Medium resolution Uranus and 5 major moons

I've never photographed the innermost and illusive moon, Miranda.  I think it was nearly washed out in overexposed glow of Uranus at 5sec and full gain.  With delicate sharpening and fine processing of levels A 'spike' off the disk appears in the right spot enough for me to consider it photographed for now.

Here's an animation of the overlaid simulation from WinJUPOS:

I attempted some Infra-Red shots as well but the seeing did NOT cooperate to give any details of banding or polar cap.

Thanks for reading!

Mike

Partial Solar Eclipse 2013

Simulation of Jupiter's October 12, 2013 TRIPLE TRANSIT

Using screen captures on Grischa Hahn's WinJUPOS (http://jupos.privat.t-online.de/) I put together this animation.  Starting at 20131012 0315UTC and ending 0815UTC this animation steps through in increments of 15minutes.

During the "Triple Transit" we will see three shadows on Jupiter's disk at the same time.  The shadows of Io, Europa and Callisto will all fall on the visible side of Jupiter at the same time.  After the shadows of Io and Europa move off the edge a true double transit will take place.

These events are rare so go out and enjoy this one, I have never seen a triple transit since I started to observer Jupiter back in 2007.

All times are in UTC and you will need to convert to your local timezone.  I hope these screenshots and animations help your planning efforts and clear skies to you.

A link to the individual screenshots are here: https://plus.google.com/photos/108750361778865447048/albums/5933194308670906897?banner=pwa

Around Abell 262, a galaxy cluster in Andromeda

Abell 262 is a cluster of galaxies that are part of the Pisces-Perseus supercluster and approximately 205-250 million light years distant.  I cannot find good information on how many member galaxies are included in this cluster.  I set out to work on some deep sky object imaging fundamentals.  I started imaging the bubble nebula (seen here)  Then I moved to another part of the sky and I'm not sure why I did it but found all these tiny galaxies using my star charts.  In awe I took a photo and found as many galaxies as stars.  Flashforward weeks later and I finally get around to learning more about this fascinating part of the sky.  I imaged a part of the sky near, but not including Abell 262.  Here is the full view of a mosaic of two separate areas.  All told I estimate that there should be near 76 or so galaxies in this one mosaic image of 2 sub images.  Some  have distance/redshift measurements some do not!  Read on for some mind blowing facts!

And the glorious 15 MegaPixel view (Scrolling required)

Here is a labeled view, where each red area/dot is a galaxy!

------------------------------------------------------------

Now let's take a look at some close ups of interest. 

In this subarea, there is approximately 30 galaxies.  Use this mouse over for details.

http://maphilli14.webs.com/Astronomy/8-Webs/DSO/Galaxies/Mouse-Over-Abell262.html

Along the top of the full image is my favorite is this area, which includes the most distant object I've observed to date.

This one struck me with the different sizes, shapes and types of galaxies all in one area.  This field covers 10 galaxies in an area of about 13.5 arc minutes wide.  Of all of these galaxies I think I love the barred spiral on the right and the tiny spiral above the A in Abell on the bottom title bar.

Here is the mouseover to help find them.

http://maphilli14.webs.com/Astronomy/8-Webs/DSO/Galaxies/Mouse-Over-Abell262Favorite.html

Also be sure to check out all my Galaxy photos here: https://plus.google.com/photos/108750361778865447048/albums/5825355202588613809?banner=pwa

Or visit my web pages for other awesome astrophotos: http://maphilli14.webs.com/

If you want to know more about my telescope visit it's page +Akule 

Now for some mind blowing details....

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This happenstance image with some fact finding of my own includes the furthest object I've yet observed.  Let's see how I came to this conclusion.

