Category Archives: Astrophotography

The Chandelier and the Cloud

12-inch lacerta remote, NA, astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, chandelier cluster, corona australis, corona australis molecular cloud, globular cluster, hakos, hakos guest farm, ias, ias observatory, ias observatory hakos, khomas, kugelsternhaufen, namibia, ngc, ngc6723, ngc6726, ngc6729, reflection nebula, sagittarius, star, star cluster, stars, stern, sterne, sternhaufen, südliche krone, world
NGC 6723 Chandelier Cluster in Sagittarius and Corona Australis Molecular Cloud – LRGB v1

One of most beautiful region in the southern skies, the Corona Australis Molecular Cloud with the NGC 6726 and IC 4812 reflection nebulae and nearby Chandelier Cluster NGC 6723. The later belongs to Sagittarius, though.

More details at Astrobin.

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Great Peacock Globular

12-inch lacerta remote, NA, astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, globular cluster, great peacock globular, hakos, hakos guest farm, ias, ias observatory, ias observatory hakos, khomas, kugelsternhaufen, namibia, ngc, ngc6752, pavo, star, star cluster, stars, stern, sterne, sternhaufen, world
Great Peacock Globular – NGC 6752 in Pavo – LRGB v1

Enough SHO images, here’s something in plain LRGB, NGC 6752, the Great Peacock Globular Cluster in Pavo.

More details at Astrobin.

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NGC 6589/90 and Surroundings

12-inch lacerta remote, NA, astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, emission nebula, emissionsnebel, hakos, hakos guest farm, ias, ias observatory, ias observatory hakos, ic, ic1283, ic1284, khomas, namibia, ngc, ngc6589, ngc6590, ngc6595, reflection nebula, sagittarius, sho, sii-ha-oiii, world
NGC 6589/90 and Surroundings in Sagittarius – SHO w/RGB Stars v1

A 2 panel mosaic of SHO data in Sagittarius, the reflection nebulae NGC 6589/90 and Surroundings, in particular the emission nebulae IC 1283 und IC 1284. NGC 6590 also seems to be cataloged as NGC 6595.

More details at Astrobin.

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Blue Lagoon

12-inch lacerta remote, NA, astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, emission nebula, emissionsnebel, hakos, hakos guest farm, ias, ias observatory, ias observatory hakos, khomas, lagoon nebula, m8, messier, namibia, ngc, ngc6523, ngc6530, open cluster, remote observatories, remote sternwarten, sagittarius, star, star cluster, stars, stern, sterne, sternhaufen, world
M8 – Lagoon Nebula – SHO w/RGB Stars v2

Oldie, but goldie. The Blue Lagoon, not in Iceland, but in the constellation of Sagittarius, Messier 8 (M8), the Lagoon Nebula. Remote acquistion at the IAS Observatory, Hakos, Namibia.

More details at Astrobin.

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Carina Nebula Centered on Mystic Mountain

12-inch lacerta remote, NA, astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, carina, carina nebula, dark nebula, emission nebula, emissionsnebel, eta carinae, hakos, hakos guest farm, ias, ias observatory, ias observatory hakos, khomas, kiel des schiffes, mystic mountain, namibia, ngc, ngc3372, open cluster, sho, sii-ha-oiii, star, star cluster, stars, stern, sterne, sternhaufen, world
NGC 3372 – Carina Nebula Centered on Mystic Mountain – SHO w/RGB Stars

One of the drop-dead gorgeous objects in the southern skies is the Great Carina Nebula, NGC 3372, of course. Imaged here in narrowband SHO colors with added RGB stars, using the new IAS remote telescope “Dieter”.

More details at Astrobin.

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A Tale of Three Black Holes

astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, binary system, black hole, gaia, gaia bh1, ophiuchus, star, stars, stern, sterne
Gaia BH1 Starfield in Ophiuchus – LRGB v1
astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, binary system, black hole, centaurus, gaia, gaia bh2, star, stars, stern, sterne, zentaur
Gaia BH2 Starfield in Centaurus – LRGB v1
adler, aquila, astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, binary system, black hole, gaia, gaia bh3, star, stars, stern, sterne
Gaia BH3 Starfield in Aquila – LRGB v1

With #3 recently discovered in the analysis during preparation of Gaia DR4 data, there are now 3 black holes in the Gaia catalog. Or more precise, 3 binary systems consisting of a companion star and a likely stellar-mass black hole.

So I took the opportunity to capture the corresponding starfields with the new IAS remote telescope “Dieter” at Hakos, Namibia. The images only show the companion stars, of course. ;-)

Regarding the BH3 image, at first I wasn’t sure whether I found the right object, as the catalog gives the coordinates RA=19h39m18.7115472s, DEC=+14d55m54.010992s and the read-out in Pixinsight showed ICRS RA=19h39m18.68s, DEC=+14d55m50.3s. But thanks to the discussion with Ulrich Bastian I found out that it is necessary to take into account the large proper motion of the object, which results in almost 4″ deviation in declination. Calculating the current position for 2024.5 with Astropy yields RA=19h39m18.66368537s DEC=+14d55m50.2085012s.

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10th Anniversary Galaxy

20-inch ak3, NA, ak3, astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, galaxy, hakos, hakos guest farm, ias, ias observatory, ias observatory hakos, khomas, namibia, ngc, ngc6744, pavo, pavo galaxy, spiral galaxy, world
NGC 6744 – Pavo Galaxy – v1

Almost exactly 10 years ago, I photographed the magnificient Pavo Galaxy with the IAS 20 inch AK3, my first object with such a “big scope”. Here’s the result of June 2024, with much more exposure time on the very same telescope. I originally planned to use my QHY268M with the AK3, but this camera is now used at the new IAS remote telescope. So back to the roots with a ASI294MC Pro one-shot-color camera.

Image of the Day 2024-07-07 at Astrobin!

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Fluffy Globular Cluster

12-inch lacerta remote, NA, astrofotografie, astronomie, astronomy, astrophotography, centaurus, globular cluster, hakos, hakos guest farm, ias, ias observatory, ias observatory hakos, khomas, kugelsternhaufen, namibia, ngc, ngc5139, remote observatories, remote sternwarten, star, star cluster, stars, stern, sterne, sternhaufen, world, zentaur
NGC 5139 – Omega Centauri Globular Cluster – LRGB v1

The first light of the new IAS remote telescope at Hakos, Namibia. NGC 5139 aka Omega Centauri, the most massive known globular cluster in the Milky Way.

More details at Astrobin.

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