Summer Milky Way

Summer Milky Way Cygnus constellation
Simple tripod photo - Canon 40D ISO 1200

Summer Milky Way Cygnus constellation
Simple tripod photo - Canon 40D ISO 1200

Celestron NexStar 4SE and constellations

Celestron NexStar 4SE and Ursa Major constellation

Celestron NexStar 4SE and Cassiopeia constellation

These are Canon 40D photos (30 seconds each, ISO 200, Full Moon)

Bahtinov Focus Mask - astrophotography Celestron 4SE

The Bahtinov mask is a device used to accurately focus astronomical telescopes. The Bahtinov mask consists of three separate grids, positioned in such a way that the grids produce three angled diffraction spikes at the focal plane of the instrument for each bright image element (star). Bahtinov Focus Mask, Celestron NexStar 4SE

Bahtinov Focus Mask, Celestron NexStar 4SE, Canon 40D, Spica Out of focus - the central spike is noticeably displaced from the

Bright star near perfect focus using Bahtinov Mask. Optimum focus is achieved when the middle spike is centered on the star and symmetrically positioned between the other two spikes. Small deviations from optimal focus are easily visible. Bahtinov mask, Celestron NexStar 4SE, Canon 40D

Saturn NexStar 4SE RegiStax 6 NexImage Bahtinov mask and Vibration Suppression Pads

Saturn April 21, 2011. Weather was not good - it was windy and partially cloudy. To suppress vibration I used Celestron Vibration Suppression Pads. To made better focus - used  Bahtinov focus mask.

Saturn, Celestron NexStar 4SE, NexImage, Vibration Suppression Pads, Bahtinov mask, Astrophotography

Video duration 4 min 00 sec (240sec), Frame Rate 10 frames/second, 2400 frames.

Registax v6 - Align 3x3 area, 10  align points, Drizzling Optimization, Wavelet - Gaussian Initial Layer 3 Used Linked Wavelets with  1 and 2 layers, RGB shift

Photoshop - Crop, Luminosity Layer, Saturation,  Contrast, Unsharp Mask, save for Web device jpg

Saturn, Celestron NexStar 4SE, NexImage, Astrophotography

Video duration 4 min 30 sec (270sec), Frame Rate 10 frames/second, 2700 frames.

Registax v6 - Align 3x3 area, 11  align points, Drizzling Optimization, Wavelet - Gaussian Initial Layer 3 Used Linked Wavelets with  1 and 2 layers, RGB shift

Photoshop - Crop, Curves, Contrast, Unsharp Mask, Despeckle, save for Web device jpg 

Bahtinov mask, Celestron 4SE, Brooklyn Astrophotography

Celestron Vibration Suppression Pads

Comparison UV/Infrared Cutoff filter vs. without filter - Celestron 4SE NexStar NexImage

Just bought UV/Infrared Cutoff filter and tried to test it.

Saturn photos with UV/Infrared Cutoff Filter and without filter, Celestron 4SE, NexImage

Upper photo - with UV/Infrared Cutoff Filter
Bottom photo - without filter

RegiStax 6 vs. 5 comparison - Jupiter Celestron 4SE

Here is an example of the difference between Registax v5 and v6 for Jupiter (Jupiter with Ganymede Moon and Ganymede Shadow Transit, September 18, 2010 - Celestron 4SE)

Registax v6 - Wavelet - Gaussian Initial Layer 3 Used Linked Wavelets with denoise 1 and 2 layers, RGB shift

Registax 6, Celestron 4SE, Jupiter

Registax 5, Celestron 4SE, Jupiter

Some clouds are more visible in Registax v6, the shadow and Ganymede moon looks better. So my opinion Registax 6 gives better result with Used Linked Wavelets.

