Stars Above
Oklahoma City ,Oklahoma

Here we Grow again!

Astronomy is Looking Up.
(Carpe Noctum )


"Carpe Noctum" is latin for "Sieze the Night"


To locate the International Space Station or other Satellite

ORION NEBULA and the RUNNING MAN

The Orion nebula aka M42 is an emmission nebula that is a star forming region. It is located at the middle star of Orion's sword. The Running Man aka NGC1977 is a reflection nebula (top of image).




 Image by  Kevin Davis, Tony Labude, and Dennis Wigley
 Date taken  10/18/09
 Location taken  Pennington Creek in Okla. during PCPPASP
 Exposure time  20 x 3 minutes = 1 hour total
 Imaging camera  Finger Lakes Microline 8300C @ + 0c
 Imaging scope  Astro Tech 80mm F7.0
 Guide camera  Meade DSI pro
 Guide scope  Astro Tech 66mm F6.0
 Mount  Meade LXD55


ANDROMEDA GALAXY
This is One of our sister galaxies Andromeda  aka M31, or NGC 224 in this photo you will see three galaxies M31 the largest of the three run the full frame of the photo M110 the the galaxy farthest away in the photo M32 is smaller and closer  to M31.

Andromeda Galaxy
 Image taken by  Kevin Davis, Tony Labude, and Dennis Wigley
 Date taken  10/17/09
 Location taken  Pennington Creek in Okla. during PCPPASP
 Exposure time  17 x 3 minutes = 51 minute total
 Imaging camera  Finger Lakes Microline 8300C @ 0c
 Imaging scope  Astro Tech 80mm F7.0
 Guide camera  Meade DSI pro
 Guide scope  Astro Tech 66mm F6.0
 Mount  Meade LXD55


HORSE HEAD and THE FLAME
The horsehead is a very tough object to observe but some what easy to catch on film or CCD.
The Target B33 or Horsehead is a dark nebula and only the back light of Ionized gas IC 434 lets us see it, the flame is NGC 2024

Horsehead and the Flame Nebula
 Image taken by  Kevin Davis, Tony Labude, and Dennis Wigley
 Date taken  10/17/09
 Location taken  Pennington Creek in Okla. during PCPPASP
 Exposure time  82 x 2 minutes = 2 hrs 44 min total
 Imaging camera  Finger Lakes Microline 8300C @ +5c
 Imaging scope  Astro Tech 80mm F7.0
 Guide camera  Meade DSI pro
 Guide scope  Astro Tech 66mm F6.0
 Mount  Meade LXD55


NGC253 the Sculptor Galaxy

Located in the constellation Sculptor this spiral galaxy is also sometimes called the silver coin galaxy.




 Image taken by  Kevin Davis, Tony Labude, and Dennis Wigley
 Date taken  10/17/09
 Location taken  Pennington Creek in Okla. during PCPPASP
 Exposure time  97 x 1 minute = 1 hr 37 min total
 Imaging camera  Finger Lakes Microline 8300C @ +5c
 Imaging scope  Astro Tech 80mm F7.0
 Guide camera  Meade DSI pro
 Guide scope  Astro Tech 66mm F6.0
 Mount  Meade LXD55

Double Cluster

2nd light for the FLI-8300C

NGC869 & NGC884




 Image taken by  Kevin Davis, Tony Labude, and Dennis Wigley
 Date taken  08/15/09
 Location taken  Choctaw, Ok a suburb of Oklahoma City
 Exposure time  7 x 1 minute = 7 min total
 Imaging camera  Finger Lakes Microline 8300C @ +10c
 Imaging scope  Astro Tech 80mm F7.0
 Guide camera  Meade DSI pro
 Guide scope  Astro Tech 66mm F6.0
 Mount  Meade LXD55


Moon - cropped from full frame

1st light for the FLI-8300C - this was not debayered = monochrome



 Image taken by  Kevin Davis, Tony Labude, and Dennis Wigley
 Date taken  08/01/09
 Location taken  Choctaw, OK a suburb of Oklahoma City
 Exposure time  3 x .014 seconds averaged
 Imaging camera  Finger Lakes Microline 8300C @ +10c
 Imaging scope  Astro Tech 80mm F7.0
 Guide camera  Not guided
 Guide scope  Not guided
 Mount  Meade LXD55



NEED A TELESCOPE
 
Astronomics is the largest Telescope and Accessories retailer in Oklahoma.Go to the web site and see the list of folks they have done business with I think you will be as impressed as I was. I know the folks down at astronomics and they are always willing to help out with information about products. Even if your not a Professional Observatory, buy where the big boys do..

Astronomics


Another company that has very good customer service is Optcorp. The FLI-8300C that we are using, Tony L. won  from Optcorp during the SCAE 09 giveaway. They have always been helpful with other items we've ordered.

Optcorp


What's up tonight?


The most common problem with new scopes.

"I cant find anything with my telescope".

OKLAHOMA SKY DOMES
The problem every astronomer faces. Were is the best place to set up a telescope. And that question is not so easy to answer. The best place to set up a scope is were you will use it. Let's face it,the best place I have ever seen in Oklahoma is in the panhandle but from my house this spot is a six hour drive oneway. and if you are going out for the night it would be crazy to spend 12hours on the road for 6 to 7 hours of observing now if you were going for two or more nights the drive would more worth while.Now lets say you live on the north side of Tulsa and you are wanting to view a comet that is in the northern part of the sky you maybe able to use the scope at your house but if the comet you wanted to view was a southern object and you lived north of Tulsa. it's time to pack you bags and find a dark site or a site with dark southern skies. Check out the map below it will help you in your quest of Oklahoma dark skies
 
Oklahoma City Astronomy Club


Dennis's old site
Last up date Feb 2010


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