The Spaghetti Nebula and the Star Alnath
The Star Alnath (or Elnath), prominent in the bottom left, is the point of the right horn of the constellation Taurus and also a part of the Auriga Constellation. It
Fast and Wide
Astrophotographer (me) problems: Pixel Peeping. I’m finally finishing up my projects from the Winter in Marathon. I began SH2-240 ( often called the Spaghetti Nebula) thinking it would be my
The Seagull Nebula IC-2177
Data acquired from February 22, 2021 through March 8, 2021 in Marathon, Texas I’m happy to reveal the first mosaic image taken remotely out of my new Takahashi system. Learning
Just Like Watching Grass Grow
LIVE BEAN CAM! Throughout the month this tiny kidney bean will grow on camera. I’ll be posting the time lapse daily on our FB page if you are interested. Here’s
It’s a Bird!
I’ve always joked about this nebula being a bird, but I’m starting to see it! This is a three panel mosaic from my system in Marathon, Texas. On my old
Just Out of the Visible Spectrum
I’m having so much fun on my new (to me) telescope system. Not only is it FAST- it’s WIDE! Giant swaths of the sky are available with just one exposure.
Here’s to Perseverance
Today’s the day. Nasa’s new Mars rover touches down! Or- at least I hope it does in one piece. So many things have to go right (and not wrong) that
The Long Ride Home
Sleet, snow, ice, and freezing fog, Oh My! We have started our twenty hour, two day, trip home. It’s a LONG ride for sure… luckily we enjoy the company! Follow
All Systems Go!
To say that I’m excited would be an understatement. The upgrade in the observatory is proving to be a game changer. Extremely fast glass, giant sensor tech, and precision tracking
It’s All In the Details
You’ve heard it said. “It’s the little things”. And it really is. For me, little things add up to the big things. So how about another list of little things…
A 20 Hour Drive
We made it. The annual February maintenance trip to MaRIO is underway as we arrived early yesterday morning. We uninstalled two telescopes and then installed two new telescopes in the
Catching Photons
Twice a year, I drive out to Marathon Texas to maintain a telescope I’ve had the privilege of installing and controlling in the Marathon Remote Imaging Observatoy (or MaRIO). It’s
Grand Plans
Yes I did. I had grand plans. Recently I finished a five year project in Orion. On the way to completion I had many problems and failures. It took all of
Background Noise
Is there anything better than listening to a scheduled launch and it’s preparations? From the days of the space shuttle until now, finding a live launch (carried on major news
A tale of two LRGB filter sets…
Which filters should I buy? Which filters are right for my telescope? The simple answer is- it’s complicated. You’re going to need to do some research to find the best
Planets, planets, and more planets!
For the last few weeks I’ve enjoyed as much time in the driveway as the skies and my allergies would allow! It’s planetary season, and with it this year we
When Power Solutions Melt Down…
It’s going to happen… In this case, I purchased the Kendrick power box in 2015 and tonight in 2020, almost at Mar’s opposition for the year, it’s TOAST! It’s been
Is This Real Color?
I have had many folks ask me if the colors in my photos are real. I always explain the light/wave/spectrum concept, but never have I seen a more informative video
Project Orion: A 200 panel mosaic by Matt Harbison
Today is the day. Just like that, all the work is finished and it’s time to lift the veil. I keep waiting for this or that, but it’s time! Click
Continue readingProject Orion: A 200 panel mosaic by Matt Harbison
1 Million Views
That’s how many views this video should have… because it’s absolutely fantastic!
Clear Skies in Marathon Tonight…
If it’s clear, I’m imaging. The last few nights I’ve been imaging Messier 33. I’ve shot this galaxy several times, but I’ve never put the kind of time I’m adding
Recent APOD concerning Orion
After spending the last 5 years imaging the Orion Constellation, I’ve thought about this very topic at length. As we look up and see the asterism (an arrangement of stars
#ThreadripperIsAlive
I finally finished my computer I’ve been building over the last year, and maybe even more exciting, I used it to finish processing my GIANT mosaic. Here’s the build time
All Sky Cameras are LIVE!
You can find some of my all sky cameras installed all over the Southern United States, and I’ve finally made good on the promise to gather them together on one
ORION Luminance Test Complete
I’ve spent the last six years collecting data for this project. Amid the Covid closures, I’ve had many late nights compiling channel data for my massive mosaic and have just