Brogdon Observatory

location

2011-02-10T23:35:00.001-05:00

have decided to start blogging at wordpress.
Brogdon Observatory

M1 The Crab Nebula

2010-04-06T19:49:00.002-04:00

Taken April 5th, 2010
94 - 30 second subs with 15 darks
8" sct unguided with 450D modified camera
Been chasing this one for the past week and finally got a chance to get a few shots of it.

M82 The Cigar Galaxy

2010-04-03T19:04:00.002-04:00

Taken April 1, 2010
55 one minute subs with 15 one minute darks

Horsehead Nebula

2010-02-27T20:45:00.003-05:00

Taken February 26th, 2010 using 6" imaging reflector and Canon 450D.

I was so eager to get something imaged that I went out during last nights full moon, in city lights, with no light pollution filter. Image was processed with 30 dark frames and (110) 60 second sub exposures. Someone with a lot more photoshop experience could probably make it look a lot better, but I was pleased based on the conditions and my experience level.

Mars

2010-02-27T20:41:00.002-05:00

Image of mars taken February 20th, 2010.
Using an Orion 8" sct and 2X barlow

M27

2009-08-30T18:27:00.001-04:00

Managed to get some time in on Saturday evening. Shot about 40 subexposures of the dumbbell nebula. Managed to use about 12-13 exposures. Check out website under astrophotography/planetary nebula.

Perseid Meteors

2009-08-12T18:57:00.002-04:00

We didn't get to view the meteors last night due to clouds. And it looks as though we won't be viewing this evening either.

Saturn's Disappearing Rings, Perseid Meteor Shower

2009-08-11T14:04:00.004-04:00

Saturn's rings will seem to disappear today. The tilt of Saturn's rings in relation to the Sun constantly changes over a 15 year period. Today the rings will be tilted edge on to the Sun. Saturn's rings are approx. 170,000 miles wide, but are only about 30 feet thick.

The Perseid meteor shower will peak at 2:00pm on August 12th, eastern standard time.
The perseids should be able to be viewed between August 11 & August 13.
Unfortunately, the moon will pose a problem for best viewing. Look to the northwest.

Bahtinov Mask

2009-08-07T21:05:00.003-04:00

Today at work we laser burned bahtinov masks for the 6" reflector and the 8" sct out of .050 thick aluminum. For those unfamiliar with what a bahtinov mask is, it allows you to achieve perfect focus on your astrophotography by providing diffraction lines that can be centered while focusing.

Once the mask is placed on the telescope and your image looks like below your focus is correct.

While ratcheting the focus in and out the middle diffraction line will move up and down. Precise focus is achieved when middle spike falls exactly in the middle.

Observatory Construction

2009-06-28T00:57:00.002-04:00

Notice the security system in the top two photos.

Observatory Construction

2008-11-16T23:59:00.006-05:00

Observatory Construction

2008-11-12T23:56:00.003-05:00

Dome construction

2008-11-06T23:52:00.003-05:00

Dome construction

2008-10-25T23:49:00.003-04:00

Dome construction

2008-10-22T23:45:00.003-04:00

Pier and deck completed

2008-09-22T23:31:00.004-04:00

New Mount

2008-08-19T23:25:00.001-04:00

Just got my new mount in today. Can't wait to try it out once the tropical storm goes away.

Observatory Construction

2008-08-17T23:23:00.001-04:00

Started construction on observatory today. Poured a 1500 pound pier using 12" sonotube.

Website re-design

2008-06-10T23:20:00.000-04:00

Redesigning website while recovering from knee surgery.