My references to imaged fields are plate solved and overlaid in Cartes Du Ciel via the solved fits wcs header info.  Then using the CdC PGC catalogs I can reference the v (velocity - http://leda.univ-lyon1.fr/leda/param/v.html) information, typically expressed in km/s and measured via 'Compilation of cz (radial velocity) measurements' (http://leda.univ-lyon1.fr/leda/rawcat/a110.html)

Convert velocity measurements into redshift (z - speed of light in vacuum):

http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/speed/km_sec.html

Convert z to distance in light years:

http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/length/auredshift.html

For example our 'fastest receeding' or furtherst galaxy, PGC197602, is measured at 35444 +/- 36 (http://leda.univ-lyon1.fr/ledacat.cgi?o=PGC197602%20)

35444 km/s = 0.1182 (z)
0.1182 = 1,628,000,000 LY or 1.628 BILLION Light Years away from Earth.

You could compare this to the age of the Universe's expansion, 13.8 Billion years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_the_universe) and claim it to be 11.79% of the most distant objects yet known.  Think about that.  From the comfort of my home I can use tools to witness the photons leaving millions of distant suns at a time 1,628,000,000 years ago!  Well, plus or minus 1,654,000 years that is!

Concidentially nearby to this galaxy is, PGC: 3626780, which has no measured magnitude or redshift values. Not that I'm going to purchase a spectrometer but if anyone has one that they think would help measure these objects I'll willingly give it a try.

Explore the rest of the imaged galaxies here...

WDS 01h54m23.83s +36°26'28.5" D* WDS ALI 29 m1:12.27 m2:12.40 sep: 12.1 pa:117 date:1932.00 sp: 1 desc:

WDS 01h54m37.79s +36°37'16.0" D* WDS COU 857 m1:12.20 m2:13.40 sep: 2.8 pa: 27 date:1972.00 sp: 1 desc:

PGC 01h53m57.96s +36°24'47.3" Gx PGC197604 m:16.67 PGC:197604 Dim: 0.5 x 0.2 ' pa:126 rv: 5006

PGC 01h55m49.14s +36°28'37.3" Gx MCG+06-05-046 m:16.13 PGC:7120 Dim: 0.5 x 0.5 ' pa: 89 rv: 0

PGC 01h54m43.38s +36°51'26.4" Gx PGC100155 m:17.71 PGC:100155 Dim: 0.5 x 0.2 ' pa: 89 rv: 14766

PGC 01h54m42.22s +36°24'58.4" Gx PGC2079136 m:16.97 PGC:2079136 Dim: 0.5 x 0.2 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h53m41.20s +36°50'05.4" Gx PGC212856 m:17.13 PGC:212856 Dim: 0.5 x 0.2 ' pa:144 rv: 0

PGC 01h54m03.34s +36°24'04.2" Gx PGC006997 m:15.80 PGC:6997 Dim: 0.6 x 0.3 ' pa:126 rv: 4973

PGC 01h55m47.44s +36°56'10.3" Gx MCG+06-05-047 m:15.29 PGC:7122 Dim: 0.6 x 0.5 ' pa: 70 rv: 4938

PGC 01h55m53.47s +36°18'16.3" Gx PGC212865 m:15.99 PGC:212865 Dim: 0.6 x 0.4 ' pa: 72 rv: 3775

PGC 01h54m39.32s +36°37'52.4" Gx MCG+06-05-039 m:15.58 PGC:7031 Dim: 0.6 x 0.4 ' pa:147 rv: 4676

PGC 01h54m30.05s +36°22'50.4" Gx PGC007018 m:17.16 PGC:7018 Dim: 0.3 x 0.3 ' pa: 90 rv: 4709

PGC 01h53m38.29s +36°57'55.5" Gx PGC100149 m:18.05 PGC:100149 Dim: 0.3 x 0.1 ' pa: 60 rv: 26824

PGC 01h54m17.54s +36°54'56.4" Gx PGC212855 m:18.03 PGC:212855 Dim: 0.3 x 0.2 ' pa: 49 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m43.23s +36°23'21.4" Gx PGC197607 m:17.81 PGC:197607 Dim: 0.3 x 0.2 ' pa:178 rv: 27303

PGC 01h55m00.45s +36°34'44.6" Gx PGC2081954 m:17.35 PGC:2081954 Dim: 0.3 x 0.3 ' pa: 90 rv: 4822

