Astro Images: October-December 2011

FSQ-106EDX, Paramount ME, STL-11000M C1

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22-degree Lunar Halo, Moondog (?), Jupiter, and Airplane Trail over Sierra Skies Observatory on Pearl Harbor Day!

It was December 7, 2011 - Pearl Harbor Day. Flying home to Sacramento from a business trip, I could see high cirrus-stratus clouds over El Dorado Hills. I gave up on imaging, but upon returning home went into the backyard to look at the sky condition anyways. For the next hour, I photographed the surreal scene above our backyard observatory, which was lit by a Celestron Powertank. The 22-degree lunar halo is seen, due to refraction in the ice crystals of the high clouds. To the upper right, just inside the halo is Jupiter, 18.5° from the Moon, which was 94.7% illuminated. The line from the Moon to the upper left may be a portion of a Moondog (although there is no corresponding portion 180° away); this was seen in a series of frames, but not in earlier or later frames. To the lower left just above the trees is the trail of an airliner flying Southeast from Sacramento. Taken with a Nikon D40x at ISO1600 and 10-24mm DX zoom lens set at 11mm focal length (16.5mm in 35mm equivalent). The entire affair was an impromptu event, and I handheld the camera balanced on top of the tripod for a 2.2 second exposure. I finally "returned home" from my trip an hour after driving into my driveway. CLICK ON IMAGE FOR ANOTHER VIEW.

NGC2264 - The Cone Nebula and Christmas Tree Cluster (FSQ, HaLRGB Image)

(34.5 hours total exposure - Ha 32x30, 4x20 min binned 1x1; 3x10 min binned 2x2; L 25x20 min, binned 1x1; R 3x20 min 13x10min, G 6x10 min 17x5 min, B 3x20 min 11x10 min, all binned 2x2; October 2011)

SH2-119 - Sharpless 119 Nebula (FSQ, HaRGB Image)

(24.2 hours total exposure - Ha 17x30, binned 1x1; R 19x20 min, G 20x10 min, B 18x20 min, all binned 2x2; October 2011)

SH2-119 - Sharpless 119 Nebula (FSQ, Ha Image)

(8.5 hours total exposure - Ha 17x30, binned 1x1; October 2011)

NGC2264 - The Cone Nebula and Christmas Tree Cluster (FSQ, HaRGB Image)

(26.1 hours total exposure - Ha 32x30, 4x20 min binned 1x1; 3x10 min binned 2x2; R 3x20 min 13x10min, G 6x10 min 17x5 min, B 3x20 min 11x10 min, all binned 2x2; October 2011)

NGC2264 - The Cone Nebula and Christmas Tree Cluster (FSQ, Ha Image)

(17.8 hours total exposure - Ha 32x30, 4x20 min binned 1x1; 3x10 min binned 2x2; October 2011)