| LATEST IMAGES FROM LAND OF OZ OBSERVATORY |
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M-78 (NGC-2068): A bright, diffuse nebula located approximately 2.3 degrees
NE of Zeta Orionis, the easternmost of the three "belt stars" in Orion. This
nebula is part of the giant Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, and lies approximately
1600 light years from Earth. Also shown in this image are three detached portions
of the nebula, NGC-2067 to the right (NW), NGC-2064 to the upper left (SW), and
NGC-2071 to the lower right (NE),
NOTE: This image was captured on the evening of December 17, 2012, and is an
integration of four 10-minute sub-exposures through the 11-inch Celestron at f/2
using the HyperStar 3 Imaging System and the SXVR-H694C color CCD imager.
Captured and combined using Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post-processed using PhotoShop
CS, levels, curves, color balance, and Gradient X-terminator. Noise filtered and
converted to JPEG format using NoiseWare.
NE of Zeta Orionis, the easternmost of the three "belt stars" in Orion. This
nebula is part of the giant Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, and lies approximately
1600 light years from Earth. Also shown in this image are three detached portions
of the nebula, NGC-2067 to the right (NW), NGC-2064 to the upper left (SW), and
NGC-2071 to the lower right (NE),
NOTE: This image was captured on the evening of December 17, 2012, and is an
integration of four 10-minute sub-exposures through the 11-inch Celestron at f/2
using the HyperStar 3 Imaging System and the SXVR-H694C color CCD imager.
Captured and combined using Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post-processed using PhotoShop
CS, levels, curves, color balance, and Gradient X-terminator. Noise filtered and
converted to JPEG format using NoiseWare.
The Horse Head Nebula (Barnard 33): A dark nebula, caused by a dense dust cloud which
obscures the light from the emission nebula IC-434 in the background. This dark nebula is
located just a short distance south of the brilliant star Alnitak (Zeta Orionis) which appears in
the lower left-hand corner of this image. This dark dust cloud lies approximately 1500 light
years from Earth. The large area of nebulosity just below Alnitak is NGC-2024, which is known
as the Flame Nebula.
NOTE: This image was obtained on the evening of February 11th, 2013, and is an integration
of six 10-minute exposures through the 11-inch Celestron at f/2, using the HyperStar 3 imaging
system and the Starlight Express SXVR-H694C 1-shot color CCD imager.
The images were captured and combined using Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post processing was done
using Photoshop CS, levels, curves, color balance & saturation and layer mask gradient
removal.
obscures the light from the emission nebula IC-434 in the background. This dark nebula is
located just a short distance south of the brilliant star Alnitak (Zeta Orionis) which appears in
the lower left-hand corner of this image. This dark dust cloud lies approximately 1500 light
years from Earth. The large area of nebulosity just below Alnitak is NGC-2024, which is known
as the Flame Nebula.
NOTE: This image was obtained on the evening of February 11th, 2013, and is an integration
of six 10-minute exposures through the 11-inch Celestron at f/2, using the HyperStar 3 imaging
system and the Starlight Express SXVR-H694C 1-shot color CCD imager.
The images were captured and combined using Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post processing was done
using Photoshop CS, levels, curves, color balance & saturation and layer mask gradient
removal.
PK 164 + 31.1 or Jones-Emberson 1: A large, faint planetary nebula located in Lynx. It lies
approximately 1600 light years from Earth. Although listed as a 13th magnitude object, it has
very low surface brightness due to the fact that it is over 7 arcminutes in diameter. The blue
16.8 magnitude central star, seen well in this image, is a white dwarf.
NOTE: This image acquired on 4/4/2013 and is an integration of sixteen 3-minute exposures
through the C-11 at f/2 using HyperStar and the SXVR-H694C 1-shot color CCD camera.
Captured and combined in Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post-processed in Photoshop, levels, curves, color
balance and Gradient X-terminator. Filtered and converted to JPEG using NoiseWare.
approximately 1600 light years from Earth. Although listed as a 13th magnitude object, it has
very low surface brightness due to the fact that it is over 7 arcminutes in diameter. The blue
16.8 magnitude central star, seen well in this image, is a white dwarf.
NOTE: This image acquired on 4/4/2013 and is an integration of sixteen 3-minute exposures
through the C-11 at f/2 using HyperStar and the SXVR-H694C 1-shot color CCD camera.
Captured and combined in Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post-processed in Photoshop, levels, curves, color
balance and Gradient X-terminator. Filtered and converted to JPEG using NoiseWare.
M-101 (NGC-5457): A magnificent face-on spiral located just above the end of the handle of
the "Big Dipper" in the constellation of Ursa Major. Current studies of Cephied type variable
stars in this galaxy with the Hubble Space Telescope have put its distance from Earth at about
23 million light years. At this distance, its apparent visual size of 20 arcminutes corresponds to
an actual diameter of over 100,000 light years. M-101 has a mass calculated at over 16 BILLION
suns!!
NOTE: This image was acquired on the morning of May 14th, 2013 and is a composite of six
10-minute exposures through the Celestron 11-inch at f/2 using HyperStar and the Starlight
Express SXVR-H694C 1-shot color CCD imager. Captured and combined using Maxim DL 5 Pro.
