Thought you all might enjoy this. M45 star cluster in Orion.

 

So awesome. I need to take a trip out to west Texas away from the lights and take some night sky shots.

 

Know the area well. Used to go to the Texas Star Party outside of Ft. Davis every year. This was taken at my observatory on the south side of Mt. Pinos, CA. About 75 miles north of Los Angeles. Amazingly dark skies.

 

I have been slowing gathering the gear to do long exposure streaks my first time out. After I get a feel for the area I will move into the motorized platforms to catch brighter milky way captures. I am in the champagne taste and beer budget game when it comes to my photography unfortunately. That and too much invested in long telephoto a prime lens for wildlife and birds.

 

And one more for fun. Veil Nebula in the summer (northern hemisphere) milky way.

 

Impressive pictures. So you use observatory lens? No wonder you can capture that magnificent picture.........

 

Thank you. Yes, I use various telescopes, depending on the object to be photographed, and a Canon DA60 DSLR camera with the imaging chip modified for astrophotography.

 

This is where I look over at my Canon 7D with the 500mm prime attached and have bleeding envy...

 

The 7D with a 500 would be great for lunar and solar (with the appropriate filter). If you are in N America there will be a total lunar eclipse on April 15th. A great start.

 

Well, if you are still in Florida next January they throw the Winter Star Party down in the Keys. Used to be held at Deer Key if I recall.
Don't leave out hi-res Lunar photography as an option. Even in light polluted Miami you will get awesome shots.

 

Tony, I could see long collection of moonwatch/ space theme watch in your future collection .
Probably start addition with meteorite dial Speedy Pro.

 

Have 5 Speedy Moons already. Meteroite dial is high on the "want" list.

 

OK, now we are talking........

 

April 15th I have mas debauchery planned in Vegas.

 

Ok then. Get all your friends drunk, take them outside during totality and tell them you will make the moon return for a couple of drinks. Worked for Columbus.

 

This crew would be the ones SHOWING the moon. And that would be a cluster of "DSOTM" I would not want to share with this group!

 

Here is the new scope and mount we installed at our observatory last weekend. My friend is in there for scale. One big, bad, mutha.

 

Those are great pictures! Impressive scope