NASA APOD Grand Mesa Observatory Star Factory M17
This image was captured and processed by Terry Hancock
My NASA Pictures Of The Day (APOD)
The Great Orion Nebula M42
The Comet, the Whale, and the Hockey Stick "collaboration with Tom Masterson"
The Great Orion Nebula M42
Explanation: The Great Nebula in Orion, also known as M42, is one of the most famous nebulae in the sky. The star forming region's glowing gas clouds and hot young stars are on the right in this sharp and colorful image that includes the bluish reflection nebulae NGC 1977 and friends on the left. Located at the edge of an otherwise invisible giant molecular cloud complex, these eye-catching nebulas represent only a small fraction of this galactic neighborhood's wealth of interstellar material. Within the well-studied stellar nursery, astronomers have also identified what appear to be numerous infant planetary systems. The gorgeous skyscape spans nearly two degrees or about 45 light-years at the Orion Nebula's estimated distance of 1,500 light-years. astro imaging
North of Orion's Belt
The Comet, the Whale, and the Hockey Stick "collaboration with Tom Masterson"
The Great Orion Nebula M42
Explanation: Bright stars, interstellar clouds of dust and glowing nebulae fill this cosmic scene, a skyscape just north of Orion's belt. Close to the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy, the wide field view spans just under 5 degrees or about 10 full moons on the sky. Striking bluish M78, a reflection nebula, is at the lower right. M78's tint is due to dust preferentially reflecting the blue light of hot, young stars. In colorful contrast, the red swath of glowing hydrogen gas streaming through the center is part of the region's faint but extensive emission nebula known as Barnard's Loop. At upper left, a dark dust cloud forms a prominent silhouette cataloged as LDN 1622. While M78 and the complex Barnard's Loop are some 1,500 light-years away, LDN 1622 is likely to be much closer, only about 500 light-years distant from our fair planet Earth. astro imaging
The Comet, the Whale, and the Hockey Stick "collaboration with Tom Masterson"
The Comet, the Whale, and the Hockey Stick "collaboration with Tom Masterson"
The Comet, the Whale, and the Hockey Stick "collaboration with Tom Masterson"
Explanation: Closest to the Sun on March 1, and closest to planet Earth on April 23, this Comet ATLAS (C/2020 R4) shows a faint greenish coma and short tail in this pretty, telescopic field of view. Captured at its position on May 5, the comet was within the boundaries of northern constellation Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs), and near the line-of-sight to intriguing background galaxies popularly known as the Whale and the Hockey Stick. Cetacean in appearance but Milky Way sized, NGC 4631 is a spiral galaxy seen edge-on at the top right, some 25 million light-years away. NGC 4656/7 sports the bent-stick shape of interacting galaxies below and left of NGC 4631. In fact, the distortions and mingling trails of gas detected at other wavelengths suggest the cosmic Whale and Hockey Stick have had close encounters with each other in their distant past. Outbound and only about 7 light-minutes from Earth this Comet ATLAS should revisit the inner solar system in just under 1,000 years.
A Sagittarius Starscape
Grand Mesa Observatory "Star Factory M17
The Comet, the Whale, and the Hockey Stick "collaboration with Tom Masterson"
Explanation: This rich starscape spans nearly 7 degrees on the sky, toward the Sagittarius spiral arm and the center of our Milky Way galaxy. A telescopic mosaic, it features well-known bright nebulae and star clusters cataloged by 18th century cosmic tourist Charles Messier. Still popular stops for skygazers M16, the Eagle (far right), and M17, the Swan (near center) nebulae are the brightest star-forming emission regions. With wingspans of 100 light-years or so, they shine with the telltale reddish glow of hydrogen atoms from over 5,000 light-years away. Colorful open star cluster M25 near the upper left edge of the scene is closer, a mere 2,000 light-years distant and about 20 light-years across. M24, also known as the Sagittarius Star Cloud, crowds in just left of center along the bottom of the frame, fainter and more distant Milky Way stars seen through a narrow window in obscuring fields of interstellar dust.
IC 1805: The Heart Nebula
Grand Mesa Observatory "Star Factory M17
Grand Mesa Observatory "Star Factory M17
Explanation: Sprawling across almost 200 light-years, emission nebula IC 1805 is a mix of glowing interstellar gas and dark dust clouds. Derived from its Valentine's-Day-approved shape, its nickname is the Heart Nebula. About 7,500 light-years away in the Perseus spiral arm of our galaxy, stars were born in IC 1805. In fact, near the cosmic heart's center are the massive hot stars of a newborn star cluster also known as Melotte 15, about 1.5 million years young. A little ironically, the Heart Nebula is located in the constellation of the mythical Queen of Aethiopia (Cassiopeia). This deep view of the region around the Heart Nebula spans about two degrees on the sky or about four times the diameter of the Full Moon.
