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ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 20th 04, 06:24 AM
Richard Crisp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies

Last night was one of those nights where you just gotta go for it: we had
some unforecast clear skies last night between monsoons of near-biblical
proportion. We get hit again tomorrow :-(

This time of year we can get rain and clouds for two to three weeks without
any relief, so when I saw an opening last night I scrambled to get some time
logged.

I picked M65 and M66 because with the FOV I get with my ST10XME and my
AP155EDF, it frames them both nicely.

This is the first time I have shot any galaxies in a eon it seems. I
actually put away the emission line filters and used my other filter wheel
with the LRGB set (what's that dad?).

After the rain we've had lately, I expected good transparency. Turns out to
have been pretty dark, clear and the seeing was better than I expected
looking at the jetstream map.

I managed to log 5 exposures of 20 minutes each through my lum filter before
the wispy stuff rolled through again.

I decided to shoot a few darks and see what happened a bit later. When it
cleared about an hour or so later, I decided to tear down, it was getting
late and I was tired.

So here is 100 minutes worth of luminance

http://www.rdcrisp.darkhorizons.org/m65_m66_page.htm


  #2  
Old February 20th 04, 06:34 AM
CLT
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies

Hi Richard,

Nice shots!

Thanks for sharing.

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

"Richard Crisp" wrote in message
m...
Last night was one of those nights where you just gotta go for it: we had
some unforecast clear skies last night between monsoons of near-biblical
proportion. We get hit again tomorrow :-(

This time of year we can get rain and clouds for two to three weeks

without
any relief, so when I saw an opening last night I scrambled to get some

time
logged.

I picked M65 and M66 because with the FOV I get with my ST10XME and my
AP155EDF, it frames them both nicely.

This is the first time I have shot any galaxies in a eon it seems. I
actually put away the emission line filters and used my other filter wheel
with the LRGB set (what's that dad?).

After the rain we've had lately, I expected good transparency. Turns out

to
have been pretty dark, clear and the seeing was better than I expected
looking at the jetstream map.

I managed to log 5 exposures of 20 minutes each through my lum filter

before
the wispy stuff rolled through again.

I decided to shoot a few darks and see what happened a bit later. When it
cleared about an hour or so later, I decided to tear down, it was getting
late and I was tired.

So here is 100 minutes worth of luminance

http://www.rdcrisp.darkhorizons.org/m65_m66_page.htm




  #3  
Old February 20th 04, 06:34 AM
CLT
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies

Hi Richard,

Nice shots!

Thanks for sharing.

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

"Richard Crisp" wrote in message
m...
Last night was one of those nights where you just gotta go for it: we had
some unforecast clear skies last night between monsoons of near-biblical
proportion. We get hit again tomorrow :-(

This time of year we can get rain and clouds for two to three weeks

without
any relief, so when I saw an opening last night I scrambled to get some

time
logged.

I picked M65 and M66 because with the FOV I get with my ST10XME and my
AP155EDF, it frames them both nicely.

This is the first time I have shot any galaxies in a eon it seems. I
actually put away the emission line filters and used my other filter wheel
with the LRGB set (what's that dad?).

After the rain we've had lately, I expected good transparency. Turns out

to
have been pretty dark, clear and the seeing was better than I expected
looking at the jetstream map.

I managed to log 5 exposures of 20 minutes each through my lum filter

before
the wispy stuff rolled through again.

I decided to shoot a few darks and see what happened a bit later. When it
cleared about an hour or so later, I decided to tear down, it was getting
late and I was tired.

So here is 100 minutes worth of luminance

http://www.rdcrisp.darkhorizons.org/m65_m66_page.htm




  #4  
Old February 20th 04, 08:21 AM
Doink
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies

Hi Richard

I moved FROM Castro Valley after 20 years about 5 years ago. How can you
EVER get a clear night? Summer is the worse! It finally warms up and the
fog rolls in. Anyway, your shots were great...

Doink


"CLT" not@thisaddress wrote in message
...
Hi Richard,

Nice shots!

Thanks for sharing.

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

"Richard Crisp" wrote in message
m...
Last night was one of those nights where you just gotta go for it: we

had
some unforecast clear skies last night between monsoons of near-biblical
proportion. We get hit again tomorrow :-(

This time of year we can get rain and clouds for two to three weeks

without
any relief, so when I saw an opening last night I scrambled to get some

time
logged.

I picked M65 and M66 because with the FOV I get with my ST10XME and my
AP155EDF, it frames them both nicely.

This is the first time I have shot any galaxies in a eon it seems. I
actually put away the emission line filters and used my other filter

wheel
with the LRGB set (what's that dad?).

After the rain we've had lately, I expected good transparency. Turns out

to
have been pretty dark, clear and the seeing was better than I expected
looking at the jetstream map.

I managed to log 5 exposures of 20 minutes each through my lum filter

before
the wispy stuff rolled through again.

I decided to shoot a few darks and see what happened a bit later. When

it
cleared about an hour or so later, I decided to tear down, it was

getting
late and I was tired.

So here is 100 minutes worth of luminance

http://www.rdcrisp.darkhorizons.org/m65_m66_page.htm






  #5  
Old February 20th 04, 08:21 AM
Doink
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies

Hi Richard

I moved FROM Castro Valley after 20 years about 5 years ago. How can you
EVER get a clear night? Summer is the worse! It finally warms up and the
fog rolls in. Anyway, your shots were great...

