This was my first attempt at CCD astro-imaging ten years ago. . . Still, I remember how much fun this was!
I've gone back to being a strictly observational amateur, mainly due to time and monetary constraints.

  May 2001

July 2000   June 2000

All images on this page taken with the above Celestron 8" SCT fork setup and SBIG's 237 Pixcel CCD camera at f/1.95...
Except Jupiter and Saturn: These images were taken at f/10.

These are my very first images taken with this setup on 10/2-3/99.  No guiding!
No color imaging was attempted... Well, it was attempted, but I didn't RTFM ("Read The Frigging Manual")!

I do hope my imaging techniques will improve; but I plan on keeping these first images right here--
just to show what can be done "out of the box" with no previous experience!

All images below are thumbnails... Click on them for a larger view!

My second image--my first image had NGC 7331 (upper right) centered.
I was looking for Stephan's Quintet (Hickson 92) seen (partially) here in the middle of the lower border.
A mere 30 second unguided exposure! 
This image, and many of the following are "grainy"; this is due to inadequate exposure time (I am experimenting here)... 
Still, I find the amount of raw--though "dirty"-- image available in a mere 30 seconds with modest  8" aperture and HUGE central obstruction just phenomenal!

Yep, those fuzzy spots in the middle are Stephan's Quintet; again at only a 30 second exposure.
(image reduced in size by 50% from original)

The Helix.
Five 30 second exposures.  My first "track and accumulate" image.

NGC 891
Five 30 second exposures. Reduced in size by 25%. Contrast increased with Paint Shop Pro software..
A much better image (10 min exposure) was taken on my third night out, with my new/used G11 mount.

M33
Five 30 second "track and accumulate" exposures.

B33-- The Horsehead.
Low on the horizon; waning moon.
Five 30 second exposures.
Found easily using two-second "focus" mode on SBIG's CCDOPS software.
A much better image (10 min exposure) was taken on my third night out.

Jupiter.
Using f/10 now; one-hundreth of a second exposure.
Image sharpened and magnified by a factor of two with Paint Shop Pro software.

Saturn.
Same enhancement procedures as used on Jupiter.

My second and third times out... New images include: M42 (above) a better image of  The Horsehead and 891, Ngc's 7814 (an edge-on galaxy in Pegasus), 7479 (a barred spiral gal in Pegasus), 246, 6888, The Medusa Nebula, and M1.  On my third night out I had the pleasure to use my new (used) G11 mount, which, I think, has already proven itself a keeper:  I find Polar aligning is easier, tracking more accurate... Plus: I now have the ability to piggyback with my 80mm F/8 Fluorite and/or my 4" Tele Vue Genesis f/5.4... altogether a more enjoyable, versatile setup.

Images from:

May 2001

June 2000     July 2000

Interested in more information and better images from more advanced Fastar imagers?
Check out Chris Anderson's page, and his links.

raycash@sbcglobal.net