Neil Peart, Rush
Cygnus X-1...A Farewell to Kings, 1977
When I started to set up around 5:30 , the moon was a crescent which was just bright enough to cast shadows when the sky darkened up, and Venus was on fire in the West. Mars was straight above, and Saturn was just rising on the Eastern horizon. By 11:00 Taurus and Pleiades were straight over head, and Orion was due south, just below them. It was clear, about minus 3 C, dead calm and the sky and seeing were great. By now, Sirius and Canis Major was fully in view below Orion, and Leo and Jupiter were rising in the East. All night the milky way was prominent as it turned, eventually running almost north to south, from where Cygnus was setting in the North West, to where Canis Major was rising in the South East. When the moon finally set around 9:00 the sky seemed to get noticably more contrast. I have not been a serious amateur astronomer for very long, but I have been looking forward to seeing the winter sky under these conditions for a very long time. This was my best Orion observing session, under conditions that I had been waiting for. (not to mention best Saturn)
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Kodak Elite Chrome film, 400asa 24mm lense, Olympus OM-1 @f2.8. 5 minute exp. piggy backed on 10"LX200. I was very happy with the way the film picked up the red in the exposures. My previous efforts of this subject came back green/blue/aqua where there should have been red. |
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Zooming in on Orion |
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Closer.... |
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Zooming in on M42 |
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Closer.... |
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Closest!! What I like most about this image is although it is a bit blurred, the colour is pure, I did nothing but scan it and post it. |
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Barnard's Loop is visible, as is the Flame/Horsehead region, the Rosette, and M42. |
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The preceding 2 pictures stacked with registax. |
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The end of a great night...fog... |
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