Observation Log - October 25, 2000

Observation Log - October 25, 2000 - Tinton Falls, NJ

[NOTE: The weather tonight wasn't good again, with high humidity and poor sky transparency. But it's close to new moon, so we shoot anyway! -GW]

NGC428, a spiral galaxy in Cetus, magnitude 11.5, dimensions 4'.0 x 3'.0. This galaxy is a tough one to photograph, due to a very low surface brightness. This image is a composite created from 26 exposures totaling 52 minutes, taken between 11:39 and 12:34 a.m. the morning of the 25th. Images were taken using the f/3.3 focal reducer. Images were processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing. The image was moved into MaxIm for background removal and the final contrast stretch. Here's an extreme contrast stretch on the galaxy, to show some of the fainter outer detail.

NGC877, a spiral galaxy in Aries, magnitude 11.8, dimensions 2'.3 x 1'.8. Also visible in this image is NGC876, another fairly prominent galaxy at magnitude 14.5, dimensions 1'.7 x 0'.6. At the far right is a little smudge of a galaxy. This is PGC8739, magnitude 14.9, dimensions 1'.0 x 1'.0. This photo is a composite created from 24 exposures totaling 48 minutes, taken between 10:27 and 11:22 p.m. the evening of the 24th. Images were taken using the f/3.3 focal reducer. Images were processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing. The image was moved into MaxIm for background removal and the final contrast stretch.

NGC6764, a spiral galaxy in Cygnus, magnitude 11.9, dimensions 2'.3 x 1'.4. This is a composite created from 19 exposures totaling 38 minutes, taken between 07:04 and 07:46 p.m. the evening of the 24th. Images were taken using the f/3.3 focal reducer. Images were processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing. The image was moved into MaxIm for background removal and the final contrast stretch. Note the other two faint galaxies in the image. One is about an inch from NGC6764 at the 8 o'clock position, and the other is about 1.5 inches away at the 11:00 position.

NGC7380, an open cluster with nebulosity in Cepheus, magnitude 7.2, diameter 12'. This is a mosaic created from two composites. The upper composite was a 46-minute exposure, while the lower composite was a 48 minute exposure. The two composites were taken between 07:56 and 10:15 p.m. the evening of the 24th. Images were taken using the f/3.3 focal reducer, and processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing. The image was moved into MaxIm to create the mosaic, and for background removal and the final contrast stretch.

M38, an open cluster in Auriga, magnitude 6.4, diameter 15', distance is 4,200 light years. This was created from 11 1-minute exposures for a total integration time of 22 minutes. All images were taken between 2:43 and 3:05 a.m. the morning of the 25th. Images were taken using the f/3.3 focal reducer, and processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing. The image was moved into MaxIm for background removal and the final contrast stretch.

M37, an open cluster in Auriga, magnitude 5.6, diameter 15', distance is 4,400 light years. This was created from 11 1-minute exposures for a total integration time of 22 minutes. All images were taken between 3:24 and 3:46 a.m. the morning of the 25th. Images were taken using the f/3.3 focal reducer, and processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing. The image was moved into MaxIm for background removal and the final contrast stretch.

M36, an open cluster in Auriga, magnitude 6.0, diameter 10', distance is 4,100 light years. This was created from 11 1-minute exposures for a total integration time of 22 minutes. All images were taken between 3:53 and 4:16 a.m. the morning of the 25th. Images were taken using the f/3.3 focal reducer, and processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing. The image was moved into MaxIm for background removal and the final contrast stretch.

M35, an open cluster in Gemini, magnitude 5.1, diameter 25', distance is 2,800 light years. This was created from 12 1-minute exposures for a total integration time of 12 minutes. All images were taken between 4:23 and 4:37 a.m. the morning of the 25th. Images were taken using the f/3.3 focal reducer, and processed in AstroArt with dark frame removal, flat frames, then compositing. The image was moved into MaxIm for the final contrast stretch.