PGC 01h55m46.65s +36°48'19.3" Gx PGC197608 m:16.88 PGC:197608 Dim: 0.4 x 0.3 ' pa: 73 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m47.16s +36°49'45.3" Gx PGC2086489 m:17.41 PGC:2086489 Dim: 0.4 x 0.2 ' pa:120 rv: 0

PGC 01h53m53.47s +36°39'27.3" Gx PGC2083300 m:17.45 PGC:2083300 Dim: 0.4 x 0.2 ' pa: 46 rv: 25172

PGC 01h55m59.51s +36°38'58.2" Gx PGC197610 m:16.89 PGC:197610 Dim: 0.4 x 0.2 ' pa:102 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m42.71s +36°59'04.9" Gx UGC01385 m:14.00 PGC:7111 Dim: 0.6 x 0.6 ' pa: 90 rv: 5593

PGC 01h53m34.56s +36°41'08.0" Gx UGC01347 m:13.51 PGC:6961 Dim: 1.0 x 0.9 ' pa: 90 rv: 5542

PGC 01h53m46.05s +36°34'48.4" Gx UGC01350 m:14.24 PGC:6977 Dim: 1.1 x 0.3 ' pa: 48 rv: 4998

PGC 01h56m18.20s +36°37'43.1" Gx UGC01392 m:15.77 PGC:7173 Dim: 0.8 x 0.4 ' pa:145 rv: 5248

PGC 01h54m11.68s +37°01'20.3" Gx UGC01353 m:14.55 PGC:7006 Dim: 0.9 x 0.6 ' pa:104 rv: 5286

PGC 01h53m57.13s +36°53'13.3" Gx NGC0712 m:14.19 PGC:6988 Dim: 1.1 x 0.7 ' pa: 83 rv: 5339

PGC 01h55m08.54s +36°41'48.2" Gx UGC01366 m:14.66 PGC:7066 Dim: 1.5 x 0.4 ' pa:139 rv: 5115

PGC 01h53m23.27s +36°34'05.4" Gx UGC01344 m:13.57 PGC:6948 Dim: 1.6 x 0.9 ' pa: 45 rv: 4401

PGC 01h54m43.71s +36°17'47.2" Gx NGC0717 m:14.86 PGC:7033 Dim: 1.3 x 0.2 ' pa:115 rv: 5098

PGC 01h54m18.26s +36°17'18.1" Gx NGC0714 m:14.10 PGC:7009 Dim: 1.5 x 0.4 ' pa:111 rv: 4432

PGC 01h53m35.28s +36°55'13.9" Gx PGC212857 m: PGC:212857 Dim: 0.7 x 0.1 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h53m39.14s +36°17'26.4" Gx NGC0709 m:15.24 PGC:6969 Dim: 0.7 x 0.4 ' pa:128 rv: 3576

PGC 01h54m38.80s +36°51'16.4" Gx MCG+06-05-038 m:15.24 PGC:7028 Dim: 0.6 x 0.6 ' pa:180 rv: 4685

PGC 01h54m45.67s +36°42'29.5" Gx PGC007035 m:15.48 PGC:7035 Dim: 0.7 x 0.4 ' pa: 40 rv: 5678

PGC 01h55m50.71s +36°59'12.3" Gx MCG+06-05-048 m:15.50 PGC:7123 Dim: 0.7 x 0.5 ' pa: 66 rv: 5619

PGC 01h55m59.46s +36°19'39.2" Gx UGC01387 m:15.73 PGC:7140 Dim: 0.8 x 0.4 ' pa:169 rv: 4535

PGC 01h56m09.89s +36°22'25.2" Gx UGC01390 m:15.63 PGC:7159 Dim: 0.8 x 0.3 ' pa: 44 rv: 4368

PGC 01h54m42.09s +36°39'07.1" Gx UGC01361 m:15.85 PGC:7030 Dim: 0.7 x 0.3 ' pa:132 rv: 5743

PGC 01h54m38.75s +36°25'02.4" Gx MCG+06-05-040 m:15.21 PGC:7029 Dim: 0.8 x 0.7 ' pa: 90 rv: 4151

