Camera Assisted Observing

Live stacks at the scope using very short sub exposures from my Bortle Red / White light pollution zone backyard.

Visual observations are difficult from my light polluted Bortle red/white zone backyard. Hence I mostly observe deep sky objects using live stacking software such as SharpCap to stack multiple short exposures in real-time while at the scope.

This differs from typical astrophotography in that exposure times are typically much shorter and there is no post processing of the images. Focus is on a live view of the object in lieu of using an eyepiece at the telescope for visual observing.

Equipment: SharpCap Pro, ZWO ASI290MM Camera and Celestron 8″ SCTs.

Showcase

  • Quad Lensed Quasar
  • Double Quasar

Galaxies in Collision

Local Neighborhood (Milky Way)

  • Flame Nebula
  • Horsehead Nebula
  • Intergalactic Wanderer
  • M33
  • Orion Nebula
  • M45
  • M16(Eagle)
  • Lagoon (M8)
  • M17 Swan
  • Blue Snowball

ARP Galaxies

Galaxies

Hickson Compact Groups

Abell Galaxy Clusters