Category: Astrophotography

The Twin Quasar

I mentioned in my other post about quasars that there was another project I wanted to work on. This is it. This is one of those images I did just to see if I could do it. The Twin Quasar was discovered in 1979 and is the first gravitationally lensed object identified, thus proving Albert Einstein’s prediction from his General Theory of Relativity. Einstein thought that humans would never be able to actually observe this effect, but it has now been observed numerous times.

The larger galaxy is NGC 3079, also known as the Phantom Frisbee Galaxy. It is located in Ursa Major about 50 million light years from Earth. However, that is nothing compared to the Twin Quasar, which is 8.7 billion light years out there. This is by far the farthest object I have knowingly imaged. The age of the solar system and our planet is around 4.5 billion years; the light that is captured from the Twin Quasar left before our planet even existed.

What looks like two stars is actually a quasar with a galaxy between it and our planet. The galaxy (designated YGKOW G1 and too dim to see in this image) is about 3.7 billion light years and the quasar is 8.7 billion light years. The effect is known as gravitational lensing, the warping of space-time as it passes massive objects.

Read more about gravitational lensing and at this link there is a Hubble Space Telescope image in which the galaxy causing the lensing can be seen.

Astrophotography Photography

Quasars, Galaxies and M97

For a long time I’ve been thinking about trying to capture a quasar. I finally found out how to get a couple of them, by imaging a galaxy in Ursa Major, NGC 4151. Quasars are extremely bright young galaxies, at the edges of the universe, so they are far out there. I don’t know exactly how far these two are, but over a billion light years for sure. Here’s a good link to read more about quasars.

The largest galaxy in this image is NGC 4151. I was able to find the quasars using images taken by other astronomers and the Simbad database. It is hard to comprehend the immensity of all this. In fact, I think it is impossible. I may have reached the limit of my C8 as far as distant objects go, but I have another project in mind that may work out someday.

While waiting for NGC 4151 to rise, I took about 2 hours of the Owl Nebula, M97. A planetary nebula by the Big Dipper, it is one of the biggest and brightest.

NGC 3180, the Little Pinwheel Galaxy, also in Ursa Major. I’ve done this one before so I just added the data to what I already had. The bright yellow star above the galaxy is magnitude 6.5, so it would not be visible to the unaided eye.

The Kit Fox again. I think the fleas in the den must be getting pretty bad. They spend a lot of time scratching.

Astrophotography Birding Photography

At the Kit Fox Den Again and a Visit to Another Galaxy

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date March 2, 2022
2 Comments on At the Kit Fox Den Again and a Visit to Another Galaxy

Here it is, March 2, the day of the new moon and all I get is clouds. I’ve only had two good nights for astrophotography so far. At least the area got a little rain, 1/4 to 1/2 inch around the area. The biggest bird excitement was a Laughing Gull at Lake Ajo. Some birders came over from Tucson and for at least one it was an Arizona life bird. I’ve never seen one in Arizona myself. This afternoon I was passing by the Kit Fox den and saw two of the foxes outside taking a nap.

Both of the Kit Fox were pretty much sound asleep when I first got there. I just sat in the truck and watched.

I don’t think they ever sleep too long before getting up and looking around.

One spent quite a bit of time grooming the other.

Time for a good scratch too. One of the foxes then went to the den and appeared to be listening for something down in the hole. Could be pups in there!

This is NGC 4725 in the constellation of Coma Berenices. It is the brightest member of the Coma group of galaxies. NGC 4725 is about 40 million light years from Earth, the smaller galaxy above is NGC 4712 and it is over 200 million light years distant. That’s a lot of miles!

The Laughing Gull at Lake Ajo (the sewage ponds). First one I’ve ever seen in Arizona.

Astrophotography Birding

Mid-February Report

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date February 14, 2022

As the title of this page may indicate, not much is going on. Some bird movement, mostly an increase in Sage Thrashers, is noted. The moon is approaching full phase now and of course it has been clear and calm every night. The weather has been warm, above 80 F. for the last few days. There is a group called the Boondockers that shows up here every winter. The campground was getting a bit crowded with them for the last couple of weeks but now most have left. It appears that Covid-19 has peaked in this area, according to the local weekly paper. Reported cases peaked at 74 the week before last, now it is dropping fast. I still remain Covid free.

A Sagebrush Sparrow. There are some around this winter but not in the numbers I’ve seen in past years.

NGC 3344, also known as the Sliced Onion Galaxy. 22.5 million light years away in the constellation Leo Minor. There are a couple of tiny background galaxies below the brightest star that are reported to be over 700 million light years distance. As always, right click on the image and open in a new window for a larger image.

Astrophotography Birding Photography

Fox Fur and Cone Nebula

The few nights I’ve had for astro I’ve been concentrating on two nebulas that are actually connected but too big for me to fit in the frame using the C8. Once I collect more light on the Fox Fur Nebula, I’m going to try to create a panorama with the two images. It has been frustratingly cloudy, windy, or very poor atmospheric seeing. Birding hasn’t been much better. As always, images can be opened in a new window or tab to see a larger image.

This is the Fox Fur Nebula, also known as the Christmas Tree Cluster, NGC 2264, Cone Nebula, and other designations. The parts make up the whole. It is located in the constellation Monoceros. I have about two hours of exposure so far.

