http://astromatt.com/blog/ My latest images and information about them en-us Nucleus CMS v3.24 © Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://astromatt.com/blog//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://astromatt.com/blog/ http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=19 The Pinwheel Galaxy

Early this year, Mike Sherick pitched the idea that all of us using JMSM Observatory dedicate our time to imaging a single target. With this effort, it should be possible to acquire an exceptionally deep image that we can all then process as we'd like. After some discussion, I choose our first target to be The Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) and its neighbor NGC5474.

Mostly during the month of March, Mike, Dean Salman, Rick Wiggins, and I collected approximately 44 hours of data through Clear, Red, Green, Blue and Hydrogen-alpha filters. This is my version of the image. Click the above image to see larger versions and some of the technical details.M101 is a beautiful face on spiral galaxy showing well defined arms and dust lanes. Its asymmetrical shape indicates a (relatively) recent interaction with a companion galaxy (maybe NGC5477 - upper right in the image). The interaction not only distorted M101's arms, but warm dust from the companion is falling into M101 and has spurred star formation causing the creation of many young, hot (blue) stars. Indeed, recent study of M101 by Japan's AKARI InfraRed telescope shows that more star formation is taking place in the outer regions of M101 than in its core. This is reverse the process happing in other spiral galaxies, like our own Milky Way, where star formation is more active in the central portion of the galaxy.

M101 is a large spiral galaxy. It is about 170,000 light years in diameter - about twice the size of the Milky Way. NGC5474 (upper left corner of the image) is feeling the pull of all this mass. It is tidally locked with M101 - which causes NGC5474 to be distorted with its core so off center.

This is the deepest view of this field that I have personally seen. The approximately 44 hours of exposure revealed details in the outer reaches of both M101 and NGC5474 that I have not found in other images. Not to say there aren't deeper images of M101, but their field-of-view is limited and does not show the extent visible here. If anyone does have an image showing the outer reaches of these galaxies, I'd love to see them to compare.

Of course there are numerous background galaxies throughout the field. Have a look around.]]> Galaxies http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=19 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:26:10 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=18 The Owl Nebula (M97) & M108
The Owl Nebula (M97) and the galaxy M108 provide a very interesting pairing in the sky. Both objects appear very luminous and similar in size, but the two are separated by millions of light years. The Owl Nebula (M97) is a planetary nebula at about 2600 light years distant. M108 is a spiral galaxy approximately 45 million light years distant - or about 17000x further than M97.

This is taken with the TMB152 and STL-6303 out at JMSM Observatory through Clear, Red, Green, and Blue filters.

Click the image above to view larger images and some more of the technical details of the image.The Owl Nebula is a typical planetary nebula with an unusual appearance. The latest models show it follows typical planetary nebula formation with three distinct shells caused by different stellar winds during the parent star's end of life. The outermost shell is very faintly visible in my image. The second shell begins with the bright red ring and proceeds inward. While the third (innermost) shell had been formed, the strong solar wind that formed it has ceased. Now this ring is backfilling with nebular material causing the two darker areas that represent the Owl's eyes.

M108 is a spiral galaxy that we are viewing almost edge on. The apparent lack of a central bulge has caused some issues with classification. There are other indicators of the spiral shape - primarily the predominate dust lanes visible in the image.

There are also a multitude of other galaxies throughout the image. Have a look around and enjoy!]]> Galaxies http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=18 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:22:18 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=17 The California Nebula (NGC 1499)
Seeing California as a "Red State" can be a dream or a disaster depending on your political affiliation. While we won't find out the latest political coloring of California for another year, this "California" has been glowing red for around a hundred thousand years.

This is a three panel mosaic using the TMB152 and STL-6303 at JMSM Observatory. Each panel is composed of images exposed through hydrogen-alpha (Ha), red, green, and blue filters. The Ha filtered data was used for the entire nebula in the red channel of the final image - while the red filtered data was used only for the stars. A fraction (15%) of the Ha data was also added to the blue filtered image to create the blue channel.

