Clear Skies and Lots of Captures !

M 27 - The Dumbell Nebula

12 minute (24 - 30 sec images stacked with Deep Sky Stacker)

NexStar 8iSE - Canon t2i at prime focus - ISO 3200

The skies really cleared up last night and so it was out to the observatory!

The first part of the evening, while the Sun was still up, was spent using my Mallincam Micro Ex on the Moon with the Celestron NexStar 8iSE scope. It was EXCELLENT ! Such detail and good contrast! (I will post a few shots in the next blog).

But what really got my blood pumping was when I connected the Meade LXD-75 mount (on which the NexStar scope is mounted) with my old Dell laptop and Cartes du Ciel star program. After aligning the scope with Arcturus, I hit "Sync" and was off to M 13 and though it was not dead center (my fault I am sure!) it was in the field of view... and that at prime focus! And so I was able to go into hyperdrive and hit each target without any fuss... unlike using the hand controller! It made the evening so enjoyable and fun!

M 13 - The Great Hercules Globular Cluster

30 secs single exposure

NexStar 8iSE - Canon t2i at prime focus - ISO 6400

Then it was off to more... and all were in the frame without any trouble!

M 5 - The Great Hercules Globular Cluster

30 secs single exposure

NexStar 8iSE - Canon t2i at prime focus - ISO 6400

M 29 - Star Cluster

2 Minute - single exposure

NexStar 8iSE - Canon t2i at prime focus - ISO 3200

M 14 - Star Cluster

30 sec - single exposure

NexStar 8iSE - Canon t2i at prime focus - ISO 6400

M 57 - The Ring Nebula

2 Minute - single exposure

NexStar 8iSE - Canon t2i at prime focus - ISO 3200

M 56 - Star Cluster

2 Minute - single exposure

NexStar 8iSE - Canon t2i at prime focus - ISO 3200

M 71 - Star Cluster

1 Minute - single exposure

NexStar 8iSE - Canon t2i at prime focus - ISO 6400