HDR presentation on GoogleTech
Ewe Steinmueller has another presentation at GoogleTech where he discusses the latest in acquiring and processing images utilizing High Dynamic Range. I find the technique quite compelling and will be experimenting more vigorously with the technique in the coming months.
On-line publication for astrophotographers
My friend, Warren Keller, put me onto a very nice on-line publication for astrophotographers. The publication is "Astrophoto Insight" and the current issue is available for free download. The publication is bi-monthly and contains a wealth of practical information for the practicing astrophotographer. I highly recommend the resource to all.
Rho Ophiuchus in color
After much debating and many iterations, I believe I have finalized a color presentation of the Rho Ophiuchus and Antares Nebulae. The area has proven to be quite difficult for me to understand and to translate in digital form. I think I am like others and want the Milky Way to be presented with a fairly even sky background. Many years ago while imaging with medium format film I made the declaration that "the Milky Way sky is not black." Well, I was violating my own conclusions by trying to force a neutral black background on this area of sky. The area is quite dusty and has many gradations of color and light across the field. So, after many hours of digital work I think I finally have a presentation that is both artistically pleasing and relatively accurate in its depiction of the beautiful area. I hope you enjoy the image.
IC1396 from Almost Heaven Star Party
This object eluded me in the film days, but it just jumps out with the DSLR and a fast lens. The night was lovely for this capture and I hope you enjoy the image. IC1396 is an emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus.
Northern Cygnus Test Image
I continue to experiment with the modified Canon 350D. This test is with the old Lumicon Hydrogen Alpha photographic filter from the TechPan days of film. I wanted to see if I could image from my backyard with this filter and come up with anything useful. Conditions were horrible on this night with temps in the 70's, humidity in the 90's, and a waxing moon. I am happy with the results and will continue my testing. The ideal scenario is for a much more narrow band hydrogen alpha filter, but at this time none are available for inside the camera body of the Canon.
The Herschel 400 Astronomical League Project is underway
It’s not too late to join. We are about 30 objects into the Herschel 400. Hope to get another session in soon. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel so you get notifications on LIVE STREAMS.
Angels in Monoceros: The Monoceros M2 Complex
The Monoceros R2 molecular complex (often shortened to Mon R2) is a massive giant molecular cloud and one of the nearest active star-forming regions to Earth. It's a dynamic stellar nursery embedded in dense gas and dust, where new stars—particularly massive ones—are actively being born.
Key Facts
Location: Southwestern part of the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn), near the border with Orion. It's part of the larger Orion-Monoceros cloud complex.
Distance: Approximately 2,400–2,700 light-years (around 830 parsecs).
Size and Structure: The main dense core is relatively compact (a few light-years across), but the overall molecular cloud and associated nebulae span a wide area—reflection nebulae alone stretch up to about 2° in the sky. It's situated well below the galactic plane, which makes it stand out in certain observations.
Age and Activity: Star formation here began roughly 6–10 million years ago. It hosts an OB association (young, hot, massive B- and A-type stars) that illuminates surrounding dust, creating prominent reflection nebulae with bluish hues. There's also significant emission from ionized gas (red glows) and dark nebulae that appear as shadowy silhouettes blocking background light.
Notable Features:
A central hub of massive star formation with embedded clusters, molecular outflows, and HII regions.
Infrared observations (like those from VISTA or 2MASS) penetrate the dust to reveal hidden young stars and protoplanetary disks.
It's a key site for studying early stellar evolution, variability in young stellar objects (YSOs), and the interplay between massive stars and their natal clouds.
The most famous and photogenic part of Mon R2 is the region around NGC 2170 (the Angel Nebula), a striking reflection nebula with wing-like dust structures, glowing blue from scattered starlight, mixed with red emission and dark lanes. Wider views of the complex reveal a richer tapestry of colorful gas, dust filaments, and star clusters.
Credit: GROK 2/28/26
Click on image for larger view.
New Astro Camera: OM-3
Join me for a LIVE conversation about this new astro camera coming to the market. Is this the best option for you? How does it compare to other options? https://www.earthandskyphoto.com Correction: when discussing Bulb mode with Canon, I incorrectly said it had a limit of 30”. I meant to say manual exposure has a max of 30”. In bulb, you need to use a remote control or app for exposure time control. The problem is you can’t set exposure time for stills in the camera menu. I was made aware that Olympus no longer owns the OM system. It is owned by Japanese industrial Partners, a private equity firm. For content on the OM-3 for astrophotography, please see Ben Chapell’s Narrow Band channel. https://youtube.com/@TheNarrowbandChannel?si=GcWY-BM9skG9LPhY
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