Click the image above to view larger versions of the California Nebula.The California Nebula has always been an interesting object for me - I've just never had the right opportunity to image it. Even now, the equipment was not quite suited to this large object - I probably should have added at least another three panels to this mosaic to capture the rest of the nebula. I had the sky time available for the three panels, so I went for it.

The California Nebula is commonly recorded as 1500 light years away, although the exact distance is not known. At this distance, the full reach of the visible nebula is around 100 light years from end-to-end. The full angular size of the nebula is recorded as 4 degrees across (over 8 times the width of the full moon), although it is commonly listed as ~2.5 degrees across which is what is shown here.

The visible nebula is probably only a small portion of a much larger dust cloud. The bright star at the top of the image (Menkib or Xi Persei) is the likely the cause of the of the radiation that is exciting the dust cloud and giving us this view of California. The radiation from Menkib is not just exciting the hydrogen atoms in the dust cloud, but it is also pushing it away - causing the turbulent view in what could be the Sierra Nevada Mountains region. ]]> Nebula http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=17 Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:57:34 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=16 Two Hearts

This is two views of the Heart Nebula (IC1805). One is a pseudo-true color image using a Hydrogen-alpha filter for the red channel combined with standard green and blue filters. The second is a false-color image using the [SII], Hydrogen-alpha, and [OIII] narrow band filters.

These images were taken using the facilities of JMSM Observatory, owned by Mike Sherick.

Click the image above for larger versions of this image. Read the rest of this blog entry for some more details.I started taking this image in early August with the intention of just doing the pseudo-true color HaGB combination. I shot some green and blue exposures one night, followed by Hydrogen-alpha the next. My first attempt at processing showed I was severely lacking in blue and green data. Then it was a couple of weeks before I could shoot again due mainly to weather. Of course now the moon was out and bright so I decided to try some [SII] and [OIII] filtered exposures. I got one good night in, but that was no where near enough data, and then the weather turned sour again! Finally this month I was able to get enough data for all the channels (green, blue, [SII], and [OIII]) to finish off two images. I ended up with just over 24 hours of data for these two images.

Aside from the obvious shape, this is a very interesting region. There is lots of activity in this nebula from the young stars in the nebula (the oldest being only 4 million years old). The most prominent stars in the middle of the nebula are some of the most active. These stars have an average age of between 1 and 2 million years - very young by stellar standards (our sun is about 4.5 billion years old).

All of this activity from the young stars excites the different molecules in the gas in the nebula and causes them to emit light at different wavelengths. These light emissions are what we see and can capture with the camera. The false-color image consists of light emission from three different molecules: Sulfur ([SII]), Hydrogen, and Oxygen ([OIII]).

The amount of light that each of these molecules emits is actually quite different. The Hydrogen emission is actually the strongest, by far, of the three. This is why I am able to make a pseudo-true color image by mixing the Hydrogen-alpha image with a green and blue image. Hydrogen-alpha emission occurs at a wavelength in the red spectra and is the dominate form of red light. The [SII] and [OIII] emissions are so dim by comparison, they can be safely excluded from the pseudo-true color image. In fact, the Hydrogen emission is so strong, there is a second emission line at a wavelength in the blue spectra. I've added a small amount of the Hydrogen-alpha image into the blue channel to simulate this emission line. This is why the nebula pseudo-true color image has a magenta cast, rather then pure red.

]]> Nebula http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=16 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:10:40 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=15 Sh2-129 & vdB 140

This is a not-often imaged section of sky, probably due to it's more famous neighbors (IC1396 & vdB 142).

This image taken using the facilities of JMSM Observatory.

Click the image above for larger versions of this image. Read the rest of this blog entry for some more details.Sh2-129 turned out to be quite a dim region. I tried to record additional narrow band data ([SII] and [OIII]) but did not record anything in a single 30 minute exposure through either filter. So instead I settled on imaging just Ha data the first night (back in July).

I tried to search for other images of this on the internet, but not many turned up. Of the few that did, some with a similar field of view showed the nice reflection nebula, vdB 140 nearby. Fortunately my framing included this region. When I was finally able to grab some green and blue photons, I made sure to get as much blue data as I could to highlight this little blue gem.

