Lagoon and Trifid Nebula

Lagoon M8 and Trifid Nebula M20 imaged with an 80-210 mm Tamron telephoto lens set at 210 mm f/5.6, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera on a 30 mm f/4 guide scope. This photo was imaged and tracked using a DIY go-to telescope controller.

Lagoon and Trifid Nebula, 2 hours exposure

Related link:
OnStep DIY Go-to Telescope Controller

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
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How to Image the Milky Way

In the Philippines, the Milky Way is most prominent in the sky during months of March to May each year, visible to the unaided eye in the southeastern horizon at around 1 to 3 am.

Milky Way in Coron

Any DSLR camera or smartphone with good camera may be used to photograph the Milky Way. To capture the Milky Way:

  1. Set the lens’ focal length to wide-field (18 mm). Milky way is a large target.
  2. Set the exposure time to 30 seconds.
  3. Set the aperture to widest opening (f/1.8).
  4. Set the ISO value to maximum (ISO 3200).
  5. Turn off the camera’s flash.
  6. Attach the camera to a tripod.
  7. Set the focus to manual mode.
  8. Focus on a distant target such as a star.
  9. Use the app Stellarium to find the Milky Way.
  10. Turn on the camera’s time-delay feature.
  11. When ready, press the shutter to take a photo.

Related link: DIY Sky Tracker

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Eagle Nebula

Eagle Nebula M16 imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera on a 60 mm guide scope. This is one of the bright deep-sky objects in the Milky Way region, in the part of the sky where you can also find the Trifid Nebula and Lagoon Nebula. You may use the bright stars of Sagittarius as pointers to find this target.

Eagle Nebula, 2 hours exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Omega Nebula

Omega Nebula M17 imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera on a 60 mm guide scope. This is one of the brightest deep-sky objects in the Milky Way region, in the part of the sky where you can also find the Eagle Nebula. M17 is visible even with binoculars or small telescopes. You may use the bright stars of Sagittarius to find this target.

Omega Nebula M17, 40 min exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Trifid Nebula

Trifid Nebula M20 imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera on a 60 mm f/5 guide scope. The dark dust lanes that divide the nebula into three sections are visible in this photo. This photo was imaged and tracked using a DIY go-to telescope controller.

Trifid Nebula M20, 1.7 hours exposure

Related links:
OnStep DIY Go-to Telescope Controller
Vixen R114 Reflector on Great Polaris Mount

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Ring Nebula

M57 Ring Nebula imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector at 1800 mm focal length (using a 2X Barlow), OIII and H-alpha dual band filter, and an ASI 533MC astronomy camera. The planetary nebula looks like a small faint circle but relatively easy to find by scanning the region between the two bright stars in Lyra.

M57 Ring Nebula, 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Dumbbell Nebula

Dumbbell Nebula M27 imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector at 900 mm focal length, OIII and H-alpha dual band filter, and an ASI 533MC astronomy camera. To find M27, use the bright stars of Aquila and Cygnus as pointer stars. This target is bright, easy to find, and should be visible even with small telescopes.

Dumbbell Nebula, 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Sombrero Galaxy

Sombrero Galaxy M104 imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector at 900 mm focal length and an ASI 533MC astronomy camera. M104 is in the constellation Virgo, near the bright stars of Corvus. This galaxy is relatively bright and easy to find.

M104 Sombrero Galaxy, 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Whirlpool Galaxy | 900 mm

Whirlpool Galaxy M51 imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector at 900 mm focal length and an ASI 533MC astronomy camera. This galaxy is found in Ursa Major, in the part of the sky in the vicinity of other galaxies such as M101, M81 and M82. This target is relatively bright and may be visible through a small telescope. Use the stars of the Big Dipper to find M51.

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy, 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Pinwheel Galaxy

Pinwheel Galaxy M101 imaged with a 4 in refractor, ASI 533MC astronomy camera, and an ASI 174MM guide camera. This galaxy is found in Ursa Major, in the part of the sky in the vicinity of other galaxies such as M51, M81 and M82. This target has a very low surface brightness and requires a lot of exposure times to reveal the spiral arms. Use the stars of the Big Dipper to find M101.

