Shooting Stars

THE TRIFID NEBULA:

I haven't been able to visit our club's dark-sky-location recently. But... I have managed to take one image from my front yard this summer. M20, the Trifid Nebula. It's such a beautiful combination of an emissions nebula (red), a reflection nebula (blue) and a dark nebula (in front of the red). It rests in a wide-open star cluster situated above the teapot's spout is Sagittarius (forming part of the steam from this boiling teapot). 

I acquired 92 good frames for a total exposure time of 5 hours and 22minutes. These frames were shot over 4 separate nights between the 19th and 28th of June.

I included a picture of my home set-up with Saturn in the background... well, my Saturn! I have the laptop in the camper so I can review the subs and monitor my guiding graph. The kids like the "camp-outs" in the trailer (it's family friendly astronomy)! 

My 10 year old boy helped polar align, 3-star align, focus and frame the Trifid. He first practiced his new astronomy skills by slewing to the Ring Nebula, The Dumbbell Nebula and the Great Hercules Cluster! He snapped 35 second, unguided shots of each... I'm very proud! All three kids are getting to know the night sky pretty well! We may have some budding astronomers!!! Ephesians 6:4 says "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord". We take this verse very seriously... my astronomy training is an added bonus. We all agree, God is the Author and Artist who created the night sky!  

 

92 frames were stacked @ 3.5 minutes each = 5 hrs, 22mins (1600iso)