Astrophotography and Sketching - Astronomy Forum https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/ Talk about all things astronomy, local events and gatherings. You have questions, we will help you find the answer. en-US Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:29:58 +0000 wpForo 60 NGC7000 https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/ngc7000/ Wed, 23 Jul 2025 11:13:20 +0000 This is my first photo using different filters, it’s the North America Nebula (NGC7000) taken from my backyard (Bortle 8) with a Redcat 61, Zwo 2600mc and Askar C1 and C2 filters. It has 6hours of Ha/OIII and 5,5 hours of SII/OIII.

282]]> Astrophotography and Sketching matteo82 https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/ngc7000/ Cable Management Guides https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/cable-management-guides/ Fri, 23 Feb 2024 15:36:12 +0000 I have 2 types of cable management guides that I 3D Printed. They are printed using PETG red filament, meaning that if you leave then in your vehicle in out HOT Florida weather, they will not melt or get damaged. 1 is a 78mm for the ZWO Cameras. 1 for the ASI Air. If club members want to check them out, I'll bring them to the meeting tonight.

142 141]]> Astrophotography and Sketching Tom Taylor https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/cable-management-guides/ MY First POST HERE, IC434 The Horsehead Nebula https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/my-first-post-here-ic434-the-horsehead-nebula/ Fri, 16 Feb 2024 04:13:43 +0000 Hello to the group, a new member, longtime lurker on the website and very much an advance beginner in astrophotography. Thought I would post my most recent effort and get some feedback from the local experts. This is my most recent effort at the Horsehead and Flame nebulae, from February 1st.

some info: In Fernandina Beach, bortle 4/5

SVBony SV503 80mm ED, 120 90 second subs, 20 darks, 20 flats, 20 bias.

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]]> Astrophotography and Sketching mjd6191nefas https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/my-first-post-here-ic434-the-horsehead-nebula/ My First Nebula Sketch: M42 - Orion Nebula https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/my-first-nebula-sketch-m42-orion-nebula/ Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:14:04 +0000 After tackling The Pleiades for my first sketch, last night I tackled my first nebula. No explanation is needed for why I targeted it from my suburban backyard, as even with the light pollution it shows clearly defined features, particularly with the arm of faint nebulosity that extends up from the Trapezium. With it being my first time using blending stumps, I'm sure I could have done better to help the stars of the Trapezium show a bit more defined in the sketch, but overall I'm fairly pleased with my first attempt. This was also my first time using a new UHC filter and it definitely helped with contrast to more easily see some of the features of the nebula.

71]]> Astrophotography and Sketching Zach Williams https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/my-first-nebula-sketch-m42-orion-nebula/ ZWO Cooled Cameras https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/zwo-cooled-cameras/ Mon, 20 Nov 2023 12:12:11 +0000 Realistically speaking here in Florida, what is the coldest temp you can get form the ZWO cooled cameras? I know there are settings for -20c and -10c, but I am gathering my dark master sets in my house and the ASIAir is showing -6c when I have it set for -20c on the ASIAir. Will that be a big deal when shooting images?

]]> Astrophotography and Sketching Tom Taylor https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/zwo-cooled-cameras/ My First Astronomical Sketch: M45 The Pleiades https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/my-first-astronomical-sketch-m45-the-pleiades/ Wed, 08 Nov 2023 05:47:28 +0000  

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I've never been into drawing, doodling, painting, and the like. But with my focus being entirely on visual astronomy, I started getting the itch to try my hand at sketching since I felt left out from the astrophotographers in a sense always getting to share their views with everyone publicly. Tonight was my first night since my daughter was born seven weeks ago that I took the dob out for some DSO viewing in my Bortle 7 backyard. Saw M31 and 32 and also saw the Double Cluster for the first time and man, it blew me away. Then I landed on the Pleiades and decided it was finally time to break out the sketch equipment for the first time since I bought it 3 months ago. I need to learn how to better touch up my imperfect stars in GIMP as all I did was invert the colors, but I am otherwise pretty pleased with how it turned out.

]]> Astrophotography and Sketching Zach Williams https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/my-first-astronomical-sketch-m45-the-pleiades/ Jupiter Action https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/jupiter-action/ Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:20:45 +0000 Jupiter, Io, Ganymede and shadows in transit 10/20/23. C9.25” SCT 2X Barlow and Player Ine Neptune 664C camera

58]]> Astrophotography and Sketching surfwheel49 https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/jupiter-action/ ASIAir Plus https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/asiair-plus/ Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:36:51 +0000 Where do I add the ASIAir plus in the equipment of Telescopus?

]]> Astrophotography and Sketching Tom Taylor https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/asiair-plus/ Saturn and Jupiter https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/saturn-and-jupiter/ Sat, 07 Oct 2023 14:12:54 +0000 Saturn and Jupiter from 10/3 and 10/5. 

]]> Astrophotography and Sketching surfwheel49 https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/saturn-and-jupiter/ Meteor Photography https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/meteor-photography/ Sat, 30 Sep 2023 15:36:00 +0000 Automated Meteor Photography

Combining my knowledge of Linux, hardware, and astronomy, I put together a meteor camera based on the Global Meteor Camera Network camera system . 

The camera is a Sony IMX290 CMOS low light sensor that captures 30fps video all night long. The video feeds in real-time to a Raspberry Pi 4 computer which processes the images looking for any meteors (while trying to eliminate meteor-wrongs, i.e. birds, planes, insects...) then building FITS images and a mpeg4 timelapse. It also stacks all the meteors into a single frame. Statistics, timestamps, and graphs are also automatically created. 

All of the software was written by the Croatian Meteor group, so there was very little coding on my side needed to do all of this. 

Living in light polluted Orange Park, with trees surrounding me, I only have a 60-90 degree chunk of the Eastern sky available. No "All Sky" here. However, that's good as I catch more early morning meteors, as well as looking away from downtown Jax. 

Its been running now for nearly a year (wow, time flies!), with only a few downtimes (storms!).  

Be sure to click the links above to learn more. They do offer pre-built versions every so often, if you have more cash!

(The imager sensor + lens is the expensive part at ~$275+) 

Russell Grokett WA4EFH

 

Fig 1. Camera mounted above home

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Fig. 2 Bolide during Perseids 

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Fig. 3 "Stack" of all Perseids for one night

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Fig. 4 Parts used for the camera.

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Fig. 5. Link to Perseid Meteor Timelapse mp4 video 

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NOTE:  There are lots of "meteor-wrongs" (birds, planes, insects, etc.) in the TimeLapse video, particularly in the early evening before midnight! SUMMER IN FLORIDA.  Timestamp is in UTC.

]]> Astrophotography and Sketching rgrokett https://nefas.space/astrophotography-and-sketching/meteor-photography/