Messier

Pictures of Messier objects

Archives

Some of my earlier pictures

19 images

Contest

Photos that I took for Meade's 2005 Messier Marathon Contest

5 images

  
M1 Crab Nebula, a remnant from the supernova of 1054 AD. Taken at home on 11/26/05. Meade RCX400 10" scope, DSI-C camera, f/3.3 focal reducer, alt/az mount. 10 seconds/frames, total time 149 minutes. M2 Globular cluster in Aquarius. Taken at home on 10/06/07. RCX400 10" scope, DSI-Pro II camera, f/3.3 focal reducer for RGBs. 30 seconds/image, total time 164 minutes (LRGB=100:18:16:30). M5 Globular Cluster in Serpens. Taken at home on 04/29/06. Meade RCX400 10" scope, DSI-Pro camera, f/3.3 focal reducer. 10 seconds/image, total time 76 minutes (LRGB = 188:60:90:120). M10 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus. Taken at home on 07/19/09. Orion ED80, ST-10 XME. 120 seconds/frame, total time= 60 minutes (LRGB=15:5:5:5).
M12 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus. Taken at home on 07/25/08. Meade RCX400 10" scope, SBIG ST-10XME camera. 60 seconds/image, total time 73 minutes (LRGB=37:12:12:12). M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules. Taken at home on 09/06/15 - 09/17/15. Planewave CDK 12.5", SBIG ST-10XME camera. 300 seconds/image, total time 9h 50m (LRGB = 375:75;60:80 minutes). M14 Globular cluster in Ophiuchus. Taken at home on 07/25/08. Meade RCX400 10" scope, SBIG ST-10XME camera. 60 seconds/image, total time 60 minutes (LRGB=30:10:10:10). M16 Eagle Nebula. Taken at home on 04/14/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope DSI-C camera, alt/az mount. 10-20 seconds/image, total time 65 minutes in center.
M17 Swan Nebula, also known as the Omega Nebula; and in the Southern hemisphere, the Lobster Nebula! Taken at home on 07/30/08. Meade RCX400 10" scope SBIG ST-10XME camera. 60 seconds/image, total time 44 minutes (LRGB = 23:7:7:7). M26 Open Cluster in Scutum. Taken at home on 07/30/08. Meade RCX400 10" scope, SBIG ST-10XME camera. 60 seconds/frame, total time 22 minutes (LRGB=10:4:4:4). M27 Dumbbell Nebula. Taken at home on 06/28/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope, DSI-C camera. 10 seconds/image, total time 40 minutes. M29 Open cluster in Cygnus. Taken at home on 07/25/08. Meade RCX400 10" scope, SBIG ST-10XME camera. 60 seconds/frame, total time 60 minutes (LRGB=30:10:10:10).
M33 Spiral galaxy in Triangulum. Taken at home on 10/21/08 and 10/22/08. Orion ED80 scope, ST-10XME camera. 120 seconds/frame, total time 240 minutes (LRGB=150:30:30:30). M36 Open cluster in Auriga. Taken at home on 12/20/07. RCX400 10" scope, ST-10XME camera. 120 seconds/frame, total time 88 minutes (LRGB=60:8:10:10). M37 Cluster in Auriga. Taken at home on 04/05/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope, Cluster in Auriga. Taken at home on 04/05/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope, DSI-C camera,alt/az mount, IRB filter. 3x3 mosaic, 10 seconds/frame, 60 frames/sector, total time 90 minutes. Photo was submitted to Meade contest and featured in Sky and Telescope advertisement. M38 An open cluster in Auriga. Taken at home on 11/30/06. 10" RCX400, DSI-Pro camera, unguided. Total time 122 minutes (RGB=42:40:40), 10 seconds/frame.
M39 A large open cluster in Cygnus. Taken at home on 09/10/08. Orion ED80 scope, ST-10XME camera. 30 seconds/image, total time 52 minutes (LRGB=27:9:8:8). M44 The Beehive Cluster. Taken at home on 02/06/08. Orion ED80, ST-10XME camera, mounted on RCX400, guided using camera's internal chip. Total time 60 minutes (LRGB=30:10:10:10), 30 seconds/frame. M45 The Pleiades; The Seven Sisters. Taken at home on 01/06/07, 01/09/07 and 01/10/07. Orion ED80, f/6.3 focal reducer, DSI-C camera. The image is a 3x3 mosaic (9 sectors), 10-11 frames/sector, 180 seconds/frame, total time 4.6 hours. M51 Whirlpool Galaxy. Taken at home on 04/19/09. RCX400 10" scope, ST-10XME camera. 300 seconds/image, total time 205 minutes (LRGB=100:35:35:35).
