A couple from The States, just for balance.

[Astroman]

Here's a link to a HUGE image taken at the Texas Star Party last Saturday of the summer Milky Way. Taken with a Canon 20Da digital camera. Ten minute exposure set to Iso 400. 24mm lens at F/5.6. Photographer's name is Jon Christensen.

http://www.schlottmancpa.com/xanadu/TSPStarClouds043006.jpg

Here's a couple from a good friend, Dean Ketelsen, who runs the Grand Canyon Star Party. Taken from Kitt Peak through an 11.25" F/3.5 with a Paracor and the Canon 20Da. Twenty minutes exposure, ISO 1600. M101.

This is B72, the Snake Nebula in Ophiuchus. Five, four minute exposures averaged together, same scope setup.

[radioactive]

absolutely stunning pics astroman WOW! :D

[CELESCOPE]

nice ones Astroman , like the snake one looks really good ,

Rog

[FLO]

Wow

Very nice 8)

Hope your friend doesn't mind but I processed and resized his milky way image:

[Naz]

Skies to die for, wow, As it used to be before the invention of the electric light bulb.

naz

[Astroman]

Ooh! I was hoping you'd do that, Steve. Looks great! Jon is "new" to digital astrophotography, but he's been knocking our socks off at meetings with film images for a couple years now. Fantastic.

[FLO]

Okay, heres another:

[Astroman]

Hmmm, little too much on that one, imho, but thanks.

[FLO]

Perhaps I did get carried away

[Astroman]

No Problem.

As I recall the view of M101 through a 41" scope at the Grand Canyon a number of years ago, it looked very much like the first image. Faint areas were easy, glowing HII regions and big clusters easy as well. The overall "fog" of the outer regions was striking.

[FLO]

I recall the view of M101 through a 41" scope at the Grand Canyon

:D