Legacy Astrophotography: The Taurus Dark Cloud

[Nightfly]

A recent image demonstrating classic black and white astrophotography techniques using modern orthopanchromatic b&w emulsion. The image was obtained by using a medium format camera with equatorial mount for tracking during the 60 minute exposure. Orthopanchrmatic film does not record the red (Hydrogen-Alpha) spectrum, but the OIII emission of the California Nebula can be glimpsed in this image.

Equipment: Pentax 67 and 105mm f/2.4 lens stopped down to f/4. A 105mm lens is a "normal" lens for this format.

Legacy Astrophotography: The Taurus Dark Cloud by Nightfly Photography, on Flickr

Under a dark sky these dark regions in Taurus and Auriga can be glimpsed by the keen observer. Long exposure photographs show an entanglement of dark nebulae rivaling anywhere else in the northern Milky Way. Edward Emerson Bernard was among the first to photograph this region and was delighted by what he recorded.

Barnard photographed this region (Plate 5) at Yerkes Observatory on January 9, 1907 revealing a narrower area, but with more than what can be seen here.

www.library.gatech.edu/Barnard_Project_W/PDF/plate5.pdf

For more classic black and white images obtained similarly to how Barnard recorded them, I have started a collection that can be found here:

[ollypenrice]

Wonderful stuff, Jim. Like you I am a passionate admirer of EE Barnard who was the last of the great eyepiece astronomers and the first of the great astrophotographers. He was also a fine person and arose from the most abject deprivation to international reputation and respect. There is no finer human tale in the history of astronomy.

Olly

[todd8137]

nice

[Nightfly]

Thank you Olly. I enjoy looking over Barnards notes. I still have yet to obtain the recently second edition of A Photographic Atlas of Selected Regions of The Milky Way. Working with the old methods, handling the film and silently capturing the images in a dog house style observatory like Barnards of the time is still a thrilling experience. Electricity is only used to turn the clock drive and illuminate the crosshairs of the guiding eyepiece. If he were around today, would Barnard tell me to go digital? Probably. lol.

[Darth Takahashi]

WOW there are some really stunning images in your Flickr stream, great work.

EE Barnard, definitely I pioneer of astronomy in his day. I think the hardship he suffered early in his life prepared him for his later arduous work in astronomy.

[Shibby]

What great & inspiring images! I'm sure Bernard would be proud.

[Zul]

Beautiful

[Nightfly]

Thanks Neil, Lewis, and Zul. I appreciate the great comments. I'm looking forward to another year of photography. I hope you all have a successful new year.

Very nice images on your end as well Neil.

Thanks,

Jim