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2024 Astronomical Retrospective

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2024 Astronomical Retrospective

3 Minutes

2024 was an exciting yet challenging year for my astronomical journey. Despite significant obstacles like persistent bad weather and clouds, pervasive fire smoke, poor atmospheric transparency, and the demands of a busy life, I managed to capture some remarkable celestial moments. Below are some of the highlights:

  • Observed the Sun through a hydrogen alpha telescope
  • Imaged the Moon
  • Captured gas and ice giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune)
  • Experienced a total solar eclipse (despite weather)
  • Observed and captured a partial lunar eclipse
  • Explored deep sky objects: galaxies, Pleiades, and narrowband targets
  • Attended Starfest for the first time
  • Visited E.C. Carr Astronomical Observatory (CAO)
  • Observed and imaged a bright comet
  • Witnessed 2 unbelievable Northern Lights events

Solar Imaging

I pulled the trigger and delved into solar observation with a hydrogen alpha telescope. This allowed me to witness dynamic solar features at its maximum such as prominences, filaments, and solar flares in stunning detail.

Planetary Imaging

My lunar and planetary imaging efforts were mixed. While I successfully captured images of the Moon, the year wasn’t particularly favorable for planetary imaging. Nevertheless, I managed to spend some time imaging both gas giants (Jupiter and Saturn) and ice giants (Uranus and Neptune), adding once again these distant worlds to my collection.

The Great North American Eclipse

A highlight of my year was experiencing the darkness of a total solar eclipse, even though clouds prevented me from directly observing the event itself. I also successfully observed and captured a partial lunar eclipse.

Deep Sky Imaging

My deep sky imaging journey in 2024 was more rewarding. I explored multiple fascinating targets, including:

  • Galaxies: Making my first serious attempts at imaging the iconic Andromeda Galaxy and the Triangulum Galaxy
  • I captured the Pleiades with my 135mm Rokinon lens. I was able to enhance the color of the hot and blue stars surrounded by delicate reflection nebulae, despite the light pollution.
  • My narrowband imaging journey was productive: I images the Dumbbell Nebula, the California Nebula, the Elephant’s Trunk, and the delicate structures of the Veil Nebula, to name a few.
  • A special achievement: my image of the Rosette Nebula was published on the back outside cover of the RASC Journal!

Starfest 2024 and the CAO

This year I finally attended Starfest for the very first time. This renowned star party provided me with opportunities to learn from experts, share experiences with fellow enthusiasts, and observe under dark skies.
I also continued my tradition of visiting the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s E.C. Carr Astronomical Observatory (CAO) multiple times this year, enjoying its dark skies nestled between the Blue Mountains and Beaver Valley.

A bright comet and unforgettable Northern Lights

2024 concluded with two spectacular cosmic events: a dazzling comet in the night sky and a major solar storm that ignited an unforgettable Northern Lights display, transforming my astronomical year into a breathtaking celestial finale.

Get ready for another orbit around the Sun and, as always, remember to keep looking up at the stars!

Image of C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) on my DSLR camera screen - 2024-10-14

Chasing The Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

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Chasing The Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

2 Minutes

Success!!!

After a few failed attempts because of the stubborn clouds in my area, on October 14 I was finally able to image Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) with my DSLR camera.

The comet briefly emerged from behind the clouds that had obscured it from my sight for several days. It was definitely worth the wait!
 
I acquired those images with my DSLR camera (Nikon D5300), a 200mm lens, 2 seconds exposure, aperture F/5.6, ISO800.
 
The first image is an unprocessed image of the comet, while to obtain the second one I stacked a total of 31 images with Deep Sky Stacker and post-processed it with GIMP.

I couldn’t see the comet with the naked eye, but on the screen of my camera it was very bright and with a very long tail (a few degrees).

Next time, weather permitting, I will try to use a star tracker and get some more details of this elusive visitor. 

Catch it while you can: this bright comet won’t return for 80,000 years!

