Comet C/2017 K2 PANSTARRS on 06-18-2022
Comet C/2017 K2 PANSTARRS shining at 9.7 magnitude and sporting a little tail.
I captured this on 06-18-2022 while it was cruising through the Constellation Ophiuchus.
This comet began the month of June in Ophiuchus at magnitude 9.7. Look for a 6′ coma. It was easily visible in both a 6 inch Reflector and 8 inch SCT telescope from a dark location. The Comet should brighten by about 0.5 magnitudes by month’s end.
I used my TPO 12 Inch diameter F4 Newtonian Reflector Telescope, Bisque ME Mount, HAP Modified Canon 6D DSLR camera, 31 minute exposure while tracking on the Comet’s Nucleus. Captured at my observatories in JBSPO, Yellow Springs, Ohio USA.
A Large Solar Filament on the the Sun 06-18-2022
Check out my recent shots of the Massive Solar Filament…it’s a long one for sure..
The Sun in Hydrogen Alpha light on 06-18-2022, it’s wonderful to see a very active Sun once again.
There were 9 active regions on the Sun along with many sunspots, as well as a Large Filament stretching at least 20 Earth diameters.
Note all of the Solar Prominence’s around the limb as well.
My Full Solar Disk shot was captured with my Lunt 60mm/ 50 HA filter, Single stack, B1200, , Bisque MyT Mount, QHY5IIL Cmos Camera, 64 ms exposure, 480 images stacked in Registax 6. Adobe RAW CS 2022.
I also Included this nice close-up shot of the Filament with Sunspots /Active Regions AR 3030 and AR 3032.
My Close-up shot of the Large Filament was taken with same scope & mount, but with a QHY290 Cmos Camera, 2.9 ms exposure, 750 images stacked in Registax 6, Adobe RAW CS 2022.
Best Regards,
John Chumack
Wrinkle Ridges on the Lunar Surface
Wrinkle Ridges are positive-relief tectonic features found in the mare basalts of the Moon.
Wrinkle ridges formed through faulting and folding indicate compression type stress.
Check out these wrinkled ridges, it is located between Herigonius Crater (Left edge) and Lansberg (bottom edge) and Reinhold Craters (lower right edge)
or go to Lunar Coordinates 325 degrees East and 5 degrees South to find it.
I call this one the dancing Cricket, can you see it, follow the twisting Wrinkled Ridges.
Also note some of the surrounding mountain peaks casting long black shadows onto the Lunar Surface, at lunar sunrise.
Captured on 06-10-2022 with my old orange tube Celestron C8, Bisque MyT Mount, QHY290M un-cooled Cmos camera, 66.3ms exposure, C-Max 2x Barlow,
Fire-Capture Software, Autostakkert, Registax6, Adobe Raw CS 2022. 530 frames Stacked.
Best Regards,
John Chumack
www.galacticimages.com
Impact Craters Tycho & Clavius 10-June-2022
Here is a nice Close-up of Tycho(top) & Clavius (bottom) captured on 06-10-2022 from my backyard observatory in Dayton, Ohio.
Tycho & Clavius Impact Craters are located on the Moon in the Lunar Southern Highlands.
The diameter of Tycho is 85 km (53.4 miles) and the depth is 4.8 km (2.98 miles)
Clavius is large and well known for its curved multiple impact crater-lets within the crater itself.
The diameter of Clavius is 231 km (144 miles) and the depth is 3.5 km (2.2 miles)
Captured with my old Orange tube Celestron C8 SCT Telescope, Bisque MyT Mount, & QHY290M uncooled Cmos Camera, C-Max 2X Barlow, 19.3ms exposure, Fire-Capture, 600 frames stacked in Autostakkert, Registax6 wavelets, Adobe RAW CS 2022.
Best Regards,
John Chumack
Jupiter & Mars Conjunction and Meteor Shower this Memorial Day weekend
Jupiter & Mars Conjunction this morning and through the Holiday weekend, yes this is an easy one to see, just look with your eyes.
The planet Jupiter is the brighter of the two, and the planet Mars will look more red to your eyes.
Also a Spectacular Meteor shower possible this weekend as well!
Here is a quick shot done with my I-phone using the hood of my Truck to rest my hands while taking this shot, just as rain clouds started to clear.
0.5 second exposure, hand held, 26mm lens, ISO 1600, I-Phone 11, Dayton, Ohio USA
Just a quick grab on my way to work…note all the rain drops on the hood of my truck, finally rain clouds moved out for me to see the pairing this morning at 4:50am . Keep looking each Morning this weekend between 4:45am and 5:30am EST …until dawn wipes them out.
