My Pictures of Space
 

I posted about my "new" hobby years ago, but here's are some more recent images I took. Needless to say, I've gotten a lot better and now run a YouTube channel helping others to learn how to take images like this. Most of my images are taken from an observatory I build next to my house. Overall exposure times can be as long as 40 hours. The more time, the better the image. There's nothing like smoking a cigar while watching the individual images come in. I just have to keep the smoke away from the gear.

I'd be glad to answer any questions about the images or what goes into taking them. Enjoy!


The Rosette Nebula
http://astrob.in/284250/C/rawthumb/gallery/get.jpg
Skipping Across the Rosette Nebula

The Crescent Nebula
http://astrob.in/257287/0/rawthumb/gallery/get.jpg
Crescent Nebula

The Andromeda Galaxy
http://astrob.in/209193/D/rawthumb/gallery/get.jpg
M31 - Andromeda

My gallery...
http://www.astrobin.com/users/Footbag/

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Wow! Would it be okay to take one for my new desktop background? I love pics like these and the quality is amazing. NASA should hire you.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Would be cool to see some snaps of the observatory you built -- the space pics are outstanding!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Absolutely! I don't mind at all.

NASA doesn't hire us "pretty picture" guys, but they do recognize our work. A few of my friends have been recognized recently. I'm still hoping I'll get my chance. For now, I just love sharing.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Excellent

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Here's a link to a thread on an astronomy board that I made as I built it...

http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/41...r-observatory/

It's a roll-off roof, not the typical dome that you are used to seeing. For me, the roll off roof made more sense. Domes need more expensive control hardware to move the shutter and rotate. A roll off is simpler and doesn't attract the same attention as a dome.

It was the first time I did any exterior construction, and I'm pretty proud of my work.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Just did a quick run through of your observatory build --it's things like this that send me into a deep, dark, 5-thumbs with zero man-skill depression. That is quite the piece of work!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Very cool!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Literally blown away. I just moved back to FL and thought it was great to be able to go out at night and see a couple hundred stars instead of the dozen or so you see when living in Boston or other big cities, this though is just amazing, wow.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Don't give up hope. I had done some very basic interior construction before, but I learned most of the stuff I needed to know about building the observatory on YouTube. The hardest part was starting, then I had to finish or I'd have a bunch of chopped up wood and trees in my yard.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Thanks guys! One of the benefits of photography is you can really see a lot more in light polluted skies then you would ever hope to see otherwise. Through an eyepiece, it's basically just faint fuzzies.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

These are very cool. Well done!

M

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Very impressive, Adam.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

I am super impressed, Adam! Very cool.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Thank you thank you all, but I really can't take all the credit! oh ... :lv

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Those are wonderful, thanks for sharing!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Wow! can't stop looking at them. Absolutely stunning and thanks for sharing.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Fantastic!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Stunning and beautiful.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

thats awesome

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Love it!!! Thanks for sharing:tu:tu

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Thanks again guys! Glad you enjoyed them!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

I noticed when I tapped on the first one a couple names appear for a couple of the nebula regions. NGC 2238 2237 and one other that is partially cut off. Pretty cool you were able to imbed them.

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Actually the website I use to post them does that. I can do it using different softare. It's really nice for analyzing all objects in a widefield. There is so much up there!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

I vote for a version of the CA banner with the gang staring into the cosmos!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Those are just gorgeous images! The skill... just wow! You are to be commended!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

OMG, Adam! You touched a spark deep inside. I had a rough few years in the mid-90s and the only and best thing I had was the cosmos. I made a barn door contraption and with the help of a small circuit board and a few electronics I had my simple creation tracking the sky. I spent many a night with my star charts, 8" Orion Dobsonion, Canon AE1, tripod, barndoor, filters, and hyper film. Got many nice comet, constellations, Messier object, and eclipse pictures. Nothing NEAR what you have! My experience with it has lasted a lifetime internally and showed me I was but a speck in the big machine of our Universe. It was literally life changing for me. Those three pictures are more beautiful than any I can remember seeing in any books I've collected. You've done a great job and have fascinating work. I know of only a little of what you've gone through and done and you've nailed it, my friend! Impressed is such a small word. Andromeda is now my desktop background. Stunning!

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

The Fox Fur looks 3D.

http://www.astrobin.com/full/235677/D/

Re: My Pictures of Space
 

Yup. Similar to how I started! Of course technology is making it easier. Basically I'm 97% automated for my data acquisition. So I open my roof, flip a few switches and click start. Processing is another story. The biggest issue is waiting for good weather.

Glad to hear you've done some AP yourself. It's an amazing hobby and I'm always surprised that I'll be chatting with a Astro Dr from VA one day and an Astronomer from NASA the next. It's just a very open and sharing community.

Enjoy the desktop!