Saturn opposition, RegiStax 6, Celestron 4SE telescope

Saturn opposition 2011 - Celestron 4SE

Celestron NexStar 4SE Telescope, NexImage, 2x Barlow lens, UV/Infrared Cutoff Filter (1.25")

April 3, 2011 12:26AM (EST)


Video duration 7 min (420sec), Frame Rate 5 frames/second, 2100 frames.

Registax v6 - Align Default, 16 align points, Drizzling Optimization, Wavelet - Gaussian Initial Layer 3 Used Linked Wavelets with de-noise 1 and 2 layers, Zoom, RGB shift

Photoshop CS3 - Crop, Curves... - Auto with Highlight Color 210 210 210 , Save for Web Device jpg

RegiStax 6 - Astrophotography Saturn - Testing new version v6

RegiStax 6 release 2 April 2011
Just downloaded the new version and tested it.
Installation was very simple and no problem for Vista. Interface is simpler and more intuitive.
I had some problem with multi alignment in version 5. In RegiStax 6 it works as magic -- no issue. New function - Linked Wavelet Layers -- is great! Speed fantastic. This is major improvements which allow make more experimental settings and find best parameters for final image.

Thanks for RegiStax all people who created, develop and support it! It's amazing free product!

For Saturn observation I used Celestron 4Se telescope, Barlow 2x, NexImage.
Hope it video helps and gives you ideas what you can do with Registax.

Webcam Astrophotography - Celestron 4SE NexImage - Brooklyn Astronomy

Saturn Celestron NexStar 4SE Telescope RegiStax NexImage

Backyard Astronomy - Astrophotography Celestron
GOTO Alignment - Solar system align - Saturn
NexStar 4se Telescope
NexImage celestron Webcamera CCD Solar System imager VGA 640x480 with Barlow 2-x lens (compliments the Plossl eyepieces - from Celestron Eyepiece and Filter Kit - 1.25")
AMCap software for NexImage
Registax 5.1.9.2

Photos of Saturn - near Saturn opposition 03/20/2011 03/25/2011

Video duration 7 min (420sec), Frame Rate 5 frames/second, 2100 frames and 1 min 40 sec (100sec), Frame Rate 10 frames/second, 1000 frames.
Registax v5 - Align Default, Center Gravity, Gradient2; Drizzling Optimization, Wavelet - Gaussian Initial Layer 2, RGB Align - Estimate, Histogram stretch

A thin black gap in the rings - Cassini division is visible from amateur telescope celestron 4SE in the backyard.

Saturn, Rings, shadow, Cassini division, opposition, 2011, Telescope, Celestron NexStar 4SE, Astronomy, Astrophotography, Astrophoto, Backyard, video, Live video, Space, Science, Solar system, Registax, NexImage, webCamera, stacking, wavelets

NexImage and Celestron 4SE- Brooklyn Astrophotography

Brooklyn Astronomy and Astrophotography - Celestron 4SE and Celestron NexImage

NYC Astrophotography - Celestron 4SE and NexImage

My Hobby is Astrophotography

What happens to astrophotographers. BEWARE!
Priceless....excellent videos...couldn't stop laughing...

T-Adapter-C90 and Barlow T-Adapter 1 1/4 inches and T-ring for Canon EOS and Canon 40D

T-Adapter-C90, Barlow T-Adapter 1 1/4 inches, T-ring for Canon EOS, Canon 40D - Astrophotograpgy adapter setup for Celestron 4SE 

Canon EOS 40D 
T-Adapter-C90 
Barlow T-Adapter 1 1/4 inches 
T-ring for Canon EOS

4se Celestron with Barlow t-Adapter and Canon EOS 40D

4se Celestron Telescope with Barlow t-Adapter 1 1/4 inches (93640) and Canon EOS 40D

4se Telescope with Barlow t-Adapter 1 1/4 inches (93640), Erect Image Diagonal (94116) and Canon EOS 40D

Celestron  NexStar 4se Telescope with Barlow t-Adapter 1 1/4 inches (93640), Erect Image Diagonal (94116) and Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR Camera

NexStar 4se telescope with T-Adapter-C90 (93635-A) and Canon EOS 40D

Celestron 4se with T-Adapter-C90 (93635-A), T-ring for Canon EOS, and Canon EOS 40D

Time-lapse Sunset in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Here is two time lapses I've made in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica (hotel Costa Verde).
Time-lapse sunset and time-lapse sky stars - Orion Constellation (with sky clouds). Taken in January 2011.
Hope You Enjoy them :)
Camera Canon 40D and Digital Timer Remote For Canon EOS.

