Chris Smart

Chris Smart

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From Deep Space to Near Earth, by Chris Smart

The following shots are from my single shot astrophotography selection. With all the latest free stacking downloads that are available to get these days, getting decent images using short exposures in light polluted areas is becoming a little easier. Personally I have had varying degrees of success and still opt for single frame long exposures from a dark site. I'm sure these shots could be improved by staking multiple images collected over different evenings, but I guess I'm a bit old school and I like to see my results on the night, each to their own. I hope these shots show just what can be achieved using long exposures from a dark site. Constructive criticism is always welcome and appreciated.

Milkyway 1

14th June 2021 Fairlight firehills over looking the English Channel. 8 x 60 seconds shots, IDO 1600 f/3.5 Canon 700D stacked Vixen Polarie to eliminate star trails
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Milkyway 2

14th June 2021 Fairlight firehills over looking the English Channel. 8 x 60 seconds shots, IDO 1600 f/3.5 Canon 700D stacked Vixen Polarie to eliminate star trails
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C/2020 F3 Neowise
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C/2020 F3 Neowise
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Noctilucent Clouds
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Milkyway La Palma

Reprocessed
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Milkyway La Palma

Reprocessed
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M8 NGC6523 Lagoon Nebula
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M20 Trifid Nebula
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M45 Pleiades
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M17 Swan Nebula
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C34
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C14 NGC869/884

The Double Cluster
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Horse head and Flame Nebula

This one of my early shots taken at Latchendon, January 2013 of the Horse head Nebula and was captured with my Canon 500d, a 10 minute single frame at 800 ISO using my 150mm Sky Watcher using my 80mm Sky Watcher piggy back as a guiding scope for my Synguider. I also use a Lumicon Deep Sky filter to help with any light pollution. Hoping to revisit this shot again with the Canon 700D for around 20 minutes soon if conditions behave!
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Horse head and Flame Nebula 2

This monochrome version of the Horse Head Nebula was taken more recently at Latchendon February 2017 with my Canon 700D using my 80mm Sky Watcher, utilising my 150mm Sky Watcher as the guide scope for the Synguider. This a 20 minute single shot, with a Deep Sky Lumicon filter.
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The Lagoon Nebular

The Lagoon Nebular, Messier 8 taken at Herstmonceux September 2013 using the Canon 500D at 800 ISO. Just a 6.5 minute shot, using my 150mm Sky Watcher using my 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider. A must to be tried again for around 15 minutes, but a difficult shot to get at that time of the year due to the position by the time it gets dark!
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Messier 13

Messier 13 in Hercules. A single 6 minute taken at Latchendon shot using my 150mm Sky Watcher using my using the Canon 700D at 800 ISO and piggybacking the 80mm as a guiding scope for my Synguider. Please note NGC 2607 located at about 30 million light years from earth!
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The Swan Nebula

The Swan Nebula, Messier 17, taken September 2015 at Herstmonceux using the Canon 500D at 800 ISO and my 150mm Sky Watcher and the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider. Just a 4 minute shot, need to revisit and try for a 15 minute shot but another difficult shot to get at that time of the year due to the position by the time it gets dark!
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The Triffid Nebula

The Triffid Nebula, Messier 20, taken September 2013 taken at Herstmonceux. A 6.5 minute shot with my 150mm Sky Watcher using my using the Canon 500D at 800 ISO and the 150mm Sky Watcher piggybacking the 80mm as a guiding scope for my Synguider. To be tried again for a longer exposure sometime using the Canon 700D this time.
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The Dumbbell Nebula

The Dumbbell Nebula, Messier 28 taken from Hornchurch. A single 8 minute shot, using my 150mm Sky Watcher using my 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider. Lumicon Deep Sky filter used.
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Messier 33 Triangulum Galaxy

Messier 33 Triangulum Galaxy, a 14 minute shot using my 150mm Sky Watcher and my Canon 500D at 800 ISO. The150mm Sky Watcher piggybacking the 80mm as a guiding scope for my Synguider. Need to try for 20 minutes with my 700D
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Messier 42

