Field Notes
The Backyard Astronomy Blog
Insights, tutorials, and processing breakdowns from real backyard imaging sessions.
The Andromeda Galaxy: Our Cosmic Neighbor
Capturing the magnificent Andromeda Galaxy (M31) - our nearest galactic neighbor and the most distant object visible to the naked eye.
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Bode's Nebula
Messier 81 (also known as NGC 3031 or Bode's Galaxy) is a grand design spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.
Read articleBubble Nebula
NGC 7635, also known as the Bubble Nebula, Sharpless 162, or Caldwell 11, is an H II region emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia.
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Tadpole Nebula
Captured over 5h 22m of total integration from a suburban backyard.
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The Cave Nebula
Captured over 22h 57m of total integration from a suburban backyard.
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The Pacman Nebula
Captured over 52m of total integration from a suburban backyard.
Read articleThe Bubble Nebula: A Stellar Wind Masterpiece
Exploring the fascinating Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) in Cassiopeia - a cosmic bubble blown by stellar winds from a massive star.
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Pickering's Triangle: The Eastern Veil's Hidden Gem
Discovering the intricate filamentary structure of Pickering's Triangle, the eastern portion of the magnificent Veil Nebula complex.
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The Veil Nebula: A Supernova's Spectacular Legacy
Exploring the magnificent Veil Nebula complex - a stunning supernova remnant that showcases the violent death of a massive star.
Read articleThe Orion Nebula: A Stellar Nursery in Our Backyard
Exploring the magnificent Orion Nebula (M42) - the closest star-forming region to Earth and a showcase of stellar birth.
Read articleThe Pleiades: Seven Sisters Dancing in Blue
Capturing the stunning Pleiades star cluster (M45) - the Seven Sisters wrapped in ethereal blue reflection nebulae.
Read articleThe Horsehead Nebula: Silhouette Against the Stars
Capturing the iconic Horsehead Nebula (B33) - one of the most recognizable dark nebulae in the night sky, silhouetted against glowing hydrogen.
Read articleCapturing the Milky Way Core
Tips and techniques for photographing our galaxy's center during the summer months.
Read articleReview: My New Tracking Mount
An in-depth look at the SkyWatcher Star Adventurer 2i and how it's improved my astrophotography.
Read articleProcessing Deep Sky Objects in PixInsight
A step-by-step workflow for bringing out the best in your deep sky astrophotography.
Read articlePickering's Triangle
The Veil Nebula is a cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus.
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Flaming Star nebula
IC 405 in Auriga is a mixed emission and reflection nebula illuminated by the runaway O-type star AE Aurigae. H-alpha traces glowing ionized hydrogen while nearby dust reflects starlight, giving the region its…
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The Crescent Nebula
Many deep-sky objects reveal their structure through the interaction of starlight, gas, and dust. Ionization, reflection, and shock fronts shape the intricate filaments and shells we observe.
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The Wizard Nebula
Many deep-sky objects reveal their structure through the interaction of starlight, gas, and dust. Ionization, reflection, and shock fronts shape the intricate filaments and shells we observe.
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The Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula (M1, NGC 1952) is a supernova remnant in Taurus, the expanding debris of a recorded supernova in 1054 CE. Its filaments trace ionized gas while a central pulsar powers broad-band synchrotron emission…
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The Elephant's Trunk Nebula
Many deep-sky objects reveal their structure through the interaction of starlight, gas, and dust. Ionization, reflection, and shock fronts shape the intricate filaments and shells we observe.
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The Triangulum Galaxy
Many deep-sky objects reveal their structure through the interaction of starlight, gas, and dust. Ionization, reflection, and shock fronts shape the intricate filaments and shells we observe.
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The Western Veil Nebula
Many deep-sky objects reveal their structure through the interaction of starlight, gas, and dust. Ionization, reflection, and shock fronts shape the intricate filaments and shells we observe.
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The Tulip Nebula
Many deep-sky objects reveal their structure through the interaction of starlight, gas, and dust. Ionization, reflection, and shock fronts shape the intricate filaments and shells we observe.
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Globular Cluster in Hercules
Captured over 16h 41m of total integration from a suburban backyard.
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Dumbbell Nebula
The Dumbbell Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula, at a distance of about 1360 light-years.
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Pinwheel Galaxy
The Pinwheel Galaxy is a face-on, counterclockwise intermediate spiral galaxy located 21 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major.
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Whirlpool Galaxy
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a (M51a) or NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus.
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The Jelly Fish Nebula
Captured over 6h 17m of total integration from a suburban backyard.
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Horsehead and Flame Nebula
Captured over 5h 41m of total integration from a suburban backyard.
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The Center of the California Nebula
Captured over 4h of total integration from a suburban backyard.
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Rosette Nebula
The Rosette Nebula is an H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy.
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Heart Nebula
The Heart Nebula is an emission nebula, 7,500 light-years (2,300 pc) away from Earth and located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia.
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Wizard Nebula
NGC 7380 is a young open cluster of stars in the northern circumpolar constellation of Cepheus, discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1787.
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Fish Head Nebula
The Fish Head Nebula, or the Northern Bear Nebula, is part of a large star forming system of gas and dust located along the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way.
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Pelican Nebula
The Pelican Nebula is an H II region associated with the North America Nebula in the constellation of Cygnus.
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Cygnus Wall
Captured over 21h of total integration from a suburban backyard.
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Eastern Veil Nebula
Captured over 20h 56m of total integration from a suburban backyard.
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Elephant Trunk Nebula
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula is a concentration of interstellar gas and dust within the much larger ionized gas region IC 1396 located in the constellation Cepheus about 2,400 light years away from Earth.
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Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant and pulsar wind nebula in the constellation of Taurus.
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Sombrero Galaxy
The Sombrero Galaxy is a peculiar galaxy of unclear classification in the constellation borders of Virgo and Corvus, being about 9.55 megaparsecs from the Milky Way galaxy.
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Sunflower Galaxy
Messier 63 or M63, also known as NGC 5055 or the seldom-used Sunflower Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici with approximately 400 billion stars.
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The Eyes
Eyes are the organs of vision.
Read articleVeil Nebula
The Veil Nebula is a cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus.
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