M13, Globular cluster in Hercules
Combination of four individual 10-second exposures at 2x2 binning. Star images are very small because of short exopsure. Stars to 15th magnitude are visible. Color was added in Photoshop.
M52, the Whirpool Galaxy, in Canes Venatici
The image on the left is a portion of the full frame at 2x2 binning. It is a combination of 6 30-second exposures. The right image is 7 30-second exposures at 3x3 binning.
M57, the Ring Nebula, in Lyra
The first image is a combination of 14 1-minute exposures at 2x2 binning. Special sharpening functions (Lucy-Richardson deconvolution, 5 itierations) were applied to bring out fine details. The second image is the same with color borrowed from Hubble Space Telescope's image.
NGC6888, the Crescent Nebula in Cygnus
Full frame image at 3x3 binning. This is the most sensitive mode and is best for larger faint objects. A combination of 10 1-minute exposures barely brings the nebula out of the sky background.
M101, spiral galaxy in Ursa Major
This is the result of combining 29 1-minute exposures at 3x3 binning. Color was added in Photoshop to enhance the spiral arms (blue), nucleus (yellow), and star forming regions (red).
M27, the Dumbell Nebula in Vulpecula
This partial-frame image is a combination of 8 1-minute exposures at 2x2 binning. Color was added in Photoshop by combining with a color film image.
M8, the Lagoon Nebula in Sagitarius
This full-frame image at 3x3 binning is the result of combining four 1-minute exposures. Processing in CCDSoft and Photoshop brings out the faintest outer regions as well as the bright 'hourglass' shape in the left part of the image.
M31 and M32, Galaxies in Andromeda
This large subject required that a mosaic be made of five separately imaged areas and later assembled in Photoshop into one single, large image. Each separate area is a combination of 21 1-minute exposures. Color was also added in Photoshop.
The images on this page mark the end of the first phase of the observatory upgrade here at Olivet. October will find me busy replacing the outdated mount and drives with a new, computer-controlled, state-of-the-art system that will allow us to utilize the full capabilities of the superb Dynascope optics. I have high expectations for the new incarnation of this telescope, so check back often for updates. I will post new images as soon as they are available.