Blog - Galactic Images

Pastel Aurora above John on 03-11-2023

By John Chumack|2023-03-12T20:45:10+00:00March 12th, 2023|Tags: #Aurora, #auroraborealis, #ChumackObservatories, #GalacticImages, #JohnChumack, #natgeo, #skyatnight, #SolarActivity, #universe, #Universetoday, Alaska, Astronomy, Space|

Just waiting for our next 2023 Aurora Hunting Crew to Arrive on Tuesday.
and John S. and I set out to Checkout & prep our sites for their arrival.
temps were not bad, only hovering around -1F last night. Was a balmy 28F during the day.

The area received a lot of deep snow again this year…but at least its manageable…
and this means we should be able to see and photograph some Moose again this year as well as Aurora.
We saw a large moose on our way out to one of our sites last night.
The Aurora kicked up nicely around 10:00pm last night and we enjoyed a decent display(kp3)

Now that those high level cirrus clouds passed through it started to clear off enough to see the Aurora Borealis well.
In this self-portrait image I captured the Pastel Aurora covering the constellation of Auriga & Cassiopeia, Hyades, Pleiades, Mars, and even the faint glow of the great Andromeda galaxy.

Canon 6D DSLR, Tokina 16mm F2.8 Lens,
ISO 5000 for 8 second exposure.
Camera on a Tripod.

The Leo Galaxy Triplet on 02-14-2023

By John Chumack|2023-03-10T01:50:05+00:00March 10th, 2023|Tags: #ASIAIR, #ChumackObservatories, #GalacticImages, #galaxy, #JohnChumack, #leo, #leotriplet, #m65, #m66, #natgeo, #NGC3628, #skyatnight, #universe, #Universetoday, #ZWO, #ZWO294MC, Astronomy, Galaxies, Space|

Welcome to Galaxy Season once again…

The Leo Triplet

Three interacting Spiral Galaxies in one FOV, also called the M66 group.

A favorite amongst both visual observers and Astro-Imagers.

The Leo Triplet is a small bright group of galaxies about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo.

This galaxy group consists of the spiral galaxies M65(top), M66, and the edge on NGC 3628 (aka The Hamburger Galaxy).

Although I have imaged these galaxies many times in the past with various sized telescopes, it always fun to see and image them each year.

I captured this image on 2-14-2023 at my observatories at JBSPO in Yellow Springs, Ohio with a 5.5 Newtonian reflector telescope,

Celestron AVX Mount, controlled with an ASI Air Plus,

ZWO 294MC cooled Cmos Camera, L-Pro Filter, Wi-Fi to IPAD, Processed in DSS, Pixinsight, and Adobe Raw CC 2023.

(30 x 2 minute subs) 60 minutes total integration time.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com

The Sun In Hydrogen Alpha Light on 02-26-2023

By John Chumack|2023-03-01T20:55:26+00:00February 26th, 2023|Tags: #filaments, #HASun, #hygrogenalphasun, #lunt, #natgeo, #QHY5IIL, #QHYCCD, #SolarActivity, #solarflare, #solarsystem, #universe, Sol, Space, Sun, Sunspots|

The Sun In Hydrogen Alpha Light on 02-26-2023 at 1859 UT
I waited two hour for the fast moving high cirrus clouds to leave a hole long enough for me to image the Sun, finally got a clearing hole that lasted about 15 minute.
My latest image shows the Sun’s full disk with 6 active Active Regions, AR3234, AR3235, AR3229, AR3237, AR3236, AR3230,

visible are Sunspots, Plagues, Filaments, and Prominences galore!

Captured from my backyard Observatory in Dayton, Ohio with my Lunt 60mm/50 HA filtered Scope, QHY5IIL Cmos Camera, 700 frames stacked in Registax 6,

Post processed in Adobe Raw CC 2023.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com

Sh2-240 (Simeis 147) The Spaghetti Nebula (SNR) in Taurus

By John Chumack|2023-02-16T01:55:19+00:00February 16th, 2023|Tags: #ASIAIR, #asiweek, #ChumackObservatories, #GalacticImages, #JohnChumack, #natgeo, #sh2-240, #simeis147, #skyatnight, #spaghettinebula, #universe, #Universetoday, #ZWO, #ZWO294MC, Astronomy, Space, Taurus|

Sh2-240 (Simeis 147) The Spaghetti Nebula (SNR) in Taurus

This is an extremely faint object to capture in my Bortle 7-8 skies, but we had a very nice transparent night, so I went for it to see what I could capture with my one shot color Cmos Camera.

Simeis 147 is a very large supernova remnant (about 3 degrees across in apparent diameter) about 6 full moons across the sky.

