Astrophotography

Southern Hemisphere

I have been interested in the stars since I was young when a friend of dads came over with a telescope. I only remember looking at the moon, but that was the starting point.
These photos amongst many that were taken on my parents block out in the bush, clear skies! I find it fascinating to look up at the night sky and wonder just what is out there, perhaps a life form has photographed our sun like I have photographed other stars in the sky! Another detail that interreges me is the vast depth of space e.g. if a star is 500 light years away, the light from that star has traveled for 500 years to reach us. Light travels at 299,792.5 km per second. A light year is equivalent to 9.46 million million kms.

Great Orion Nebula (M42). A huge red cloud of luminous gas is caused by glowing hydrogen. The dark area are patches of dense cool gas, which can be seen only by the silhouette agenst the glowing gas. The nebula is an interstella nursery, where stars are forming. The Nebula is 1,200 l.y away, and 20l.y across.
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Can you see the Southern Cross at left top quarter, "Crux" + "NGC 3372" the pink nebula cloud just a little up & right from the center. NGC 3372 is a diffuse nebula which is larger in area then the Orion Nebula. It shines from the light of brilliant young stars that are forming in it. The Nebula lies about 9000 l.y away. Photo details:- Tracked, 5min exposure, 1600asa

This is of the "Small Magellanic Cloud" & "47 Tucanae". The SMC (NGC 292) is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, and is visable to the naked eye. It is the hazy cloud in the centre. It lies 230,000 l.y away. 47 Tucanae (NGC 104) is a large brilliant globular cluster that is also visable to the naked eye and is located just under & to the right of the SMC. This is among the closest globulars to us at about 19,000 l.y away. Photo details:- Tracked, 7min exposure, 1600asa.

This is looking at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy. This is in the constilation of Sagittarius. Notice the small pink Laggoon Nebula M8 in the centre. We lie about 30,000 l.y from galactic central point on a spiral arm which rotates about the centre at 17km/s. Photo details:- Tracked, 5min exposure, 1600asa