Neurohack Astrophotography http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography News and posts about astronomy and astrophotography. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:36:36 GMT en-us Copyright © 1999-2012 by George Moromisato. All Rights Reserved. editor@neurohack.com editor@neurohack.com Astrophotography Targets for October http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/OctoberTargets.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/OctoberTargets.html objecttypelocationmagsizeskill NGC 7293 Helix NebulapnAqr 22H 29.64m -20°50.22'612' × 10'Beginner NGC 7331sgPeg 22H 37.1m +34°25'9.59.7' × 4.5'Intermediate NGC 7479sgPeg 23H 5m +12°19'10.83.9' × 3'Intermediate NGC 7606sgAqr 23H 19.1m -8°29'10.85.8'Intermediate NGC 7635 Bubble NebuladnCas 23H 20.7m +61°12'1015' × 8'Intermediate Arp 319 Stephan's QuintetcgPeg 22H 36m +33°57.9'13.611' × 8.5'Advanced NGC 7662pnAnd 23H 23.9m +42°32.1'8.30.5' × 0.5'Advanced Sh2-142dnCep 22H 47.3m +58°8'1030' × 30'Advanced Sh2-155 Cave NebuladnCep 22H 56.8m +62°37'1050' × 30'Advanced

Like a bag of trick-or-treat candy, October holds a multicolor variety of sweet targets: pale blue galaxies, red and teal planetaries, and deep red nebulae.

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]]> Fri, 1 Oct 2010 20:00:58 GMT Astrophotography Targets for September http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/SeptemberTargets.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/SeptemberTargets.html objecttypelocationmagsizeskill IC 5146 Cocoon NebuladnCyg 21H 53.4m +47°16'9.310' × 10'Intermediate NGC 6888 Crescent NebuladnCyg 20H 12m +38°21'8.818' × 13'Intermediate NGC 6946sgCep 20H 34.9m +60°9'8.811.2' × 8.8'Intermediate NGC 6960 Western Veil NebulasnCyg 20H 45.7m +30°43'7.970' × 6'Intermediate NGC 6992 Eastern Veil NebulasnCyg 20H 56.4m +31°43'7.560' × 8'Intermediate NGC 7000 North America NebuladnCyg 20H 58.8m +44°20'3.8100' × 60'Intermediate NGC 7008pnCyg 21H 0.55m +54°32.58'9.91.6' × 1.3'Intermediate NGC 7009pnAqr 21H 4.18m -11°21.82'80.7' × 0.4'Intermediate NGC 7023 Iris NebuladnCep 21H 1.6m +68°10'7.710' × 8'Intermediate NGC 7129dnCep 21H 41.3m +66°6'11.57' × 7'Intermediate IC 1396 Elephant Trunk NebuladnCep 21H 39.1m +57°30'180' × 180'Advanced IC 5067 Pelican NebuladnCyg 20H 50.8m +44°21'60' × 60'Advanced NGC 7027pnCyg 21H 7.03m +42°14.17'8.50.3' × 0.2'Advanced

The reign of the nebula continues in September, but the bright objects of Sagittarius give way to the fainter and subtler clouds of Cygnus.

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]]> Wed, 1 Sep 2010 20:00:58 GMT Astrophotography Targets for August http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/AugustTargets.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/AugustTargets.html objecttypelocationmagsizeskill M8 Lagoon NebuladnSgr 18H 3.8m -24°23'690' × 40'Beginner M16 Eagle NebuladnSer 18H 18.8m -13°47'6.47'Beginner M17dnSgr 18H 20.8m -16°11'711'Beginner M20 Trifid NebuladnSgr 18H 2.6m -23°2'928'Beginner M27 Dumbbell NebulapnVul 19H 59.6m +22°43'7.48' × 5.7'Beginner M57 Ring NebulapnLyr 18H 53.6m +33°2'8.81.4' × 1'Beginner M24 Sagittarius Star CloudmwSgr 18H 16.9m -18°29'4.690'Intermediate NGC 6572pnOph 18H 12.1m +6°51'90.1'Advanced NGC 6781pnAql 19H 18.5m +6°32'11.81.9' × 1.8'Advanced NGC 6818pnSgr 19H 43.96m -14°9.18'9.30.4' × 0.3'Advanced NGC 6826pnCyg 19H 44.8m +50°31.5'8.50.5' × 0.4'Advanced

