A large blue swirl of a galaxy in the center with a number of red star forming regions with circular arms interacting with a smaller galaxy to the middle left of the image.

This is a close-up of M51, the iconic Whirlpool Galaxy interacting with its companion galaxy NGC 5195. I tested a new Spectral Pro filter from Leviathan Optical on this target and was pleased with the result. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/dzmjiz
#astrophotography

Bright oval shaped grand design spiral galaxy with arms above and below oval shape.

This is M81 in Ursa Major, captured with a new Spectral Pro hybrid filter that screens out most light pollution. M81 may be responsible for the new star formation in M82, the Cigar Galaxy, that I posted last week. #astrophotography More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/9g6z4e

Diagonal galaxy in center of image in white/blue, with bright red streamers in center at a 90 degree angle.

This is a starburst galaxy in Ursa Major, M82, often called the Cigar Galaxy. Another relatively close galaxy (M81, Bodes Galaxy) may be causing new star creation, evidenced by the bright red nebulae in the center of the image. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/d10bdp #astrophotography

A prominent horsehead figure in the center with a strong diagonal nebula flowing from lower left to upper right.

This Horsehead Nebula was captured with a dual band filter using the Hb and SII wavelengths. The result is more nuanced, showing more variation in detail and color in the nebulosity, and a more transparent central figure. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/e7iyaf #astrophotography

Bright circular planet with prominent horizontal bands.

Bright circular planet with prominent horizontal bands and bright red spot in lower left.

Jupiter is very well placed in the evening sky right now, and seeing improved last night, so I captured these two images of Jupiter about two hours apart. It illustrates how fast Jupiter rotates. #astrophotography Technical details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/n7sx4x

Two bright concentrations of stars, one in the center and a smaller one in the lower right.

These are two open clusters in Gemini, M35 and NGC2158. NGC2158 initially looked like a globular cluster to me, but is actually an open cluster. #astrophotography
More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/fgfeia

Bright red diagonal nebula on top half with prominent dark horsehead figure in the center.

In order to tease out more detail in the dark and emissions nebulas, I added 4 hours of exposures with a SII/Hb filter to the 8+ hours of exposures with the HA/OIII filter on this iconic target, the Horsehead and Flame nebulas. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/0qmoek #astrophotography

The dramatic yet subtle details of many of my astro images emerges when they are presented without stars and in black and white. I hope you enjoy this short video of some of my favorites. #astrophotography

Tilted image of Jupiter with bands running from upper left to lower right, with the bright red spot on the lower left, the shadow of Europa in the center right and the bright Europa outside and at the lower right of the image.

I captured this image of Jupiter with the Great Red Spot and Europa and its shadow last night by stacking 2242 frames (10%) of a three minute video with the 180mm Maksutov-Cassegrain. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/zg9ggo #astrophotography

Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC 2264) - AstroBin The initial image with the HA/OIII filter illustrates the Cone Nebula and the Christmas Tree cluster in the bright hydrogen alpha dominated red color, while the second image incorporates the SII/OIII ...

The Christmas Tree Cluster shines bright in this Hubble Palette inspired presentation. The dual narrowband filters enabled capturing the image over two nights with a full moon. app.astrobin.com/i/688c2h #astrophotography

I used Lucky Stack Worker to extract more detail and create a better color balance in this image of Jupiter from January 14th. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/xyy5pf #astrophotography

This is Jupiter last night (January 15, 2026) just a few days past its opposition when it is closest to the Earth. The air turbulence (seeing) was better than average allowing a decent image, and I am waiting for a night of excellent seeing to once again visit our Jovian neighbor. #astrophotography

Bright centered blue oval with two smaller reflection nebulas in lower right framed by a dense star field.

I first saw this reflection nebula IC 447 in Monoceros in a wide field image I took last year, and decided to use the AT115EDT with a crop to zoom in on it last night. Two other smaller reflection nebulas are also visible in the lower right corner.
app.astrobin.com/i/uef9q6 #astrophotography

Swirls of grey streams of nebulosity surrounded by a few stars and rich black background.

