Astrophotography
The Great Hercules Cluster (M13) is a heroic sight even through binoculars or a modest telescope. In the pristine dark skies of the Methow Valley, you can even spot it with the naked eye—provided you know exactly where to look. I remember the first time I saw this object in a telescope and it looked […]
Galaxy season continues with a look at a trio of galaxies known as the Leo Triplet. A long integration and the dark skies of the Methow Valley allowed me to capture the subtle interactions of this galactic dance. From the “hamburger” galaxy (NGC 3628) you are able to see a stream of stars and gas […]
Spring is Galaxy Season for astrophotographers. As the equinox turns, our night sky faces away from the crowded disk of the Milky Way, peering through a clear ‘galactic window’ into the deep void. While our own galaxy is a tapestry of nebulae and dust, looking ‘up’ out of the plane reveals a riotous family portrait […]
Comets are rare cosmic interlopers from the outskirts of our Solar System that wander inward toward the sun like a dormant spirit seeking warmth, shedding its icy layers to reveal its luminous nature. We have been fortunate over the last decade to witness several visitors visible to the naked eye, including this emerald beauty: Comet […]
Deer hunters abound in the Methow Valley, home of the Dharma Project. One technique to attract game is to leave a salt lick and wait. That is exactly what is so compelling about astrophotography; I set my sights on a spot in the sky and wait patiently for the light to appear. The bonus this […]
A lunar eclipse is an event not to miss if you have clear skies. These occur when the Moon enters Earth’s shadow, transforming the familiar ivory disk into a deep, copper-red phantasm. Even though this post is published after the March 3, 2026 Lunar eclipse, this shot was taken last year when the moon went […]
The Witch’s Broom Nebula (NGC 6960), located in the constellation Cygnus, is part of the vast Veil Nebula or Cygnus Loop complex. This is a supernova remnant—the aftermath of a massive star that spewed its enriched material into the cosmic soup. You are looking at the western portion of this complex. The statistics are mind-boggling: […]
I remember the first time I saw the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) with my naked eyes. A fuzzy patch of sky, like a ghostly whisper in the night floating in the Andromeda constellation adjacent to Pegasus the flying horse. I could not fathom the idea that my eyes are catching photons that have travelled millions of […]
The Wizard Nebula is so named due to the likeness of a wizard bedecked with a robe, pointed hat and outstretched hands as if casting a spell. The spell worked because its hard not to be mesmerized by this deep sky beauty bathed in red and blue, lit by the cluster that is the source […]
The Dumbbell Nebula (M27) is a planetary nebula, so called due to its round shape and vibrant colors. It is not a planet, but a star that has run out of gas to burn, sluffing off its outer atmosphere and leaving a spinning white dwarf at its center. From two dimensions, it appears as a […]