Setup

Date: 2024-10-14
Location: My backyard in Richmond Hill, ON
Camera: Nikon D5300 on a tripod and a remote shutter
Software: Deep Sky Stacker, PixInsight, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, GIMP
Total integration time: 62 seconds (31×2 secs.)
Exposure time: 2 secs.
ISO: 800
F-stop: F/5.6
Comet C/2023 A3 (2024-10-16)
Comet C/2023 A3 (2024-10-16)
IMG_20241014_202530_650
Image of C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) on my DSLR camera screen - 2024-10-14
C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) imaged on 2024-10-14 at 7:43pm EDT
Comet (2024-10-18) Integration of 140 subs
Comet_20241018_integration_starless
Comet C/2023 A3 (2024-10-16)
Created with GIMP

My Best Astroimages of 2023

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My Best Astroimages of 2023

Less than 1 minute Minutes

Join me as I take a look back at the most exciting moments of my astroimaging journey in 2023. Some highlights below:

  • I imaged a bright comet
  • I took my first images of solar prominences with a solar telescope!
  • I saw the Northern Lights from my own backyard!
  • I imaged the brightest supernova in the last 10 years
  • I took stunning images of deep sky objects from a dark sky location and from my backyard
  • I imaged 6 planets and our own Moon
  • I captured a partial solar eclipse in between clouds

Get ready for another orbit around the Sun and, as always, remember to keep looking up at the stars!

Import Stellarium Coordinates into NINA

How to Import Stellarium Coordinates into NINA

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How to Import Stellarium Coordinates into NINA

Less than 1 minute Reading time: Minutes

Are you looking to capture breathtaking images of fast-moving asteroids and comets? Look no further than Stellarium and N.I.N.A. In this short video tutorial, you’ll learn how to connect these two powerful tools and import deep sky object coordinates, including for the elusive Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF).

No more guesswork or time wasted searching for your target – now you can precisely center your telescope and start capturing stunning images.

With just a few simple steps, you’ll be able to connect Stellarium and N.I.N.A, import deep sky object coordinates, and take your astrophotography to the next level!

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) - 2023-01-25

Chasing Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) – A Race Against Time and Weather

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Chasing Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF): A Race Against Time and Weather

Less than 1 minute Reading time: Minutes

After more than a month of cloudy skies, I was excited to see that the weather forecast on January 24 was clear at 11pm for about one hour. I had the chance to image the comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and I decided to give it a try. I started to setup my gear, although I knew that the conditions were less than ideal: the comet’s altitude was only 28 degrees above the horizon, humidity was high (more than 80%) and to complete the picture there were high clouds and haze.

My challenge: I only had about 1 hour to setup my gear, perform a rough polar align (for this session I decided not to polar align to save precious imaging time), power the telescope on and launch my imaging sequence, before the clouds rolled in again. So, I had to be quick and efficient in order to capture the comet.

I decided to use this setup:

  • the Rokinon 135mm lens because of its wide field of view, which is more forgiving in case of non perfect polar alignment;
  • my dedicated ZWO ASI533MC Pro cooled camera;
  • a light pollution filter (Optolong L-Pro);
  • the Celestron AVX mount.

Another important step was to have the most updated coordinates for the comet. I downloaded the ephemerides in Stellarium in advance. I also published a short tutorial that explains how to add a comet in Stellarium.

Next, I launched NINA (my favorite automated DSO imaging software), I cooled the camera to the right temperature, focused the lens, and pointed the scope to the comet through Stellarium. The comet was there, bright, and perfectly centered in my frame: I was ready for astro-imaging! I shot a sequence of 15 x 2 minutes images (for a total integration time of 30 minutes), took flat frames before packing for the night. Finally, I processed the images with PixInsight (it was hard!) and GIMP.

I am happy to share my final image of the comet and a video that shows the comet moving through the sky in just 30 minutes.

The comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will reach its minimum distance from Earth on February 1, at a distance of about 42 million kilometers (26 million miles). Unfortunately, for Southern Ontario the weather forecast for the next few days is not promising. But, as an astrophotographer, I never give up hope!

Stay tuned and always remember to look up at the stars.