See NASA’s detail on this Conjunction of the Planets
https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/2022/05/26/mars-jupiter-conjunction-visible-may-29/
Link to details on the Meteor shower
A Spectacular Meteor Shower Might Hit Us This Weekend. Here’s What to Expect (sciencealert.com)
Best Regards,
John Chumack
www.galacticimages.com
Aurora Borealis – Tarantula in the Alaskan Sky
Aurora Tarantula in Alaska, The Magnetic fields were twisting and turning into many shapes. One of my favorite shots from this 2022 trip.
White Mountains of Alaska on 03-30-2022. Canon 6D DSLR, 16mm Tokina Lens F2.8, ISO 3200 10 second exposure.
Best Regards,
John Chumack
www.galacticimages.com
Waxing Gibbous Moon and Upcoming Total Lunar Eclipse May 15th 2022
Since the transparency was terrible during the early evening last night, I didn’t bother with any Deep sky objects. Just the moon this time.
Another warm night, this time with a little bit of Fire smoke haze and humidity(moisture), so the moon is not as sharp as it could be, but I grabbed a shot anyway. 6 Inch Newt. Reflector telescope, Bisque MyT mount, QHY183MM Cooled Cmos Camera, 32ms exposure.
Don’t forget the Total Lunar Eclipse this Sunday Night May 15th into Monday early Am May 16th 2022.
For those of us on the Eastern half of the USA “EDT” we will get a great view of the whole event if we have clear skies.
Watch the full moon turn dark, then deep Copper/Orange, see time table for your time zone.
Eclipse Event UT ADT EDT CDT MDT PDT AKDT
Penumbra first visible 2:00 11:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. — — —
Partial eclipse begins 2:28 11:28 p.m. 10:28 p.m. 9:28 p.m. 8:28 p.m. — —
Total eclipse begins 3:29 12:29 a.m. 11:29 p.m. 10:29 p.m. 9:29 p.m. 8:29 p.m. —
Mid-eclipse 4:12 1:12 a.m. 12:12 a.m. 11:12 p.m. 10:12 p.m. 9:12 p.m. —
Total eclipse ends 4:54 1:54 a.m. 12:54 a.m. 11:54 p.m. 10:54 p.m. 9:54 p.m. —
Partial eclipse end 5:56 2:56 a.m. 1:56 a.m. 12:56 a.m. 11:56 p.m. 10:56 p.m. 9:56 p.m.
Penumbra last visible 6:30 3:30 a.m. 2:30 a.m. 1:30 a.m. 12:30 a.m. 11:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m.
Wishing you Clear Skies and Good Luck,
Best Regards,
John Chumack
www.galacticimages.com
Aurora Borealis In Alaska NCC-1701 The Enterprise
Supernova 2022hrs in NGC4647 Spiral Galaxy and M60 Elliptical Galaxy
NGC4647 Spiral galaxy with type 1a Supernova(sn2022hrs) and its neighbor Elliptical Galaxy M60, The Supernova is now shining at Magnitude 12.5,
NGC 4647 is an intermediate spiral galaxy estimated to be around 63 million light-years away in the constellation of Virgo.
The Galaxy is 90,000 light years in diameter and shines at magnitude 11.94. What blows me away is that the Supernova (a massive star)
when they explode(thermonuclear) they can outshine the entire Galaxy made up of billions of stars. That is a crazy energy release!!!
The Galaxy NGC4647 was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on March 15, 1784.
The Larger Elliptical Galaxy on the right is M60 or Messier 60.
Every once in a while a supernova goes off in other galaxies and can be visible across our universe.
My FOV was 22 x 17 Arc minutes, slightly cropped after stacking, 1.0 arc sec per pixel resolution.
6 Inch diameter F5 Newtonian telescope, ZWO 224M uncooled Cmos Camera, ASI Air capture via my Ipad,
176 x 30 second subs, or 88 minutes total integration time on 04-27-2022.
Best Regards,
John Chumack
www.galacticimages.com
Planetary Alignment/Moon Conjunction on 04-27-2022
I hope you got to see the wonderful spectacle this morning!
The Waning Crescent Moon had joined the Planetary Parade between 5:45 am until 6:10 am this morning on 04-27-2022.
My wide angle shot shows the Waning Crescent Moon between the neighborhood power lines over my East Dayton neighborhood
the moon was sitting just below the Planets Jupiter & Venus, and above the peak of the neighbors house you can see the Planet Mars
and off to the right of the pole is the planet Saturn.
Canon 6D DSLR Camera on a tripod, Canon 24mm-105mm lens, Set to 44mm, at F9, ISO 400, 1.3 second exposure.
Now for the close-up shot shows the Moon with the planets Jupiter & Venus you need to keep watching them,
over the next few days they will appear to get closer together with Jupiter overtaking Venus and passing it,
this is something you can watch with just your eyes each clear morning.
Canon 6D DSLR Camera on a tripod, Canon 24mm-105mm lens, Set to 98mm, at F9, ISO 400, 1.3 second exposure.
Best Regards,
John Chumack
www.galacticimages.com