Blue Sunset Costa Rica

Sunset Costa Rica

Cloudy Sunset Costa Rica

Gold Sunset - Costa Rica

Total Lunar Eclipse December 21, 2010 Winter Solstice

Total Lunar Eclipse December 21, 2010
New York, NY Celestron 4SE telescope. All exposures were taken with Canon 40D. Backyard astronomy and digital astrophotography. Weather in New Your during the eclipse time was fantastic, but a little bit cold.

Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron NexStar 4SE Canon 40D

The eclipse of December 21 2010 Tuesday morning was the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the day of the Northern Winter Solstice - the shortest day and longest night of the year (Southern Summer Solstice) since 1638 (first time in 372 years), and only the second in the Common Era. That will not happen again until 2094.

The eclipse was the first total lunar eclipse in almost three years, since the February 2008 total lunar eclipse. It is the second of two lunar eclipses in 2010.

NYC Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron 4SE Canon_40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron 4SE Canon_40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron 4SE Canon_40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron 4SE Canon_40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Partial eclipse begins 1:33am EST
Total eclipse begins 2:41am EST
Middle of eclipse 3:17am EST
Total eclipse ends 3:53am EST
Partial eclipse ends 5:01am EST

Blue Moon November 21 2010 Celestron 4se Canon 40D

Color full moon, blue moon, Canon 40D, Celestron 4SE

Blue Moon (November 21, 2010) - Year 2010
Canon EOS 40D camera and Celestron NexImage 4SE telescope - Backyard astronomy Digital Full Moon Photography

A blue moon can refer to the third full moon in a season with four full moons. The earliest recorded English usage of the term "blue moon" was in a 1528.
In 2010 Blue Moon was November 21.

There are 4 photos of the Blue Moon.
First photo was colored in Photoshop.

1. Neutralize the colors (the median of the values of R, G and B is the same).
2. Create two duplicated layers.
3. First layer set as luminosity
4. Saturate the second layer.
5. Make invisible main background layer.
6. Play games with best parameters
So those colors are real, and the only difference is that they've been exaggerated a bit :)

Second photo: Blue Moon - White Balance: Tungsten light
Third photo: White-Black Moon - White Balance: Cloudy, twilight, sunset
Fourth photo: Yellow-Red Moon - White Balance: Shade

Blue Moon Celestron 4SE Canon 40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Full Moon Celestron 4SE Canon 40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Full Moon Celestron 4SE Canon 40D

The Moon Astrophotography Celestron NexStar 4 SE Canon 40D

Moon Astrophotography Celestron NexStar 4 SE Canon
Backyard Astronomy - Astrophotography Celestron - My amateur astro-photos
Celestron Nexstar 4SE - 4 inches telescope 101.6mm
Canon EOS 40D SLR Digital Camera
Canon Live View
The Moon Photos
Blue Moon November 21, 2010 (A blue moon can refer to the third full moon in a season with four full moons).
Music Debussy Suite Bergamasque: Claire De Lune ("Moonlight")


Moon astro-photography.