If you ever wanted to be an astrophotographer, August is the perfect month to start. In the Northern Hemisphere, August nights are warm and generally clear, at least in many parts of the Western United States. More importantly, August has more beginner-level objects than any other month of the year.

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]]> Sun, 1 Aug 2010 20:00:58 GMT M63 http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/M63.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/M63.html M63

M63 is one of the first galaxies I ever captured. Now, with better equipment and some more experience I visit the Sunflower Galaxy again.

The Astrotourist: M63

]]> Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:00:22 GMT Astrophotography Targets for July http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/JulyTargets.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/JulyTargets.html objecttypelocationmagsizeskill M13 Great Hercules ClustergcHer 16H 41.7m +36°28'5.816.6'Beginner Abell 2151 Hercules Galaxy ClustercgHer 16H 5.3m +17°45'-Intermediate IC 4604 Rho Ophiuchus NebuladnOph 16H 25.5m -23°27'Intermediate NGC 6369pnOph 17H 29.35m -23°45.58'11.41' × 0.6'Advanced NGC 6384sgOph 17H 32.4m +7°4'10.66'Advanced NGC 6503sgDra 17H 49.4m +70°9'10.26.2'AdvancedNGC 6543 Cat's Eye NebulapnDra 17H 58.56m +66°37.98'8.10.4' × 0.3'Advanced

July's most famous jewel is the Great Hercules Cluster, also known as M13.

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]]> Thu, 1 Jul 2010 18:00:16 GMT M106 http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/M106-2.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/M106-2.html M106

Active galaxy M106 is one of my favorite targets.

The Astrotourist: M106

]]> Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:00:22 GMT Astrophotography Targets for June http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/JuneTargets.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/JuneTargets.html objecttypelocationmagsizeskill M101sgUMa 14H 3.2m +54°21'7.928.8' × 26.9'Intermediate NGC 5746sgVir 14H 44.9m +1°57'9.38.1' × 1.4'Intermediate NGC 5866lgDra 15H 6.5m +55°46'9.96.5' × 3.1'Intermediate Arp 271pgVir 14H 3.42m -6°3'125.5'Advanced Arp 286sgVir 14H 20.25m +3°57'11.511'Advanced Arp 297sgBoö 14H 45.17m +38°45'14.511'Advanced NGC 5529sgBoö 14H 15.6m +36°13'135.9' × 1'Advanced NGC 5775sgVir 14H 54m +3°33'11.44.3'Advanced NGC 5850sgVir 15H 7.1m +1°33'114.3' × 3.9'Advanced NGC 5907sgDra 15H 15.9m +56°19'10.412.3' × 1'Advanced NGC 5921sgSer 15H 21.9m +5°4'10.84.9'Advanced NGC 5982 Draco GroupcgDra 15H 38.7m +59°21'Advanced NGC 6015sgDra 15H 51.4m +62°19'11.25.4'Advanced

The month of May got all the good ones, but June still has some beautiful galaxies, including gigantic M101.

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]]> Tue, 1 Jun 2010 18:00:12 GMT NGC 4216 http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/NGC4216.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/NGC4216.html NGC 4216

Beautiful NGC 4216 is flanked by two smaller companions: NGC 4222 (left) and NGC 4206 (right).

The Astrotourist: NGC 4216

]]> Sat, 15 May 2010 13:13:44 GMT Astrophotography Targets for May http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/MayTargets.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/MayTargets.html objecttypelocationmagsizeskill M51 Whirlpool GalaxysgCVn 13H 29.9m +47°12'8.411' × 7'Beginner NGC 4565sgCom 12H 36.3m +25°59'9.616.2' × 2.3'Beginner M63 Sunflower GalaxysgCVn 13H 15.8m +42°2'8.610' × 6'Intermediate M64 Black-Eye GalaxysgCom 12H 56.7m +21°41'8.59.3' × 5.4'Intermediate M83sgHya 13H 37m -29°52'7.611' × 10'Intermediate M87egVir 12H 30.8m +12°24'8.68.3' × 6.6'Intermediate M94sgCVn 12H 50.9m +41°7'8.27' × 3'Intermediate M104 Sombrero GalaxysgVir 12H 40m -11°37'89' × 4'Intermediate M106sgCVn 12H 19m +47°18'8.419' × 8'Intermediate NGC 4631 Whale GalaxysgCVn 12H 42.1m +32°32'9.214.7' × 3.5'Intermediate Abell 1656 Coma Galaxy ClustercgCom 12H 59.82m +27°58.83'Intermediate M58sgVir 12H 37.7m +11°49'9.75.5' × 4.5'Intermediate M61sgVir 12H 21.9m +4°28'9.76' × 5.5'Intermediate M88sgCom 12H 32m +14°25'9.67' × 4'Intermediate M90sgVir 12H 36.8m +13°10'9.59.5' × 4.5'Intermediate M91sgCom 12H 35.4m +14°30'10.25.4' × 4.4'Intermediate M98sgCom 12H 13.8m +14°54'10.19.5' × 3.2'Intermediate M99sgCom 12H 18.8m +14°25'9.95.4' × 4.8'Intermediate M100sgCom 12H 22.9m +15°49'9.37' × 6'Intermediate NGC 4216sgVir 12H 15.9m +13°9'107.9' × 1.7'Intermediate NGC 4236sgDra 12H 16.7m +69°27.8'9.619.6' × 7.6'Intermediate NGC 4361pnCrv 12H 24.51m -18°47.08'10.21.9' × 1.9'Intermediate NGC 4449pgCVn 12H 28.2m +44°6'9.65.4' × 4.2'Intermediate NGC 4490pgCVn 12H 30.6m +41°39'9.55.6' × 2.8'Intermediate NGC 4535sgVir 12H 34.3m +8°12'9.86.8'Intermediate NGC 4559sgCom 12H 36m +27°58'1011.3' × 5'Intermediate NGC 4725sgCom 12H 50.4m +25°30'9.210.5' × 8.1'Intermediate NGC 5005sgCVn 13H 10.9m +37°3'9.85.6' × 2.9'Intermediate Arp 244 The AntennaepgCrv 12H 1m -18°51'1118' × 6'Advanced NGC 4030sgVir 12H 0.4m -1°6'124.3'Advanced NGC 4244sgCVn 12H 17.5m +37°48'10.415.8' × 1.7'Advanced NGC 4656pgCVn 12H 44m +32°10'10.518.8' × 3.2'Advanced NGC 4699sgVir 12H 49m -8°40'9.53.1' × 2.5'Advanced NGC 5033sgCVn 13H 13.4m +36°36'10.110.5'Advanced NGC 5248sgBoö 13H 37.5m +8°53'10.36.1' × 4.6'Advanced NGC 5364sgVir 13H 56.2m +5°1'10.47.1'Advanced

May is officially recognized by every self-respecting international organization as Galaxy Month. You can see from this giant list of targets that some of the best galaxies are out this month, including M51, NGC 4565, M63, and M104.

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]]> Sat, 1 May 2010 19:43:12 GMT NGC 2903 http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/NGC2903.html http://www.neurohack.com/Astrophotography/NGC2903.html NGC 2903

After all the El Niño-spawned clouds this winter it was nice to have some clear nights again. This is an image of NGC 2903, one of the galaxies of Leo.

The Astrotourist: NGC 2903

]]> Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:58:37 GMT