What comes after galaxy season?

[TiffsAndAstro]

I read it ends mid may, so what season follows?

Huge bright broadband nebula season?

[Elp]

Winter

[TiffsAndAstro]

2 minutes ago, Elp said:

Winter

Winter starts mid may for you?

[DaveS]

I'll either be moving to Narrow Band, which will mean changing the camera and filter wheel, or else Globulars which I can do with the current setup. The brighter / smaller globs should be able to cut through the nautical Dark, which is all I'll have between the 25th may and 16th July

[Budgie1]

If you live above 56°N, then it's two & half months of Twilight all Night (TAN), so time to fettle with the kit ready for mid-August, when you can start imaging again.

[Elp]

4 minutes ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

Winter starts mid may for you?

After a week of summer, usually yes. More so the milky way starts to show up again during nights so leads up to the interesting targets that show up in winter.

[TiffsAndAstro]

7 minutes ago, Budgie1 said:

If you live above 56°N, then it's two & half months of Twilight all Night (TAN), so time to fettle with the kit ready for mid-August, when you can start imaging again.

52n here I think. I've always said the south is better

I think at my skill level twighlight will be fine for more practice.

 

[TiffsAndAstro]

6 minutes ago, Elp said:

After a week of summer, usually yes. More so the milky way starts to show up again during nights so leads up to the interesting targets that show up in winter.

Milky way season then? Core is a bit low for me in summer at its highest point according to stellarium, but then I've never tried any milky way stuff

[Elp]

M16 Eagle Nebula is a nice summer target and that region, lagoon (bit too low unless you have horizon clear) and trifid. East and West Veil nebula is high up and dslr lenses are well suited to the framing (200mm or less).

[John]

The Veil Nebula ?

I'm only visual but it's a summer highlight for me, year after year 🙂

So much of it as well - it's like half a dozen nebulae in one complex !

[TiffsAndAstro]

15 minutes ago, Elp said:

M16 Eagle Nebula is a nice summer target and that region, lagoon (bit too low unless you have horizon clear) and trifid. East and West Veil nebula is high up and dslr lenses are well suited to the framing (200mm or less).

All seems a bit low or will be a bit low. But I'll have another look in stellarium

[TiffsAndAstro]

1 minute ago, John said:

The Veil Nebula ?

I'm only visual but it's a summer highlight for me, year after year 🙂

So much of it as well - it's like half a dozen nebulae in one complex !

Yeah I think this is too low right now I'll check stellarium. It did look good in Nina framing.

[900SL]

60N here so I've a solar wedge inbound. No DSO until September

[WolfieGlos]

5 hours ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

I've always said the south is better

You said it, not me 😁

Last year I was able to catch the Lagoon and Eagle nebulae, but the Lagoon was difficult as it is quite low. Aside from the veil, consider the wealth of targets in Cygnus and the Sadr region high up in the sky. There’s a lot of Ha if you have a modded camera for it.

If not, consider objects like the Iris Nebula and, if you’re up for it, all of the dust and dark nebulae in Cepheus (lots of exposure required). I’m tempted by the Dark shark this year with a fast camera lens (SY135 at f2). Or simple star clusters or asterisms like the coat hanger? 

[TiffsAndAstro]

I think iris nebula has some promise, even with a stock dslr.

I did a short test previously. 

Thanks for the suggestions

need more focal length for galaxies, 400mm not fun. Imx585 camera would help though.

Edited May 11 by TiffsAndAstro

[wookie1965]

13 hours ago, John said:

The Veil Nebula ?

I'm only visual but it's a summer highlight for me, year after year 🙂

So much of it as well - it's like half a dozen nebulae in one complex !

John which is best for bringing this out in my 120mm xlt a Oiii or UHC filter thanks. 

[John]

33 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

John which is best for bringing this out in my 120mm xlt a Oiii or UHC filter thanks. 

Both will work but an O-III has quite a lot more impact on the Veil Nebula. It's a big target so low magnification and as wide a field of view as possible are the way to go (as well as the filter and a dark sky).

 

[radiofm74]

9 hours ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

I think iris nebula has some promise, even with a stock dslr.

I did a short test previously. 

Thanks for the suggestions

need more focal length for galaxies, 400mm not fun. Imx585 camera would help though.

Hello! The season transition may be slower than you're assuming ;D

Galaxy season is still in its full and if you have not tried these targets yet, the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) is perhaps the best spring galaxy to image with a short-ish focal length,. and there are plenty more wonderful galaxies that transit near zenith if you're at 52 degrees N (Whirlpool, Whale and Stick…). All of these targets are wonderfully placed right now for you, and will still be once the lunar cycle is back to astrophotography-friendly at the end of May. If your NW horizon is not terribly light-polluted, you might even start from Bode's Pair right now and save the galaxies I mentioned before for late May/early June.

