Posts Made By: Roland Christen

The following images were shot with my 160EDf refractor and QSI 683 CCD at a scale of 0.87 arc sec per pixel. While most shots of M61 burn out the core, I was trying to limit the exposures so that the core detail would still be present. The outer spiral arms are a challenge here at my light polluted skies, so unfortunately the outer detail is somewhat noisy.

I shot this galaxy over 3 nights with varying degrees of seeing and transparency. One night had about 1 hour of very steady skies and I was able to get a couple of 10 minute exposures with 1.3 arc sec FWHM stars. I shot a total of 35 images, keeping only 24 total. Out of those, there were only 3 exposures that had the maximum detail, so those 3 were used to process the core detail. The rest were used for the outer spiral arms and the other objects nearby.

Rolando

My latest project consuming many nights with the 160EDF refractor, QSI683, 1600 mount, chasing down this beautiful object. Some 28 hours of exposure, 10 minute and 20 minute subs. Core detail was taken with 24 x 10 minute subs. Outer detail taken with gobs of 20 minute subs.

Rolando

This image was taken on the night of June 5, a combination of 28 x 300 seconds with my 160EDF refractor. Visually I could see the head of the comet with 80mm binos, but no tail in our light polluted sky. Comet was around mag 8.5.

Rolando

This image was taken on the night of June 5, a combination of 28 x 300 seconds with my 160EDF refractor. Visually I could see the head of the comet with 80mm binos, but no tail in our light polluted sky. Comet was around mag 8.5.

Each 5 minute frame was unguided, but the mount tracking rates in RA and Dec were adjusted to the comet's motion. This produced a sharp image of the comets in each frame with star streaks in the background. The 28 images were then median combined to eliminate the individual star streaks. The final combined comet image was then added in Photoshop as a "Lighten" layer to a 5 minute guided image of the star field.

Rolando

Our Volt is 2.5 years old now. It has about 17,000 miles on it. Our typical commute is 8.4 miles one way, (16.8 each day). If driven conservatively on a day of 70 degF, it takes 1.5 kwhrs to go 8.4 miles, which gives the car almost 60 mile range. In the winter this goes up, and below freezing it can take 2.2 kwhrs for the same trip with the heater on.

We will almost always take this car for daily driving, so as to avoid the high cost of gasoline. Our cost for electricity is .07 per KWhr (.04 at work), which includes taxes and other fees, so it's quite economical in this area. Cost will be going up next year, probably about 25%, which is still quite cheap. We have on-demand metering, so we get the lowest rate available, and the power company can turn off our air conditioner for up to 1/2 hour whenever it gets really hot and loads increase on their power lines.

According to our electric bill, a large portion of the electricity delivered comes from wind turbines located just south of here. Part of the power also comes from the local Com-Ed Nuke (none from coal). Here in our area we have the option to buy 100% of our power from wind if we if we so choose.

So here is a comparison of costs of several cars for this daily commute of 16.8 miles:

My Ford Mustang (requires premium) @ 21mpg = $3.28

Our Hyundai Azera (full size car) @ 27mpg = $2.24 (Gas = $3.60 per g.)

Friend's Fusion Hybrid @ 42 mpg = $1.44

Another friend's Prius @ 52mpg = $1.16

Volt @ 3kwhrs = $0.21 summer, $0.31 winter

Just one wind turbine needs to run only 11 seconds to provide the power to propel the Volt the 16.8 miles on my daily commute.

Rolando

Imaged on June 20 with AP130F6.3 EDF refractor, AP 2x Flat Field Barlow and QHY 5-II color camera. Approximately 3500 video frames stacked in Registax, double sized using drizzle. Seeing was iffy with Saturn being quite low to the horizon, and now much smaller than at opposition.

Rolando

Imaged on June 20 with AP130F6.3 EDF refractor, AP 2x Flat Field Barlow and QHY 5-II color camera. Approximately 3500 video frames stacked in Registax, double sized using drizzle. Seeing was iffy with Saturn being quite low to the horizon, and now much smaller than at opposition.

Rolando

Same equipment as the Saturn shot. Mars is now only 9.8 arc sec diameter and gibbous at 88% illumination. Stack of 4500 frames.

Rolando

Same equipment as the Saturn shot. Mars is now only 9.8 arc sec diameter and gibbous at 88% illumination. Stack of 4500 frames.

Rolando

Just playing around with my QHY-5II color camera. Video image of this double, separated by about 2.5 arc seconds each pair. Nothing spectacular, just a cool double-double.

Rolando