A massive star exploded about 40,000 years ago, and left this expanding shell of gas, it’s faint glowing nebulous tendrils resemble that of Spaghetti, hence the name. It is located 3,000 light years from Earth.

I captured this challenging object on 02/13/2023 with my Samyang 135mm lens at F4 lens and ZWO 294MC Pro Cooled Cmos Camera,

(120 x 2 minute subs),a 4 hour exposure total, using my AM5 Harmonic Mount, ASI Air Plus, Via Wi-Fi to my I-Pad.

Processed In DSS, Pixinsight, Adobe Raw CC 2023.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com

Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF is now moving away from Mars 02/12/2023 UT

By John Chumack|2023-02-12T19:05:52+00:00February 12th, 2023|Tags: #ASIAIR, #ChumackObservatories, #comet, #GalacticImages, #JohnChumack, #LDN1538, #Mars2023, #natgeo, #samyang135, #skyatnight, #solarsystem, #Universetoday, #ZWO, #ZWO294MC, Astronomy, Mars, Space|

Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF is now moving away from Mars & Dark Nebulae LDN 1538. A little better conditions, before the clouds rolled in again.

The Planet Mars & Comet c/2022 E3 ZTF on 021/12/2023 at 021223 UT.

(09:47 to 09:55pm LT 02/11/2023) this is only an 8 minute exposure showing Mars at top with Dark dusty nebulae LDN1538 in Taurus and the Green Coma and long dust tail of the Comet reaches all the way back to Mars in this image.

Samyang 135mm @ F4 Lens, AM5 Mount, ZWO294MC Cooled Cmos Camera, ASI Air Plus, Wi-Fi to I-Pad,

4 x 2 minute subs, 8 minute total exposure.

Captured from my observatories at JBSPO in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com

The Planet Mars & Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF

By John Chumack|2023-02-12T05:10:59+00:00February 12th, 2023|Tags: #c2022e3ztf, #ChumackObservatories, #comet, #Comets, #cometztf, #GalacticImages, #JohnChumack, #Mars2023, #natgeo, #skyatnight, #Universetoday, #ZWO, #ZWO294MC, Astronomy, Space, Taurus|

The Planet Mars & Comet c/2022 E3 ZTF on 02/11/2023 Centered on 04:05 UT. (22:54 to 23:18 LT 02/10/2023) A nice wide angle shot!
You can see the Comet approaching Mars and some of the Dark Dusty Nebulae Clouds of Taurus are also visible in the background.

This looked Awesome in my 10×70 Fujinon Binoculars, the color contrast was beautiful, and the comet’s glowing coma was so easy to see. Greg and I watched it for a while last night at JBSPO.

I captured this with a Samyang 135mm Lens @ F4, L-Pro Filter, ZWO AM5 Mount, ASI Air Plus, via Wi-Fi to my I-Pad, ZWO 294mc Cooled Cmos Camera, (12 x 2 minute subs) 24 minutes total integration time, from my observatories at JBSPO in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com

Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF on 02/04/2023

By John Chumack|2023-02-05T01:11:08+00:00February 5th, 2023|Tags: #ASIAIR, #ChumackObservatories, #comet, #comettails, #GalacticImages, #JohnChumack, #natgeo, #skyatnight, #universe, #ZWO, #ZWO294MC, Astronomy, Nucleus, Space|

Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF on

02/04/2023 from 03:30 UT to 04:58 UT.

Tracking on the Comet’s Nucleus, Green Coma, Ion & Dust Tails are all visible in this image.

The comet nucleus was estimated to be about a kilometer in size, rotating every 8.7 hours.

Its tails of dust and gas extended for millions of km. The Comet was 45 million kilometers from Earth at the time of my capture.

The comet last visited our inner solar system over 50,000 years ago, so now is your only chance to get out and see this one in binoculars or a telescope. We finally got a clear night after nearly a month of clouds/rain/ snowy weather.

I found it in binoculars last night, despite the bright nearly Full Moon and shared the view with my fellow MVAS Astronomy club member Greg, while we both felt we were freezing to death as the temp drop down to 5F at JBSPO.

5.5 inch F5 Vixen Newtonian Reflector, Celestron Comma Corrector, L-Pro Filter, Celestron AVX Mount, ZWO 294MC Cooled Cmos Camera,

ASI Air Plus via Wi-Fi to IPAD (88 x 60 second Subs exposures) 88 minute total exposure integration time.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com

NGC-4565 Edge on Spiral Galaxy – (short exposure)

By John Chumack|2023-01-26T12:30:13+00:00January 26th, 2023|Tags: #ASIAIR, #ChumackObservatories, #edgeonspiral, #GalacticImages, #galaxy, #JohnChumack, #natgeo, #ngc4565, #skyatnight, #universe, #Universetoday, #ZWO, #ZWO294MC, Astronomy, Galaxies, Space|

Every year I have to take a shot of one of my favorite Galaxies, it is a Beautiful Edge on Spiral Galaxy, both visually and photographically.

