The Granddaddy of Them All

Omega CentauriThe grand-daddy of them all.  The globular cluster in Centaurus is the biggest and brightest in the Milky Way Galaxy.  It is estimated that over 10 million stars are rotating around the cluster's core.  The cluster is designated as NGC 5139 on star charts and lies over 18 thousand light years away.  The cluster is 150 light years across and is estimated to be over 12 billion years old!  It is a glorious sight in a telescope and is best viewed from southern latitudes.  This image was taken during the 2010 Winter Star Party in the Florida Keys.  

Technical details:  Images were acquired with a modified Canon T1i on a Takahashi 85 FSQ with focal reducer.  The tracking mount used was an Astro-Physics Mach1 GTO.  Images were converted in Adobe Light Room 3.0, combined with DeepSky Stacker, and enhanced in Adobe Photoshop CS5.  There are approximately 60 images combined with varying ISOs to obtain the final image.  

The image may be seen in larger portfolio presentation in the Color Astrophotography Gallery.  

An Early Favorite...

West Fork of Oak Creek, Sedona, AZIt is impossible to carry all of my prints framed.  So I display some prints in matted presentations in various sizes.  One print is quickly becoming a crowd favorite, "West Fork of Oak Creek."  The print is stunning in color and detail and represents a glorious day of hiking on the West Fork of Oak Creek trail from 2006.  The trail is just north of Sedona, AZ and is a wonderful day hike for any visitor to the area.  

The print is now receiving full gallery treatment with a wonderful new frame available from Mayne Framing. The framed print will now be a "featured" print in the Shadyside Show in Pittsburgh next weekend along with 5 other landscape prints and 5 astronomical prints.  

If you are in the Pittsburgh area please come by and see the show and the new presentation of "West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon."  I think you will find the print very enjoyable and perhaps one you cannot live without.  

Got dark skies?

Star Tree from 2009 AHSPOne of my highlights for the year is getting to the highlands of West Virginia and soaking up the starlight under the best dark skies east of the Mississippi.  If you have never seen a truly dark sky or have the need to get out under one, I highly recommend checking out the Almost Heaven Star Party this coming Labor Day weekend.  

The star party is co-hosted by the Mountain Institute on Spruce Knob, West Virginia's highest point at nearly 5,000 feet above see level, and the Northern Virginia Astronomers Club (NOVAC).  Both organizations are fantastic and it is a very well run event.  

NOVAC has chosen an image I took from last year's event as the representative image for the 2010 event.  "Star Tree" was captured on a pristine night of star gazing and represents the best that the highlands of West Virginia has to offer the amateur astronomer in the early fall of the year.  

For much more information and to register please see this link to the Almost Heaven Star Party.  

Highly recommended!!!

Fine Art Booth Display at Myrtle Beach

Had a wonderful time at the Craftsman Classic Show in Myrtle Beach and continued to vacation with the family afterwards.  It was hot as you might guess and what a wonderful time to have an indoor show!  Met many wonderful people and had some great discussions about art and photography as well as the cosmos.  

One customer made the comment that I didn't expect but was overjoyed when they said that "I see God in your photographs."  That really said it all and made my show.  

I met many new customers, signed several folks up for the email newsletter, and had a registration for the Water workshop next May.  

For those who didn't make it to the show, I have posted a video where I walk through the booth and give you a brief glimpse of what the presentation looked like.  

The next show is in Pittsburgh the last weekend in August.  For more information please see the "Purchase-Art Show" page in the menu above.  

August Print of the Month

Atlantic MorningIn celebration of summer and trips to the beach, I have selected "Atlantic Morning" as the August Print of the Month.  This special offer is only available for the month of August and provides a very special 20% discount over standard pricing for a 24x28" matted or framed print.  

This print is new to the art show display and will be available at the Myrtle Beach Art Show this weekend. I love the frame selected for this print and hope to have an image of it up on the website soon.  I hope you find a place in your home or maybe your beach home for this representation of a lovely peaceful morning on the Atlantic ocean.