PGC 01h54m15.12s +36°31'59.3" Gx 3627024 m: PGC:3627024 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h54m29.71s +36°39'36.4" Gx 3627092 m: PGC:3627092 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h53m38.06s +36°18'53.5" Gx 3626838 m: PGC:3626838 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 4947

PGC 01h53m58.22s +36°41'13.3" Gx 3626947 m: PGC:3626947 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 35085

PGC 01h54m44.17s +36°35'35.3" Gx 3627171 m: PGC:3627171 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m06.79s +36°44'13.5" Gx 3627289 m: PGC:3627289 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 70 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m16.40s +36°50'58.4" Gx 3627344 m: PGC:3627344 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h54m57.74s +36°53'25.5" Gx 3627246 m: PGC:3627246 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m06.19s +36°38'18.5" Gx 3627282 m: PGC:3627282 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 35361

PGC 01h53m31.65s +36°43'09.2" Gx 3626805 m: PGC:3626805 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa:100 rv: 25106

SAC 01h54m42.60s +36°18'01.4" Gx NGC 717 m:13.90 Name:UGC 1363 sbr:12.50 Dim: 1.3 x 0.2 ' pa:117 class:Sa1 IIIcal desc:vF;pS;*15 sf 1'; Const:AND

SAC 01h55m42.81s +36°59'00.8" Gx UGC 1385 m:13.40 Name:Mrk 2 sbr:12.30 Dim: 0.8 x 0.7 ' pa:170 class:SBacIIIcal desc:;brightest of 3 Const:AND

SAC 01h53m54.69s +36°53'01.8" Gx NGC 712 m:12.80 Name:UGC 1352 sbr:12.90 Dim: 1.3 x 1.0 ' pa: 85 class:SO1 IIIcal desc:vF;R;am pB stars; Const:AND

SAC 01h54m18.57s +36°17'01.6" Gx NGC 714 m:13.10 Name:UGC 1358 sbr:12.30 Dim: 1.5 x 0.4 ' pa:112 class:Sa1 IIIcal desc:F;vS;R;2*13 p & np; Const:AND

NGC 01h54m48.60s +36°17'01.3" Gx NGC 717 m:14.00 sbr:13.74 Dim: 1.0 x 1.0 ' desc:vF, pS, *15 sf 1' Const:And

PGC 01h53m27.24s +36°43'42.3" Gx 3626780 m: PGC:3626780 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa:160 rv: 0

PGC 01h53m29.95s +36°49'54.2" Gx 3626794 m: PGC:3626794 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

NGC 01h54m00.70s +36°52'01.8" Gx NGC 712 m:14.00 sbr:13.74 Dim: 1.0 x 1.0 ' desc:vF, R, am pB st Const:And

PGC 01h55m40.19s +36°31'47.4" Gx PGC197606 m: PGC:197606 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa:105 rv: 35284

PGC 01h55m21.29s +36°47'41.3" Gx 3627368 m: PGC:3627368 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa:135 rv: 0

PGC 01h56m24.70s +36°19'00.2" Gx PGC2077430 m:18.08 PGC:2077430 Dim: 0.2 x 0.2 ' pa:104 rv: 0

PGC 01h56m03.48s +36°42'45.2" Gx PGC2084342 m:17.98 PGC:2084342 Dim: 0.2 x 0.2 ' pa: 60 rv: 0

PGC 01h53m25.57s +36°43'22.3" Gx PGC197602 m:17.79 PGC:197602 Dim: 0.2 x 0.2 ' pa: 90 rv: 35444

PGC 01h55m06.68s +36°35'39.5" Gx PGC2082210 m:18.53 PGC:2082210 Dim: 0.2 x 0.2 ' pa:160 rv: 29405

PGC 01h56m03.80s +36°59'07.2" Gx PGC2089315 m:18.19 PGC:2089315 Dim: 0.3 x 0.2 ' pa:141 rv: 0

