M52 and NGC 7635 in Cassiopeia
Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 40D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 30th September 2011.

This picture encompasses two wonderful objects. Open cluster M52 and NGC 7635, also called the Bubble Nebula. NGC 7635 is a H II region[2] emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia.

This was the first outing for a Canon 40D (unmodified) and there is no evidence of the 'amp glow' which so plagues long exposures with the old 350D.
6 x 8 minute exposures and the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were shot in RAW and then used to make this image. They were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image processing was done with Photoshop.

NCG2903 & 2916 in Leo.
Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 6th April 2011.

NGC2903 is, I believe one of the brightest non Messier galaxies and is a barred spiral in form. In the original image there are a couple of fainter galaxies down to mag. 16.8.

6 x 6 minute exposures and the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were shot in RAW and then used to make this image. They were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image processing was done with Photoshop.

The Silver Dollar Galaxy - NCG53 in Sculptor.
Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 9th December 2010.

NGC 253 was a mere 12° above the horizon (the highest it gets for us) when this picture was taken. Only a night of extraordinary stillness and transparency made this picture possible.

NGC 253 is the brightest member of the Sculptor group of galaxies, which is grouped around the South galactic pole (therefore, also sometimes named "South Polar Group"). The Sculptor group is perhaps the nearest to our Local Group of galaxies. NGC 253 is also one of the brightest galaxies beyond the Local Group.

8 x 6 minute exposures and the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were shot in RAW and then used to make this image. They were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image processing was done with Photoshop.

The Rosette Nebula - NGC 2237 and cluster NGC 2244.
Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 10th - 11th March 2010.

Because of the image scale of the Intes MN71 and Canon 350D this is actually two sets of exposures joined together to cover most of the nebula.
So this picture is made up of 6 x 7 minute exposures - twice! in RAW plus the same number (once) of darks & flats. Image processing in DSS and Photoshop. The Canon is unmodified. Autoguiding courtesy of a Meade DSI and PHD. Using an unmodified camera seems to sometimes have advantages, because of the low HA response the reflection element & all sorts of other details give an alternative view of this amazing object.

The Rosette Nebula is a large, circular H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy. The open cluster NGC 2244 is closely associated with the nebulosity, the stars of the cluster having been formed from the nebula's matter. Wikipedia

Christmas Tree and Cone nebula - NCG2264.
Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 7th Jan 2010.

The Christmas Tree Nebula contains reflection and emission nebula, as well as a star cluster. It is located in the constellation of Monoceros.

8 x 5 minute exposures and the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were shot in RAW and then used to make this image. They were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image processing was done with Photoshop.

M101 in Ursa Major.
Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 19th April 2009.
This spectacular galaxy has a low surface brightness and is much harder to see or image than its headline magnitude would suggest.With this in mind I decided on 6 minute exposures instead of my normal 5. This has introduced a little more noise than usual but has captured the outer regions nicely.
7 x 6 minute exposures and the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were shot in RAW and then used to make this image. They were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image processing was done with Photoshop.

NGC 4631-4627 & 4656-57 in Canes Venatici.
Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 12th April 2009.
A great pair of irregular galaxies both with companions. 4656 & 57 (right ) are interacting and this is probably the cause of the 'fish hook'. Also within this frame is a 16.5 magnitude edge on galaxy, UGC 7886, see if you can find it!
12 x 5 minute exposures and the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were shot in RAW and then used to make this image. They were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image processing was done with Photoshop.

NGC 6939, open cluster and NGC 6946, galaxy.
Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 28th September 2008.
This lovely pairing of a galaxy and open cluster lie on the Cepheus, Cygnus border.
10 x 5 minute exposures and the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were shot in RAW and then used to make this image. They were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image processing was done with Photoshop.
Mist and fog were a constant problem whilst exposing but seem to have had little effect on the final result!

M51.Whirlpool Galaxy. Canes Venatici. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 7th May 2008.
This spectacular galaxy is located just below the tail star of Ursa Major but is actually in Canes Venatici. M51 appears to sport a tail with a structure attached. Decades ago, it was not known with certainty whether the companion galaxy (NGC 5195) was a true companion, or another galaxy passing at a distance. The advent of radio astronomy and subsequent radio images of M51 unequivocally demonstrated the reality of the interaction.
Placed almost at zenith there was considerable neck bending and painful contortion involved in finding a guide star.
8 x 5 minute exposures, 3 x 2.5 minute exposures and the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were all shot on the same evening. Each sequence was then stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image combining and processing was done with Photoshop.