Doink


"CLT" not@thisaddress wrote in message
...
Hi Richard,

Nice shots!

Thanks for sharing.

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

"Richard Crisp" wrote in message
m...
Last night was one of those nights where you just gotta go for it: we

had
some unforecast clear skies last night between monsoons of near-biblical
proportion. We get hit again tomorrow :-(

This time of year we can get rain and clouds for two to three weeks

without
any relief, so when I saw an opening last night I scrambled to get some

time
logged.

I picked M65 and M66 because with the FOV I get with my ST10XME and my
AP155EDF, it frames them both nicely.

This is the first time I have shot any galaxies in a eon it seems. I
actually put away the emission line filters and used my other filter

wheel
with the LRGB set (what's that dad?).

After the rain we've had lately, I expected good transparency. Turns out

to
have been pretty dark, clear and the seeing was better than I expected
looking at the jetstream map.

I managed to log 5 exposures of 20 minutes each through my lum filter

before
the wispy stuff rolled through again.

I decided to shoot a few darks and see what happened a bit later. When

it
cleared about an hour or so later, I decided to tear down, it was

getting
late and I was tired.

So here is 100 minutes worth of luminance

http://www.rdcrisp.darkhorizons.org/m65_m66_page.htm






  #6  
Old February 20th 04, 04:37 PM
Richard Crisp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies


"Doink" wrote in message
...
Hi Richard

I moved FROM Castro Valley after 20 years about 5 years ago. How can you
EVER get a clear night? Summer is the worse! It finally warms up and the
fog rolls in. Anyway, your shots were great...

Doink


Where did you move to, Doink? Are you still in the area? Glad you liked the
shot.

We moved here about 3 years ago from San Jose. You are right about the
summers: the marine layer is tough.

I end up doing Fremont Peak and some of the other mountain tops when the
summer marine layer is back.

The fall and spring and winter aren't too bad except for the rain.

I guess I get 5-10 or so nights per month of clear skies; but obviously it
varies.


  #7  
Old February 20th 04, 04:37 PM
Richard Crisp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies


"Doink" wrote in message
...
Hi Richard

I moved FROM Castro Valley after 20 years about 5 years ago. How can you
EVER get a clear night? Summer is the worse! It finally warms up and the
fog rolls in. Anyway, your shots were great...

Doink


Where did you move to, Doink? Are you still in the area? Glad you liked the
shot.

We moved here about 3 years ago from San Jose. You are right about the
summers: the marine layer is tough.

I end up doing Fremont Peak and some of the other mountain tops when the
summer marine layer is back.

The fall and spring and winter aren't too bad except for the rain.

I guess I get 5-10 or so nights per month of clear skies; but obviously it
varies.


  #8  
Old February 20th 04, 07:35 PM
socalsw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies

"Richard Crisp" wrote in message om...
Last night was one of those nights where you just gotta go for it: we had
some unforecast clear skies last night between monsoons of near-biblical
proportion. We get hit again tomorrow :-(


[snip]
So here is 100 minutes worth of luminance

http://www.rdcrisp.darkhorizons.org/m65_m66_page.htm


Very nice shot. I particularly liked the detail you were able to get.
I remember last spring trying to locate M65 and M66 with my 60mm.
Not a very good scope, mounted on a camera tripod (the one included
fell apart within 3 months). But locating them was satisfying, even
though I had to verify with my starmap that the two small fuzzy dots
that I saw were galaxies and not stars! I have since upgraded scopes,
and if the rain in socal leaves soon (though we do need it), I will
see what they look like in a 4.5" scope.

Erik
socalsw
  #9  
Old February 20th 04, 07:35 PM
socalsw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies

"Richard Crisp" wrote in message om...
Last night was one of those nights where you just gotta go for it: we had
some unforecast clear skies last night between monsoons of near-biblical
proportion. We get hit again tomorrow :-(


[snip]
So here is 100 minutes worth of luminance

http://www.rdcrisp.darkhorizons.org/m65_m66_page.htm


Very nice shot. I particularly liked the detail you were able to get.
I remember last spring trying to locate M65 and M66 with my 60mm.
Not a very good scope, mounted on a camera tripod (the one included
fell apart within 3 months). But locating them was satisfying, even
though I had to verify with my starmap that the two small fuzzy dots
that I saw were galaxies and not stars! I have since upgraded scopes,
and if the rain in socal leaves soon (though we do need it), I will
see what they look like in a 4.5" scope.

Erik
socalsw
  #10  
Old February 20th 04, 08:15 PM
Richard Crisp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ASTRO: M65 and M66 Galaxies


"socalsw" wrote in message
om...
"Richard Crisp" wrote in message

om...
Last night was one of those nights where you just gotta go for it: we

had
some unforecast clear skies last night between monsoons of near-biblical
proportion. We get hit again tomorrow :-(


[snip]
So here is 100 minutes worth of luminance

http://www.rdcrisp.darkhorizons.org/m65_m66_page.htm


Very nice shot. I particularly liked the detail you were able to get.
I remember last spring trying to locate M65 and M66 with my 60mm.
Not a very good scope, mounted on a camera tripod (the one included
fell apart within 3 months). But locating them was satisfying, even



Thanks, the seeing was better than average the night I took them, even
though I shot them fairly early in the evening before they rose very high.
The transparency was good too, we'd had about 7 days of rain/clouds
preceeding it. The day or two before had been pretty windy too, so my theory
is the weather swished the smog out of the valley....



 




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