PGC 01h54m59.94s +36°26'30.6" Gx PGC2079554 m:17.66 PGC:2079554 Dim: 0.3 x 0.2 ' pa: 42 rv: 0

PGC 01h54m10.33s +36°25'38.3" Gx PGC197605 m:17.48 PGC:197605 Dim: 0.3 x 0.2 ' pa:105 rv: 4246

PGC 01h53m36.41s +36°23'38.5" Gx PGC2078742 m:18.29 PGC:2078742 Dim: 0.3 x 0.2 ' pa: 91 rv: 5003

PGC 01h53m58.99s +36°58'25.3" Gx PGC100152 m:17.60 PGC:100152 Dim: 0.3 x 0.2 ' pa:123 rv: 26695

PGC 01h56m13.04s +36°27'22.2" Gx PGC2079800 m:18.40 PGC:2079800 Dim: 0.2 x 0.2 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m44.49s +36°27'58.3" Gx 3627480 m: PGC:3627480 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h56m04.84s +36°23'36.2" Gx 3627571 m: PGC:3627571 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 10 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m28.16s +36°34'18.4" Gx 3627397 m: PGC:3627397 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 30 rv: 0

PGC 01h55m28.50s +36°38'13.4" Gx 3627401 m: PGC:3627401 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h56m17.40s +36°59'27.1" Gx 3627643 m: PGC:3627643 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa:110 rv: 0

PGC 01h54m09.61s +36°19'18.5" Gx 4020025 m: PGC:4020025 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h53m47.30s +36°29'46.8" Gx PGC100151 m: PGC:100151 Dim: 0.2 x 0.1 ' pa: 90 rv: 4953

PGC 01h56m28.75s +36°38'23.1" Gx 3627682 m: PGC:3627682 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

PGC 01h53m42.39s +36°35'31.7" Gx 4020022 m: PGC:4020022 Dim: 0.0 x 0.0 ' pa: 90 rv: 0

Other reference images of mine:

Astrometry - http://nova.astrometry.net/user_images/81028#annotated

AstroBin - http://www.astrobin.com/57217/0/?real=&mod=none

Jupiter 2013 is off to a good start...

And my automated processing is coming along nicely.  Here's a preview of the v10 routine using python and sikuli to batch the captures from AS2 to AstraImage to WinJUPOS

Here's to a good 2013/2014 for Jove and Mars!

Mike

Cat's Eye in HaRGB

I'm pretty happy with this one and for once the weather cooperated a bit!  In between some violent, flooding t-stroms I caught a whole night of goodness.  Here's the Cat's Eye, a planetary nebula that I shot in Ha + RGB.

EDIT: Astrobin has the full res for you, Google does NOT!

Also from this night are some iffy looking bubble nebula shots

I really didn't plan to take a specific object really just enjoy the weather and practice shooting.  Thanks for reading and enjoy the views

Neptune 2013 - 3hrs past opposition

I honestly have not been afforded the time or clear skies to be choosy about when and how I shoot the night sky most of this year.  I had intended to share Neptune with the +Virtual Star Party again this past Sunday, but it was not to be so, the clouds called me inside again.  I did get a break the night after, Monday, August 26, 2013.  Shortly after 1am or Aug 27, 0400UTC, I took this shot in very poor conditions.

If you pay attention to the star, labeled Collimation / Seeing in the lower corner you might notice that there is NO airy disk around the star.  A 2x series of collimations via catseyes and a round defocused star was best I can do.  This lack of airy disk is most likely the result of having quite poor seeing.  The star was jumping all over.  It was a dimmer star and the exposures were consistent or just faster than the planet Neptune itself.  It does reveal a sharp contrast between the resolved 2.4" disk of Neptune and the point of light from the star.

I was unable to get Triton due to the increasing cloudy and soupy skies.  And now back to our regularly scheduled M-Cloudy and 50% chance of rain!

Here is the growing list of all Neptune's I've ever shot.

And shout out to +Universe Today and +David Dickinson  for some Neptune info on opposition and finder charts!
http://www.universetoday.com/104098/how-to-see-planet-neptune-our-guide-to-its-2013-opposition/