nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Clouds moved in and cut my night short - was waiting for M27 by 1:30 there were more bloody clouds than sky - and the moon turned night into a softbox. Between 10 and 1, I imaged M92. Used the Nikon D800e modded, with Atlas Pro mount and 8 inch Newtonian F/3.9. 82, 30 second subs at ISO 1000 - Supporting files 202 flats, 50 darks, 121 bias.

(Download)

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

Beautiful shot Ed, what setting do you use for your White Balance to keep it all from being pink.
I just use the Auto WB and everything is pink and I can't get it out in Lightroom.
Craig

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Fantastic! Perfect focus. Perfect stars corner to corner! Constant background level! And the core of the cluster resolving individual stars a good distance into the core before it becomes a blob. Really good work, and it does't get any better than this.

Did you happen to notice the June (I think it was June) issue of Discover magazine? Article on how the amateur astronomers are starting to duplicate the images that previously could only be done by the professionals. And they included pictures. But some of these amateurs are using some pretty sophisticated (i.e. really expensive) equipment. For instance, one was mentioned using a $60K setup!

By the way, I can see at least 2 tiny little galaxies visible in the background. There a 3rd that is somewhat debatable. I'm at work right now, so now access to StarryNight to identify them.

It would also be interesting to compare this shot against what you could get from your Atik 383 which uses the Kodak 8300 chip. It is a sensor size of 17.96 x 13.52 mm as compared to the D800e being 36 x 24 mm. So the D800e covers about 3.5 times as much area. And the 8300 is 3326 x 2505 = 8M pixels where as the D800e is 36M pixels. If I divide 36M by 3.5, it is 10.3M pixels. Thus the D800e uses 10.3M pixels to cover the area the 8300 does with 8M pixels, or about +30% more pixels.

So the question becomes whether or not the 8300 sensor with its low temperature ability compares to what the D800e is capable of doing?

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

Gorgeous!
That was to be our next target Saturday, but someone (not me fortunately!) Kicked the scope and didn't want to realign

Great job!

GT

Albuqshutterbug Loc: Albuquerque NM

Hercules is one of my favorites to play around with.
I agree its nice and sharp through out and well into the cluster.
Nicely done Ed.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

That's Gorgeous, Ed!

I get a blob of white light when I try those.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

The Grand Daughter and Grandson in Law were down for a wedding. They got to visit us for dinner.
As we were walking them down to his Grandma's house (VERY small world), a guy had his Dob set up on the sidewalk. So he invited everybody to look at the moon.
All was well until Jeremy stepped up...
He bent down to the eyepiece and BONG, hit the scope with his head. Knocked it out of focus.
The guy said, "You can adjust it for your eye."
The Grand Daughter quickly blurted out, "NO. Do not let him touch it!"


He must be a good lawyer though. The DA's office hired him before he graduated and passed the Bar on his first try.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

I think you're on to something. I haven't encountered layers and astronomy as the common basis for any jokes! I'm sure this is an area just ripe for exploitation! Astronomy is all built upon certain non-changing laws, and lawyers all think that laws are something that only they can write the words for. I'm sure that Kepler's laws of motion of orbiting bodies would sound quite different coming from a lawyer!

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

I don't know about that.
But I liked him right off the first time I met him. He's got his head on straight.
He told me, "I've got a Grandma that lives down there. Valencia, I think."
"Well, I kind of doubt I'd know her. It's a really big town." I told him. (Pop: 179,590 circa 2013)

Turned out I knew her before I knew him. I use to walk around a big block across our street. .8 miles around it.
My little dog, and hers, were friends. We'd sit and chat some days when we'd be walking, with Arlene and her neighbor, Tom.

I wasn't aware of Jeremy being clumsy before he stuck the eyepiece in his eye. He use to play the goaly position for the U of W Huskies hockey team.
But the Grand Daughter sure knew enough to not let him touch the telescope.

He reminds me of Bob Hope. But with a hockey stick...

kelso007 Loc: Circle Pines Minnesota

Nikonshooter:
I am not an astro photographer but I really enjoy your photography! Please keep posting.
Dave K