Date: 2023-01-25
Time: 4:33 a.m. to 05:11 a.m. UTC
Location: my driveway in Richmond Hill (ON)
Scope: Rokinon 135mm
Mount: Celestron AVX
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO cooled at -10°C
Filter: Optolong L-Pro (light pollution filter)
Software: NINA, PixInsight, GIMP

Here you can see the final image of the green comet with its tail. I stacked 15×120 seconds frames, for 30 minutes of total integration time. As usual, I used PixInsight and calibration frames (20 dark, 10 flats and 100 bias frames).
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) - 2023-01-25
This screenshot shows the ephemerides of the comet Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) from Stellarium on January 24, 2023 at 11:33pm ET.
Comet ephemerides in Stellarium 2023-01-24
This video shows the comet moving across the sky over the course of just 30 minutes!
How to add a comet in Stellarium

How to Add a Comet to Stellarium

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How to Add a Comet to Stellarium

Less than 1 minute Reading time: Minutes
Are you ready to chase the green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)? This short tutorial will show you how to add the ephemerides of this celestial event to Stellarium, the ultimate tool for stargazing and astrophotography.
 
In this video, I will guide you through the process of finding and adding the comet’s coordinates to Stellarium. This will allow you to track the comet’s movement and plan your imaging sessions with precision.
 
Don’t miss this opportunity to use Stellarium like a pro and take your astrophotography skills to the next level. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced stargazer, this tutorial is a must-watch. Please let me know in the comments if you want to see more tutorials like this one. And don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more astrophotography content.
 
Happy stargazing!
The comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) and the globular cluster M10

A bright comet meets a globular cluster

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A bright comet meets a globular cluster

Less than 1 minute Minutes

A few days ago, while using my astronomy planner app (SkySafari), I noticed an interesting event on the night of July 14: the comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) and the globular cluster Messier 10 would have been in the same field of view of my refractor telescope and imaging camera. I checked the weather forecast and it was clear, so I prepared my equipment for the night and when the sky was dark enough (around 11pm EDT) I launched my routine imaging process. Due to the comet motion in the sky I had to keep the exposure time shorter than usual, so I wasn’t totally sure about the results. But looking at the final processed image, it was a success!

Until the next time, clear skies!

Setup

Scope: Explore Scientific ED80CF APO refractor
Mount: Celestron AVX mount
Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI533 MC PRO (cooled at -10°C)
Filters: Optolong L-Pro
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224 MC with a IR Cut filter, PHD2
Guide Scope: Orion Deluxe Mini 50mm Guide Scope.
Software: NINA, PixInsight
Total Integration Time: 30 minutes (15x120s, dark, flat, bias)

July 14, 2022: the comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) shared the field of view with the globular cluster M10 in Ophiucus and I imaged them from my driveway!

The comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) and the globular cluster M10

This animation shows the motion of the comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) amid the stars in just 30 minutes!

The comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) motion on July 14, 2022
Comet Leonard (stacking 30s) and star trail

I photographed the Comet Leonard!

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I photographed the Comet Leonard (C/2021 A1)!

Less than 1 minute Minutes
After several nights of disappointment because of the cloudy weather, on the night of December 6, 2021 I prepared my gear as the weather forecast for my location gave me some hope between 5 and 7 AM.
I set my alarm for 5:00 AM and I went outside on my deck despite the stubborn clouds. I was rewarded for my perseverance and after a few minutes the sky cleared up. I rapidly turned on my gears (mount, focuser, camera, laptop), connected to my acquisition software (NINA), acquired AR and DEC of the comet through Stellarium and I started taking several exposures!
I was only able to capture approximately 10 minutes from my light polluted area, but I was happy with my results.
Below is my setup for this session.
 
Date: 2021-12-07
Location: Richmond Hill (ON)
Scope: Explore Scientific APO ED80 CF
Camera: ZWO ASI533MC PRO
Focuser: ZWO EAF
Mount: Celestron CG-5
Software: N.I.N.A., Stellarium, Deep Sky Stacker, GIMP
Comet Leonard (stacking 10s) and star trail

Comet Leonard (stacking 10s) and star trail

Comet Leonard (stacking 30s) and star trail

Comet Leonard (stacking 30s) and star trail

Comet Leonard (stacking 30s)

Comet Leonard (stacking 30s)

Comet Leonard session planning with Stellarium

Comet Leonard session planning with Stellarium