Horizontal Heavens Observatory "...From  A Galaxy Far, Far Away"
Clear Sky Chart  

This page was last updated on 08/24/10.

Newest Images

SPECIAL Weather Event: On January 15-17, 2007 a Winter  Ice Storm hits South Texas.  Click here to see images of ice accumulation at Horizontal Heavens Observatory.

(Below) M67 Open Cluster -  ST-10XME on NP-127 w/.8xFR, 528mm f/4.2, (45)1m each of RGB, 2/15/2010.  This is one of the oldest open clusters known and consists of roughly 500 stars of approximately the same age as our sun (3-5BY).

(Below) NGC2244 Rosette Nebula - Narrowband Hubble Palette (S,Ha,O),  ST-10XME on NP-127 w/.8xFR, 528mm f/4.2, 12.66 hours Total Exposure, (12)20m SII, (12)20m Ha, (14)20m OIII, 01/09-10/2010.  On  the left has additional PS action (local contrast enhancement), center is a restacked version with blooms removed before final combine, and right is original stack with minimal processing.

(Below) NGC5146 Cocoon Nebula - 10" LX200R, f/7.3 FL1825mm, H-alpha (8)15m, 11/25/2009.

(Below) Howell-Crisp 1 (HoCr1) - 10" LX200R, f/7.3 FL1825mm, 0.77"/pixel, H-alpha left image image (18)15m 01/04/2010, right image (10)15m, 11/25/2009.  At 2 1/2 hours of data this is a rather light starved image and truly needs 10+ hours to bring out the surrounding nebulosity.

(Below) NGC1555 Hind's Variable Nebula - 10" LX200R, f/7.3 FL1825mm, 0.77"/pixel, (12)5min RGBs, 11/06/2009.  This comet-shaped area of faint nebulosity is small, just 30arcsec across and is located just west of the star T Tauri, in the constellation Tau, which provides the luminosity for the nebula. As a reflection nebula, narrowband nebula filters will not help when imaging this target. The variations in brightness are caused by subtle changes in the size/shape of the nebula as seen from our vantage point.

(Below) Jupiter - 10" LX200R, f/20, 5000mm, Meade LPI, 475 images over 5min., 11/1/2009.  This is my very first attempt at planetary imaging with a LPI.

(Below) NGC2392 Eskimo Nebula - 10" LX200R, f/8.4, 2100mm,0.67arcsec/pixel, ST-10XME, (20)90sec RGBs, 3/17/2009.  This was a rather small target, even for the 10" scope.  After the initial DDP stretching and color balancing, I used the PScs2 'lasso' tool and 'levels' to tone down the central area of the nebula and bring out more detail.

(Below) NGC869, NGC884 Double Cluster - NP-127w/ST-10XME, (50)1min RGBs, 9/13/2007.

(Below) Lynd's Dark Nebula LDN532 (Barnard 104) - NP-127w/ST-10XME, (14)1min RGBs, 9/6/2007.  Located just North (North is left) of Beta Scuti in Scutum, LDN532 trails off to the left and just peeking in is LBN91 (Lynd's Bright Nebula) on the very left side of the image in red.