The end of 2018

     Well it"s hard to believe 2018 is coming to an end.  The past few months haven't been favorable for astrophotography at all.  Its been cloudy and rainy.  I missed all the fall targets I was hoping to capture. Maybe next year.   

     In October I did manage a pair of objects new to me, the Fireworks Galaxy along with an open cluster NGC6939.  I was quite happy with my results.  It was published in our clubs 2019 calendar. 

 This image was captured with my Tele Vue NP101 and a Ha modified Canon T3i.  The processing this time was done a bit different.  The 20 frames where converted from the CR2 RAW file to a TIFF using Canon's Digital Photo Pro 4 software. Than stacking the TIFF files using DSS (Deep Sky Stacker) Using DPP4 seems to reduce background noise in the image.  The stacked image was then processed in Photoshop CC.

     In early December we had a few clear nights where I was able to capture Comet 46P Wirtanen. It is a fast moving that passed close to earth in mid December with a brightness of magnitude peaking at +3.8.  

  With the Comet traveling at a fast speed, and direction compared to the stars, a faster shutter speed is required to keep both from streaking. This is a single 90 second exposure @ 3200iso. The Comet has a blue green colour from gasses and ice being expelled from its surface by the heat of the suns warm solar winds. Unfortunately they weren't strong enough  to create a visible tale. 

     With the Telescope tracking the Comet instead of the stars, I captured 3, 300sec. exposures.  Stacking the images the stars become streaks.  This makes it easy to see how fast the Comet 

moved in 15 min.  

     When the skies clear and the brightness of the moon fades, I hope to capture images of the Comet heading away from us.