The globular clusters M13 and M92 might be your logical next targets for June. Wonderful M5 too, although lower South for you. M13 is certainly a target I want to revisit this year.

In July, it's Nebula season (and plenty of open clusters too, if they're your thing…). With 400mm of focal length, I'd stay away from planetary nebulae (save perhaps the Dumbbell in August and the Helix in September). The Lagoon and Trifid are, each, wonderful subjects of their own and true narrowband classics (… though the Trifid is in part reflection and a bit trickier). A little more to the North, culminating around 25° above the horizon for you, are two equally beautiful targets: the Swan Nebula and the Eagle Nebula. Whether they're feasible for you will entirely depend on what your Southern Horizon is. If AT ALL feasible, I'd try all of them. Being narrowband targets, they can be shot with more light pollution or moonglow than galaxies or clusters. 

As John suggested, already in July, and even more so in August and September, Cygnus, Cepheus and neighbouring constellations offer a wealth of wonderful objects for short focal lengths:

- All the components of the Cygnus Loop (at the very least two absolute classics: Western and Eastern Veil)

- The North America Nebula and especially its "Cygnus Wall" section

- As said the Dumbbell Nebula

- Not narrowband but stunning: the Fireworks Galaxy in Cepheus (mayhap you can catch also the nearby cluster in a single frame?). Note that the Iris is a reflection nebula: still broadband, and possibly trickier, but of course worth it.

- Certainly trickier from what I'm told (have not tried it myself yet): the Elephant Trunk in Cepheus

I have the impression that you have much to keep you occupied this coming Summer, and perhaps the next 😃

 

[TiffsAndAstro]

30 minutes ago, radiofm74 said:

Hello! The season transition may be slower than you're assuming ;D

Galaxy season is still in its full and if you have not tried these targets yet, the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) is perhaps the best spring galaxy to image with a short-ish focal length,. and there are plenty more wonderful galaxies that transit near zenith if you're at 52 degrees N (Whirlpool, Whale and Stick…). All of these targets are wonderfully placed right now for you, and will still be once the lunar cycle is back to astrophotography-friendly at the end of May. If your NW horizon is not terribly light-polluted, you might even start from Bode's Pair right now and save the galaxies I mentioned before for late May/early June.

The globular clusters M13 and M92 might be your logical next targets for June. Wonderful M5 too, although lower South for you. M13 is certainly a target I want to revisit this year.

In July, it's Nebula season (and plenty of open clusters too, if they're your thing…). With 400mm of focal length, I'd stay away from planetary nebulae (save perhaps the Dumbbell in August and the Helix in September). The Lagoon and Trifid are, each, wonderful subjects of their own and true narrowband classics (… though the Trifid is in part reflection and a bit trickier). A little more to the North, culminating around 25° above the horizon for you, are two equally beautiful targets: the Swan Nebula and the Eagle Nebula. Whether they're feasible for you will entirely depend on what your Southern Horizon is. If AT ALL feasible, I'd try all of them. Being narrowband targets, they can be shot with more light pollution or moonglow than galaxies or clusters. 

As John suggested, already in July, and even more so in August and September, Cygnus, Cepheus and neighbouring constellations offer a wealth of wonderful objects for short focal lengths:

- All the components of the Cygnus Loop (at the very least two absolute classics: Western and Eastern Veil)

- The North America Nebula and especially its "Cygnus Wall" section

- As said the Dumbbell Nebula

- Not narrowband but stunning: the Fireworks Galaxy in Cepheus (mayhap you can catch also the nearby cluster in a single frame?). Note that the Iris is a reflection nebula: still broadband, and possibly trickier, but of course worth it.

- Certainly trickier from what I'm told (have not tried it myself yet): the Elephant Trunk in Cepheus

I have the impression that you have much to keep you occupied this coming Summer, and perhaps the next 😃

 

wow thanks for all that. i've looked in stellarium and tried some of the summer months, but most of the nebula you mention will be too low for me entirely i think, but i will carry on in hope  

I'd ruled out whale galaxy as too small, but might have another look in stellarium and my gear's fov. m101 and m51 i've taken some time on but not enough. i guess i can fall back on those to add more exposure time. i've gotten about 2 hours on trio in leo and will add more. unlike m101 and m51 it seems a bit trickier to post process.

