Leo Triplet Galaxies | 628 mm

Leo Triplet (M65, M66, NGC3628), three bright galaxies in the vicinity of Leo imaged with a 4 in refractor at 628 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. The trio galaxies are bright and visible with small telescopes in relatively dark skies. Two bright stars in Leo can be used to easily find this galaxy group. Imaged from a recreation site in Caliraya, Quezon, in March 2023.

Leo Triplet Galaxies, 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
Advertisement

Orion Nebula | 628 mm

Orion Nebula M42 imaged with Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED with DIY reducer at 628 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, and a dual band H-alpha and O-III filter. This image was tracked using a Vixen GP mount with DIY controller and an ASI 174 guide camera on a DIY off-axis guider (OAG). Imaged from a recreation site in Caliraya, Quezon, in March 2023.

M42 Orion Nebula, 1 hour exposure

Related link: Orion Nebula | 900 mm

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Omega Centauri | 628 mm

Omega Centauri (NGC 5139) imaged with a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED with DIY focal reducer (at 100 mm f/6.2), an ASI 533MC astronomy camera, and an ASI 174 mm off-axis guider. This target was imaged from a recreation site near lake Caliraya, Quezon, in March 2023.

Omega Centauri, 2.8 hours exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Lagoon Nebula | 628 mm

Lagoon Nebula M8 imaged with a 4 in refractor at 628 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 a test image taken with a DIY focal length reducer.

Lagoon Nebula M8, 2 hours exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Lagoon Nebula | 1200 mm

Lagoon Nebula M8 imaged with a Meade AR-6 AT (152 mm f/8) achromatic refractor at 1200 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC astronomy camera, and an ASI 174 mm off-axis guider. I used a ZWO duo nebula filter to enhance the contrast by blocking out all light except the light coming from emission nebula. M8 is visible even with binoculars or small telescopes.

Lagoon Nebula, 30 minutes exposure

Related link:
Lagoon Nebula 565 mm
Lagoon Nebula and Trifid Nebula

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Whirlpool Galaxy | 628 mm

Whirlpool Galaxy M51 imaged with a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED refractor at 628 mm focal length and an ASI 533MC astronomy camera. M51 is relatively bright and may be visible through a small telescope. Use the stars of the Big Dipper to find M51.

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy, 5.6 hours exposure

Related link: Whirlpool Galaxy M51 | 900 mm

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Crab Nebula

Crab Nebula M1, a supernova remnant in the constellation Taurus, imaged with a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED refractor at 628 mm focal length on a DIY reducer, an ASI533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual-band H-alpha and O-III filter, and an ASI 174MM guide camera. This photo was imaged and tracked using a Vixen GP mount with DIY go-to telescope controller.

Crab Nebula, 1 hour exposure

To find the Crab Nebula, locate Auriga first and then scan the region south of Auriga, near the bright star in Taurus. A narrowband filter helps in increasing the contrast between the nebula and the sky (such as using a 12 nm OIII for visual use, or 6 nm dual-band OIII and H-alpha for photography). Due to the nebula’s small angular size, a telescope with 4 inch aperture or larger with relatively long focal length is recommended for this target.

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Flame and Horsehead Nebula

Flame and Horsehead Nebula in the constellation Orion imaged with a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED refractor at 628 mm focal length on DIY reducer, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, a dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, and an ASI 174MM guide camera. Tracking was done using a Vixen GP mount with DIY controller.

Flame and Horsehead Nebula, 2 hours exposure

Related link: Horsehead Nebula | 900 mm

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Rosette Nebula

Rosette Nebula imaged with a Sky-Watcher 100ED with a DIY focal reducer, ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter. Guided tracking using an ASI 174MM with DIY Off-Axis Guider and motorized Vixen Grand Polaris mount.

Rosette Nebula, 2 hours exposure

To find Rosette Nebula, point the telescope to Procyon and then lock the declination axis. While looking through the finder scope and moving the RA axis only, swing the telescope westward until you see the central stars of the nebula.

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Thor’s Helmet Nebula

Thor’s Helmet Nebula NGC 2359 in the constellation Canis Major imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector at 900 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, a dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. This is a very faint target that requires a relatively large telescope with long focal length to frame properly and reveal details. This target is easy to locate using the three bright stars to the east of Sirius.

Thor’s Helmet Nebula, 3 hours exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Horsehead Nebula

Horsehead Nebula IC 434 in the constellation Orion imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector at 900 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. The nebula is not visible in small telescopes and requires a camera sensitive to H-alpha to reveal the deep-red ionized hydrogen gas obscured by an opaque cloud of dust and gas.

Horsehead Nebula, 1 hour exposure

Related link: Flame and Horsehead Nebula | 628 mm

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Orion Nebula | 900 mm

Orion Nebula M42 imaged with a Vixen R114 reflector at 900 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. M42 is visible even with binoculars or small telescopes.

Orion Nebula, 1 hour exposure

Related link: Orion Nebula | 628 mm

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Triangulum Galaxy

Triangulum Galaxy M33 imaged with a 4 in refractor at 565 mm focal length, ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera with UV-IR filter, and an ASI 174MM guide camera. Use the three prominent stars of the Triangulum constellation to find M33.

M33 Triangulum Galaxy, 44 minutes exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Pleiades

Pleiades M45 star cluster imaged with a 4 in refractor at 565 mm focal length, ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera with UV-IR filter, and an ASI 174MM guide camera. This target is very prominent and can be seen very easily with the unaided eye, binoculars, and small telescopes.

M45 Pleiades, 1 hour exposure

For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.

Night Sky in Focus 
© Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines

Veil Nebula

Veil Nebula in the constellation Cygnus 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. I used the StarNet++ to reduce the stars and highlight the nebula.

Veil Nebula, 1 hour 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

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

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