Grand Mesa Observatory "Star Factory M17
Grand Mesa Observatory "Star Factory M17
Grand Mesa Observatory "Star Factory M17
Explanation: Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, the star factory known as Messier 17 lies some 5,500 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius. At that distance, this 1/3 degree wide field of view spans over 30 light-years. The sharp composite, color image highlights faint details of the region's gas and dust clouds against a backdrop of central Milky Way stars. Stellar winds and energetic light from hot, massive stars formed from M17's stock of cosmic gas and dust have slowly carved away at the remaining interstellar material, producing the cavernous appearance and undulating shapes. M17 is also known as the Omega Nebula or the Swan Nebula.
some of my recent images
Emission Nebula Sh2-115 in Cepheus
Emission Nebula Sh2-115 in Cepheus
Emission Nebula Sh2-115 in Cepheus
Sh2-115 from the Sharpless catalogue is a region of Emission Nebula located in the constellation Cepheus at a distance of 7500 light-years from Earth. Also Of interest in this area is the Planetary Nebula Sh2-116, close to the famous North America Nebula.
Captured recently in Narrowband and Broadband using a QHY600 60 Megapixel Full Frame Monochrome CMOS camera mounted on a Takahashi 130 FSQ, courtesy of QHYCCD.
This setup is available immediately for people wanting to subscribe to Grand Mesa Observatory's system 1.
The Towering Trunk IC1396
Emission Nebula Sh2-115 in Cepheus
Emission Nebula Sh2-115 in Cepheus
The Elephant's Trunk nebula is a region of ionized gasses located in the constellation Cepheus at a distance of 2,400 light-years from Earth. Of interest in this area is the population of very young newborn stars, whose intense stellar winds are excavating the interior of the nebula. Dark wisps of dust hide the cocoon of forming stars, called "globules", which will be blown away when the star ignites.
Captured recently in Narrowband and Broadband using a QHY600 60 Megapixel Full Frame Monochrome CMOS camera mounted on a Takahashi 130 FSQ, courtesy of QHYCCD.
Clouds of Camelopardalis
Emission Nebula Sh2-115 in Cepheus
Majestic Star Factory in Monoceros
From the Catalogue of Lynds' Bright Nebulae LBN 629 in the constellation of Camelopardalis
captured using a QHY600 60 Megapixel Full Frame Monochrome CMOS camera mounted on the Takahashi 130 FSQ
Majestic Star Factory in Monoceros
“Ethereal” Markarian’s Chain Of Galaxies
Majestic Star Factory in Monoceros
The Rosette Nebula captured recently in Narrowband using a QHY600 60 Megapixel Full Frame Monochrome CMOS camera mounted on the Takahashi 130 FSQ that we have the honor of testing for QHYCCD.
This setup is available immediately for people wanting to subscribe to Grand Mesa Observatory's system 1.
grandmesaobservatory.com/equipment-rentals.
In this Hubble Palette version (SHO) the H-Alpha is mapped to green channel, SII is mapped to red channel and OIII is mapped to the blue channel.
“Ethereal” Markarian’s Chain Of Galaxies
“Ethereal” Markarian’s Chain Of Galaxies
“Ethereal” Markarian’s Chain Of Galaxies
I chose this name as the definition relates to regions beyond our earth/celestial and heavenly and it also happens to be the soundtrack that was used in the video I created (music by Stelladrone) see here on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MKCZJYChmE" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MKCZJYChmE</a>
astro imaging
Sorcerer in Cepheus NGC 7380
“Ethereal” Markarian’s Chain Of Galaxies
“Ethereal” Markarian’s Chain Of Galaxies
Resembling the shape of a medieval Sorcerer in the constellation Cepheus the open cluster NGC 7380 and the surrounding Nebula known as “The Wizard Nebula” otherwise known as Sh2-142 lies at a distance of approximately 8500 light years and spans 20 light years.
Captured recently using the new QHY600 60 Megapixel Full Frame Monochrome CMOS camera mounted on the Takahashi 130 FSQ
"The Lion King" Sharpless 132
"The Lion King" Sharpless 132
"The Lion King" Sharpless 132
The Lion Nebula Captured December and January in Narrowband using the new QHY600 60 Megapixel Full Frame Monochrome CMOS camera mounted on the Takahashi 130 FSQ that we have the honor of testing for QHYCCD.
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