Deep Sky Imaging Session - February 5-6, 2025

The sky this evening is mostly clear so I proceeded to image IC2177 Seagull Nebula in the constellation of Monoceros. The wind was also very strong tonight but my imaging rig was able to withstand the wind and I was able to get a 122 minute integrated exposure using ZWO ASI294MC PRO Astro Camera on Borg 76ED Refractor with 0.8x Reducer / Flattener and SVBony SV220 Duo Band Filter at -5 deg C. I was also able to get a short 15 mins exposure of M44 Beehive Glactic Star Cluster in the constellation of Cancer. Due to strong wind that is jarring my Dwarf 3 tripod, wasted half of the planned 30 minutes integration of this cluster.

Lunar Imaging Session - February 5, 2025

The sky this evening is very cloudy but there are some small cloud opening for me to image the First Quarter Moon using Dwarf 3 Smart Scope at Astro Mode with VIS Filter and AZ Mode. 10 stacked image of 1/125sec exposure at Gain 0.

Deep Sky Imaging Session - February 4-5, 2025

The sky this evening is partly cloudy and I use the Dwarf 3 to capture a short 30 minutes worth of data on M42 Great Orion Nebula in the constellation of Orion before getting clouded out .

Deep Sky Imaging Session - February 2-3, 2025

Last February 2, Joaquin Fajardo and I decided to go to Viewscape Nature Park in Tanay, Rizal to do some deep sky imaging session. We left Manila to Viewscape at around 2:30pm and arrive at the site at around 5:30pm. We quickly setup our telescopes to prepare for a whole night of deep sky imaging. Joaquin brought along a very portable ZWO Seestar S50 Smart Scope while I brought my Borg 76ED Refractor with ZWO ASI294MC PRO Astro Camera mounted on a sturdy ZWO AM5 mount. I also brought along another smart scope in Dwarf 3 Smart Scope to do simultaneous imaging on both scopes. After a setup and polar aligned my scopes, I started to image the faint IC2118 Witch Head Nebula in the constellation of Eridanus with my Borg 76ED setup. My thoughts on this nebula is that it is a challenge to image it as it is a fainty reflection nebula but to my surprise, it was easy to capture and after 2 hours of integrated exposure, I shifted my target to another faint SH2-308, the Dolphin Nebula in Canis Major. Unfortunately, clouds started to cover up the sky and it was after another hour of clouds before it started clearing up but I had to abandon this object as Canis Major is already nearing the western horizon which has a bad city glow toward Manila. I then go after a bright emission nebula in Carina, NGC3372, the Keyhole / Eta Carina. I prioritize this object because it is too low from my Manila vantage point and are obstructed by tall buildings. But after getting an hour worth of exposure, It was also clouded out on the southern horizon so I ended the capture. I then saw the northern side of the sky is clear so I took that opportunity to capture the beautiful but small M51 Whirpool Galaxy in Canes Venatici and was able to get 2 hours worth of data before I capture the bright and beautiful NGC5139 Omega Centauri globular star cluster in Ophiuchus. I only manage to expose for 20 minutes as it was already near sunrise time! :) As for my Dwarf 3 smart scope, I started of image M78 Casper Nebula in the constellation of Orion then followed by Markarian's Chain of Galaxies in Coma Berenices, HD147888 Rho Ophiuchi Region in the constellation of Scorpius. AT sunrise, we both cooked our breakfast as well as sipping our hot coffee discussing my imaging experience as well as plan our next imaging session again at Viewscape Nature Park. We left the site at around 8:30am feeling happy and also sleepy as I didn't sleep the whole imaging session till sunrise! :) LOL