VIEWING AND IMAGING IN THE SW USA
Realm of galaxiesApril 2006
New Mexico Skies
• Cloud Croft in southern NM
• Dark Skies
• 7,300-ft elevation
• Accommodations, 2 BR apartment
• Scopes to rent on a per-night basis
• Help with digital imaging
Overall view of scopes at NMS
Apartment building
Inside 2 BR apartment
NMS 25-in Dob, f/4
16-in LX200
Saturn with P&S camera thru 25-in Dob
M 51 16-in
LX 200, 4x15-min
M 81
M 104
M 106
M 109
Skywatcher’s Inn & Vega-Bray Observatory
• Benson, AZ
• Pretty Good Dark, town & I 10 close by
• 3,500-ft elevation
• Funky and fun place
• Breakfast included
• Less on-your-own opportunities
Overall view of Skywatchers Inn
Our Bedroom
20-in Cass
Their astronomer processing “our” image
M 83
M 100
NGC 4298 & 4302, Virgo
Return to NMSAugust 2007
• Summer Milky Way
• 30-in Dob this time, f/5
• 6-in Takahashi Apo with wide-field sens
• Our own equipment also
• Poorer weather
• Rattlesnakes
Roswell
Roswell 2
Me and the 30-in Dob
Takahashi 150 (mm) @f/5
My Bro and image processing
M 27 with LX200
M 74
NGC 7331
NGC 7479
M 8 & M 20
North American NebulaNGC 7000
M 31
M 31
Milky Way
• Equip: Nikon N 80, 50-mm f/1.8 lens• Exposure @ f/2.3, ~28-seconds• Photoshopped for saturation and contrast
3rd Visit to NMS
• Planned for Oct. 2008
• The winter sky
• Takahashi again
• 30-in Dob again
• Own equipment. including 135-mm, f/2 lens and 300-mm, f/2.8
Thanks
• Dave and Steve (from PA) Siskind