Jupiter near Opposition
Jupiter, the second-brightest planet after Venus, makes a splendid appearance in the night sky right now. On June 10, 2019, the giant gas planet will reach its yearly opposition, i.e. the planet is located opposite the Sun (with the Earth being between Jupiter and the Sun). Therefore, on and around June 10th, Jupiter will rise when the sun sets, will reach its highest point in the sky around midnight, and
The Sombrero Galaxy
For my first try at a galaxy I chose the Sombrero Galaxy (also known as M 104 or NGC 4594). This galaxy is located in the constellation Virgo and is some 31 million light-years away. I took this image in prime focus, i.e. I used an 8" refractor telescope with a focal length of 1600 mm as a "lens" on my modified DSLR. This image was taken at the Daniel
The Eagle Nebula
The Eagle Nebula (or IC 4703) is a diffuse emission nebula in the constellation Serpens, some 7000 light-years distant. The cluster of bright stars near the center of the image is called M 16 or NGC 6611. These young and hot stars illuminate the dark silhouette near the center of the nebula. This dark silhouette is also referred to as Pillars of Creation, after a famous photo taken by the
Omega Centauri
Omega Centauri (or NGC 5139) is the largest and brightest globular cluster in the Milky Way. It has a diameter of 150 light-years and contains some 10 million stars. This stellar beauty can be found in the Southern constellation Centaurus, and is even visible to the naked eye under dark skies.
Startrails
Startrails above the cordillera in the Cochiguaz valley. The image consists of 273 individual photos that were taken during two and a half hours and then digitally combined to produce the colorful arcs of the stars.
Landscape in Black & White
As I was planning to take black and white pictures, this time I was more than happy when some clouds appeared.
Colorful Swirl
Although this vivid swirl might remind you of a closeup of the cloud bands on Jupiter, I have to admit: This is not an astrophoto. Can you guess what it is?
Variations of a Flower
Those who know me are aware of my passion for creative flower photography. Here is a recent example. The first picture was set up and exposed in such a way, that there would be a strong contrast between the red flower and the intense white background. The second picture was shot as a double exposure, where I took two images that were then combined in the camera. The third and
All in One
This image not only portrays the band of the Milky Way, the planets Jupiter (bright round dot in the Milky Way) and Saturn (brighter spot in a straight line below Jupiter) and the zodiacal light (light pillar stretching from the horizon toward the Milky Way) but also a meteor (the longer straight line) and a brief flare of two satellites (the two tiny parallel lines). Featuring prominently in the