Brian Peterson's Photo Galleries at pbase.com

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN PETERSON

"And at night the wond'rous glory of the everlasting stars"
(A. B. "Banjo" Paterson, from "Clancy of the Overflow")

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night"
(Sarah Williams, from "The Old Astronomer to His Pupil")

I never cease to be amazed, inspired, and humbled by what we can see if we only look up.

Stacking up those precious photons allows us to see detail and color
that our eyes cannot pick up, even with the help of a telescope, and often the pictures
will reveal things I never knew were there. It feels a bit like I'm discovering them for the first time.
It isn't easy taking pictures of things that are usually smaller than the width of your finger
at arm's length, and often too dim to see. They have to be kept stationary on the film (or rather the sensor)
for a long time, even though the earth (and so the camera as well) is turning underneath them.
The wind, the dew, a satellite or airplane, clouds, and erratic guiding can all mess up a shot.
But somehow, it all seems worth it. I hope you enjoy these pictures. Please feel free to drop a note in the "guestbook" and let me know what you think.
If you're interested in purchasing prints, a selection of these images is for sale at: http://2-brian-peterson.fineartamerica.com

:: IMPORTANT -- MONITOR CALIBRATION ::	:: Nebula and Star Clusters ::	:: Galaxies ::	:: Our Solar System ::
:: Equipment ::	:: Aurora in Iceland ::	:: Messier Objects ::

click on thumbnails for full image