JeffPo's Deepsky Page
Last update: 03/03/04
Like my planetary images, my deepsky images leave a lot to be desired. But again, they do document my progress. I'll get this stuff right one day (or should I say night).
Galaxies
This was a 400 asa film, 8" SCT with F/6.3 reducer, 20 minute exposure of M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy. Given my luck with deepsky photography, I think this one actually came out pretty good.
Here's a 200mm shot of the Andromeda galaxy, M31. Can you find M32 and M110?
Here's another image of M31. This was taken at the prime focus of my 8" SCT, working at f/6.3. It was about a 20 minute exposure on 800asa film. Notice the dustlanes? Also, M32 shows up rather nicely as a fuzzy spot at the bottom/center.
Here's a new shot of the Triangulum galaxy, M33. Although this one still needs work, you can see the spiral structure better than my old picture. This is about a 25 minute shot on my 8" SCT, at f/6.3.
Here's an image of the galaxies M65 (bottom) and M66 (top) in the constellation of Leo. Taken with 8" f/6.3 SCT on 800asa film, 25minutes.
Here's an image of the spiral galaxy M101 in the constellation of Ursa Major. Taken with 8" f/6.3 SCT on 800asa film, 25minutes.
Nebula
This is my first attempt at trying to take a shot of the HorseHead Nebula. This was Fugi Super G 800 Plus film, 8" SCT with F/6.3 reducer, and a 15 minute exposure. The HorseHead is at the bottom of the frame, just to the left of center. The Flame Nebula shows very well to the left of the bright star Alnitak. The blue ring around the star is an artifact, although it does look similar to a super nova from Star Trek. The blue spot to the upper right of the HorseHead is also some sort of artifact (or maybe it was Comet Polston???).
Here's another attempt at the Horsehead Nebula. Although badly trailed, I think the nebula is a little more prominent in this shot.
Here's my latest and best shot of the Orion Nebula, M42. This is 800 asa film, 8" SCT with f/6.3 reducer, and about a 20 minute exposure.
Here's a little bit better shot of M8, the Lagoon Nebula.
Swan Nebula, M17
Here's an image of the Dumbbell Nebula, M27.
Here's a wide angle shot that captures the Flame Nebula, the Horsehead Nebula, and the Orion Nebula. The three stars in a verticle row in the upper left quadrant are the belt stars of Orion.
Here's a shot of the Rosette nebula.
Here's a horrible image of M20, the Trifid nebula. But at least you can kind of tell what it is.
And here's a horrible image of M16, the Eagle nebula. It's there....kind of.
Star Clusters
Here's an image of the globular cluster M15, in Pegasus. Taken with my 8" SCT, f/6.3, 800asa film, 20 minute exposure.
The "Thirty Something" open clusters of M37 (center) and M36 (to the lower left). M38 is just starting to show in extreme, lower left corner of the photo. This was a piggy back shot.
Here's a shot of the Double Cluster in Perseus.
Here's a shot of the Beehive Cluster, M44, in Cancer. This image was taken with my 200mm zoom lens, f/3.9 I think. It's about a 10 minute shot on 400asa film. The Beehive is an open cluster that is easily visible to the naked eye as a patch of haze. Binoculars give a better view than a telescope on this object.
Here's a shot of the open cluster known as the Pleides, M45.
Here's an image of the open cluster M46, located in Puppis. Notice the involved planetary nebula to the upper right of center. Taken with 8" f/6.3 SCT on 800asa film, 25minutes.