Comet Lulin Passing M44 Posted by: Stephen - 2009-03-05 01:31:51 Permalink

Just captured comet Lulin next to Praesepe (Open cluster - M44 - NGC 2632) a few minutes ago with my Nikon D60 at 200mm. The image is a stack of 7 captures one at 45 seconds and the rest at 30 seconds plus one 30 second dark frame. The moon was still out so I had to keep the exposures short.



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Comet Lulin and Satellite - 03/01/2009 Posted by: Stephen - 2009-03-02 01:08:28 Permalink

Finally got a chance to test out my new 55-200mm Nikkor ED VR lens. Here's an animation of lulin and a satellite passing to the left. I believe this is a mid-earth orbiting satellite, but I don't have time to research at the moment. I know it's not a low-earth orbiting version because these frames are at 200mm zoom, from 1.5 to 2 minutes long and the satellite hardly moves.



Full-res version >>


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Comet Lulin, Saturn and Orion Nebula Posted by: Stephen - 2009-02-24 01:38:51 Permalink

Spent a good deal of time out in the cold tonight viewing Orion nebula, and then the Saturn/Lulin show which was an awesome sight! I did manage to get a few nice captures of each. Took me quite a while to get the scope aligned as I have yet to purchase a polar alignment scope. I think that will be something I am going to order this weekend.


Orion Nebula through my 6" reflector and Nikon D60 at prime focus (ISO 1600 @ 30 seconds):

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Comet Lulin next to Saturn using stock D60 lens at 55mm (ISO 1600 @ 299 seconds):

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Comet Lulin through my 6" reflector and D60 at prime focus (ISO 3200 @ 328 seconds):

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Comet Lulin - 02/20/2009 Posted by: Stephen - 2009-02-20 03:38:12 Permalink

Captured a few nice images of Lulin tonight with the Nikon D60 from Talking Rock, GA. It was extremely cold out there! I'm still trying to get warm after 30 minutes inside. Weather.com says 27, feels like 20...that's freakin cold when you're just standing there next to the scope! Yell


Anyway, the first is of Lulin at 55mm:

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Next is one at 18mm:

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And finally one through my 6" reflector at prime focus (it was too cold to properly align, so there's a bit of trailing):

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