Astrophotography

Astrophotography

Here's a selection of my main Astrophotography pictures. Most of these were taken with Lancaster University Astronomy Society's RedCat51 telescope. I process all these pictures myself with Siril software, and further post-process them using GraXpert, StarNet and Adobe Photoshop.

Pacman nebula
Image of the Pacman Nebula (NGC 281) taken with a 3hr 40min exposure using LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope, and processed in Siril. I later removed stars using StarNet.
Andromeda Galaxy
Image of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) taken with 2.5hrs exposure using LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope, and purely processed in Siril. My favourite astrophotograph so far!
Soul Nebula
Image of the Soul Nebula (IC1848/Westerhout 5) taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope and processed in Siril, GraXpert and StarNet - with only a 15min exposure!
California Nebula
Image of the California Nebula taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope, and processed in Siril with a 1hr 48min exposure.
Moon!
Image of the Moon, taken by holding up a mobile phone camera to the Liverpool Astronomical Society's 12" Meade SCT on a particularly clear night.
Horsehead and Flame Nebulae
Image of the Horsehead and Flame Nebulae taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope, and processed in Siril with a 55min exposure.
Fireworks Galaxy and NGC 6939
Image of the Fireworks Galaxy and the nearby star cluster NGC 6939. Taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope, and processed in Siril with only an 18min exposure. The Fireworks Galaxy is the most distant object I have photographed at 22.5MLyrs away!
Image of the Aurora
The Northern Lights visible in the UK on the 11/10/24, from the roof of Lancaster University's Physics Department.
Image of John and the Aurora
Myself silhouetted against the Northern Lights, taken on the 11/10/24 in Bailrigg.
Image of the LU campus and the Aurora
The Northern Lights visible in the UK on the 11/10/24, from the roof of Lancaster University's Physics Department.
Mars
Mars, taken by holding my phone camera up to the Liverpool Astronomical Society's 12" Meade SCT on a very clear night. Some ice caps and surface detail are visible.
North American and Pelican Nebulae
The North American Nebula (NGC 7000 left-hand-side) and the Pelican Nebula (IC 5070 right-hand-side) taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope and processed in Siril, GraXpert, and StarNet.
Flaming Star Nebula (IC-405).
A 2hr 30min exposure of the Flaming Star Nebula (IC-405). Taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope on the 13/12/25.
Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237)
A 2hr 20min exposure of the Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237). Taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope on the 20/11/25.
Bode's Galaxy (M81, centre), the Cigar Galaxy (M82, top-right), and the NGC 3077 elliptical galaxy (lower-right).
A 3hr 5min exposure of Bode's Galaxy (M81, centre), the Cigar Galaxy (M82, top-right), and the NGC 3077 elliptical galaxy (lower-right). Taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope.
Jupiter
Jupiter, taken by stacking several-hundred sub-exposures, using an 11" SCT. Ganymede is faintly visible in the top-right.
The Sun, taken with a Coronado Solar telescope.
The Sun, taken with a Coronado Solar telescope.
Tadpole Nebula (IC-410)
A 2hr 30min exposure of the Tadpole Nebula (IC-410). Taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope on the 13/12/25.
The Pleiades (M45).
The Pleiades (M45), taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope and processed in Siril, GraXpert and StarNet.
The Pleiades (M45)
The Veil Nebula Complex, showing the Eastern Veil Nebula (top, NGC 6992), Western Veil Nebula (bottom-left, NGC 6960), and Pickering's Triangle (centre-left, NGC 6974). Taken with LUAstro's RedCat51 telescope.

You can view the rest of my astrophotography HERE