The Cone Nebula. I have about 7 hours on it now. I don’t know what these are going to look like if I can combine them. There are two bright stars in the upper left, one yellow and one blue. The same stars can be seen in the Fox Fur Nebula image above, on the upper right.

I mostly did this just to see if I could. The Dusty Hand Galaxy is a very small and faint, only about 3 arc minutes in diameter. But I did manage to capture enough detail to see “the hand”. Designated NGC 2146, it is located in the constellation Camelopardalis close to Polaris, distance around 70 million light years.

One of two Long-eared Owls I’ve been seeing in The Thicket. They are very well concealed.

Astrophotography Birding Photography

A Fox in a Tree

This morning I was in The Thicket looking for owls. I found the two Long-eared Owls that I’ve been seeing. Then I saw something I’ve never seen before, a Gray Fox in a tree. I’ve read many times about Gray Fox climbing trees but this is my first experience at seeing it. I went back later in the day hoping it would still be there and in better light, but it was gone.

Gray Fox on a large, horizontal branch of a mesquite. I would guess it was about 15 feet above the ground.

A Mexican Duck that showed up at the ponds a few days ago. I’ve seen this species here before but only once or twice, I think.

This is my current astro project, the Cone Nebula. I’m doing this with the C8 and since it is a very faint nebula, it will take a lot of time. I think it is looking good so far. The cone is formed from cold molecular hydrogen and dust in front of a faint emission nebula containing hydrogen ionized by a bright star.

Astrophotography Birding Photography

Hints of Spring

I know it is only January but here in the Sonoran Desert, there are hints of spring already. Yesterday, I stopped at the ponds in the late afternoon and just after sunset I saw a Lesser Nighthawk foraging over the water. There are more flycatchers of every species now. Where there was one Black Phoebe, now there are two or three. I’m seeing more Ash-throated Flycatchers everywhere I go. The moon has been bright and the nights fairly cloudy but soon I will be able to do astro again, hopefully in the next few days.

M81, a large and bright galaxy near the Big Dipper. I have done this before, this time I added five hours of exposure to what I had taken last winter.

I’ve seen two Sage Thrashers in the last week. Here’s one of them, checking me out from the cover of a creosote bush.

This male Phainopepla cooperated for a nice photo out at Highway Tank.

A couple of nights ago I went out to the Barn Owl hole to see if I could get a photo when they emerged for the night. That didn’t work out, they just flew out and away. I was hoping they would land and look around for a while first. On my way back to town, I saw this Great Horned Owl perched on a El Paso natural gas line marker. I took this photo in the headlights with flash.

Astrophotography Birding

January in the Sonoran Desert

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date January 5, 2022
4 Comments on January in the Sonoran Desert

Hard to believe it is already January and it sure feels like it. By Sonoran Desert standards, it has been cold. Temperature dropped well into the 20’s two nights in a row. To make matters worse for me, this is the period when I should be doing astrophotography, but it has been cloudy every night until just a few nights ago. Now I only have a couple more nights before the moon starts getting too bright. I hope next month is better! The Ajo Christmas Bird Count was yesterday and joined in on that. Otherwise, not much has been going on.

Here’s my annual Black-throated Sparrow photo.

Costa’s Hummingbird at the Cabeza Prieta NWR headquarters, someone has put out a hummingbird feeder there.

NGC 1300, a galaxy about 61 million light years away in the constellation Eridanus. I took a lot of exposure and added it to what I had from last year.

The Medusa Nebula. I have never tried this one before. It was once thought to be a supernova remnant, but recent research proved it to be a planetary nebula. It is a very faint nebula located in the constellation Gemini. This is about 5 hours of exposure with the C8.

Astrophotography Birding Photography

Some Ajo Birds

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date December 19, 2021

It has finally turned more winter-like. After the last rain, there is enough moisture for dew and now it is cold enough for frost, so I have a frosty windshield most mornings. The cold further north has moved birds this way. A nice flock of Horned Larks showed up at the golf course along with a Mountain Bluebird. More ducks at the ponds and an occasional Ring-billed Gull, but nothing very exciting, except for a Canada Goose that appeared one day. Some birders from Tucson were going to drive out for that but it was gone the next morning.

I got very close to this Red-naped Sapsucker that was feeding on palm fruits.

This ranks right up there with my best ever Crissal Thrasher photos.

Gilded Flicker in nice light. This time of the year the sun is low enough all day so I can avoid the harsh light that is present most of the year by mid-day.

Another photo of the Ruddy Ground Dove, I think this is my best yet.

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher in winter plumage.

I reworked this image and cropped some of the surroundings out to put more emphasis on “the hand”. The Helping Hand Nebula.

Astrophotography Birding Photography

Ruddy Ground Dove and some Astro

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date December 5, 2021
1 Comment on Ruddy Ground Dove and some Astro

A Ruddy Ground Dove had been reported at the Ajo plaza about a week ago, but yesterday was the first time I saw it. This is the second Ruddy Ground Dove I’ve ever seen and the only female. This morning I went back and got some pretty good photos of it. I’ve been doing quite a bit of astrophotography with the 500 f4. I quit working on the really faint ones for a while and back to some bright and easy ones. I am looking forward to the galaxy season coming up when I can go back to using the C8.