Post processed using Photoshop CS levels, curves, Astro-Tools and Gradient X-Terminator.
Noise filtered and converted to JPEG format using NoiseWare.
the "Big Dipper" in the constellation of Ursa Major. Current studies of Cephied type variable
stars in this galaxy with the Hubble Space Telescope have put its distance from Earth at about
23 million light years. At this distance, its apparent visual size of 20 arcminutes corresponds to
an actual diameter of over 100,000 light years. M-101 has a mass calculated at over 16 BILLION
suns!!
NOTE: This image was acquired on the morning of May 14th, 2013 and is a composite of six
10-minute exposures through the Celestron 11-inch at f/2 using HyperStar and the Starlight
Express SXVR-H694C 1-shot color CCD imager. Captured and combined using Maxim DL 5 Pro.
Post processed using Photoshop CS levels, curves, Astro-Tools and Gradient X-Terminator.
Noise filtered and converted to JPEG format using NoiseWare.
Globular Clusters M-53 (lower left) and NGC-5053 (upper right) in Coma Berenices:
These two globulars offer a distinct contrast in both brightness and structure. M-53 is a
relatively dense cluster with a concentrated middle, while NGC-5053 has a very loose structure
and no central condensation at all. M-53 is a fairly distant cluster, lying almost 60,000 light
years from Earth. Although NGC-5053 is slightly nearer, at 53,000 light years, it appears
much fainter, due to the fact that it has a very loose, open structure with no central concentration.
Also, it is composed of fainter stars. M-53, on the other hand, is quite dense in structure and has
slightly brighter stars. The two clusters are separated by an angular distance in the sky of about
1 degree.
NOTE: This image captured on the evening of June 11, 2013, and is an integration of fifteen 4
minute exposures through the C-11 at f/2 using HyperStar and the SXVR-H694C CCD imager,
binned 2X2 for greater sensitivity (resulting in a monochrome image). Captured and combined
using Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post processed using Photoshop levels & curves, Gradient X-terminator,
and Carboni's Astro-tools.
These two globulars offer a distinct contrast in both brightness and structure. M-53 is a
relatively dense cluster with a concentrated middle, while NGC-5053 has a very loose structure
and no central condensation at all. M-53 is a fairly distant cluster, lying almost 60,000 light
years from Earth. Although NGC-5053 is slightly nearer, at 53,000 light years, it appears
much fainter, due to the fact that it has a very loose, open structure with no central concentration.
Also, it is composed of fainter stars. M-53, on the other hand, is quite dense in structure and has
slightly brighter stars. The two clusters are separated by an angular distance in the sky of about
1 degree.
NOTE: This image captured on the evening of June 11, 2013, and is an integration of fifteen 4
minute exposures through the C-11 at f/2 using HyperStar and the SXVR-H694C CCD imager,
binned 2X2 for greater sensitivity (resulting in a monochrome image). Captured and combined
using Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post processed using Photoshop levels & curves, Gradient X-terminator,
and Carboni's Astro-tools.
Messier 51 (NGC-5194) The "Whirlpool" Galaxy in Canes Venatici. This is a "grand design" two
armed face-on spiral galaxy which is distorted due to its tidal reaction to the neighbor galaxy
NGC-5195 (to the right). Both of these galaxies are members of the local group.
NOTE: This image was captured on the evening of June 11, 2013, and is an integration of seven
6-minute exposures through the 11-inch Celestron at f/2 using the HyperStar 3 imaging system &
the Starlight Express SXVR-H694C CCD imager, shooting with the pixels binned 2X2 for greater
sensitivity, which results in a monochrome image. This image was captured and combined using
Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post-processing was done using Photoshop CS, levels & curves, Gradient
X-terminator and Carboni's Astro-Tools.
armed face-on spiral galaxy which is distorted due to its tidal reaction to the neighbor galaxy
NGC-5195 (to the right). Both of these galaxies are members of the local group.
NOTE: This image was captured on the evening of June 11, 2013, and is an integration of seven
6-minute exposures through the 11-inch Celestron at f/2 using the HyperStar 3 imaging system &
the Starlight Express SXVR-H694C CCD imager, shooting with the pixels binned 2X2 for greater
sensitivity, which results in a monochrome image. This image was captured and combined using
Maxim DL 5 Pro. Post-processing was done using Photoshop CS, levels & curves, Gradient
X-terminator and Carboni's Astro-Tools.
M-101 (NGC-5457) A magnificent face-on spiral in Ursa Major located just above the end of the
handle of the Big Dipper.
NOTE: This image, captured on June 11, 2013, was taken with the SXVR-H694C CCD imager in
2X2 Binned Mode, which results in a monochrome image. Taken thru the C-11 at f/2, this is a
composite of twelve 6-minute exposures. The two companion galaxies also show up well.
handle of the Big Dipper.
NOTE: This image, captured on June 11, 2013, was taken with the SXVR-H694C CCD imager in
2X2 Binned Mode, which results in a monochrome image. Taken thru the C-11 at f/2, this is a
composite of twelve 6-minute exposures. The two companion galaxies also show up well.
