Observation Log - October 22, 2000 - Tinton Falls, NJ

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M13, a globular cluster in Hercules, also known as the "Great Hercules Cluster", magnitude 5.8, diameter 21', distance 23,400 light years. This is a composite image created from 22 exposures totaling 22 minutes, taken between 07:40 and 08:05 p.m. the evening of the 21st. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer. Images were processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing, Digital Development, MED, and a high-pass filter. The image was moved into MaxIm for the final contrast stretch.

M42, Great Orion Nebula, magnitude 3.7, overall dimensions 60'.5 x 60' (this image is about 40' x 40'), distance is 1,500 light years. Taken with the Meade 12" LX200 with the f/3.3 focal reducer. This image is an LRGB composite of 4 panels, taken between 4:36 and 5:04 a.m. the morning of October 22nd. Each of the four panels was created from four images, white, red, green and blue at one minute each. Images were combined using MaxIm DL software, filtered with a Digital Development pass, color smoothed and balanced, and finally a contrast stretch. Here is the luminance channel by itself. And here is the color version, this time done as a regular RGB, but contrast stretched to show more detail in the bright core .

NGC7538, a bright nebula in Cepheus, dimensions 10' x 5'. This is a composite image created from 29 exposures totaling 58 minutes, taken between 12:53 and 02:11 a.m. the morening of the 22nd. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer. Images were processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing, and a final contrast stretch.

IC434, the Horsehead Nebula in Orion. This is a composite image created from 17 exposures totaling 34 minutes, taken between 05:21 and 06:03 a.m. the morning of the 22nd. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer. Images were processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing, and a low-pass filter. This image has a ghost reflection across the middle, probably from the bright star just outside of the CCD field.