Photographs of
The Night Sky
by Martin J. Powell
Except where stated otherwise, the following astronomical photographs were taken using a standard 35mm format SLR camera, on ISO 200 film. All of the photographs have been contrast-enhanced using computer software. Click on a thumbnail to see a larger version.
Orion & its Neighbouring Constellations West Wales, November 1999 (53 KB) This two and a half minute exposure includes the easily identifiable constellation of Orion, and its neighbours Monoceros, Canis Minor, Lepus and Hydra. Arcing to the North and North-east of Orion are the zodiacal constellations of Taurus, Gemini and Cancer. The haze extending downwards to the left of Orion is a faint section of the Milky Way. The brightest star in the night sky - Sirius ( CMa or Alpha Canis Majoris) - is at the bottom of the picture. The ruddy hues of the red giant stars Betelgeuse ( Ori or Alpha Orionis) and Aldebaran ( Tau or Alpha Tauri) show well in this picture. A few star clusters and a couple of gaseous nebulae can also be seen. The photo contains six of the brightest stars in the night sky. The approximate field of view of the picture is 76 degrees wide by 50 degrees high (using a 24mm wide-angle lens). The faintest stars visible are around 6th magnitude (the approximate naked eye limit). For an annotated version of the photograph click here (83 KB). From the Southern hemisphere, looking Northwards, these constellations appear inverted (68 KB). |
Ursa Major & its Northerly Neighbours West Wales, November 1999, 2130 GMT (89 KB) The picture was taken looking Northwards from a rural location. Ursa Major (commonly known as The Plough or The Big Dipper) is seen low down in the sky along with its much less prominent neighbours Draco, Lynx, Camelopardalis and Ursa Minor. Draco and Camelopardalis are circumpolar from latitudes north of ca. 40º North and are visible all year round from these latitudes. Similarly, Ursa Minor (the 'Little Bear') is visible all year round from latitudes north of ca. 25º North. In Ursa Major, Mizar (UMa or Zeta Ursae Majoris) and Alcor (80 UMa) form a multiple star system. The two appear as a double star, separated by 11.8 mins of arc (0°.2), although this is a line-of sight effect and they are not a true binary system. Mizar, however, does have a genuine companion close by, but it can only be resolved in telescopes. For an annotated version of the photograph click here (81 KB). |
Comet Hale-Bopp from the Country Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, March 30th 1997, 2130 GMT (69 KB) One of the rare truly bright comets of the 20th century, Hale-Bopp graced our skies during the Spring of 1997. The comet was about 20 degrees high in the North-west, in the constellation of Andromeda. The photo was a 40 second exposure using a 70mm lens at f /3.5. The film used was ISO 400. [Click here for a detailed account of Comet Hale-Bopp's apparition.] |
Comet Hale-Bopp from the City Cardiff, Wales, March 31st 1997 (63 KB) Another view of Comet Hale-Bopp, this time taken from a city location. The extent of sky glow from the street lights of the nearby housing estate can clearly be seen. Despite the light pollution, it is possible to detect the two tails of the comet in this picture. The dust tail is the most obvious, curving slightly towards the upper right, and there is a much fainter, bluish-coloured gas tail, facing upwards at a much steeper angle. The picture was taken just 7 hours ahead of the comet's closest approach to the Sun (known as the perihelion). The photo was a 30 second exposure using a 50mm lens at f /3.5. The film used was ISO 400. |
Orion Rising West Wales, November 1999, 2130 GMT (85 KB) Orion rises in the East with the V-shaped Hyades cluster (in Taurus) above it. To its West are the constellations of Cetus and Eridanus. For an annotated version of the photograph click here (84 KB). Orion can also be seen rising on the dates and approximate local times shown in this table (7 KB). Orion reaches its highest point in the sky some six hours after it rises, when it crosses the observer's meridian (due South for Northerly latitudes; due North for Southerly latitudes). It sets in the West (103 KB) a further six hours later. |
Hale-Bopp: The Great Comet of 1997
Find Sagittarius in the Night Sky
The Cornwall Solar Eclipse of 1999
Copyright Martin J Powell 2001 - 2015
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