My old friends M36, M37 and M1

 Since I sold my house in 2020 (big regret), I haven't got any chance to look wonderful winter sky. Mainly because I am too close to Hwy 101, lots of pollution. Tonight, I escape to my Gilroy place to enjoy winter sky.

1. Open cluster M36, all B-type young start, looks cold as winter's night

2. Open cluster M37, B-type stars mixed with a dozen red giant, as ruby mixed with diamonds

3. Famous M1, supernova remnant, west of Tauris tau, little over 8 mag, can be easily seen. first time observed in 2013 used my 16" reflector

4. Orion nebula, so beautiful, you can beat it! 

  

Study around Pegasus

 1. M15 globular cluster drew my interest because it contains a planetary nebula Pease1. M15 is easy target, simply extends Baham & Enlif, however, Pease1 took quite an effort and finally I give up

2. NGC 7331 is relatively easy to find due to its small surface area, 9.5 magnitude, the real challenge is to spot other group members

Archer's bow meets with Ecliptic

 M8, M20, M21, M28, M22

It has been a long time since I observed the Sagittarius area at Dunford. Today the teapot is still behind my neighbor's building until about 10 o'clock.

My first target is the long coveted Lagoon nebula, M8, which is roughly equidistance as opposite of Sigma to Lambda. I saw apparent nebulosity around the area about half a degree with open cluster NGC 6530 on the side. Going northwest about 1.5 degrees, Trifid nebula is an easy target, 

Continue going north is the open cluster M21, 

The next area of interest is around Lambda, 0.8 degrees northwest is the M28, 

Going northeast until meet the line extend Tau & Sigma, the magnificent M22 locates. It overwhelms M13 if it locates at zenith I believe.

Oops! it passes 11, I have enough! tata!

P.S. I was wondering why everything looks dime until I realize I forget to remove mirror clip in front😡 

P.S. I dig out a OIII filter, seeing Lagoon and Trifid through OIII filter are just amazing!

 Revisiting M13, M31, M110, M20, M107, NGC6366, IC4604, M14, M4, M80, M5

M4 is an easy target, right below Scorpion alpha and sigma, but is one of the splendid globular cluster

Going other side of sigma, we see M31, tight and dim

Tour of globular cluster

 M29, M27, M71, M11, M26, M107, M12

My first astrophotographic attempt

After acquired AP1200 DMA, I decide to try to see how good it was. It was a little bit chill yesterday night, I setup my whole rag and wait for night.

Telescope: Meade SN10, f4.0, schmidt newton reflector.
Camera: Canon 350D
Mount: AP1200 DMA
Target: whirlpool galaxy

Things I should do: prepare a focusing mask like bahtinov mask, choose a moonless night, better balance the mount.

Following is the 30 secs unguided photo

My First Picture

I was planning to start my astrophotography hobby long time ago, there are lots of reasons for me to postpone, lack of time and equipment, wife not like it. etc. until this weekend ...

I happen to find a bargain of used AP 1200 equatorial mount, it has tracking problem. This weekend, my wife went with her women's group to santa cruz, so I can concentrate to fix my mount, it just need a new stepper motor driver chip!

The tracking is dead on! use 500x eye piece, the star is freeze for at least half hour. My first picture use Canon 350d is Epsilon Cygni, why it is so particular? because its Chinese name 天津，my home town

After Cygnus, constellation you can miss is Lyra, double-double is the one we definite want to picture