My astrophotography 2021

CCD vs Film? Lots of time vs no patience? Alright, this is your place to discuss all the astrophotography what's and what's not. You can discuss about techniques, accessories, cameras, whatever....just make sure you also post some nice photos here too!
Post Reply
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

2021-6-24 Last evening's shooting took a toll such that I had no energy to get up in the wee hours to shoot the stars. Nevertheless, in the pre-dawn time I was excited by the clear skies and what it could mean to the sunrise vista.

At around 6:20, the twilight was already a bit bright over the eastern horizon. Managed to capture the images of Pleiades and Hyades, the Golden Gate of the Ecliptic. Not meant for beautiful deep-sky imagery, but a nice moment to remember -- the two prominent clusters have returned to the morning twilights. Only when back home processing the images, I remembered that Mercury has also returned to the morning sky -- albeit a bit faint and low in altitude.

Image

Image
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

But the biggest achievement today is the capture of a sunrise just 67 hours after June solstice. This gives me a good opportunity to search where the solstice point -- especially what is the northmost point the sunrise can go from this observation site.

Image

Now the Sun is heading steadily to the December Solstice in 2021. Will see it back to this position in June 2022.
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

It is always intriguing to watch the highly squeezed (vertical) image of the sun thanks to the optical diffraction by the thick layers of the atmosphere.

Image
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

As usual, it is a little foggy/misty in the lower atmosphere.

Image
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

Hardly there is any beautiful standout buildings on the horizon from Singapore. What a pity.

Will wait a couple of months to see how it goes when the sunrise moves to the only hills.

Image
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

2021-6-21 Sunset vista came upon Singapore.

Image

Enjoyed the show of Venus, and Mars. Mars has completed the transition through M44, with Venus catching up and now in the same 105mmAPSC view.

Image

(52) Europa has just started its own transition. But at m12, it is a bit too faint.

Image
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

So here is the nearest and brightest (apparently) active galaxy, NGC 5128, known as Centaurus A.

12x5min L subs. Will wait until next year for the collection of other filters' data.

Image
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

This is a heavy crop of the original photography taken on the evening of June 23. I could not help but make this crop because here are among the most beautiful things of the universe in harmony: heaven, light and children.

Image
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

2021-6-28 A long night shooting at Changi and at ECP. Postprocessing was even more time-consuming. Maybe I shall take a long break from photography.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Recording the position of Venus and Mars.
Image

Beware of mosquitoes!
Last edited by hhzhang on Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
hhzhang
Posts: 730
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
Favourite scope: 115mm APO

Re: My astrophotography 2021

Post by hhzhang »

It was clear skies that called me to the ECP to try photographing the milkyway.

Light pollution from the vessels seems to be better than weeks ago. Yet the Milkyway still invisible to the naked eye.

Image

Image

Image
Post Reply