Another Modest Proposal

Forgive the divergence, but I'm still reeling from hours and hours of Deadliest Catch last weekend, and I have an idea.

The guys working these boats use, forgive me, salty language, and Discovery channel does a lot of bleeping. Fair enough, it is a family channel after all, even if it is on cable. But I am an adult not offended by hearing grown men saying they're "not catching shit." In other words, I'd like my reality programming to more accurately reflect reality.

For quite a while now, we've had a technology available called Second Audio Program (SAP), which allows a second audio track for a television program. You've probably seen "En Espanol on SAP" or something like that before. Why not have Discovery broadcast an uncensored version of the audio via SAP, and let me choose whether I want to hear the bleeps or not?

M100, A Galaxy in Coma Berenices

As promised, here is a larger shot of M100 (right) and NGC 4312 (left). I didn't label them, but you can also see NGC 4328, 4323, 4322 and 4427 around M100. The 5-minute subs might have been ambitious--there was a little drift from, I'm assuming, mirror shift in the LX200.

Heritage Park Observatory, Cedar Park, TX
Exposure: 24 x 5 minutes
Camera: Modified Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D)
Scope: Meade 10" LX200, Meade f/6.3 focal reducer
Mount: Meade LX200
Guider: Short Tube 80, Meade DSI
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

Only 10 Galaxies

Not quite as rich in galaxies, but still pretty good. First time I've shot 10-minute subs, and they came out OK. A very nice night on the back side of a cool front. M99 and M100 are the two big ones here, and each deserves a closer look in the big scope soon.

Heritage Park Observatory, Cedar Park, TX
Exposure: 12 x 10 minutes
Camera: Modified Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D)
Scope: Astro-Tech AT80ED 80mm APO refractor, AT field flattener (new!)
Mount: Meade LX200
Guider: Meade LX200 @ f/5, Meade DSI
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

At Least 19 Galaxies

Trying out my new Astro-Tech field flattener in the AT80EDT. Look! Round stars out to the corners! I only got about an hour before the clouds rolled back in, so here's an abbreviated look at Markarian's Chain.

Heritage Park Observatory, Cedar Park, TX
Exposure: 7 x 6 minutes
Camera: Modified Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D)
Scope: Astro-Tech AT80ED 80mm APO refractor, AT field flattener (new!)
Mount: Meade LX200
Guider: Meade LX200 @ f/5, Meade DSI
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

Tilt-Shift

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

100% real--not miniatures. Very cool.

Central Texas Air Show

Photos from the Central Texas Air Show in Temple are here.