M52 M52, which is an open cluster; and NGC 7635, which is better known as the Bubble Nebula. Taken at home on 08/26/08. Orion ED80 scope, ST-10XME camera. 60 seconds/frame, total time 120 minutes (LRGB=60:20:20:20). M56 Globular Cluster in Lyra. Taken at home on 06/25/07 and 07/01/07. Meade RCX400 10" scope DSI-Pro II camera, focal reducer. 10-30 seconds/image, total time 156 minutes (LRGB=60:25:31:40). M57 Ring Nebula. Taken at home on 08/19/07. RCX400 10" scope, DSI-Pro II camera. 60 seconds/image, total time 122 minutes (LRGB=60:17:15:30). M61 Swelling Spiral Galaxy in Virgo. Taken at home on 04/27/06. Meade RCX400 10" scope, DSI-Pro camera, f/3.3 focal reducer. 20 seconds/image, total time 150 minutes (LRGB = 180:60:90:120).
M66 Spiral Galaxy in Leo, part of the Leo Triplet. Taken at home on 02/04/16 - 02/08/16. Planewave CDK 12.5", SBIG ST-10XME camera. 300 seconds/image, total time 17h 20m (LRGB = 650:135:120:135 minutes). M67 Open Cluster in Cancer. Taken at home on 03/15/07. Meade RCX400 10" scope, DSI-Pro II camera, f/3.3 focal reducer. 10 seconds/frame, total time 122 minutes (RGB=60:61:61). M71 Open Cluster in Saggita. Taken at home on 08/01/11 through 09/01/11. Meade RCX400 10" scope, ST-10 XME camera, f/3.3 focal reducer. 300 seconds/frame, total time 105 minutes (LRGB=55:20:15:15). M78 Reflection Nebula in Orion. Taken at home on 10/30/13 - 11/05/13. Planewave CDK 12.5", SBIG ST-10XME camera. 300 seconds/image, total time 9h 6m (LRGB = 320:95:120:110 minutes).
M81 Spiral galaxy in Ursa Major. Taken at home on 04/10/08, 04/11/08, and 04/17/08. Meade RCX400 10" scope, ST-10XME camera. 300 seconds/frame for L and Ha, and 120 seconds/frame for RGB. Total time 277 minutes (LRGBHa = 185:20:20:22:30). Ha picture used only to brighten the star forming regions. M82 Starburst galaxy in Ursa Major. Taken at home on 01/17/09. Meade RCX400 10" scope, ST-10 XME camera. 120 seconds/frame for RGB, 300 secondes/frame for Ha. Total time 300 minutes (HaRGB = 240:20:20:20). M90 Spiral galaxy in the Virgo cluster. Also shows IC 3583, which is close enough to interact with M90. In addition, two fainter galaxies are just visible in the distance. Taken at H2O and home on 05/25/06, 05/28/06 and 05/29/06. Meade RCX400 10" scope, DSI-Pro camera 10 to 30 seconds/image, total time 150 minutes. M91 Barred spiral galaxy in constellation Coma Berenices. Taken at H2O on 05/31/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope, DSI-C camera. 10 seconds/image, total time 120 minutes. 2x2 drizzle.
M92 Globular cluster in constellation Hercules. Taken at home on 06/25/07 and 06/26/07. Meade RCX400 10" scope, DSI-Pro II camera. 10-30 seconds/image, total time 133 minutes (LRGB=62:20:21:30). M97 Owl Nebula. Taken at home on 04/04/05 and 04/09/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope, DSI-C camera, alt/az mount, various filters. 10 seconds/image, total time 136 minutes. M100 Galaxy in Coma Berenices. Taken at H2O on 05/02/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope, DSI-C camera, alt/az mount. 10 seconds/image, total time 135 minutes. 2x2 drizzle with extra images in the center. M101 Pinwheel Galaxy in Ursa Major. Taken at home on 06/04/08 and 06/06/07. Meade RCX400 10" scope, SBIG ST-10XME camera. LRGB data taken at 180 seconds/frame. Ha data taken at 300 seconds/frame. Total time 358 minutes (LRGBHa = 120:21:21:21:175).
M103 Open Cluster in Cassiopeia. Taken at home on 10/05/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope, DSI-Pro camera. 20 seconds/image, total time 123 minutes. M104 Sombrero Galaxy. Taken at home on 05/22/05 and 05/26/05. Meade LX200 GPS 8" scope, DSI-C camera. 10 seconds/image, total time 201 minutes. 2x2 drizzle with extra images in the center. M106 Spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici. Taken at home on 03/09/08. Orion ED80, ST-10XME camera. Guided using camera's AO guider. 300 seconds/frame for L, 120 seconds/frame for RGB. Total time 86 minutes (LRGB=60:10:10:6). M110 M110 is the smaller galaxy. It is a satellite of M31, which is the larger galaxy. Taken at home on 09/26/08. Orion ED80 scope, ST-10XME camera. 60 seconds/image, total time 60 minutes (LRGB=30:10:10:10).
M110 Galaxy in Andromeda, a satellite to M31. Taken at home on 12/05/08. Meade RCX400 10" scope, ST-10XME camera. 120 seconds/image, total time 126 minutes (LRGB=60:22:22:22). Note: the dark areas in the galaxy are dust clouds, not image artifacts!