Milky Way - April 9th 2024

28x90sec RAW, ISO 800, 1x dark, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark frame calibration, vignette correction, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Post processing with Affinity Photo (just some further curve and color adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini. Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 14mm f2.4 @ f2.4.
Alpine, Texas, USA
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Horsehead and Flame Nebula - January 10th 2024

175x50sec (2h26m), gain 200, 20x dark, 30x flat, processed with easyHDR (FITS import with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, initial noise filtering, stacking and tone mapping). Final post processing with Affinity Photo (noise filtering).
Tracked with Celestron AVX and Orion 50/162 guidescope with ZWO ASI120MM. Raspberry Pi4 with Astroberry and EKOS software with internal guider.
ZWO ASI 178MM, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f4.0, Astronomik H-alfa 6nm filter.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky).
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae - September 16th 2023

28x30sec RAW, ISO 1600, 3x dark, 20x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Post processing with Affinity Photo (just some noise filtering and further curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini. Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.4.
Wadi Rum desert, Jordan
© Bartłomiej Okonek

California Nebula - September 16th 2023

22x45sec RAW, ISO 1600, 3x dark, 20x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Post processing with Affinity Photo (just some noise filtering and further curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini. Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.4.
Wadi Rum desert, Jordan
© Bartłomiej Okonek

North America Nebula - September 16th 2023

50x45sec RAW, ISO 1600, 3x dark, 20x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Post processing with Affinity Photo (just some noise filtering and further curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini. Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.4.
Wadi Rum desert, Jordan
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Startrails - September 16th 2023

46x60sec RAW, ISO 2000, 1x dark, no flats, processed with StarStax. Post processing with Affinity Photo.
Canon R, Canon 24-105mm f4.0 @ 24mm, f4.0.
Wadi Rum desert, Jordan
© Bartłomiej Okonek

M45 Pleiades - September 16th 2023

12x45sec RAW, ISO 1600, 4x dark, 20x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Post processing with Affinity Photo (just some noise filtering and further curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini. One unguided shot for the mountain top.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.4.
Wadi Rum desert, Jordan
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Milky Way's core - September 15th 2023

54x40sec RAW, ISO 1600, 25x dark, 20x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Post processing with Affinity Photo (just some noise filtering and further curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini. Four unguided shots for the ground.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 35mm f1.4 @ f2.4.
Wadi Rum desert, Jordan
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Milky Way in Cygnus - September 15th 2023

47x30sec RAW, ISO 1600, 25x dark, 20x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Post processing with Affinity Photo (just some noise filtering and further curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini. Four unguided shots for the ground.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 35mm f1.4 @ f2.4.
Wadi Rum desert, Jordan
© Bartłomiej Okonek

M81 and M82 - May 25th 2023

Celestron C9.25 and 0.63x reducer, unmodified AVX mount. Autoguide with EKOS, Orion 50/162mm guide scope and ASI 120MM camera. Canon R, 36x15 sec, 8x dark, flats. RAW imported, corrected, auto aligned, stacked and partially processed with easyHDR, post processed with easyHDR and Affinity Photo.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky, Bortle 6-7)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Supernova 2023ixf in M101 - May 24th 2023

Celestron C9.25 and 0.63x reducer, unmodified AVX mount. Autoguide with EKOS, Orion 50/162mm guide scope and ASI 120MM camera. ZWO ASI 178MM, 100x12 sec, 100x dark, no flats. Manually rejected moved frames, stacked with Autostakkert, post processed with easyHDR and Affinity Photo.
The supernova is the brightest spot in the bottom, slightly off-center to the right.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky, Bortle 6-7)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

M51 - May 14th 2023

Celestron C9.25 and 0.63x reducer, unmodified AVX mount. Autoguide with EKOS, Orion 50/162mm guide scope and ASI 120MM camera. RGB: modified Canon 650D, 123x12 sec, ISO3200, 18x dark, no flats. L: ZWO ASI 178MM, 224x12 sec, 100x dark, no flats. Slightly cropped ASI 178MM field of view. Manually rejected moved frames, RGB: aligned, calibrated and stacked with easyHDR, L: stacked with Autostakkert, sharpened with Registax, post processed with Affinity Photo.
Two satellite passes also caught, they were not removed on purpose.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky, Bortle 6-7)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

California Nebula - October 30th 2022

187x22sec (68m34s) RAW, ISO 3200, 25x dark, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, stacking, color correction and tone mapping), post processed with Affinity Photo (noise filtering, color correction and curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Astronomik UHC clip filter, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.0.
Pakosław, Poland (rural sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

North America Nebula - October 30th 2022

111x15sec (27m45s) RAW, ISO 3200, 25x dark, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, stacking, color correction and tone mapping), post processed with Affinity Photo (noise filtering, color correction and curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.0.
Step outside of Pakosław, Poland (rural sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

IC405 and IC410 - March 1st 2022

66x180sec (3h18m), gain 250, darks, flats, processed with easyHDR (FITS import with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, initial noise filtering, stacking and tone mapping). Cropped roughly 2/3 of the full frame. Final post processing with Affinity Photo (noise filtering and curve adjustment only).
Tracked with Celestron AVX and Orion 50/162 guidescope with ZWO ASI120MM. Raspberry Pi4 with Astroberry and EKOS software with internal guider.
ZWO ASI 178MM, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f4.0, Astronomik H-alfa 6nm filter.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Rosette Nebula - February 23th 2022

