This is an image of NGC 6960, the western portion of the Veil Nebula. Known as the "Witch's Broom" or "Finger of God," among other names, this is only a small part of a larger complex of a supernova remnant; an exploded star. This intricate display of hydrogen and oxygen gases is centered around the star 52 Cygni, not the star that originally "blew up." 

I found the data for this image on our server in the Conley Observatory of the Three Rivers Foundation. Taken this past June 2018 with some students at our week-long "Astrophysics in a Nutshell" course, there was only 2 hours of data total, 1 hour each of ionized hydrogen and oxygen data.  

Honestly, I didn't think much of the data, since we are now so conditioned to going LONG with our images. So, instead of thinking of a good image, I merely passed it off as a part of the learning with our students. Certainly, more exposure time could bring out more of the faint background gases and clean up the image a little better, but processing it like this just goes to show that not everything NEEDS hours of exposure time. 

This is a bicolor image, using hydrogen (H-alpha) data mapped to the red channel of a traditional RGB image. Oxygen (OIII) data is mapped to the blue channel and a 70/30 percent blend of OIII and H-alpha respectively are assigned to the green channel of the image.  

Taken onsite at Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus. Shot through a 12.5" RCOS RC and FLI PL-16803 camera atop a Paramount ME. Filters used are AstroDon 3nm spectral band filters. 

Hope you enjoy it!

I thought I would share two images taken this past week over several nights, showing data that was collected REMOTELY the Conley Observatory at the Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus near Crowell, Texas, a “roll-off roof” observatory that was completed this past year.   
 
I present to you Messier 42, the Orion Nebula.   “M42”  is one of the oldest known deep space objects in the night sky, recognized by observers since antiquity.  A stellar nursery of new star birth, the stars at the core of the structure, known as “the trapezium,” are responsible for ionizing the surrounding gases (making them glow).  Perhaps most amazingly, you are looking back in time 1,344 years ago. (!)   In other words, the light captured in this image took 1,344 years, travelling at the speed of light, to reach us.   
 
Both images (see the Gallery) use special filters to capture the very thin spectral lines of particular ioned gases which are then “mapped” to traditional color channels, popularized by the Hubble Space Telescope.  
 
The first image is a “bicolor image” where oxygen data is mapped to blue, hydrogen is assigned to green, and red is a 70/30 blend of the two.   This does result in a limited palette of colors, which I find less dynamic and to be a poorer overall aesthetic.   However, the advantage is that the distinction between the hydrogen and oxygen gases is very evident.  There is a very well defined distinction between gases where the bluish oxygen areas appear to float in front of the dominant yellowish hydrogen background.
 
The second image adds a true third channel of red data, which is ionized sulfur.  Hydrogen is still green and oxygen is still blue.   Therefore, the colors blend together to give a huge palette of hues, where the blended colors like orange, teal, and yellow represent a mixture of the three gases.    In my opinion, it’s prettier; and it yields a true “Hubble” palette.   (Google “Hubble Pillars of Creation” to see a familiar image using the same type of color mapping.)  
Even so, the distinction between oxygen and hydrogen areas is still very apparent.
 
The atmospheric “seeing” wasn’t very stable for these images - which is why they put telescopes in space - meaning it’s not as sharp as I’d like.  I am also troubleshooting some optical alignment issues which does degrade performance.  Even so, it’s an image worthy of being shared.
 
This is 8 hours of total data (3 hours Ha + 3 hours OIII + 2 hours SII) shot with a 12.5” RCOS Ritchey-Chretien atop a Software Bisque Paramount ME mount. The camera is an FLI Proline 16803 using 3nm AstroDon spectral band filters.
 
I hope you found the images inspirational and educational!

In addition to the M31 shot posted previously, I made the effort to shoot 4 more images at June's "Astrophysics in a Nutshell" Workshop at CSAC.   

Taken with a Nikon D810a DSLR camera, Takahashi FSQ-85ED refractor and Takahashi NJP mount, the following images were comprised of any number of 2 minute sub-exposures at ISO 1600.   These images were unguided...about as easy as you can get in this hobby.  

Images are clockwise from upper-left:

- Lagoon and Trifid Nebula Region - 50 minutes total exposure time
- M16 and M17 Region - 28 minutes
- North America and Pelican Nebula Region - 42 minutes
- Rho-Antares Region - 22 minutes

Some really short exposure times show that dark skies is the single most critical factor to achieving good astro-images.   

During last month's "Astrophysics in a Nutshell" workshop at the Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus, I took some time to produce some simple data using the Nikon D810a DSLR for our students to practice their processing skills.   Using the 3" Takahashi FSQ-85 (Baby-Q) Apo Refractor on the Tak NJP mount, it was really simple to take some unattended, unguided images.  

Ranging from total exposure times of 22 to 50 minutes at ISO 1600 (2 minutes subs), the five data sets represent some of the easiest deep sky images somebody can take.   An easy, accurate polar alignment while targeting very bright objects in extremely dark skies, it's as close to "point and shoot" as you can get in this hobby.   In fact, I didn't bother hooking up to a PC...I just pointed the scope manually using the finder scope, set the on-camera intervalometer, and went about my business doing other things with the students.  

The images are processed in PixInsight and Photoshop CS6.  They are flat-fielded, but not dark-subtracted.  

​Hope you enjoy the images!

Very pleased to land my image on the cover of the most recent Amateur Astronomy Magazine.  The 2017 total solar eclipse was a very special event.   While I didn't execute this image the way I wanted, it still turned out okay.   

This is a composite image, with nine individual sub exposures ranging from 1/3200 seconds to 2 seconds.

Thanks to Charlie Warren, editor of the magazine, for using the image on the cover.   Cool stuff!

You will notice that I have added new articles to the Tutorials page.   These are actually older writings from my old webpage, now revised and updated to reflect today's technology and my understanding of it.  

Check back periodically as I add more content.   Perhaps I can achieve my goal someday of this site truly being "All About Astro."   

Just an update on some of the projects I have been working on...

• The formerly known MISD Astronomical Studies Project Initiative has been placed on indefinite hold.   My partner, Scott Christensen, no longer works for the Mansfield district.   This does not necessary prevent us from working with MISD on future solutions; however, because the district cannot commit to any portions of the plan at this time, Scott and I will be privatizing our efforts.   As more about our plans become known, I will let you know.   Alternatively, please contact me at jballauer@gmail.com should you have any questions.  
• The CBBHO Observatory build was shut down in 2016 due to the death of Dr. Cruzen, my client.  I will be selling the majority of Dr. Cruzen's astronomy assets on behalf of his widow, Carla.   However, we will indeed be working with Carla to partner in building the observatory in another location in the memory of Dr. Cruzen (and his sons).  We will retain all related astronomy gear to make this possible.   Likely, it will serve as a home base for our private efforts as we seek to impact K-12 astronomy education (likely partnering with other entities like 3RF or potential local school districts).   Please follow www.cbbho.com for future updates to this build.
• The Conley Observatory at 3RF (www.3rf.org) is in an extended beta stage as we troubleshoot some optical issues with the 12.5" RCOS RC, setup the second instrument pier, and troubleshoot some connectivity issues due to a probable lightning strike.  We will likely extend this beta period even further as we convert to a ACP scripting model, which will allow for public, browser-based access.

I will update this blog page with more information as it is known, especially as we seek to privatize some of our efforts.  Thanks for reading along!!!

For more than two years now, my teaching partner, Scott Christensen, and myself have dared to walk where few have travelled...

People may have wondered why educators don't do some of the stuff you see on these pages, since even a "lowly" amateur like me can seemingly do some amazing things.  But the reality is that there will always be a disconnect between education and industry, since seldom do the twain meet.   

A teacher can own a big telescope, but that doesn't mean they can use it.   This truth is why many of the efforts by amateurs to get "modern astronomy" into K-12 education has failed.  It's not that teachers lack tools, but rather the knowledge and curriculum-basis to utilize the tools.  

Beginning in 2014, beginning a desire that began more than a decade prior, Scott and I began outlining a program for our district, Mansfield Independent School District (Texas), to solve this problem.  Because we are already employees as teachers within the district, and because of our extensive experience and industry connections, we have managed to sell our district on buildling an innovative new astronomy campus and mobile lab solution.   

As it stands, our proposal for a 24-acre campus featuring an array of astronomy tools is causing our district leadership to scramble for ways to finance these efforts.  Featuring robotic observatories and outdoor learning labs, the real heart-beat of the program will be an embedded curriculum that will bridge the gap between the lack of teach knowledge in these subjects and provide an inquiry-based solution for kids in our classrooms, from kindergarten to 12th grade.   Over 34,000 students within our district would begin a path toward learning astronomy in the way that actual astronomers know to be possible...by letting students connect to the tools DAILY.  

We have coined our efforts the MISD Center for Astronomical Studies Initiative, with a full, almost-ready-for-prime-time website that can be seen <<<here>>>.

Any encouragement and non-financial support you can give for our project is greatly appreciated.  

In the meantime, my apologies for disappearing for two and a half years!

Whereas I said that I wouldn't be going to the Texas Star Party this year because my original presentation, "How to Build an Astroimager," did not make, the TSP guys let me know they still needed me to fill in for my friend, JOhn Davis, who has to vacate his spot in the lineup because he has to run off and make a movie or something. 

That kinda stuff happens all the time, right? 

Instead of changing  what JOhn was going to do, I'll be stepping right in and doing a similar presentation on Photoshop Workflows.   Of course, there are so many things Photoshop can do for us and in so many ways; however, I will be focusing chiefly on luminance extraction and handling, chrominance (color) considerations, and trying to maintain balance between local contrast enhancement and noise.   We will also look a bit at mask creation and its usage in protecting out data from global processes.  

Anyway, I'll be joining the party mid-week, anticipating a Wednesday, May 28th arrival and will stay through Sunday.  Safe travels to all who are headed out this weekend!

Typically, good weather and singular (or practically singular) astronomy events do not always coincide for me.  Well, to be honest, the last time I can recall such a cosmic coordination of circumstances was nearly 10 years ago when I was hoping to photograph the near occultation of Comet Machholz with the Pleaides, an image which actually won me a Sky and Telescope Contest award a year or two later.  

Coming after my NEAIC/NEAF visit, I was Jonesing for some total lunar eclipse action and the skies acquiesed, letting me shoot over 450 individual images of the moon during the entire eclipse cycle.   I have posted a couple of "presentations" of these images to my webpage (and Facebook). 

The first presentation, shown above, are selected shots at some of the major parts of the cycle, from moon's entry into earth's umbra, through to it's "blood moon" appearance - and awful name given by people who have obviously never seen actual blood - and it's final escape from earth's shadow. 

The second, a poster format detailing the times of key points of the event from my home in Grapevine, Texas, shows the normal moon split in half on both sides, signifying Luna's return to normalcy.

All presentations for the eclipse images can be found on a Gallery Page here.

I have no plans to print these out in the near future, but maybe some day I will find a cost effective way of doing so.   I hope you enjoy them!