Image is centered on the runway star AE Aurigae, often referred to as the Flaming Star Nebula, possibly ejected from Orion 2.5 million years ago. The b/w version provides an optimal way of viewing the intricate details. More information in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/vwh9wp #astrophotography

This is a short video highlighting some of my favorite Astrophotography images for 2025. Happy New Year and I hope you enjoy! #astrophotography app.astrobin.com/i/ixv4k6

Will the Spider catch the Fly (IC417 and NGC1931)? This emissons nebula in Auriga captured my attention this week and I hope you ponder this age old question! More details in my gallery. #astrophotography

app.astrobin.com/i/41ya0r

Horsehead in profile with a bright blue green and beige nebula behind.

Horsehead in profile against bright red nebula in a half circular pattern above.

This wide field image of the iconic Horsehead and Flame nebulas in Orion, on left rendered in a SHO palette (Sulpher, Hydrogen, Oxygen), and on right a Hydrogen, Oxygen,captured with the 180mm APO and two dual band filters. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/65al2i #astrophotography

Blue nebulosity surrounding many stars forming an arrow like pattern pointing up in the image.

It is hard to ignore the Pleiades (M45) with the 40MM refractor. The iconic reflection nebula inspired the corporate logo for the Subaru automobiles, after the Japanese name for M45. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/urvcl7?r=B #astrophotography

Two circular forms on top right and bottom left of the image. On the top you can see a bright blue nebula with three prominent knots and a blue bow shock curving around the nebulosity with a hint of a red tail from the opposite side and a darker middle to the circular form. On the bottom left a blue circular marble looking form with some transparency in its middle.

These are two planetary nebula on the border of Cassiopeia, Abell 6 and HFG1, including 7 hours of exposures with a dual narrowband filter and the 115mm telescope. Details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/59wv4b #astrophotography

Diamond shaped darker form with strong dark shadows below and bright crater with rays outlining top of the diamond.

Full 70% illuminated lunar image. If enlarged you may see the lunar straight wall in the shadows in lower right side.

On the left is the diamond shaped raised area, Palus Somni, just above the Mare Tranquilitatis, where Apollo 11 landed in 1969. To the right is the 70% illuminated moon captured at the same time. The images were captured last night with short videos with a 115mm refractor. #astrophotography

Black and white lunar closeup with bright highlight X on top left and V on top right.

On the terminator tonight, if you look closely, you may see the Lunar X on the top left and the Lunar V on the top right. #astrophotography

Happy to see the return of Luna, Peter!

Red central circular figure with strands of nebulosity with a green/blue outline on left of the fgure.

This is the supernova remnant CTB1 in Cassiopeia, often called the Garlic Nebula, with 17 hours of exposures over 5 nights.
app.astrobin.com/i/w6q3wu #astrophotography

Dark edge-on rings of Saturn contrasting with brighter circular image.

Conditions were favorable last night to capture this image of Saturn with its edge on rings as part of a 15 year cycle. Details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/ugkow6 #astrophotography

Bright green comet on middle right of the image.

This is Comet C/2025 SWAN R2 from October 17th. It should be closest to earth this evening so it may be the best opportunity to see or image it. Details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/3zgswn #astrophotography

A darker red nebula in the shape of a V in the background with a lighter lizard shaped reflection nebula in the foreground.

These emissions and reflection nebulas in Lacerta are sometimes called the Lizard or Gecko nebula, Just over 11 hours of total exposure with two filters were used. You are invited to chase this cosmic lizard! More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/nezmt2
#astrophotography

Bright rays stretch out from two craters in top left with the tops of mountains stretching out in a curve on the right.

The Lunar ray system in the Copernicus/Kepler regions are composed of glassy impact generated particles that are highly reflective. Capturing them when they are illuminated overhead, near full moon, provides a particularly dramatic view. #astrophotography More details at: app.astrobin.com/i/hmxkbe

Saturn’s rings almost edge-on with partial dark shadow from Titan on top and a lighter circle marking the location of the moon Titan.

I captured this image of the last Titan transit of the year on October 5th with very good but not great seeing. This is one of 23 images that I may assemble into an animation. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/bdfx1sAn #astrophotography

Thanks, Bill. I was pleasantly surprised that the star forming regions are so visible without using a HA filter, while the faint color is still present.

Three spiral arms surround a bright core in this galaxy, with several purple areas of star formation throughout the image.

This is NGC 6946, a face-on spiral galaxy on the border of Cepheus and Cygnus. Ten supernovas have been detected in this galaxy over the last 100 years leading to its nickname, the Fireworks galaxy. More details in my gallery: app.astrobin.com/i/57inax?r=C #astrophotography