HOO palette. Ha: 13x180sec (39m), gain 200, OIII: 21x180sec (63m), gain 250, darks, flats, processed with easyHDR (FITS import with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, initial noise filtering, stacking). Merge to color & post processing with Affinity Photo (background removal, color corrections, noise filtering and curve adjustment).
Tracked with Celestron AVX and Orion 50/162 guidescope with ZWO ASI120MM. Raspberry Pi4 with Astroberry and EKOS software with internal guider.
ZWO ASI 178MM, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f4.0, Astronomik H-alfa 6nm & Baader OIII 6.5nm filters.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky), Moon 88% in Virgo
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Rosette Nebula - February 19th 2022

13x180sec (39m), gain 200, darks, flats, processed with easyHDR (FITS import with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, initial noise filtering, stacking and tone mapping). Cropped roughly 2/3 of the full frame. Final post processing with Affinity Photo (noise filtering and curve adjustment only).
Tracked with Celestron AVX and Orion 50/162 guidescope with ZWO ASI120MM. Raspberry Pi4 with Astroberry and EKOS software with internal guider.
ZWO ASI 178MM, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f4.0, Astronomik H-alfa 6nm filter.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky), Moon 88% in Virgo
© Bartłomiej Okonek

M42 Nebula - February 13th 2022

1x600sec, 43x180sec, 10x60sec (2h29m), gain 100, darks, flats, processed with easyHDR (FITS import with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, initial noise filtering, stacking and tone mapping). Cut out a small part of the top of the frame due to hard to remove amp glow (still visible some ghost rays in the right hand side). Final post processing with Affinity Photo (noise filtering and curve adjustment only).
Tracked with Celestron AVX and Orion 50/162 guidescope with ZWO ASI120MM. Raspberry Pi4 with Astroberry and EKOS software with internal guider.
ZWO ASI 178MM, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f4.0, Astronomik H-alfa 6nm filter.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky), Moon 92% in Gemini, north-east of Orion
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Horsehead and Flame Nebula - February 12th 2022

33x200sec (1h50m), gain 100, 8x dark, 30x flat, processed with easyHDR (FITS import with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, initial noise filtering, stacking and tone mapping). Cut out a small part of the bottom of the frame due to hard to remove amp glow (still visible some ghost rays in the left hand side). Final post processing with Affinity Photo (noise filtering and curve adjustment only).
Tracked with Celestron AVX and Orion 50/162 guidescope with ZWO ASI120MM. Raspberry Pi4 with Astroberry and EKOS software with internal guider.
ZWO ASI 178MM, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f4.0, Astronomik H-alfa 6nm filter.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky), Moon 86% in Gemini, just north of Orion
© Bartłomiej Okonek

Orion - January 6th 2022

40x10sec + 20x20sec + 10x30sec (18m20s) RAW, ISO 1600, 10x dark (each exposure), 10x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Cropped roughly 90% of the full frame. Post processing with Affinity Photo (noise filtering, background removal due to uneven light pollution, curve adjustmentment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.0.
Step outside of Pakosław, Poland (rural sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

M31 Andromeda Galaxy - January 6th 2022

6x50sec + 60x30sec + 15x15sec (38m45s) RAW, ISO 1600, 10x dark (each exposure), 10x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Cropped roughly 90% of the full frame. Post processing with Affinity Photo (mostly noise filtering and some further curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.0.
Step outside of Pakosław, Poland (rural sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

M45 Pleiades - January 6th 2022

60x15sec (15m) RAW, ISO 3200, 10x dark, 10x flat, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping). Cropped roughly 90% of the full frame. Post processing with Affinity Photo (just some noise filtering and further curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.0.
Step outside of Pakosław, Poland (rural sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

North America Nebula - December 25th 2021

41x30sec (20m30s) RAW, ISO 3200, 15x dark, processed with easyHDR (RAW development with dark and flat frame calibration, auto alignment, noise filtering, stacking, color correction and tone mapping), post processed with Affinity Photo (additional noise filtering and curve adjustment). Tracked with Star Adventurer Mini.
Canon 650D astro-mod, Astronomik UHC clip filter, Samyang 135mm f2.0 @ f2.0.
Pakosław, Poland (rural sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

M27 Dumbbell Nebula - October 24th 2021

RGB - modified Canon 650D, with 0.63x Celestron reducer and Astronomik UHC clip filter (40x20 sec, ISO 3200)
L - ZWO ASI178MM, Celestron C9.25 with x0.63 Celestron reducer, Moon & Skyglow filter (20x20 sec, 20x darks, no flats), aligned and stacked with Affinity Photo
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek

M57 Ring Nebula - October 10th 2021

R 40x12sec, G 40x12sec, B 40x12sec, L 40x12sec, 20x dark, no flats. FITS stacked with easyHDR, further processing with Affinity Photo.
ZWO ASI178MM, Celestron C9.25 @ f10.
Outskirts of Wrocław, Poland (suburban sky)
© Bartłomiej Okonek