Can you comprehend it?

[Dave Lane]

With my new interest in astronomy and getting a new camera yesterday for my new telescope I present this fun quick little video. I might bump this thread when I start getting some images from deep space objects.

Check the end of the thread for Newest Space Photos! Thanks for looking!

[Dave Lane]

From last night

Close to the Great Bear (Ursa Major) and surrounded by the stars of the Hunting Dogs (Canes Venatici), this celestial nebula was discovered in 1781 by the metric French astronomer Pierre Mechain. Later, it was added to the catalog of his friend and colleague Charles Messier as M106. Modern deep telescopic views reveal it to be an island universe -- a spiral galaxy around 30 thousand light-years across located only about 21 million light-years beyond the stars of the Milky Way. Youthful blue star clusters and reddish stellar nurseries trace the striking spiral arms of M106. Seen so clearly in this beautiful image, the galaxy's bright core is also visible across the spectrum from radio to x-rays, making M106 a nearby example of the Seyfert class of active galaxies. The bright core of a Seyfert galaxy is believed to be powered by matter falling into a massive central black hole.

[Pawnmower]

Dave,

Fellow astronomer here-

Can you detail your gear (maybe in your OP)

Scope Details
Camera Details
Software details


Thanks.....Fellow astronomer here, but old school....(film) thinking of moving to the digital age.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

Dave,

Fellow astronomer here-

Can you detail your gear (maybe in your OP)

Scope Details
Camera Details
Software details


Thanks.....Fellow astronomer here, but old school....(film) thinking of moving to the digital age.

It varies which scope I use.

This was AstroTech Ritchey Chreiten 12" F8
Mount Losmandy Titan
Camera SBIG ST8300M LRGB filters
CCD Soft for acquisition
CCD Stack to combine images
Photoshop CS5 for processing.

6 hours total exposure.

I'm actually talking to a company in China to have them make some cameras for me. If you are interested in a sample version they will run about $700 for a 6 MP camera which is about half of current cost. I hope to have them make a 16 MP for about $4k which is way cheap.

[Dave Lane]

The roof for the new observatory is almost ready. One half is opening just fine now. Get the other half finished and tighten everything up and it's show time.

[Ugly Duck]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Can you comprehend it?

I think so. What does "comprehend" mean?

[Dave Lane]

com·pre·hend

verb /ˌkämpriˈhend/ 
comprehended, past participle; comprehended, past tense; comprehending, present participle; comprehends, 3rd person singular present

Grasp mentally; understand
- he couldn't comprehend her reasons for marrying Lovat
- I simply couldn't comprehend what had happened

Include, comprise, or encompass
- a divine order comprehending all men

[Buzz_TinBalls]

Originally Posted by Ugly Duck

I think so. What does "comprehend" mean?

it means 'to comp a prehend'

sometimes just sound it out, is what I do



hey dave, nice shot of m106. I was reading some deal a while back where we may have an extra sun appear for a bit this summer - do you know anything about it?


btw- I've been up to the mauna kea observatory many times. it is the most vivid viewing area I've been to. simply amazing at 14000ft I felt as if I could reach out and touch the stars

[Dave Lane]

The Pelican Nebula (also known as IC5070 and IC5067) is an H II region associated with the North America Nebula in the constellation Cygnus. The nebula resembles a pelican in shape, hence the name. The Pelican Nebula is a large area of emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan), close to Deneb, and divided from its brighter, larger neighbor, the North America Nebula, by a molecular cloud filled with dark dust.

The Pelican is much studied because it has a particularly active mix of star formation and evolving gas clouds. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming cold gas to hot and causing an ionization front gradually to advance outward. Particularly dense filaments of cold gas are seen to still remain. Millions of years from now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican, as the balance and placement of stars and gas will leave something that appears completely different.

This is just a close up picture of the back of the neck of the Pelican Nebula as its huge in the sky.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

The Pelican Nebula (also known as IC5070 and IC5067) is an H II region associated with the North America Nebula in the constellation Cygnus. The nebula resembles a pelican in shape, hence the name. The Pelican Nebula is a large area of emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan), close to Deneb, and divided from its brighter, larger neighbor, the North America Nebula, by a molecular cloud filled with dark dust.

The Pelican is much studied because it has a particularly active mix of star formation and evolving gas clouds. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming cold gas to hot and causing an ionization front gradually to advance outward. Particularly dense filaments of cold gas are seen to still remain. Millions of years from now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican, as the balance and placement of stars and gas will leave something that appears completely different.

This is just a close up picture of the back of the neck of the Pelican Nebula as its huge in the sky.

Cool, but I'm not seeing the pelican.

Did you take this picture, Dave?

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Cool, but I'm not seeing the pelican.

Did you take this picture, Dave?

"Why can't I see the sailboat?"

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Cool, but I'm not seeing the pelican.

Did you take this picture, Dave?

Yes I took the picture heres a picture that isnt mine but shows the whole pelican and the highlighted area is approximately where my picture was shot. Its turned 90 degrees from my shot but its easier to see the pelican this way.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Yes I took the picture heres a picture that isnt mine but shows the whole pelican and the highlighted are is approximately where it was shot.

What makes you look?...

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by Rausch

What makes you look?...

At?

[Huffmeister]

Originally Posted by MotherLover

"Why can't I see the sailboat?"

"It's not a sailboat, it's a schooner."

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

At?

The stars.

Sky.

What's above you?...