M42, The Orion Nebula

There's a reason this is one the most-photographed deep sky objects.


Heritage Park Observatory, Cedar Park, TX
Exposure: 20 x 30 sec (10:00) @ ISO 400, 10 x 300 sec (50:00) 10 flat, 10 dark
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) (modified)
Scope: AT6RC, AT2FF field flattener
Mount: CI-700
Guider: AT80EDT, Meade DSI
Filter: Astronomic CLS
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

Stratocaster: Work In Progress

If I'm not gonna get paid to draw, I'm gonna draw what I want!

Portfolio Pieces

I was going through some things, thinking about adding them to the portfolio site. I like these, but is something I did 17 years ago still relevant? Everything from the last few years all sorta looks alike.

Job Search

The updated portfolio is here! If you're in need of a graphic designer/illustrator/tech writer or photographer, I'm available for freelance gigs or a full-time position.

iSad

The Mac basically made my job possible. Sure, there have been designers and illustrators and photographers and musicians and creative people forever, but it was that box that made it possible to play in so many sandboxes, to explore so many things, to marry technology and creativity. So thanks, Steve.

I'm sad there won't be, "and one more thing" this time.

Jupiter & Europa, 2 October 2011

Here's one more from the other night, this time with the moon Europa nearby.

It occurred to me; two of the greatest planetary imagers in the world are Facebook friends. Suddenly I'm embarrassed to post these. I sometimes feel like a kid putting his pictures up on the refrigerator and calling them art.

Jupiter, 2 October 2011 Reprocessed

I don't see any point in making more Jupiter pictures this season!

I take that back--I still want to get detail on Ganymede. I've seen it done, but not often.

Jupiter, 2 October 2011

This is why I stayed up late tonight.

Jupiter, 1 October 2011

Jupiter, 1 October 2011

It's been a long, hot summer. When the temperature is still over 90° at 11:00 p.m., my interest in astronomy wanes. But we've finally gotten a little break in the weather, so I pulled out the C11 and stayed up late to make this thoroughly uninspiring shot of Jupiter. The sky looked pretty steady naked-eye, but the focus kept drifting in and out.

Heritage Park Observatory, Cedar Park, TX
Exposure: 500 frames each L, R, G, B
Camera: Point Grey Research Flea @ 640x480, 16-bit
Scope: Celestron C-11, Televue 2.5x Powermate (f/25)
Mount: Celestron CI-700
Guider: none
Filter: Orion LRGB set
Software: AstroIIDC, Registax 6, Photoshop

Outreach

If you've ever wondered what it's like trying to "do astronomy" with Cub Scouts, this is pretty close. If only he had a green laser, he could be answering "Is that a real laser? Where did you get it? How much does it cost? Can I use it? Will you point it at __?"

You're Doing It Wrong

Since Rick Perry asked Texans to pray for rain in April we have seen a continuation of the worst one-year drought in history, the hottest summer on record, and now while Louisiana and Mississippi get much-needed drenching rains we are getting wildfires in Texas.

Just the facts.

First Day of School, 2011

Welcome to third grade buddy.

Some kids get new clothes to go back to school in. We just wear the same thing three years in a row. (2) (1)

NGC 7293, The Helix Nebula Reprocessed

X-Bar Ranch, Eldorado, TX
Exposure: 11 x 300 sec (55 min) @ ISO 1600, 0 flat, 6 dark
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) (modified)
Scope: AT6RC, AT2FF field flattener
Mount: Celestron CI-700/Skywalker
Guider: Zenithstar 66, Meade DSI
Filter: None
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

IC 5146, The Cocoon Nebula Reprocessed

X-Bar Ranch, Eldorado, TX
Exposure: 30 x 480 sec (4 hours) @ ISO 1600, 20 flat, 8 dark
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) (modified)
Scope: AT6RC, AT2FF field flattener
Mount: Celestron CI-700/Skywalker
Guider: Zenithstar 66, Meade DSI
Filter: None
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

IC 5146, The Cocoon Nebula

A disappointing result after 4 hours exposure. First attempt at 8-minute sub-exposures. The mount is capable of it, but I have some flexure somewhere between the guide camera and imaging camera. I have a couple of things to try--it just takes time.

A beautiful night at X-Bar Ranch though. A 2-minute shower about 7:30 knocked down the temperature. Transparency was a little soft, but the seeing was very steady.

X-Bar Ranch, Eldorado, TX
Exposure: 30 x 480 sec (4 hours) @ ISO 1600, 20 flat, 8 dark
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) (modified)
Scope: AT6RC, AT2FF field flattener
Mount: Celestron CI-700/Skywalker
Guider: Zenithstar 66, Meade DSI
Filter: None
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

NGC 7293, The Helix Nebula

Not the definitive shot of this planetary nebula, but not awful either. Weather kept me from getting started until almost 0300, so this is just not quite an hour on a very dim object, and it suffered accordingly.

X-Bar Ranch, Eldorado, TX
Exposure: 11 x 300 sec (55 min) @ ISO 1600, 0 flat, 6 dark
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) (modified)
Scope: AT6RC, AT2FF field flattener
Mount: Celestron CI-700/Skywalker
Guider: Zenithstar 66, Meade DSI
Filter: None
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

The Cygnus Loop

The visual portion of the Cygnus Loop is known as the Veil Nebula, also called the Cirrus Nebula or the Filamentary Nebula. Several components have separate names and identifiers,including the "Western Veil" or "Witch's Broom", and the "Eastern Veil."

The Western Veil, NGC 6960, is on the left. On the right is the Eastern Veil, NGC 6992. Pickering’s Triangular Wisp is the area in the lower half on the left.


Heritage Park Observatory, Cedar Park, TX
Exposure: 20 x 300 sec @ ISO 800, 10 flat, 10 dark
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) (modified)
Scope: Zenithstar 66, AT2FF field flattener
Mount: Celestron CI-700/Skywalker
Guider: AT80EDT, Meade DSI
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

M20, The Trifid Nebula

A beautiful night at the Eagle Eye Observatory. I neglected to completely tighten the guide scope mounting screws, so there's a slight trailing. Dumb mistake.

Eagle Eye Observatory, Burnet, TX
Exposure: 24 x 300 sec (2 hours) @ ISO 800, 0 flat, 8 dark
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) (modified)
Scope: AT6RC, AT2FF field flattener
Mount: Celestron CI-700/Skywalker
Guider: Zenithstar 66, Meade DSI
Filter: None
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

Packaging Samples

I really like the way these turned out.

Zombie Survival

Somehow I wound up reading a discussion on how to survive the upcoming zombie attack, where I found this cute little item: