orion25

Thanks. I had read about the apparition on here a few days ago an on the first clear night looked up and WOW! Had to get some quick shots!

Here are some quick and dirty single exposure shots of Mars and The Pleiades from last night. A great apparition! Looks like I caught a red giant up and a little to the right from The Pleiades, too! Nikon D3200, F/5.6 at 3s, ISO3200, levels adjusted in Photoshop: Cheers! Reggie

It was an emotional experience when I first saw Uranus through my 180mm Mak. It definitely didn't look like a star and the subtle blue-green color was apparent. Neptune was a bit less exciting for me because it was a bit dimmer and more challenging to find (no go-to), but it was a beautiful bluish hue. Now, seeing Triton was a blast! Best wishes with Neptune! Clear skies! Reggie

Thanks, Sunshine! 119 is much easier to find as you can use the moderately bright Zeta Tauri as a guide star.

This one's for you wibblefish! I took this at prime focus through my 127mm Mak, 5s/ISO3200. And...I'm throwing this one in to boot, R Leporis, 10s/ISO3200: Cheers! Reggie

Two of the night sky's reddest variables were photographed at r.j.s observatory over the weekend. 119 Tauri (the Ruby Star) can be seen with the naked eye just below Zeta Tauri and is a variable red supergiant in the last stages of its evolution. R Leporis (Hind's Crimson Star), just below the constellation of Orion, is also a variable supergiant but with an abundance of carbon in its atmosphere contributing to its deep red color, especially when it is dim. It is a bit fainter than 119 Tauri and must be viewed through binoculars or a telescope. I like to use my reflector scope to see both of

Nice work!

Thanks for the tip on 119 Tauri! I just saw it for the first time tonight through my 6' reflector and my 127mm Mak. It really stands out. Have you seen R Leporis just south of Orion? It's a strikingly red carbon star. If you haven't, you should definitely add it to your list! Clear skies, Reggie

Excellent images and animation! Thanks for sharing your efforts! Regards, Reggie

Beautiful sketch!

Absolute winners here! I especially love the last image

Brilliant image!

I got some great Mars shots this time around with the Big Mak and the ZWO. Here is one of my favorites: You can see Olympus Mons near the top, the South polar cap and the "Eye of Mars" on the left limb.

Great first light images! You're going to produce lots of more fine images with your new camera. I can't wait to see more! Regards, Reggie

That image is worthy of publication, Lee I use the Orion SkyView Pro Equatorial mount for the 180mm, I affectionately call the Big Mak: https://www.telescope.com/Orion-SkyView-Pro-Equatorial-Telescope-Mount/p/9829.uts I'll need to get a tracker like this: https://www.telescope.com/Orion/Orion-Dual-Axis-TrueTrack-Telescope-Drive/rc/2160/p/7832.uts I just haven't laid down the bucks to buy the tracker yet. My 127mm is already set with the Orion EQ-3M. I could step up to go-to but I don't know if I want to deal with all the electronics. I still like doing some things the old