December 6, 2025: Starfront Images and LIVESTREAM
It has been 3 months since my astrophotography system became operational at Starfront Observatories. It has been a whirlwind imaging adventure in Texas!
The skies of the past two months were graced with two comets in my initial weeks and that became the imaging focus for the start of most evening sessions. It had been a while since I captured a comet with a telescope. Most of my comet outings have been with comets in the landscape with DSLR and lens.
So, I had to learn all of the latest imaging techniques for telescopic capture of comets with a monochrome camera and RGB filters. I spent many hours with Adam Block’s “Comet Academy” and improved my image capture and image processing techniques for monochrome RGB photography of these two comets.
The highlight for the first comet was a visual conjunction with the Eagle Nebula (M16) by C/2025 R2 SWAN on October 17, 2025. For me, the striking colors of the nebula and the comet were critical to a delicious composition. The video below highlights the orbital path of the comet through the inner solar system with some other information.
While R2 was a nice comet treat, the real star of the fall season was C/2025 A6 (LEMMON). The comet’s ion tail proved to be totally entertaining with variations visible from minute to minute and evening to evening. The video below presents one evening where I captured the solar wind impacting the ion tail in a disruptive manner that can be seen over the course of just a few minutes.
The Eagle Nebula (M16) is graced with a visual close encounter with C/2025 R2 (SWAN) on October 7, 2025.
C/2025 A6 (LEMMON) on October 26, 2025
C/2025 A6 (LEMMON) on November 7, 2025
The video posted below pays tribute to C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN)
There are so many advantages to imaging from Starfront. I mentioned the restricted southern sky in Part 1 of the Starfront Obervatories Series. So, my focus at Starfront is on southern objects I have never had a chance to image in my entire 20+ year career.
The Helix nebula was the first southern object that was accessible.
Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) in HOORGB Blend from Starfront Observatories.
Join me for a live stream from Storefront Observatories where we will discuss the equipment and techniques used to capture images from the beautiful skies of central Texas.
LIVE Stream will begin Friday December 6 at 6:45 p.m. EST at this link.