Messier 42, The Orion Nebula plus the Running Man, November 2017. A single 10 minute image taken at Latchendon shot using my 150mm Sky Watcher using my using the Canon 700D at 800 ISO and piggybacking the 80mm Sky Watcher as a guiding scope for my Synguider.
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Messier 45

Messier 45 The Pleiades, A single 11 minute shot taken at Latchendon shot using my 150mm Sky Watcher using my using the Canon 700D at 800 ISO and piggybacking the 80mm Sky Watcher as a guiding scope for my Synguider.
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Messier 51

Messier 51, The Whirlpool Galaxy. March 2013 my 150mm Sky Watcher using my using the Canon 500D at 800 ISO and the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking the as a guiding scope for my Synguider, a 15.5 minute shot. To be tried again using the 700D for 20 minutes
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Messier 81 & 82

Messier 81 & 82. A single 18 minute shot taken at Latchendon November 2017, shot using my 150mm Sky Watcher using my using the Canon 700D at 800 ISO and the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider.
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Messier 65 & 66 NGC 3628

Messier 65 & 66 NGC 3628, the Leo Triplet. April 2014, a 10 minute shot. Using the 150mm Sky Watcher using my using the Canon 500D at 800 ISO and the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider. To be improved by the Canon 700D for 20 minutes
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Messier 101

Messier 101 Pinwheel Galaxy, a 17 minute shot, March 2013. Using the 150mm Sky Watcher using my using the Canon 500D at 800 ISO and the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider. To be tried again using the 700D for 20 minutes
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NGC 6960

NGC 6960, The Witches Broom, western side of The Veil Nebula. A single 20 minute shot taken at Herstmonceux September 2016 using my 150mm Sky Watcher and the Canon 700D at 800 ISO, the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider.
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NGC 6992

NGC 6992, Network Nebula, eastern side of The Veil Nebula. A single 25 minute shot taken at Latchendon September 2016 using my 150mm Sky Watcher and the Canon 700D at 800 ISO, the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider.
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NGC 2244

NGC 2244 The Rosette Nebula, February 2014, 12 minute shot. Using the 150mm Sky Watcher and my Canon 500D at 800 ISO and the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider. Shot taken at Latchendon. To be tried again with the 700D for 20 minutes
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NGC 7635

NGC 7635 Bubble Nebula and M52, September 2015, 10.5 minute shot taken at Latchendon. 150mm Sky Watcher using the Canon 700D at 800 ISO and the 80mm Sky Watcher piggybacking as a guiding scope for my Synguider. Could try for longer, 20 minutes
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Lunar Eclipse montage 1

Lunar Eclipse montage 1. Taken at Billericay, 28th September 2015
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Lunar Eclipse montage 2

Lunar Eclipse montage 2. Taken at Billericay, 28th September 2015
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Solar partial Eclipse 1

Solar partial Eclipse 1. Taken at Skegness, 20th March 2015
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Solar partial Eclipse 2

Solar partial Eclipse 2. Taken at Skegness, 20th March 2015
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Aurora Borealis 1

Aurora Borealis 1. Taken in Finland, November 2016. Canon 700D 4 seconds, ISO 6400
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Aurora Borealis 2

Aurora Borealis 2. Taken in Finland, November 2016. Canon 700D 4 seconds, ISO 6400
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The Milky Way

Milky Way over La Palma, July 2016. Canon 700D, attached to the Vixen Polarie Star Tracker, 2 minutes at f/3.5 ISO 1600
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The Milky Way

Milky Way over La Palma, July 2016. Canon 700D, attached to the Vixen Polarie Star Tracker, 3 minutes at f/3.5 ISO 1600
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The Milky Way

Milky Way over La Palma, July 2016. Canon 700D, attached to the Vixen Polarie Star Tracker, 3 minutes at f/3.5 ISO 1600
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The Summer Triangle

Summer Triangle over Tenerife, October 2016. Canon 700D, attached to the Vixen Polarie Star Tracker, 3 minutes at f/3.5 ISO 1600
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