Featured Entries
Sketches of the Markarian's Chain and the Coma cluster
21/4/2012 - During this night the sky was particulary dark and transparent, and since the galaxy hunting season is at it's end - I spent some time observing galaxy clusters with my new Skywatcher 250mm Newtonian. These are drawings of the Coma Cluster, and Markarian's Chain along with Messier 87.
| Markarian's Chain | Coma Cluster | |
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Photos of Mars, Saturn and some Moon fragments
2/4/2012 - Several photos of Mars, Saturn, and some Moon fragments. They were made while testing the new Skywatcher BKP250 Newtonian telescope, during a night with moderate seeing (6/10). Photos taken with Canon EOS 500D DSLR, mostly at f/30. More photos from this session: Montes Harbinger sunset shadows, Sinus Iridium.
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Home-made dew control system
28/04/2011 - I've finished making my dew control system, which includes 4 heaters and a simple dew controller. Click on the image see an article about it.
Sketches of "Rosette" and "Pac Man" nebulae
21/11/2011 - Sketches of some star forming H-II nebulae regions - the Rosette and the Pacman. Observating session with 8" Newtonian was held at Negev desert, Israel.
| Rosette Nebula | Pac Man nebula | |
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Jupiter and io's shadow transit - timelapse animation:
22/10/2011 - Timelapse video of Jupiter's rotation, over a period of 2 hours.
A transit of Io and it's shadow is followed by GRS. Also the Callisto moon is visible. Video was taken from Rehovot city in Israel. Instruments: Canon 500D DSLR and 8" F/5 equatorial Newtonian. Seeing varied between fair to good (4..7/10).
Click on image to watch the animation, or see it in Youtube:
Jupiter and Moon photos:
13-20/10/2011 - New photos of Jupiter (with GRS and Ganymede) and moon fragments. Pictures taken during nights with moderate seeing from Rehovot city in Israel. Instrument: 8" F/5 newtonian and Canon 500D DSLR.
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More sketches and photos:
5/8/2011 - Results from last weekend's observations in Borot Lutz.
Sketches of North America nebula region, The Sculptor Galaxy, NGC 6781, etc
| North America Nebula | The Sculptor galaxy | NGC 6781 |
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Sketches: M13, M17 and B86:
06/5/2011 - Drawings of the Great Glubular Cluster in Hercules and the Swan nebula, made during observing session in Negev desert. The Inkspot nebula was sketched at july 1th, from the same location.
| Hercules Globular cluster | Swan Nebula | The Ink Spot nebula |
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Light Pollution map of Israel (3rd update):
Map of an artificial night-sky brightness over Israel, updated with 2009 data from DMSP satellite.
This map is a rough estimate of naked eye stellar visibility. (in Hebrew)
Photos of Vallis Schorteri and Saturn:
Photos of Saturn's storm, and Vallis Schrotes valley on the Moon. Made with Canon EOS 500D DSLR camera, and Orion 8" equatorial Newtonian.
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Sketches of Andromeda Galaxy, M35, and others:
2/12/2012 - These are results of my last observing session in Negev desert.
I've finally managed to sketch the Andromeda Galaxy (obvious target at this season),
as well as some other favorites of mine: M35 with it's partner, and maybe a little bit less familiar "Hickson 90" group of four faint galaxies in Pisces Austrinus.
| Great Andromeda Galaxy | open clusters | Hickson 90 group |
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Articles on upgrades of a Newtonian telescope:
These articles might be helpful in making some easy, yet effective upgrades to their Newtonians. They describe various tweaks I made to my Orion Skyview pro 8" telescope: Flocking the tube interior, attaching secondary mirror heater, rear cooling fan, making a simple Bahtinov focusing mask. Also a review of Skywatcher BKP250 Newtonian has been added.
Sketches of double stars in Cassiopeia region:
18/09/2010 - These sketches were made while observing through Orion 8" newtonian telescope from Rehovot city in Israel. It was a long time since I last sketched double stars. They are a good reminder that there is color in the universe hiding within the stars, and not everything is gray.
| Eta Cassiopeiae | Iota Cassiopeiae | Sigma Cassiopeiae |
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| Struve 163 (Cas) | Eta Persei | Iota Trianguli |
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Telescope calculator spreadsheet:
Some update and fixes to my telescope calculator, which can be used to calculate various parameters for telescope, eyepieces, and help in picking the right eyepiece. Also an eyepiece collection calculator separate file has been added.
Veil nebula sketch:
10/09/2010 - I've finally managed to sketch the eastern part of the great Veil nebula (NGC 6995 and NGC 6995 - one of my favorite deep sky objects). Sketch was made using Orion 8" Newtonian, at relatively dark observing site in Negev desert in Israel -
Inn 101.
