Ben's Astro Stuff 🇺🇦
@bensastrostuff.com
New space photos whenever the sky is dark, clear, the equipment is working, and I have time and energy. :P
#astrophotography #astronomy #space #stars #nightsky #milkyway #universe #astro #astrophoto #cosmos #telescope #nebula #deepsky #stargazing
#astrophotography #astronomy #space #stars #nightsky #milkyway #universe #astro #astrophoto #cosmos #telescope #nebula #deepsky #stargazing
And the image is nice and flat now. :)
October 28, 2025 at 3:18 AM
And the image is nice and flat now. :)
Wow! I was able to work on my 🔭 tonight, and get it all back together. My OnStep board is working great! On top of that, after a quick collimation, I now have ROUND STARS in the corners of my images. No more bats! 🤣
I have a couple more things to do before I can image again, but this is great! 1/3
I have a couple more things to do before I can image again, but this is great! 1/3
October 28, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Wow! I was able to work on my 🔭 tonight, and get it all back together. My OnStep board is working great! On top of that, after a quick collimation, I now have ROUND STARS in the corners of my images. No more bats! 🤣
I have a couple more things to do before I can image again, but this is great! 1/3
I have a couple more things to do before I can image again, but this is great! 1/3
All the equipment seems nominal. Just waiting for the clouds to clear. Just a couple stars poking though now and then. Hopefully it actually clears up around 11pm (1h 40m from now).
October 26, 2025 at 1:20 AM
All the equipment seems nominal. Just waiting for the clouds to clear. Just a couple stars poking though now and then. Hopefully it actually clears up around 11pm (1h 40m from now).
I haven't been able to do very much astro stuff because of work. However I was able to attend a couple of days at the Black Forest Star Party at Cherry Springs State Park earlier this month. I did some #astrophotography but haven't had time to process. Here are some pictures from my phone. 🙂
September 30, 2025 at 3:16 AM
I haven't been able to do very much astro stuff because of work. However I was able to attend a couple of days at the Black Forest Star Party at Cherry Springs State Park earlier this month. I did some #astrophotography but haven't had time to process. Here are some pictures from my phone. 🙂
I've finally processed & published my image of #M16 the #Eagle #Nebula! This was my summer project, plagued by rain, clouds, bugs, & malfunctions. I had to toss much of the data, but what was left made this. Not too shabby! 🔭
More info and high quality on my AstroBin Page:
app.astrobin.com/i/bf9nmg
More info and high quality on my AstroBin Page:
app.astrobin.com/i/bf9nmg
![M16 - Eagle Nebula [In SHO]
by BensAstroStuff
Published: Aug 13, 2025
Total integration: 8h 18m
Integration per filter:
- Hα: 2h 32m (76 × 120")
- SII: 2h 44m (82 × 120")
- OIII: 3h 2m (91 × 120")
Equipment:
- Telescope: Sky-Watcher Quattro 200P
- Camera: ZWO ASI294MM Pro
- Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G
- Filters: Optolong H-Alpha 7nm 2", Optolong OIII 6.5nm 2", Optolong SII 6.5nm 2"
- Accessories: Sky-Watcher Quattro Coma Corrector, ZWO EAF, ZWO EFW 7 x 2″, ZWO OAG (Off-Axis Guider)
- Software: GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), INDI Library Ekos, KDEdu KStars, Nikita Misiura StarNet, Open PHD Guiding Project PHD2, SetiAstro CosmicClarity, Siril Team Siril, Steffen Hirtle GraXpert
For more information, visit AstroBin:
https://app.astrobin.com/i/bf9nmg](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:c54yp6j2vmescoj54wmbqj5f/bafkreieckudlm5njy6x3jw2wrzxcy2qel6an5sgw2up742zgduh3tgq6lu@jpeg)
August 13, 2025 at 7:56 AM
I've finally processed & published my image of #M16 the #Eagle #Nebula! This was my summer project, plagued by rain, clouds, bugs, & malfunctions. I had to toss much of the data, but what was left made this. Not too shabby! 🔭
More info and high quality on my AstroBin Page:
app.astrobin.com/i/bf9nmg
More info and high quality on my AstroBin Page:
app.astrobin.com/i/bf9nmg
This past weekend I was at the Cherry Springs Start Party. There was a single night that was good for astrophotography, and I acquired enough data to create this image of the Crescent Nebula. 🔭
Full resolution and acquisition details on my Astrobin page:
app.astrobin.com/i/kejtxh
Full resolution and acquisition details on my Astrobin page:
app.astrobin.com/i/kejtxh
June 25, 2025 at 5:44 AM
This past weekend I was at the Cherry Springs Start Party. There was a single night that was good for astrophotography, and I acquired enough data to create this image of the Crescent Nebula. 🔭
Full resolution and acquisition details on my Astrobin page:
app.astrobin.com/i/kejtxh
Full resolution and acquisition details on my Astrobin page:
app.astrobin.com/i/kejtxh
This is the beginning of my next major project. I expect it's going to take a few months. 🔭
The Eagle Nebula. This is only 90 minutes of luminance.
My previous image of this target was three years ago, and can be found here: app.astrobin.com/i/ob5rlv
The Eagle Nebula. This is only 90 minutes of luminance.
My previous image of this target was three years ago, and can be found here: app.astrobin.com/i/ob5rlv
May 26, 2025 at 3:17 AM
This is the beginning of my next major project. I expect it's going to take a few months. 🔭
The Eagle Nebula. This is only 90 minutes of luminance.
My previous image of this target was three years ago, and can be found here: app.astrobin.com/i/ob5rlv
The Eagle Nebula. This is only 90 minutes of luminance.
My previous image of this target was three years ago, and can be found here: app.astrobin.com/i/ob5rlv
New image! I finally found enough free time over the past couple of weeks to process my images of M31, the Whirlpool Galaxy. 🔭
Full Resolution and capture information: app.astrobin.com/i/g7if5a
Full Resolution and capture information: app.astrobin.com/i/g7if5a
May 11, 2025 at 4:22 AM
New image! I finally found enough free time over the past couple of weeks to process my images of M31, the Whirlpool Galaxy. 🔭
Full Resolution and capture information: app.astrobin.com/i/g7if5a
Full Resolution and capture information: app.astrobin.com/i/g7if5a
Everybody starts somewhere! Here's my first imaging setup back in 2021.
April 29, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Everybody starts somewhere! Here's my first imaging setup back in 2021.
Hopefully the last of these thin clouds are gone before I start imaging tonight. 🔭
April 28, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Hopefully the last of these thin clouds are gone before I start imaging tonight. 🔭
I understand, but I only say 'not very big' because our astronomy club has things like this.
I'd like to see what data you got with your radio telescope! There used to be someone in the club that did that, but it was before my time as a member.
I'd like to see what data you got with your radio telescope! There used to be someone in the club that did that, but it was before my time as a member.
April 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
I understand, but I only say 'not very big' because our astronomy club has things like this.
I'd like to see what data you got with your radio telescope! There used to be someone in the club that did that, but it was before my time as a member.
I'd like to see what data you got with your radio telescope! There used to be someone in the club that did that, but it was before my time as a member.
It's not too big. It's a Newtonian with a 200mm aperture. Here's a picture of what it's doing right now. Note that the door is for hobbits. It's only about 4ft tall. It's a small observatory.
April 18, 2025 at 3:33 AM
It's not too big. It's a Newtonian with a 200mm aperture. Here's a picture of what it's doing right now. Note that the door is for hobbits. It's only about 4ft tall. It's a small observatory.
Not 5 minutes later... another one. Not as easy to see the tail though.
April 18, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Not 5 minutes later... another one. Not as easy to see the tail though.
So I'm imaging M51 tonight, and this just happened in one of my sub-frames. You can make out the tail of an airplane, lit up by it's own lights. 🔭
April 18, 2025 at 1:46 AM
So I'm imaging M51 tonight, and this just happened in one of my sub-frames. You can make out the tail of an airplane, lit up by it's own lights. 🔭
Let's gooooooo!
🔭👍
🔭👍
March 21, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Let's gooooooo!
🔭👍
🔭👍
Horsehead has dropped too low to image properly. I've switched to M101. I'm going to leave it here to run on it's own while I try to sleep. Hopefully I'll wake up to a full hour of each L/R/G/B. This is the last of the L.
March 19, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Horsehead has dropped too low to image properly. I've switched to M101. I'm going to leave it here to run on it's own while I try to sleep. Hopefully I'll wake up to a full hour of each L/R/G/B. This is the last of the L.
The Horsehead & Flame nebula in Oiii.
Trying to get as many subs as possible before the moon comes up and washes it out. This is a single 5min sub-frame.🔭
Trying to get as many subs as possible before the moon comes up and washes it out. This is a single 5min sub-frame.🔭
March 19, 2025 at 3:10 AM
The Horsehead & Flame nebula in Oiii.
Trying to get as many subs as possible before the moon comes up and washes it out. This is a single 5min sub-frame.🔭
Trying to get as many subs as possible before the moon comes up and washes it out. This is a single 5min sub-frame.🔭
Clouds and rain all weekend. I won't be able to do any imaging. 😢🔭
There may be some clear nights this coming week, but that means trading sleep for it. I've done that plenty of times. We'll see.
There may be some clear nights this coming week, but that means trading sleep for it. I've done that plenty of times. We'll see.
March 16, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Clouds and rain all weekend. I won't be able to do any imaging. 😢🔭
There may be some clear nights this coming week, but that means trading sleep for it. I've done that plenty of times. We'll see.
There may be some clear nights this coming week, but that means trading sleep for it. I've done that plenty of times. We'll see.
Want to see something kinda cool?
Here's my mount slewing from park to the horse-head (previous post), with the dome rotating to follow it. 🔭
The dome is an old 8ft ExploraDome, and the rotating motor is from NexDome, which I modified to work with it.
Here's my mount slewing from park to the horse-head (previous post), with the dome rotating to follow it. 🔭
The dome is an old 8ft ExploraDome, and the rotating motor is from NexDome, which I modified to work with it.
March 14, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Want to see something kinda cool?
Here's my mount slewing from park to the horse-head (previous post), with the dome rotating to follow it. 🔭
The dome is an old 8ft ExploraDome, and the rotating motor is from NexDome, which I modified to work with it.
Here's my mount slewing from park to the horse-head (previous post), with the dome rotating to follow it. 🔭
The dome is an old 8ft ExploraDome, and the rotating motor is from NexDome, which I modified to work with it.
This is a pretty old mount, and I got it used. It originally came with a serial port. 😅
I've always had issues with the Dec axis. I've been slowly working the kinks out over the past couple of years, and I think this is the last of them. The Dec worm gear had a flat spot when I got it. See pic.
I've always had issues with the Dec axis. I've been slowly working the kinks out over the past couple of years, and I think this is the last of them. The Dec worm gear had a flat spot when I got it. See pic.
March 3, 2025 at 3:29 PM
This is a pretty old mount, and I got it used. It originally came with a serial port. 😅
I've always had issues with the Dec axis. I've been slowly working the kinks out over the past couple of years, and I think this is the last of them. The Dec worm gear had a flat spot when I got it. See pic.
I've always had issues with the Dec axis. I've been slowly working the kinks out over the past couple of years, and I think this is the last of them. The Dec worm gear had a flat spot when I got it. See pic.
And as they say, the proof is in the p̶u̶d̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ guide graph...
wow.... .38" RMS.
wow.... .38" RMS.
March 3, 2025 at 12:14 AM
And as they say, the proof is in the p̶u̶d̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ guide graph...
wow.... .38" RMS.
wow.... .38" RMS.
So... two things.
First, in my last post I misremembered how bad my declination backlash was. I thought it was 2000ms... it was MUCH worse: almost 8000ms. Tonight I was able to test test again after the mount rebuild and it's 2130ms. That can be managed.
Second: Here is the before/after graph. 🔭
First, in my last post I misremembered how bad my declination backlash was. I thought it was 2000ms... it was MUCH worse: almost 8000ms. Tonight I was able to test test again after the mount rebuild and it's 2130ms. That can be managed.
Second: Here is the before/after graph. 🔭
March 3, 2025 at 12:02 AM
So... two things.
First, in my last post I misremembered how bad my declination backlash was. I thought it was 2000ms... it was MUCH worse: almost 8000ms. Tonight I was able to test test again after the mount rebuild and it's 2130ms. That can be managed.
Second: Here is the before/after graph. 🔭
First, in my last post I misremembered how bad my declination backlash was. I thought it was 2000ms... it was MUCH worse: almost 8000ms. Tonight I was able to test test again after the mount rebuild and it's 2130ms. That can be managed.
Second: Here is the before/after graph. 🔭
This was the sky tonight. The crescent moon and Venus.
I did get my telescope and mount back together. I was able to guide at ~0.65" RMS. I was not able to do a lot of testing, but the dec backlash seems to be greatly reduced. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll be able to fully test it. 🔭
I did get my telescope and mount back together. I was able to guide at ~0.65" RMS. I was not able to do a lot of testing, but the dec backlash seems to be greatly reduced. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll be able to fully test it. 🔭
March 2, 2025 at 2:34 AM
This was the sky tonight. The crescent moon and Venus.
I did get my telescope and mount back together. I was able to guide at ~0.65" RMS. I was not able to do a lot of testing, but the dec backlash seems to be greatly reduced. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll be able to fully test it. 🔭
I did get my telescope and mount back together. I was able to guide at ~0.65" RMS. I was not able to do a lot of testing, but the dec backlash seems to be greatly reduced. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll be able to fully test it. 🔭