2008 David Malin Awards winner - Honorable Mention (Amateur Deep Sky):

NASA'a Astronomical Picture Of The Day (APOD) 1st September 2008



http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080901.html


**** ABOUT THIS IMAGE ****

This region of very faint nebulosity and dust in Puppis is often referred to as
"The Hand of God" and only reveals itself well with long expoures like this one.
Although faint, with long exposure the resulting display of colours and hues is quite
spectacular. This image was compiled from 16 hrs of data taken over 4 nights from my
backyard in Newcastle Australia

See a close up of the "Hand of God" here:
http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/97238023/original

AP152 F7.5 Starfire APO refractor with 4" field flattener
FLI ProLine11002 CCD & CFW-2-7
LHaRGB = 5hrs 8hrs 1hr 1hr 1hr = 16hrs total (all bin 1X1) Astronomik filters
-35C chip temp, darks and flats (AstroHandy LightRing used for flats)
12MPPS download speed = 1.5sec/full frame download at bin 1X1.
FOV = 1.8deg X 1.2deg at 1.6"/pix
Guide Camera: Starlightxpress SXVH9

Comments:
Taken over 4 nights with my set-up and pull-down imaging rig:

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/81003751/original

Some links to equipment used to take this image:

Finger Lakes Instrumentation CCD cameras:

http://www.fli-cam.com/

Astro-Elecronic FS2 scope GOTO controller:

http://www.astro-electronic.de/

Gerd Neumann/Astronomik filters:

http://www.gerd.neumann.net/

http://www.astronomik.com/

MSB Software & Astroart 4

http://www.msb-astroart.com/

STAR Atlas:PRO planetarium software:

http://www.skylab.com.au/

AstroHandy Accessories

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/astrohandy_lightring

http://www.astrohandy.com