Your guide to astrophotography

Galaxy

Messier 106 (M106): Photograph the Details in the Galaxy Core

As the northern hemisphere moves into springtime, that brings about the start of galaxy season for astrophotographers. During the warmer northern months of spring and summer, Earth is facing towards the outer edge of the Milky Way galaxy (our home galaxy). This makes it easier to see the remote galaxies. During the colder months of fall and winter, the nighttime side of Earth faces into the heart of our galaxy. This is where we see the numerous nebula.

To kick off galaxy season 2024, we take a look at Messier 106 (M106), also known as NGC 4258. It is a majestic intermediate spiral galaxy located roughly 23 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici, the Hunting Dogs. M106 is a giant among galaxies, boasting a diameter of over 130,000 light-years, comparable to our own Milky Way galaxy

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March 16, 2024
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M106 - Galaxy in Canes Venatici (RGB)

Cluster

Messier 15 (M15): The Great Cluster of Pegasus

M15, also known as the Pegasus Globular Cluster or NGC 7078, is a magnificent swarm of hundreds of thousands of ancient stars, residing in the constellation Pegasus. Discovered in 1746, M15 is one of the oldest known globular clusters in our galaxy, estimated to be around 12.5 billion years old.

Located approximately 33,600 light-years from Earth, M15 boasts an apparent magnitude of 6.2, meaning it can be seen with the naked eye under dark skies. However, binoculars or a small telescope offer a more detailed view, revealing its impressive structure. The best time to observe M15 is during the fall months from the Northern Hemisphere.

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March 3, 2024
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M15 - Great Cluster of Pegasus

Solar System

My First Image of the Sun

With just over one month before the big solar eclipse crossing the United States on April 8, 2024, I decided to get a solar filter to try and capture the show. But first, I need to practice solar photography skills. This is quite a bit different in that I’m not using a telescope. Instead, I’m using a Canon T7i DSLR with a Sigma 150-600mm lens.

I get lucky in that on February 24, 2024, there was a big sunspot on the face and that the skies were clear. The image did take some time to process because I’ve never imaged the sun before. Based on my experience with lunar photography and PixInsight, I went ahead and developed a Solar Workflow

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February 29, 2024
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Sunspots - February 24, 2024

Best Practices

Learn How to Create a Point Spread Function (PSF) Model for PixInsight Deconvolution

The blurring effect within an image is often characterized by a mathematical function known as the Point Spread Function (PSF), which describes how a point source of light is spread out in the image. The point light sources are your stars, which should be circular.

When used with the PixInsight Deconvolution process, an accurate PSF model shows the blurring characteristics within the image, which deconvolution can correct. To be accurate, the PSF creation process should use a linear image (one that has not been stretched). When an image is stretched, the PSF characteristics are no longer accurate, resulting in a poor deconvolution result.

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January 19, 2024
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