There turns out to be a lot of dust in this area. Where the brightest Ha emission nebula ends on the left side of the frame, there is some blue/green dust highlighted over the red/Ha background. In a standard RGB image, I believe that these blue/green regions would show up as the typical brown of slightly illuminated dust. Since the red channel of my image contains only data from Ha emission regions, the red component of this dust was not recorded, leaving these portions the blue/green color they are.

All-in-all I think this is a very interesting region with a combination of emission and reflection nebula with a neat spattering of slightly illuminated dust. Some other exposure strategies could really highlight this area differently.

On a side note, it was funny to learn that Dean Salman, who also uses the facilities of JMSM Observatory, also imaged this target recently. He was able to produce a two-frame mosaic of the region, highlighting a nice dark nebula next door to Sh2-129. His image is here.]]> Nebula http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=15 Sun, 9 Sep 2007 17:38:21 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=14 M106

This is my first image using two different cameras and telescopes, separated by almost 1000 miles!

The Hydrogen-alpha data for this image was acquired using the facilities at JMSM Observatory. The rest of the data (LRGB) was acquired in my own backyard "observatory".

It was fun to work on this data with this in mind. Even though I didn't plan this composition when I took the Ha data, it seemed to work out well in the end.

Click the image above to see the details and larger versions of the image. Or keep reading...If you look at the image details page, you'll see that I acquired the data for this over 5 nights spread over three months!

I took the Hydrogen-alpha data primarily as a test of the equipment at JMSM Observatory - but also just to see what I could get. The Ha data on its own was quite noisy, even with almost 8 hours of exposure. However, it did highlight the Ha regions and the "jet" extending from the center of the galaxy quite well.

After this test I decided it would be fun to try and "complete" the image using data using my equipment from my back yard. It took a few sessions to get all the data and then the processing fun began! The deep luminance (>4.5 hours) did a great job of bringing out the outer regions of the galaxy. But it took quite a bit of color to match. After the first night of color I tried to complete the image but was unsuccessful. After the second night of color, it came out good but still needed a bit of work.

I've been tweaking it off and on since then and finally finished it off. I think the result came out well (for a pair of 6" telescopes!) even though the seeing at my house was not ideal during the exposures.

-Matt]]> Galaxies http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=14 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:50:02 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=13 M16 & M17 Narrowband
M16 (The Eagle Nebula) and M17 (The Swan Nebula) are quite often imaged alone. However, we sometimes forget how close these two are optically and they may be part of a larger complex of interstellar matter. Indeed in my image there appears to be a physical connection between these two nebula.

Personally I was a bit surprised by the brightness difference of these two objects - with the Swan being much brighter than the Eagle. (This is not as apparent in the final image due to the processing choices I made.)

Image taken using the facilities of JMSM Observatory.

Click the image above for larger versions of this image. Read the rest of this blog entry for some more details.
This image was acquired using three narrowband filters, capturing photons of light emitted from three different sources, singly-ionized sulfur or [SII] @ 672.4 nm (assigned to red), Hydrogen-alpha or Ha @ 656.3nm (assigned to green), and doubly-ionized oxygen or [OIII] @ 500.7nm (assigned to blue).

There were two issues I had in processing this image.

The first was related to the [SII] data. The nebula were all very dim in this filter. But in order to produce a pleasing image, I had to make the [SII] data much brighter than was originally recorded by the camera (a common processing choice when working with narrowband data). For this image, this produced good looking nebula but also many many red stars throughout the image. I toned these red stars back using the minimum filter in Photoshop to produce a more pleasing view.

The second issue was that I simply did not get enough exposure time for this image. Fortunately I was able to get this data during a break in the summer storms in New Mexico, but I was provided only one night of clear skies. The thunder clouds have moved back into the area and will be there for at least the next few days. So I did my best with the data I had.

This is my first posting after about two months of nothing. I have more data from the past couple months that I need to process, but just haven't had the time to finish up...

Thanks for looking!
-Matt]]> Nebula http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=13 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:54:23 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=9 M83 Version 2

As is so often the case, once I post an image and get some feed back I go back over it again. Compare this version with the previous. What do you think?