I had assumed narrowband targets to be a waste of time with my stock dslr, but i had an ok result after 40mins on rosette nebula some timeback. the NA nebula is top of my list but it also seems too low. will keep checking it though. also, i tried iris nebula test a while back but could also give that ago.

Don't like clusters  I'd really like to get rho ophiuchus but again that seems too low. 

definitely enough to keep me occupied until m31 gets a bit higher  

3.5 hours on bodes & cigar over 2 sessions and im reasonably happy with what i got. at least considering my gear. 

 

[radiofm74]

50 minutes ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

wow thanks for all that. i've looked in stellarium and tried some of the summer months, but most of the nebula you mention will be too low for me entirely i think, but i will carry on in hope  

I'd ruled out whale galaxy as too small, but might have another look in stellarium and my gear's fov. m101 and m51 i've taken some time on but not enough. i guess i can fall back on those to add more exposure time. i've gotten about 2 hours on trio in leo and will add more. unlike m101 and m51 it seems a bit trickier to post process.

I had assumed narrowband targets to be a waste of time with my stock dslr, but i had an ok result after 40mins on rosette nebula some timeback. the NA nebula is top of my list but it also seems too low. will keep checking it though. also, i tried iris nebula test a while back but could also give that ago.

Don't like clusters  I'd really like to get rho ophiuchus but again that seems too low. 

definitely enough to keep me occupied until m31 gets a bit higher  

3.5 hours on bodes & cigar over 2 sessions and im reasonably happy with what i got. at least considering my gear. 

 

Hi! Nice picture of Bode's Pair!

Yes, more integration on the Whirlpool could be a good plan. As for the Whale galaxy: it will be small, and you will certainly have to crop some, but it's an attractive duo with the Fishhook galaxy nearby.

I am a little confused by what you say about the NA Nebula. It's too low NOW, but unless I've completely mistaken your location it will be high and proud in your night sky during mid- to late summer: very much at Zenith, actually. Ditto for the Veil Nebulae.

Narrowband is everything but a waste of time on a DSLR. By "Narrowband" I mean nothing more sophisticated than sticking a UHC filter in front of your sensor. Here are a couple shots I got with a stock Canon 60D and an Astronomik UHC EOS-clip, using a Vixen SD81S. Post-processing in Photoshop. Quite a lot of integration time on each target – that is key. I am not a particularly experienced imager and that was my first summer so I was even less experienced then than I am now. 

Lagoon

 

Eagle

 

Trifid (using a milder UHC-E filter in order not to kill the reflection nebula)

 

Western Veil (back to UHC)

[scotty1]

After 

It's 

I know apologies for such a predictable response. 🙄

Edited May 12 by scotty1

[TiffsAndAstro]

25 minutes ago, radiofm74 said:

Hi! Nice picture of Bode's Pair!

Yes, more integration on the Whirlpool could be a good plan. As for the Whale galaxy: it will be small, and you will certainly have to crop some, but it's an attractive duo with the Fishhook galaxy nearby.

I am a little confused by what you say about the NA Nebula. It's too low NOW, but unless I've completely mistaken your location it will be high and proud in your night sky during mid- to late summer: very much at Zenith, actually. Ditto for the Veil Nebulae.

Narrowband is everything but a waste of time on a DSLR. By "Narrowband" I mean nothing more sophisticated than sticking a UHC filter in front of your sensor. Here are a couple shots I got with a stock Canon 60D and an Astronomik UHC EOS-clip, using a Vixen SD81S. Post-processing in Photoshop. Quite a lot of integration time on each target – that is key. I am not a particularly experienced imager and that was my first summer so I was even less experienced then than I am now. 

Lagoon

 

Eagle

 

Trifid (using a milder UHC-E filter in order not to kill the reflection nebula)

 

Western Veil (back to UHC)

Very nice images.  I'm quite shocked you took those with vaguely similar gear to mine. I don't use a filter. I think because I removed my flatteners nose piece, my only option is a clip in filter

I didn't really bother looking if those nebula you just mentioned will get higher in a few months. Will definitely have another look in stellarium.

Think I need some kind of astro calender where I can add ideal targets by month/week.

[TiffsAndAstro]

18 minutes ago, scotty1 said:

After 

It's 

I know apologies for such a predictable response. 🙄

You made a rookie mistake....no mars

[alacant]

On 11/05/2024 at 18:35, TiffsAndAstro said:

what season follows

Eye candy season.

[Sunshine]

What does galaxy season even mean? i see galaxies all year round, do they hibernate? 😅