Chris Howard's Blog, page 37

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A Cheap Powerbox for your Astro Imaging Rig. I put together a...

A Cheap Powerbox for your Astro Imaging Rig. I put together a cheap consolidated power unit that had a couple 12 v output lines, one dew control output that always operates at full voltage, and one higher amp 5v line–so that connected devices can draw up to 5 amps from this one. Perfect for the Raspberry Pi 4s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVSDPsgvW64&t=5s

I captured almost 5.5 hours of OIII and SII data on NGC 7380...

I captured almost 5.5 hours of OIII and SII data on NGC 7380 (Sh2-142) the Wizard Nebula and star cluster in Cepheus. I captured the Ha data for the Wizard Nebula early in July, and now I have enough to process in SHO (Hubble Palette) that’s where we map the three bandpasses, sulfur (SII), hydrogen (Ha), and oxygen (OIII) to RGB, Red, Green, Blue to make up a color image. Imaging notes: William Optics GT81 at f/4.7 with WO 0.8x Flat6A II, Astronomik Ha, OIII, and SII filters, Moonlite focuser, ZWO ASI120MM OAG, Imaging camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro cooled mono on an iOptron CEM25P mount. Stacked in DSS, processed in PS CC 2019.

IC 1848, the Soul Nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia, 24 x...

IC 1848, the Soul Nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia, 24 x 300 second exposures each of Ha, OIII, and SII. I completed these just before the earth rotated into early morning. Not a ton of data, but enough to process and see how it looks. Equipment notes: William Optics GT81 at f/4.7 with WO 0.8x Flat6A II, Astronomik Ha, OIII, and SII filters, Moonlite focuser, ZWO ASI120MM OAG, Imaging camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro cooled mono on an iOptron CEM25P mount. Stacked in DSS, processed in PS CC 2019.

Another one of the Pacman Nebula NGC 281, with narrowband data I...

Another one of the Pacman Nebula NGC 281, with narrowband data I started taking in early June. You can really see the Bok globules, those little lumps of dark dust and gas standing out near the center and backlit by the bright emission of the Pacman. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bok_globule

Imaging notes: William Optics GT81 at f/4.7 with WO 0.8x Flat6A II, Astronomik Ha, OIII, and SII filters, Moonlite focuser, ZWO ASI120MM OAG, Imaging camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro cooled mono on an iOptron CEM25P mount. Stacked in DSS, processed in PS CC 2019.

NGC 281 Pacman Nebula - I’m finally getting around to...

NGC 281 Pacman Nebula - I’m finally getting around to processing a bunch of data I gathered over the last month and a half. Pacman is one my favorite nebulae in Cassiopeia. I love that it’s out on its own, surrounded by cold dark space and a field of stars. NGC 281 also has an impressive set of Bok Globules, those dark gaseous knots drifting in front of the bright blue and gold (oxygen and hydrogen). And that’s Achird (eta Cassiopeia) at the bottom left, a variable double star a little under 20 lightyears away. Damn, that’s nearly close enough to visit–with the right technology. https://SaltwaterWitch.com

Okay, I’ve been working on this one for a while, close to...

Okay, I’ve been working on this one for a while, close to two months–off and on. The idea I was going for–and hoping I captured–is a ship’s navigator interacting with star charts that are essentially “sufficiently advanced technology…” which of course would look like magic to us. This isn’t for a story of mine–or maybe my entire story is in the image…

Here’s more of my concept work in ArtRage, with an...

Here’s more of my concept work in ArtRage, with an upgraded version of the “Cloud-gatherer”, a ship that nibbles on stars and gas giants for fuel and other chemical resources. https://SaltwaterWitch.com

Some quick concept painting in ArtRage 6 and CC2019,...

Some quick concept painting in ArtRage 6 and CC2019, “Passing the Red Giant Gamma Crucis”. https://SaltwaterWitch.com

The Western Veil Nebula in Cygnus with the “Witch’s...

The Western Veil Nebula in Cygnus with the “Witch’s Broom” (NGC 6960) toward the top. WilliamOptics GT81 APO Refractor and ZWO ASI1600MM-Pro mono camera: 14 x 300 second exp in Ha, 15 x 300 second exposures in OIII. My astro blog: https://SaltwaterWitch.com/blog