Astrophotography Without a Telescope - 20

I enjoyed a great night at the MAS Stargard Observing Field recently, with 100% cloud-free sky! I was using the Polarie mount fitted to my Canon 60D camera and tripod.

This is a view of the Southern Milky Way:

60D 4x4min 50mm f5.6 ISO2500

The image shows the Southern Cross (centre), with the nearby Jewel Box NGC 4755; the Coalsack dark nebula; the constellation of Musca (left); and the Carina nebula NGC 3372 (Caldwell 99) (reddish nebula at bottom).  

The following image shows the Milky Way high in the sky at this time of year:

60D 50mm 3x30sec f2 ISO4000 DSS PS

It shows the complex light and dark nebulosities in the region of Antares (Scorpius) and Rho Ophiucus; and other rich starfields and dark gas/dust lanes near the heart of the Milky Way.

Earlier in the evening I caught the Moon and Venus in close proximity (about ten degrees of separation).

60D 1/3 sec 50mm f/4 ISO 2500 cropped.

All of these three images were taken with an Astronomik EOS Clip-Filter CLS-CCD fitted. It was the first time that I have used this filter and the results were an improvement in clarity!

Astronomik light pollution filter, which clips into the Canon EOS 60D camera.

Finally, here is an unspectacular but clear image of part of the constellation of Lyra:

60D 135mm 30 sec f/3.5 ISO 2500.

I know this is not a visually exciting image. It must be enlarged to view. The very bright star Vega (Alpha Lyrae) is just outside this starfield, to the lower left. Beta Lyrae, a double star is to the left and another double star is lower centre.

The purpose of this image, taken with my 135mm fixed lens, was to locate the famous Ring Nebula (M57) in Lyra and road test the performance of the light pollution filter as the camera was aimed northwards through the awful light pollution of Sydney.  

M57 is the light blue object in an approx. 2pm direction from the bright star in the centre of the image.

As expected the toroid shape of M57 is not distinguishable.  

I did also take some images with the 300D set up on a second tripod (no Polarie) but I haven't looked at them yet!