Click the image above for larger versions.For this version all I did was modify the processing in Photoshop.

First I applied a noise reduction tool called Noise Ninja. This helped tone down the background noise - although it also dimmed the fainter stars a bit more.

Next I used a tool in Photoshop called Shadow/Highlight. This made it simple to tone down the bright core of the galaxy and help show some of the colors better.

Finally I did some color balancing using the Levels and Curves tool.

I think the results speak for themselves!

-Matt]]> Galaxies http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=9 Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:29:33 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=6 M83

Commonly a target for Southern Hemisphere astronomers, M83 is still available from the Northern Hemisphere in some locations. Good dark skies and a decent southern clearance are a necessity. Fortunately JMSM Observatory has both!

This is a total of almost 12 hours of exposure time though Clear, Red, Green, and Blue filters over the course of four nights. Click the image above for full details and larger images.This was a fun image to take and process because it is not a target I would normally go after from my backyard. From the Southern Hemisphere, M83 is very well placed, high in the sky, for imaging. From the observatory in New Mexico, it only reaches a maximum altitude of 27 degrees above the horizon (27 degrees is about the height of a piece of paper held at arms-length). While not terribly low, from home this is quite difficult due to the light pollution and ocean moisture blocking the light from the galaxy.

Using the JMSM Observatory also enabled me to start and finish imaging each night almost as soon as the galaxy rose above the horizon. Something very difficult to from most locations.

M83 is most notable for being the third galaxy discovered (after The Andromeda Galaxy – M31 and its companion M32) by humanity in 1752 by Abbe Nicholas Louis de la Caille from the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

This galaxy is estimated to be 15 million light years away. It is moving away from us at about 754000 mph (337 km/s).

Visible in my image of M83 are multiple dust lanes and hydrogen-alpha emitting nebula - much like our own galaxy. Each of these regions could be similar to any of the nebula images on my web site...

This is my second image using the facilities at JMSM Observatory. They are a joy to use. Yesi commented recently that since I've been using the telescope in New Mexico I should sell mine. I thought that was a funny joke... ;)

Enjoy!
-Matt
]]> Galaxies http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=6 Sun, 22 Apr 2007 19:58:00 -0700 http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=5 M86 & Company

M86 - a huge galaxy near the center of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster. This is my first production image from the JMSM Observatory in New Mexico (owned by Mike Sherick). Click the image for the full image details and larger versions.Mid last year an astrophotographer friend of mine, Mike Sherick, who lived in Camarillo decided to move to Las Cruces, New Mexico and build a remote observatory 2 hours north east of Las Cruces in the area of Mayhill, New Mexico.

The Mayhill area is the ultimate astronomy location in the US, with extremely dark and very steady skies. Many of the most renowned amateur astrophotographers either have facilities here or come to the nearby astronomy Bed & Breakfast Inn.

Mike enlisted my help for setting up some of the remote control aspects of the facility (computer software and some of the hardware) in trade for time using the telescope there. There is one other partner (Dean) who has been helping out and is presently the closest of the three of us in southern Arizona.

Click here for some shots of the facility.

Be sure to check out some of the links, including a real-time mosaic hosted on my web site here.
(I wrote the software that controls the camera to create this mosaic.)

Dean and I have been alternating nights for the past couple of weeks working out the bugs with Mike taking some time when he can - he is still pretty busy in the process of building his house in Las Cruces and packing and building a 24" telescope that will ultimately be housed at this observatory. (Right now we are using a telescope that is essentially the same I have in my "observatory" - a 6" refractor.)

Just this week I was able to complete my first "production" image. I've taken some other test images that were never taken to completion.

This image is the region around M86 - a huge galaxy near the center of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster. There are hoards of galaxies in this image.

This is a fascinating region to explore for the many galaxies in the field. Just about anything fuzzy is another galaxy. Don't confuse the bright stars that have a bright well defined circle with a fuzzy outer ring with a galaxy. But the dimmer fuzzy objects are most likely all galaxies...

Enjoy!
-Matt]]> Galaxies http://astromatt.com/blog/index.php?itemid=5 Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:24:00 -0700