M101 and friends

Wow! After a very looooong hiatus from any astro activity, I couldn't be more thankful that I had an opportunity to go out and return to astro-imaging. Even though my gears are not suitable for galaxies and small objects, I tried to visit my old favorite Pinwheel Galaxy. No planning, no messy set-up, just shoot and go. It was a pleasure enough for me to go to a dark site, bring out my gears and shoot whatever there is. The cloudless night sky was worth the back-breaking ordeal of bringing up my gears to the hilltop. Polaris was difficult to find against the full grown trees and I had to find a good spot to do a good polar alignment. I tried shooting luminance frames of M78 while waiting for M101 to rise above the treetops. Past midnight, the pinwheel galaxy was already well placed and I got 60 minutes worth of luminance and 15 minutes each of color frames. It was a no surprise that I forgot how to process the frames after several years of no-astro activity. I had to refresh myself of the processing techniques and procedures. So, this image is more of an experiment in jolting my memory in astro-processing!

Another AAPOD! (my sixth time)

I was pleasantly surprised again to receive the wonderful news that my Simeis 147 image was selected as AAPOD for March 22. This is my sixth and hopefully not the last!
http://www.aapodx2.com/2016/20160321.html

Astro Season 2016!

I promised myself that I will be more active in posting my astro related activities this year. To start the season, I, together with hardcore astro buddies went to our favorite site in Buso-buso, Antipolo City to attempt some astro imaging. There was no particular object in mind that I liked to image. However, a few unfinished H-alpha images from last year needed color data so I reckoned that that's what I would do. Fist was IC59/63 followed by Simeis 147. I had to struggle with the positioning of my filter wheel as I could not frame objects as I would like them to be. Oh, and the trees have grown tall already! I had to reposition the whole astro imaging rig five times just to clear the obstructing branches and leaves. In spite of all of the challenges, the night was sweet as the skies were mostly clear. I just had to take an image of Comet Catalina in the northern sky before packing up.

Astro season quickly passed away! SH2-129

I was too busy travelling since the start of the year that I had no time to do serious imaging. My list of objects-to-image hardly gets read. The scope and camera were not removed from their cases, batteries were drained, and dust accumulated on the mount. Until last week. . . The sight of Polaris peeking through the clouds gave me enough enthusiasm to set up my gears and waited for Cepheus to rise up in the northern sky. Whew!.. I almost never remembered how to do the usual set-up after in hiatus for half-year. Eventually, things worked out and the sky cleared up long enough for me to accumulate a couple of hours worth of images in hydrogen-alpha. Can't wait for the next season to get the color data!

5th AAPOD! - Elephant's Trunk Nebula Widefield

This image was taken in Caliraya last year. I was with my family and friends and had a great time. Wish I can go back again and enjoy the night view. And fishing. . .

Thanks for the heavy traffic! (M31 Andromeda Galaxy)

Talk about being a hardcore. We almost gave up our astroimaging trip to Boso-boso last Saturday. We encountered heavy downpour on our way to the hills, causing us to turn-back and stop at a gasoline station to wait for the rain to subside. Rain stopped, and we were about to head home when I realized of the heavy traffic snarl waiting for us on the way back. Then, luck of all the luck, we started seeing the blue sky desperately peeking out from heavy clouds. I reckoned that we will just be stucked for hours in traffic if we go back home or we might as well try proceeding to the site and who knows, we might have few lucky breaks. The sky at the site was not good when we arrived. So, we decided to wait until 9 pm and then we can go home. But, indeed the sky started clearing up at around 7 pm so we hurriedly had our dinner and set-up the gears. My target, M31 galaxy was already past meridian but I imaged it anyway. The sky permitted me to take only a measly 60 minutes of luminance subs. The color subs would have to be taken next time (year). Next was Simeis 147. I managed to get only 90 minutes of H-alpha subs before the sky closed. On the way home, I kept thinking of what it could have been if there was no traffic going to the site. Well, for sure, I could have not imaged this wonderful galaxy!

AAPOD2 4th time!

When it rains, it pours! My Crescent Nebula image taken at home was chosen as AAPOD for November 16, 2014. This is my fourth AAPOD image. Hope that this will not be the last. Modesty aside, I take enormous pride when my images are recognized by an international amateur astronomy organization. It somehow takes away the tiredness and expenses associated with astro imaging. Thus, a nice self-reward is in order. Now, where is the best ice-blended mocha coffee . . .

http://www.aapodx2.com/2014/20141116.html