#SeeStar

Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-13

Last image of the morning by the s50. Here is .

IC 2574 Coddington's Nebula Galaxy - telescope processed image.  Despite being called a "nebula" historically, IC 2574 is actually a dwarf spiral galaxy and a member of the M81 Group, located 12 million light-years away.IC 2574 Coddington's Nebula Galaxy - unprocessed image.   Its irregular shape is dominated by massive "super-shells" of gas—gigantic bubbles blown outward by intense supernova explosions and stellar winds.
Bubulcus & Bolotasbbcamping@pixelfed.social
2026-02-13
Look up to the sky…
even when the clouds insist on stealing the stage.

Here’s a photo we captured last year under clearer, kinder skies: Messier 78 (M78 / NGC 2068), where starlight drifts softly through veils of cosmic dust in a quiet corner of Orion. While this beginning of the year has been ruled by storm after storm, this image is a gentle reminder that the universe is always there, waiting patiently above us.

#LookUp #Orion #Astrophotography #DeepSky #ReflectionNebula #NightSky #Stargazing #Astronomy #SpaceLovers #DarkSky #Camping #CampingInPortugal #Alentejo #Seestar
Astrophotography image of Messier 78 (M78 / NGC 2068), a reflection nebula in Orion. Two bright, glowing clouds of bluish-white light sit near the center and lower left of the frame, surrounded by soft amber and brown dust lanes. A dark ribbon of interstellar dust cuts across the brighter central glow. The background is filled with numerous small, sharp stars scattered across deep space, creating a rich and textured night sky. Taken with Seestar at Bubulcus & Bolotas.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-13
NGC 2903 Galaxy - telescope processed image.  Despite being one of the brightest barred spiral galaxies in the northern sky, NGC 2903 was strangely overlooked by Charles Messier in his famous catalog.NGC 2903 Galaxy - unprocessed image.  Located 30 million light-years away, it closely resembles our Milky Way with its central bar and sweeping arms, but features a much more active star-forming core.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-13
IC 447 Nebula - telescope processed image.  This reflection nebula glows with a distinct blue hue as it scatters the light of nearby massive, hot stars in Monoceros.IC 447 Nebula - unprocessed image.  It is a key part of the Monoceros R1 association, a busy star-forming region filled with dark dust lanes and young stellar objects.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-13

Good Friday morning. Starting to share some images from last night. Starting with observations from the s50, here is / - .

M35 / NGC 2168 - Shoe-Buckle Cluster - telescope processed image.  M35 contains several hundred stars across 24 light-years, located about 2,800 light-years away in the constellation Gemini.M35 / NGC 2168 - Shoe-Buckle Cluster - unprocessed image.  It sits right next to NGC 2158, a much older, denser cluster that appears smaller and yellower due to its vast 12,000 light-year distance.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-13

Good Thursday evening. Seems that it will be a great evening tonight. Setting up my telescopes. From right to left - , and .

Setting up my stable of telescopes in the backyard for this evening.

M42, the Orion Nebula. Captured on a SeeStar s50 in Mosaic Mode. LP filter on, 17 minutes, alt/az mode. #SeeStar #SeeStarS50 #M42 #OrionNebula #Astronomy

Reprocessing a pretty friend: M 42, the Orion Nebula. Also pictured are M 43, De Mairan’s Nebula, and NGC 1977, the Running Man Nebula. 2.5hrs, #Seestar S50 🔭 🧪 Siril, SyQon Starless, Veralux Hypermetric Stretch, Cosmic Clarity denoise and sharpening, GIMP

A frothy pink nebula that looks like the skirt of a dancer is a centered on anblack background dotted with stars. Near the top of the frame is a small bluish purple nebula that looks like a yeti or bigfoot silhouette seen through fog.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-09

Next up on this morning observations is .

M64 The Black Eye Galaxy - telescope processed image.  It features a massive, dark band of crushing dust in front of its bright core, giving it a "Black Eye" or "Evil Eye" appearance.M64 The Black Eye Galaxy - unprocessed image.  The gas in its outer regions rotates in the opposite direction of the stars and gas in its inner regions, likely due to a past merger.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-09

Another re-imagining of (left to right) / .

M106 / NGC 4248 Galaxies - telescope processed image.  M106 is a "Seyfert galaxy" featuring an extra pair of glowing arms made of hot gas, likely created by a supermassive black hole's intense gravitational play.M106 / NGC 4248 Galaxies - unprocessed image. NGC 4248 is a "companion" galaxy to the larger M106; it is a small, irregular star-forming galaxy that appears as a fuzzy smudge nearby in deep-space photographs.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-09

Good Monday morning. Sharing results from last night. Here is a reimage of (from top to bottom) / / /

NGC 2071 / NGC 2067 / M78 / NGC 2064 Nebulae - telescope processed image.  M78 is the brightest diffuse reflection nebula in the sky, easily spotted in the constellation Orion.NGC 2071 / NGC 2067 / M78 / NGC 2064 Nebulae - unprocessed image.  It contains a cluster of newborn stars and several "Herbig-Haro" objects, which are jets of gas ejected by stars during formation.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-09
NGC 7023 The Iris Nebula - telescope processed image by the Odyssey Pro.   Unlike many red nebulae, the Iris is a reflection nebula. It glows a brilliant blue because fine dust particles scatter the light from a nearby massive star.NGC 7023 The Iris Nebula - telescope processed image by the Dwarf Mini.   The "petals" of the Iris span about six light-years across. These intricate folds are actually vast clouds of gas and dust being sculpted by intense stellar winds.NGC 7023 The Iris Nebula - telescope processed image by the s50.  Scientists have found polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) here—complex, carbon-based molecules that are essentially the "soot" of the universe.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-08

The Odyssey Pro is getting into the comparisons as well. Here is the .