Photoshop:
Shadow / Highlights
Unsharp Mask
Brightness/Contrast

Celestron 4SE Canon 40D Moon Brooklyn Astronomy Backyard Astrophotography 

Hyginus is a small lunar caldera located at the east end of the Sinus Medii. Its rim is split by a long, linear rille that branches to the northwest and to the east-southeast for a total length of 220 kilometers

Hyginus is a small lunar caldera located at the east end of the Sinus Medii. Its rim is split by a long, linear rille that branches to the northwest and to the east-southeast for a total length of 220 kilometers. Celestron 4se, Canon 40D, Brooklyn Moon astrophotography 

Between two seas: Mare Tranquillitatis (Latin for Sea of Tranquility) and Mare Serenitatis (the "Sea of Serenity"). Apollo 15 landing at site Hadley–Apennine region.

Apollo 15 landing site at Hadley–Apennine region, Mare Serenitatis, Mare Tranquillitatis. Canon 40D, Celestron 4SE, Brooklyn Moon astronomy from backyard

Tycho is a relatively young crater (about 108 million years). This age suggests that the impactor may have been a member of the Baptistina family of asteroids. A larger asteroid from the same family may have been the impactor responsible for creating Chicxulub Crater on Earth 65 million years ago, and causing the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Tycho crater, Brooklyn Moon astronomy from backyard Canon 40D and Celestron 4SE

Moon astrophotography Canon 40D and Celestron 4SE, Tycho crater, Brooklyn Moon astronomy from backyard 

Copernicus is a lunar crater named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. The crater is located in eastern Oceanus Procellarum. It is estimated to be about 800 million years old. The circular rim has a 30 km wide. The crater rays spread as far as 800 kilometers across the surrounding mare.

Copernicus crater, Astronomy from Brooklyn backyard Canon 40D and Celestron 4SE

Celestron 4SE Moon Copernicus crater,  Brooklyn backyard Astronomy 

Backyard Astronomy - Astrophotography Celestron NexStar 4se

Backyard Astronomy - Astrophotography Celestron
NexStar 4se telescope
Canon EOS 40D and T-Adapter-C90 and Barlow T-Adapter 1 1/4 inches and T-ring for Canon EOS
Celestron 4se telescope with T-Adapter-C90 (93635-A) and Canon EOS 40D
Celestron 4se telescope with Barlow t-Adapter 1 1/4 inches (93640) and Canon EOS 40D
Celestron 4se with Barlow t-Adapter 1 1/4 inches (93640), Erect Image Diagonal (94116) and Canon EOS 40D
Photos of the Moon and the Sun
Celestron NexStar 4se telescope NexImage CCD
Jupiter photos
Piggy-Back Camera Mount for Celestron NexStar 4 telescope (Item# BRKTPIG4)
The Green Comet 103P/Hartley 2 (2010)

 

Moon Celestron 4SE Canon 40D Astronomy Brooklyn Astrophotography

Comet 103P/Hartley 2 from New York City

From the public, his discovery brought cheers. 

From his wife, it drew nothing but torrents of tears. 

"For you see," said Ms. Halley, 

"He used to come daily; 

Now he comes once every 70 years!" 

--Astronomy Jokes

Comet Hartley 2, Celestron 4SE Canon 40D Brooklyn

Comet Hartley 2

The Green Comet 103P/Hartley 2 (2010)
Canon 40D piggybacked Celestron NexStar 4SE,
Brooklyn, NY, October 12, 2010

27 x 60 seconds
Shutter speed of one photo 60 second
ISO Speed 1250
White balance: Daylight
Lens EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Focal Length 28.0 mm
Long exposure noise reduction : Disable
High ISO speed noise reduction : Enable


Light pollution was removed in PhotoShop using Filter Noise median and Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur
Stacked photo using DeepSky Stacker
Finally was edited in PhotoShop

Brooklyn Astrophotography, Celestron 4SE PiggyBack, NYC Astronomy

PiggyBack Camera Mount for Celestron NexStar 4SE (Item# BRKTPIG4), Comet Photo Setup, Brooklyn NYC Astrophotography

NYC Astrophotography, Celestron 4SE

Celestron 4SE and Canon 40D - NYC Astrophotography