Star Clusters and Nebula

Digital cameras have revolutionized astrophotography in recent years. I've experimented with some of this new technology. My initial results have been very rewarding.

The Orion Nebula (M42), November 15, 2003. An unguided 10 x 30 second exposure obtained with a Nikon CoolPix 4500 at ISO 800 with a 203 mm f/7 newtonian. Afocal projection through a Tele Vue 32 mm Plossl eyepiece. Each frame was manually rotated in Adobe photoshop to correct for field rotation before stacking.

M42, November 15, 2003. Same image as above (left) but at 1024 x 768. A closer view, also composed of a 10 x 30 second exposure.

    An unmodified webcam or video camera can obtain images of the brighter stars and nebulae when combined with a typical backyard telescope. Backyard telescopes and webcams, In particular, appear to be well-suited to obtaining high resolution views of bright double stars. Below are some examples of images that I have obtained with my various scopes and webcams, video, and digital cameras.

NGC 869 and 884. The centers of the western (left) and eastern (right) components of the Perseus Double Cluster. December 5, 2002. 203 mm f/7 newtonian and eyepiece projection with 25 mm Plossl eyepiece and ToUcam Pro Webcam.

The Trapezium. The very heart of the Orion Nebula obtained with a 203 mm f/7 newtonian and Philips ToUcam Webcam (unmodified) on December 5, 2002. The E and F components of the Trapezium can be discerned as well as nebulosity.

Central portion of M42 with color webcam. This is the result of stacking about 300 frames from a single 60 second AVI clip from December 5, 2002.. No dark frame was used.

Central portion of M42, the Orion Nebula. The left image was obtained on December 30, 2000 at the prime focus of a 108 mm f/4 newtonian. This image consists of about 80 stacked frames. The right image was obtained on December 22, 2000 and is the product of 71 stacked frames @ about f/8.

Open Star Cluster M41. 21 stacked frames of M41 at the prime focus of a 108 mm f/4 newtonian obtained on December 30, 2002.

Double and Multiple Stars

Alberio. This image of the colorful double star Alberio was obtained on November 21, 2002 with an 8" f/7 newtonian and a Philips ToUcam Pro Webcam @ f/27. 

Rigel. One video frame of Rigel and its 6.7 magnitude companion (separated by about 9") @ about f/70 on October 26, 2002.

Beta Eplsilon Lyrae. The image on the left was obtained @ about f/70 using a PC-23C video camera. The image on the right was obtained with a Philips ToUcam Pro Webcam @ about f/27.

Castor (October 23, 2003). The A (mag. 1.9) and B (mag. 2.9) components are separated by about 4.1 arc seconds. Note the first order diffraction rings. 203 mm f/7 newtonian at about f/35 with a Philips ToUcam Pro Webcam. The image scale is about 6.7 pixels per arcsecond.The radius of the first diffraction ring is about 1.1 arcseconds (7.2 pixels). 

Trapezium. The left image was obtained on October 26, 2000 @ about f/73. The right image has been processed to bring out the fainter (about 11th magnitude) "E" and "F" components.

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Stellar Photometry using a webcam

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