Hello floss.social!
I've recently joined from fosstodon having previously been a first-timer to the fediverse on linuxrocks.online in around 2021.
I am a #manjaro, '#Debian and #FreeBSD user and my workflow comprises mainly of #kicad #arduino #stellarium and #kstars yes, there's a theme developing!
I am recently retired having been a Project Manager in IT
I drink #realale and follow #StockportCounty .
I do tend to post some #UKpolitics
Feel free to say hello and consider a follow..
#KStars debuts a new documentation site!
A comprehensive resource that helps you to get to know and make the most of KDE's fantastic night sky observatory and astrophotography utility.
At the moment, only English is available. More languages coming soon.
#astronomy #astrophotography #nightSky #education #photography
A la carga con Júpiter, Marte y lo que pueda ir apareciendo en el camino...
Ya pasamos por Venus y Saturno... Aunque no se descarta volver al último...
Estamos por acá:
https://youtube.com/live/9dEThmETEdM?feature=share
Un #ViernesDeEscritorio con #Kstars comenzando a trabajar...
I'm not done with the processing of my Soul Nebula (IC 1848) data but I thought I'd share this little crop from the larger image which has strong "cosmic cliffs" vibes.
Image: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Aquarius. At approximately 655 light-years from Earth, it is one of the closest of the bright planetary nebulae.
The planetary nebula is formed by the shedding of the outer layers of its central star near the end of its evolution. The energy from the central star causes the expelled gases to fluoresce.
High resolution image and technical details on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/201732/deep_sky/ngc-7293/helix-nebula/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
Sh 2-155, from the Sharpless catalog, also known as the Cave Nebula, is a diffuse nebula in the constellation Cepheus, within a large nebula complex containing emission, reflection and dark nebulae. Sh 2-155 is an ionized H II region with ongoing star formation activity, at an estimated distance of 2400 light-years from Earth.
Technical details, high resolution and annotated versions available on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/199742/deep_sky/sh-2-155/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
#astrophotography #astronomy #photography #astrodon #nebula #DeepSky #space #sh2-155 #RGBHa #KStars #ekos #phd2 #GIMP
SH 2-119 (from the Sharpless catalog of H II regions), also known as the Clamshell Nebula, is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus. It is fainter and not as frequently imaged as its western neighbour, the North America Nebula.
This image was captured over six nights between July 13 and August 1st. Two different dual narrow-band filters were used to capture the different wavelengths of the sulphur, hydrogen and oxygen emissions.
Technical details, high resolution and annotated versions available on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/195532/deep_sky/open-cluster/sh-2-119/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0.
#astrophotography #astronomy #photography #astrodon #nebula #DeepSky #space #sh2-119 #sho #kstars #ekos #phd2 #DarkTable
The Crescent Nebula (NGC6888) is a cosmic bubble about 25 light-years across, in the constellation Cygnus, blown by winds from its central massive Wolf-Rayet star (WR136).
This image was captured on July 26 & 28 under quite bad sky conditions; low transparency due to smoke from wild fires in the West combined with Moon illumination.
Annotated version & technical details on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/195218/deep_sky/crescent-nebula/diffuse-nebula/crescent-nebula/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0
The Elephant Trunk Nebula (IC 1396) in the constellation Cepheus in SHO palette.
This image was captured over three nights with an OSC (RGB) camera and two different dual narrow-band filters (Sulphur + Oxygen and Hydrogen + Oxygen emissions) allowing the SHO palette (Sulphur=Red, Hydrogen=Green and Oxygen=Blue). SHO images are usually captured with a monochrome camera and three separate narrow-band filters, one for each emission line.
Technical details, high resolution and annotated versions available on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/193251/deep_sky/elephant-trunk/IC/1396/diffuse-nebula/elephant-trunk-nebula/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0.
The Pelican Nebula (IC 5070) is an emission nebula associated with the North America Nebula in the constellation Cygnus. It is separated from the North America Nebula by a foreground molecular dust cloud.
