All text and images on these pages are Copyright © Roger K. Slade 2008

Orion Nebula M42 with Minolta 35mm film camera piggybacked on Meade 12" LX-200,  2001.  Note the close-up
of the trapezium in the image below.  Similar orientation. 

All images below are my very first attempts with the Meade DSI Pro II with RGB filter set.  Most nights the seeing has been average or worse.
All images with Meade 12" LX-200 Classic @ f/10.  Note: Lumicon GEG used for f/6.5 images.  Some tweaking of levels
and curves with Photoshop CS on all images.  
  

M42 (Orion Nebula)  Trapezium 11/24/06
This was my first attempt at this target.  Exposures averaged 140 secs each for LRGB image.  Finally, the Thanksgiving
weekend provided some of the first clear skies in a couple of months here in Geneseo.   Seeing was excellent with no moonlight.
Should be able to improve results dramatically with longer exposures.

M57 - RGB @ f/6.5  

M57 - Greyscale @ f/6.5
Adjusted polar alignment on the telescope pier and milburn wedge, and set the PEC to adjust for variations in the LX-200 RA drive worm gear)
A bit better results than my first time out.  Also the seeing was much better and through trial and error, I'm getting better at using  the "track"feature
 on the DSI.

M3 Greyscale 05-04-08 @ f/6.5 with GEG
Exposure was fairly short (50 exp. @ 1 sec), but results not bad.   No moon tonight.
M3 or NGC 5272 is a globular cluster in the constellation Canes Venatici.  This cluster is one of the largest and brightest, and is made up of
approx. 500,000 stars (if we could tap that fuel cell, it would certainly solve our energy issues on this planet !).  M3 is located approx. 33,900
light years from Earth.
 

M5 Greyscale @ f/10

M11 on 07-07-07 (45 second exposure).   

M13 Greyscale @ f/6.5

M31 Drizzle in Andromeda using DSI @ f/6.5

M33 @ f/6.5

Alberio - Double cluster in Cygnus@  f/6.5
         9/16/06

                                       
First attempts at M51 Whirlpool Galaxy       4 min exposure
 on 05-11-08  Single 60 second                 8*30 sec exposure            
             
                       

M51 on 05-13-08 Meade DSI Pro II
5 minute exposure (20 exp @ 15 sec. each) Auto-guided with Meade DSI II
Sorted out the Meade Envisage software connectivity with the LX-200 and my Observatory computer to using the Meade DSI II as an autoguider.   Much better results with the autoguiding sorted out !  Notice how the surrounding stars are much rounder than the first attempts of M51 above due to better tracking.  Bright moon (70 % illuminated)  in general vicinity of M51 tonight.

M63 - Sunflower Galaxy on 06-06-08 located in Canes Venatici
Very short exposure

M94 - Starburst Galaxy on 06-06-08  located in the constellation Canes Venatici
Also a very short exposure