Globular cluster Omega Centauri is a huge ball of millions of stars but it's difficult to observe because it's very low on the southern horizon. From my house on the NW side of Melbourne it's well into the MLB lightdome so I have to use a scope to see it at all. From a dark site in New Mexico I could see it naked eye even though it's only 9 degrees above the horizon.
For this picture I used a Canon 40D camera and its zoom lens set to 250mm on a tracking mount. The picture was not taken through a telescope! Omega Centauri is large enough that even the kit Canon zoom lens can resolve some of its details. The benefit from the dark skies is that this image is a stack of only 12 one-minute exposures and there is no light gradient to remove.
Rick Young
May 30, 2011
Omega Centauri with a Camera
Unusual Planetary Alignment Underway
A rare four planet alignment has started in the eastern dawn sky and will continue to evolve over the next few weeks. Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter will form interesting close groupings that will provide a different arrangement every morning.
The attached photo was taken with a point-n-shoot camera from my back yard on Sunday morning May 1st. It shows the very pretty arrangement of Venus, Mercury and the Moon visible that morning. Unfortunately, Jupiter and Mars were behind some low clouds near the horizon and were hidden from view.
Jupiter and Mars will rise higher in the sky each morning with Jupiter passing within 0.6 degrees of Venus on May 11th. That should be quite a site.
Take a look 20 to 30 minutes before sunrise over the next few weeks to catch this rare alignment in action.
Rick Young
May 1, 2011
