Author: Dave Hearn

  This is a large and fast moving comet. I saw significant movement during the two hour period in which I was capturing images. The comet appears to be about 7th magnitude – was able to pick it out with binoculars, but I did know its exact position. Image Info: Canon 60D at the prime focus of Read More …

  This is NGC 2362, an open cluster in Canis Major. The cluster has also been given the odd name of “The Mexican Jumping Star”. The bright star at the center is Tau Canis Majoris a 4th magnitude double variable star. It is an eclipsing binary, which means the two stars orbit around one another Read More …

                This is an image taken of Messier 81, a grand design spiral galaxy in Ursa Major. Also know as Bode’s Galaxy, this is one of the most impressive spiral galaxies in the sky. This island universe lies 12 million light years away from earth, so when we Read More …

This is a capture taken at the Observatory of the Flame Nebula, NGC 2024, in the constellation of Orion. The bright star in the image is Zeta Orionis, also known as Alnitak. This is the lowest star in the Belt of Orion. We had an optimally clear night last night (1/24/2017) so I couldn’t resist. Read More …

This is an image of Comet 45/P (The New Year’s Eve Comet) I captured from Kissimmee Park Observatory, with the 18″ KPO Reflector. The comet is not particularly bright at this point, although it compared fairly equally with the nearby 20 Capricornus, which shines at magnitude 6.3. Image Info: Canon 60D at the prime focus Read More …