced with an Optec Pyxis rotator, an Optec f/.63 reducer, and a QHY 268m with filter wheel and oag.

Horsehead Nebula, attempt 2. Updated Pixinsight and used the Multiscale Gradient tool. Took out the green gradients much better.

Second attempt. Used the Multiscale Gradient tool to take out the light pollution artifacts better.

The Great Orion Nebula.

The Horsehead Nebula in Orion