1/3/2008 - Here are some short 60 second images of M1 and M33 to show that CCD cameras can take images in short times. No processing has been applied, these are raw images simply converted to JPEG. This sort of imaging can be used to show the public deep sky objects.
12/18/2007 - I motorized the Out Haus observatory, read about it here.
8/26/2007- I attended my third Advanced Imaging Conference in San Jose, CA. It was great fun. I demonstrated CCDNavigator there to dozens of people. Tom Bash was there also, he's a friend from the Poconos in Pennsylvania who is working now in Los Angeles.
7/11/2007 - I purchased and received a 16" RCOS Ritchey-Chretien telescope. Gil Jones of Tuscon AZ was the former owner.
3/1/2007 - I will be presenting "Session Planning for Imagers" at the NorthEast Astro-Imaging Conference (NEAIC). This talk will highlight challenges imagers must overcome to have a successful imaging session and will demonstrate my CCDNavigator software being marketed by CCDWare.
2/1/2007 - I am purchasing a Takahashi Epsilon E-180 astrograph from my buddy George Whitney who wound up with two of them. This puppy sports an f-ratio of 2.8 making it extremely fast. Its 500 mm focal length is ideal for doing wide field. I hope to use a Canon 20Da DSLR (or similar) with it.
3/2006 - I had a wonderful trip to Kitt Peak with my friend Tom Bash and John Fox. Tom and John have been to Kitt Peak a few times before but this was my first trip. What a wonderful experience! Be sure to do the "Advanced Observer Program" (AOP) there.
10/2005 - I've begun using CCDAutoPilot which runs my equipment all night long. This allows me to get some sleep but still do all night imaging runs. After a couple of months gradually enabling more and more capabilities of this program, I've succeeded in having a completely unattended all night imaging session including precision slews to targets accurate enough to put the guidestar on the guider, meridian flips, automatic focusing, flats and dark collection plus hours and hours of frames on a deep sky object.
10/18/2004 Anacortes selected "Elephant's Trunk - IC1396" for Image of the Day!
6/1/2004 - Astronomy Magazine selected my M22 photo for the July 2004 "Reader's Gallery"
3/8/2004 - Anacortes selected "California Dreaming - NGC1499" for Image of the Day!
Virtually all my photos posted here were taken at Cherry Springs State Park, PA. I can't say enough "thank you's" to Chip and Maxine. Without their tireless service, CSSP would not be the astronomy retreat it's come to be.
I was at the 2004 Winter Star Party, I've posted a few photos from there below.
Clear Skies!
Steve...
5 Mar 2007
Astrophoto@comcast.net
Winter Star Party 2004
This year was the 20th anniversary of the Winter Star Party held in the Florida Keys. I won a free t-shirt for being 17th in line. This didn't help me get a decent site though, when I got in the place was nearly full because they let their own members and vendors in first. Of the 600 people attending, I think 550 were already inside and set up. Here's a photo of me at the entrance and of my equipment.
It took me 3 days to drive there and 3 to return. WSP opened on 2/16/2004 to 2/21/2004. The weather wasn't so good for the first few days and the food was terrible. If I return, I'll register as a vendor (they get in 2 days early) and I'll eat at nearby restaurants. The high point of WSP for me was an excellent workshop covering PhotoShop where I learned a lot. Also, I got two photos, Omega Centauri and Eta Carinae. The Eta Carina shot was ruined somewhat by winds and film creep but you can still see what a beautiful object it is. Look in my gallery for these. Overall though, I had a good time mostly because I was with some good friends, Kirk and George.