Pinwheel Galaxy M101, 3 hours exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Lagoon Nebula 565 mm

Lagoon Nebula M8 imaged with a 4 in refractor at 565 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. This is the brightest deep-sky object in the Milky Way region, in the part of the sky where you can also find the Trifid Nebula. M8 is visible even with binoculars or small telescopes. You may use the bright stars of Sagittarius to find this target.

Lagoon Nebula M8, 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Bode’s and Cigar Galaxies

Bode’s Galaxy (M81) and Cigar Galaxy (M82) imaged with a 4 in refractor, ASI 533MC astronomy camera, and an ASI 174MM guide camera. This galaxy pair is found in the vicinity of the Big Dipper in Ursa Major, along with the M51 Whirlpool Galaxy. Bode’s and Cigar Galaxies are relatively bright and should be visible even with a small telescope, in relatively dark skies. There are no bright stars near the galaxy pair, making it a bit difficult to find these targets. Use the bright stars of the Big Dipper as pointer stars.

Bode’s Galaxy (left) and Cigar Galaxy (right), 2.5 hours exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

M92 Globular Cluster

M92 Globular Cluster imaged with a 4 in refractor at 565 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. M92 is one of the two bright globular clusters in Hercules, together with M13. To find M92, use the bright stars of Hercules that form a rectangle. This target is relatively bright and can be seen easily with a small telescope.

M92 Globular Cluster, 25 minutes exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Markarian’s Chain

The Markarian’s Chain imaged under city skies with a 4 in refractor at 565 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, and an ASI 174MM guide camera. More than 10 galaxies are visible in this photo. Use the stars Denebola and Vindemiatrix to locate the galaxy chain.

Markarian’s Chain, 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Carina Nebula | 565 mm

Eta Carinae Nebula (Carina Nebula) imaged with a 4 in refractor at 565 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. This target is particularly difficult to image since it is very low in my local horizon, only about 15 degrees elevation. It is relatively bright and easy to find due to the presence of nearby bright stars. Due to its low elevation, however, this target needs very clear skies.

Eta Carinae (Carina Nebula), 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Hercules Globular Cluster

Hercules Globular Cluster (M13) imaged with a 4 in refractor at 565 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. Tracking is done using a DIY tracker built using an Arduino and a stepper motor controller. Imaging done in NINA, guiding in PHD2, and processing in SIRIL. This is a bright and relatively easy to find target.

M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Helix Nebula

Helix Nebula imaged in September 2021 with a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED, ZWO duo nebula filter, and an ASI 533 astronomy camera at 565 mm focal length (using a 0.63x DIY focal reducer, guided with a DIY off-axis guider (OAG) and an ASI 174MM guide camera. A total of 38 minutes exposure stacked and processed in SIRIL without calibration frames.

Helix Nebula

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Eastern Veil Nebula

First light image of a DIY off-axis guider OAG fitted to a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED using an ASI 174MM as a guide camera, imaging at 565 mm focal length (0.63x DIY focal reducer). This image was taken in September 2021 with an ASI 533 cooled astronomy camera and a ZWO duo nebula filter, for a total of 1.7 hours. Stacked and processed in SIRIL without calibration frames.

Eastern Veil Nebula, 1.7 hours

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Related link: Western Veil Nebula

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Clavius Crater

Clavius crater imaged with a Sky-Watcher 4 in f/9 refractor, 25 mm eyepiece, and an ASI 533 camera. Registering and stacking done in SIRIL.

Clavius crater imaged with a 4-inch telescope and an astronomy camera

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Western Veil Nebula

First light image of a DIY 0.63x focal reducer fitted to a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED. This image was taken in September 2021 with an ASI 533 cooled astronomy camera and a ZWO duo nebula filter, for a total of 14 minutes, tracked and unguided. Stacked and processed in SIRIL without calibration frames.

The Western Veil Nebula in Cygnus, a supernova remnant


For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines