Gallery
The Crescent. This wild nebula, NGC 6888 in Cygnus, is a result of competing stellar winds shed from the Wolf-Rayet star within. Late in its life, the star is actively fusing heavy elements. This violent production of energy has blown out most of the hydrogen and helium from the star’s outer atmosphere, giving rise to the delicate and fascinating structure of the surrounding emission nebula, which was captured here thanks to nearly 27 hours of exposure time.
The Cat’s Eye. A millennium ago, the central star of NGC 6543 began its transition from a red giant to a hydrogen-depleted state. It shed its outer atmosphere into space, leaving behind a bare oxygen and carbon core. This expanding planetary nebula, photographed in both narrowband and LRGB over some 26 hours, is continually shaped by violent yet surprisingly subtle forces.
The Needle Galaxy. About 40 million light-years away, looking toward the constellation Coma Berenices, lies a beauty of an edge-on spiral: NGC 4565. It is truly one of the finest examples of its kind that is visible from Earth.
The Phantom Galaxy. Peering more than 30 million light-years into deep space, past the Milky Way in the constellation Pisces, we come across a prime example of what’s known as a “grand design spiral.” M74 is an orderly and very structured face-on spiral galaxy. Among the faintest objects in Messier’s famous catalog, it has picked up the “Phantom Galaxy” moniker due to its fleeting nature in visual observations.
Active Region 2804. The Sun reveals features of the plasma in its chromosphere in this stacked and contrast-enhanced view taken with a Hydrogen-alpha (Hα) filter Feb. 27, 2021. Active Region 2804 — a bright, oblong sunspot that could swallow Earth whole — sits near the upper edge, showing off its tangled magnetic field.
Solar calcium. Just past the extreme blue end of the visual spectrum and into the ultraviolet lies the Calcium H emission line. Sunlight filtered to this narrow band of light reveals a unique look at the upper atmosphere of our star.
The Moon
Imaging Luna is perhaps the easiest and most natural point of entry for most aspiring astrophotographers. Basic shots, including those taken during lunar eclipses, are not very difficult to capture. And over time, you can learn how to enhance highlights and color variations produced by compositional differences in lunar regolith.
Moon hues. By increasing the saturation of the Moon’s natural colors and boosting the contrast between features, the lunar surface can come alive with a new perspective. The multi-colored surface seen here is a result of different soils and layers that were created and spread through both chemical and mechanical processes. Some examples of this include the bright rays deposited by impact ejecta, the vast plains created by ancient lava flows, and the darkening effects of space weathering.Special events
Whether it’s comets, eclipses, planetary conjunctions, aurorae, meteor showers, satellite transits, or anything else astronomical, sometimes the greatest challenge in imaging sky events is finding out about them in the first place. Generally, a magazine, observing guide, online forecasting resource, and/or planetarium software can greatly help you stay informed on the most significant upcoming events. For location-specific treats, such as aurorae or a space station transiting the Sun or Moon, forecasting websites are indispensable resources.
Great American Eclipse. The awesome beauty of nature was on full display during totality of the solar eclipse Aug. 21, 2017. Totality is truly a sight to behold, and perhaps the finest example of a special astronomical event. Totality’s brevity can also make it a very stressful time for a first-time eclipse photographer. But no matter what, you should try to take at least a few moments to observe the sight with only your own eyes.