Imaging Projects
In this blog, I will share the results of all of my imaging projects. The newest will be at the top and the oldest will be further down the stack. Going back in time here is interesting - some of my early stuff was pretty rough - but I did not see it that way at the time - I was thrilled to get anything back that looked like an image! Hopefully, you will see how my work has progressed with time!
Hickson 61 - The Box: 7.8 hours of LRGB - Dealing with Tough Data Issues!
Hickson 61, better known as “The Box,” is a tiny apparent grouping of faint galaxies in Coma Berenices. This LRGB image captures NGC 4169, NGC 4173, NGC 4174, and NGC 4175 — four small galaxies arranged in a striking box-like pattern. Most of the group lies roughly 170–200 million light-years away, while NGC 4173 is likely a closer foreground galaxy that happens to line up with the others. Captured from Whispering Skies Observatory over two April nights, this 7-hour 48-minute project highlights the challenge and reward of imaging small, distant galaxy groups where scale, faintness, and perspective all matter.
The Leo Triplet: M65, M66, and NGC 3628 - 12.6 hours of LRGB - First Light for the FRA400’s New Camera!
This image captures the Leo Triplet — M65, M66, and NGC 3628 — along with nearby NGC 3593 in a wide-field LRGB view from Whispering Skies Observatory. With 12.6 hours of integration, the image reveals the three main galaxies, the smaller surrounding galaxy field, and the faint tidal tail extending from NGC 3628. This project also served as first light for the new ASI2600MM-Pro camera on my FRA400 platform.
Messier 94 - The Crocodile Eye Galaxy - 12.8 Hours in LRGB
Messier 94, the Crocodile Eye Galaxy, is a compact but structurally complex spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici, about 16 million light-years away. This LRGB image captures its bright central core, active star-forming inner ring, and faint extended outer disk using 12h 49m 30s of data from Whispering Skies Observatory.
Messier 104 - The Sombrero Galaxy - 11 Hours in LRGB - Dealing with a Challenging Set of Issues…
Messier 104, the Sombrero Galaxy, is one of the most recognizable galaxies in the spring sky. This project captures its bright central bulge, sharp equatorial dust lane, and faint outer halo using 11 hours of LRGB data from the Sharpstar SCA260 V2 at Whispering Skies Observatory.
First Light on the AP155 Platform: M81, M82, and NGC 3077 - 4.6 Hours of HaLRGB!
First light on my Astro-Physics 155mm Starfire EDFS platform captured a classic interacting galaxy field in Ursa Major: M81, M82, and NGC 3077. This image combines LRGB and H-alpha data to highlight the contrast between the grand-design spiral structure of M81, the starburst-driven outflow in M82, and the disturbed companion galaxy NGC 3077.
NGC 2174 - The Monkey Head Nebula - 5.1 hours SHO
NGC 2174 — the Monkey Head Nebula — is a luminous star-forming cloud in Orion, roughly 6,400 light-years away. In this project I captured the nebula in narrowband (Hα, OIII, SII), revealing glowing hydrogen arcs, oxygen-rich structure, and dark dust lanes sculpted by intense radiation from young, massive stars. The result is a high-contrast look at an active H II region where stellar feedback is actively reshaping its birth cloud.