NGC 4565 Edge on Spiral Galaxy in Coma Berenices, (also known as the Needle Galaxy or Caldwell 38)

is an edge-on spiral galaxy about 42 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices.

It lies close to the North Galactic Pole and has a visual magnitude of approximately 10.4.

It is known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile, the core of the galaxy contains 240 Globular star clusters,

more than the Milky Way. NGC 4565 is one of the brightest members of the Coma Galaxy Group.

I only captured 24 minutes of data on this one due to clouds rolling in and ending my imaging run, but it still looks decent enough to share.

Look carefully near the bottom of this image in the background is another needle like edge on Galaxy.

TPO 12″ F4 Newtonian telescope, Bisque ME Mount,

ZWO 294MC cooled Cmos Camera, L-Pro filter, Baader Coma Corrector,

ASI Air Plus, via Wi-Fi to I-Pad, 12 x 2 minute subs, 24 minute exposure total Integration time.

Calibrated & Stacked in ASTAP, Processed in Pixinsight, Adobe Raw CC 2023.

Captured from my Observatories at JBSPO in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com

Barnard’s Loop in Orion Sh2-276

By John Chumack|2023-01-25T00:28:21+00:00January 25th, 2023|Tags: #ASIAIR, #barnardsloop, #boogeymannebula, #ChumackObservatories, #GalacticImages, #JohnChumack, #LDN1622, #m78, #natgeo, #sh2-276, #skyatnight, #Universetoday, #ZWO, #ZWO294MC|

Barnard’s Loop (catalogue designation Sh 2-276) is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion. It is part of the Orion molecular cloud complex.

The loop takes the form of a large arc centered approximately on the Orion Nebula. The stars within the Orion Nebula are believed to be responsible for ionizing the loop.

The loop extends over about 600 arc minutes as seen from Earth, covering much of Orion.

Visible in my image is the Northern half of the Loop

Barnard’s Loop (center) with 9th magnitude Open Cluster NGC 2112 embedded in the Loop(below center),

LDN 1622 The Boogeyman Dark Nebula(upper left),

M78 Blue Reflection Nebula(right), and to the

far lower right is the Flame Nebula & Alnitak.

Bisque MyT Mount, Samyang 135mm Lens F2, ZWO 294MC cooled Cmos Camera, ASI Air Plus via Wi-Fi to I-Pad, 120 minute exposure (60 x 2 minute subs) Stacked in ASTAP, Pixinsight, Adobe Raw CC 2023, taken from my backyard observatory(bortle8) in Dayton, Ohio on 12-20-2022.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com

A wide Field Shot of the IC 443 Jelly Fish Nebula Region

By John Chumack|2023-01-09T00:20:25+00:00January 9th, 2023|Tags: #ASIAIR, #ChumackObservatories, #etageminorum, #GalacticImages, #gemini, #Jellyfishnebula, #JohnChumack, #LBN863, #M35, #messier35, #monkeyheadnebula, #mugeminorum, #natgeo, #ngc2157, #ngc2158, #NGC2174, #Propus, #Samyanglens, #skyatnight, #tejat, #Tejatposterior, #Universetoday, #ZWO, #ZWO294MC, Astronomy, Space|

Here is my nice deep wide field shot of the Jelly Fish Nebula in Gemini
along with some of its neighbors. No telescope, just a Samyang 135mm lens this time.

At center are the two bright stars Mu & Eta Geminorum (Tejat Posterior & Propus)
with IC 443 The Jelly Fish Nebula(A Supernova Remnant) also known as Sharpless 248 (Sh2-248)
located 4,892 light years away in the constellation Gemini.
NGC 2174 The Monkey Head Nebula (bottom left)
LBN 863 Nebula (bottom middle)
M35 Open Star Cluster (bottom right)
NGC 2158 one of the oldest Open Star Clusters in our galaxy(just below M35)
NGC 2157 Open Star Cluster(just below NGC 2158)

Captured with a Samyang 135mm F2 lens, ZWO 294MC cooled Cmos Camera, Bisque MyT Mount, L-enhance filter,
ASI Air Plus via Wi-Fi to Ipad, 60 x 2 minute subs, 120 minute total integration exposure time on 12/19/2022 from my backyard(bortle8) in Dayton, Ohio.

Best Regards,

John Chumack

www.galacticimages.com