M42. The Orion Nebula. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan with autoguider. 24th February 2008.
This fantastic image reveals the Orion Nebula in its full glory.
6 x 5 minute exposures, 6 x 2.5 minute exposures, 6 x 1.25 minute exposures, 6 x 30 second exposures and 6 x 15 second exposures with the corresponding dark frames and flat frames were all shot on the same evening. Each sequence was then stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker and saved as 16 bit tif files. Final image combining and processing was done with Photoshop.

M33. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan. 6th October 2007
This splendid face on galaxy makes a spectacular image. Despite its size and quoted magnitude it has a very low surface brightness and careful processing is necessary to bring out the fainter details. With the help of reference material many nebula and clusters within M33 can be identified. 6 x 5 minute exposures, 5 dark frames and 5 flat frames were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker to reduce noise and then saved as 16 bit tif. Final image processing was done in Photoshop.

NGC 7331 and Stephans Quintet. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan. 15th September 2007
One of the brightest non-Messier galaxies 7331 presents a wonderful contrast to the small group of galaxies, much loved by visual deep sky observers, known as Stephan's Quintet. The brightest member of the quintet is mag. 12.6
Cloud was drifting across the field throughout these exposures.
12 x 5 minute exposures, 6 dark frames and 6 flat frames were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker to reduce noise and then saved as 16 bit tif. Final image processing was done in Photoshop.

NGC 6992 - The Veil nebula in Cygnus. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan. 3rd September 2007
This spectacular object is a supernova remnant. The picture shows just a section of the whole nebula. It is less well known than the section that runs close to 52 cyg.
8 x 5 minute exposures, 4 dark frames and 4 flat frames were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker to reduce noise and then saved as 16 bit tif. Final image processing was done in Photoshop.

M17 - The Swan nebula in Sagittarius. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan. 21st August 2007
This bright emission nebula has revealed an extensive area and much structure. Imaging shows a large area of nebulosity beyond the bright Swan or '2' shape that is so well known visually.
A Canon 350D captured this image with 40 x 1 minute exposures, and 20 dark frames. The images were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker to reduce noise and saved as 16 bit tif. Final image processing was done in Photoshop. The DSLR was at the prime focus of our 7" Intes, the focal length of which is 1060mm at f6.

M16 - The Eagle nebula in Serpens Cauda. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan mount with webcam autoguider. 8th August 2007
This lovely nebula is best known from the HST image named 'The Pillars of Creation.' Our equipment is a little more modest but has still revealed lots of colour and detail including a couple of Bok globules.
A Canon 350D captured this image with 8 x 5 minute exposures, four dark frames and four flats. The images were stacked and converted in DeepSky Stacker to reduce noise and saved as 16 bit tif. Final image processing was done in Photoshop. The DSLR was at the prime focus of our 7" Intes, the focal length of which is 1060mm at f6. We used a modified webcam and 'guidedog' software to autoguide the EQ6 mount.

NGC 5907 in Draco. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan mount with webcam autoguider. 21st May 2007
A wonderful edge on galaxy with a ratio of less than 1:6. The core of this galaxy can barely seen over the dust lanes in its plane.
A Canon 350D captured this image with 6 x 4 minute exposures, three dark frames and six flats. All frames were RAW and converted to 16 bit Tiff with Canon Photo Professional. The images were stacked in DeepSky Stacker to reduce noise and final image processing was done in Photoshop. The DSLR was at the prime focus of our 7" Intes, the focal length of which is 1060mm at f6. We used a modified webcam and 'guidedog' software to autoguide the EQ6 mount.

M13 and NGC 6207 in Hercules. Imaged from Bradworthy, Devon.
Intes MN71 - 18cm Maksutov-Newtonian. Canon 350D DSLR camera.
EQ6 Pro SynScan mount with webcam autoguider. 21st May 2007
A setting 31% moon was in the sky as we recorded this impressive globular cluster and attendant magnitude 11.4 galaxy.
A Canon 350D captured this image with 6 x 4 minute exposures, three dark frames and six flats. All frames were RAW and converted to 16 bit Tiff with Canon Photo Professional. The images were stacked in DeepSky Stacker to reduce noise and final image processing was done in Photoshop. The DSLR was at the prime focus of our 7" Intes, the focal length of which is 1060mm at f6. We used a modified webcam and 'guidedog' software to autoguide the EQ6 mount.