Annotated & high quality versions and technical details available on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/191806/deep_sky/pelican-nebula/IC/5070/bright-nebula/pelican-nebula/by-drgfreeman
The work on the Newtonian paid off and I'm happy with the results. This was the first time I tried the 150 mm f/5 Newtonian with the Starizona Nexus 0.75x coma corrector/reducer and my older ASI183MC Pro camera. The pixel scale (0.88"/px) with this setup is a good match with the scope's resolution limit and the faster focal ratio of f/3.7 with the reducer helps with the somewhat noisier camera.
Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0
A view of the extensive H II emission regions in the constellation Cygnus, just North of the star Sadr (γ Cygni), which forms the intersection of the asterism known as the Northern Cross.
At the bottom right is the NGC 6914 reflection nebula, blue halos created by the reflection of the light from blue giant stars on the surrounding interstellar dust.
The field of view is 3.2 x 2.1 degrees, with the celestial North to the left of the image.
High quality/resolution version & technical details on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/191255/deep_sky/NGC/6914/bright-nebula/north-west-of-gamma-cygni/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0
Measuring focuser backlash on the Newtonian and dialing in backlash compensation in the Ekos software focus tab.
The objective is to find the largest displacements (number of steps of the stepper motor) that does not move the dial gauge needle when making alternated in and out focuser movements. Once the backlash compensation value is dialed in, the software will add this number of steps to the requested focuser movement when changing direction. This should help repeatability of the auto-focus routine that uses measurement of star size at different focuser positions to achieve the best focus.
All setup, listening to the birds while I wait for darkness...
KStars is an astronomy application providing a desktop planetarium.
KStars provides a simulation of the night sky from any location on earth at any date and time.
View planets, stars, comets, asteroids, supernovae, satellites and deep-sky objects.
Planetarium: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetarium
Features: https://kstars.kde.org/features
INDI device support: https://kstars.kde.org/indi
AstroInfo: https://docs.kde.org/trunk5/en/kstars/kstars/astroinfo.html
Website: https://kstars.kde.org
Mastodon: @kde
I spent some time packaging #KDE's #KStars for #postmarketOS / #alpinelinux. It includes some tools (e.g. Ekos) that are very useful for #astrophotography e.g., for controlling a camera mounted on a telescope.
I hope this summer I can capture some light from my telescopes (re)using an old phone or something running Ekos!
https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/aports/-/merge_requests/61336
I'm grateful to all the developers of the different open source software I use in the image capture and processing.
Very likely my last image of 2023, this is the Jellyfish Nebula (IC443), the remnant of a supernova in the constellation Gemini. The two large orange stars are Mu and Eta Geminorum, two red giants at the feet of the rightmost of the two "stick figures" that form the constellation Gemini.
Full resolution + annotated versions and technical details on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/173987/deep_sky/jellyfish-nebula/IC/443/supernova-remnant/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
A widefield view of the Pleiades cluster and reflection nebula (M45) at the North-West end of the constellation Taurus. The surrounding interstellar dust in is illuminated by the blue giant stars of the cluster, giving this nice fuzzy blue cloud look.
While most images of the Pleiades focus on the cluster itself, I wanted to take a wider field image to show the extent of the interstellar dust in this area, including this long arching structure to the left of the cluster in the image.
Full resolution + annotated versions and technical details on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/173773/deep_sky/pleiades/M/45/bright-nebula/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
The heart of the Heart Nebula (IC1805) in the constellation Cassiopeia.
This is the first image from my new 150/750mm f/5 Newtonian telescope, and the first image I produce in months due mostly to bad weather and some guiding issues with the new scope (resolved with off-axis guiding).
Full resolution + annotated versions and technical details on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/173634/deep_sky/heart-nebula/IC/1805/diffuse-nebula/by-drgfreeman
Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