The moon as seen by the Odyssey.  Ancient Egypt: The moon was linked to Thoth, the god of wisdom and magic. He was believed to be the "night sun," watching over the earth when the actual sun set.The moon as seen by the s50. A bit of pink hue due to the Moon and Sky Light Filter. Mayan Civilization: The Maya viewed the moon as a powerful goddess named Ix Chel. She represented fertility and medicine, governing everything from childbirth to tides.The moon as seen by the Dwarf Mini. Ancient Greece: They personified the moon as Selene, a titan who drove a silver chariot across the sky each night to pull the moon along its celestial path.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-08

Next up - . In the image for the Dwarf Mini’s is special guest .

M96 Galaxy - telescope processed image by the s50.  M96 is a "double-ringed" spiral galaxy. It features a bright inner ring of stars and a faint, sprawling outer ring made of gas and ancient starlight.M96 Galaxy - telescope processed image by the Dwarf Mini.  Its shape is noticeably lopsided. This asymmetry likely comes from the gravitational "tug-of-war" with its nearby galactic neighbors in the Leo I Group.M96 Galaxy - unprocessed image as seen by the s50.  At its center sits a supermassive black hole. Scientists estimate its mass is roughly 4.8 x 10^7 times that of our Sun—a truly cosmic heavyweight.M96 Galaxy - unprocessed image as seen by the Dwarf Mini.  Located about 35 million light-years away, M96 is the largest and brightest member of its group, outshining galaxies like M95 and M105.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-08

The s50 default image orientation is portrait, while the Dwarf Mini is landscape. The s50 is a 2 inch lense while the Dwarf Mini’s is a 1”. The Dwarf Mini has a wider field of view than the s50.

There are 17 galaxies in this area. Here is what each telescope sees.

S50 - / / / / /

Dwarf Mini - / / IC 3672 / M59 / NGC 4647 / M60 / / NGC 4660

M60 Galaxy area - processed image as seen by the Dwarf mini.  M60 is a massive elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster. It is famous for hosting one of the largest known black holes, with a mass approximately 4.5 billion times that of our Sun.M60 Galaxy area - processed image as seen by the s50. NGC 4647 This spiral galaxy is currently interacting with M60. While they appear to overlap, tidal forces are only just beginning to distort their structures as they commence a multi-million-year merger.M60 Galaxy area - unprocessed image as seen by the s50.  The Virgo constellation is a "cosmic downtown" home to over 2,000 galaxies.M60 Galaxy area - unprocessed image as seen by the Dwarf Mini.  The Virgo Cluster is so massive (1.2 quadrillion solar masses) that its gravity pulls our own Milky Way toward it. This phenomenon is known to astronomers as the "Virgocentric flow."
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-08

Next comparison - . In the Dwarf Mini’s image makes a guess appearance to the left of M95.

M95 Galaxy - telescope processed image by the s50. M95 is a stunning barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. Its central bar is surrounded by tight, circular arms filled with star growth.M95 Galaxy - processed image by the Dwarf Mini.  It’s a key member of the Leo I Group, a collection of galaxies that includes M96 and M105, all located about 33 million light-years away.M95 Galaxy - unprocessed image by the s50.  It’s a key member of the Leo I Group, a collection of galaxies that includes M96 and M105, all located about 33 million light-years away.M95 Galaxy - unprocessed image by the Dwarf Mini.  The galaxy features a prominent circumnuclear ring of star formation around its core, where gas is compressed to ignite bursts of new stars.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-08

Comparison time!!! Comparing images between the s50 and Dwarf mini. Taking the images with both telescopes working at the same time. Starting with . S50 images 1st and 3rd while Dwarf Mini are the 2nd and 4th.

NGC 1579 The Northern Trifid Nebula - telescope processed image by the s50.   It’s nicknamed the Northern Trifid because its dark dust lanes mimic the famous Trifid Nebula (M20), though it sits much further north in Perseus.NGC 1579 The Northern Trifid Nebula - telescope processed image by the Dwarf Mini.  Unlike many nebulae that glow on their own, NGC 1579 is a reflection nebula. It shines by reflecting the light of young stars off nearby dust.NGC 1579 The Northern Trifid Nebula - unprocessed image by the s50.  Inside the nebula lies McNeil's Nebula and young, massive stars (Herbig Ae/Be stars) that are still growing by pulling in surrounding gas.NGC 1579 The Northern Trifid Nebula - unprocessed image by the Dwarf Mini.   While it looks red like an emission nebula, the color actually comes from extinction: thick dust scatters blue light, leaving only the red behind.
Oskar Contrerastg8arc
2026-02-07

Last image of the morning for the s50. A view of .

NGC 5033 Galaxy - telescope processed image.  Its supermassive black hole is actually offset from the center of the galaxy, likely the messy leftover of a long-ago galactic merger.NGC 5033 Galaxy - unprocessed image.  It’s nicknamed the "Octopus" because its spiral arms are thin, warped, and sprawling, looking like tangled tentacles floating in deep space.

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