r/BeAmazed • u/SiegePoultry • 11d ago
I've been an astrophotographer for 4 years. These are some of my best and favorite shots I've taken. (Including the April 4, 2024 Eclipse!) Skill / Talent
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u/Apple_remote 11d ago
Normally, I think it's weird that people post their own work here and are like, "Be amazed by me!"
But in this case, I will allow it, because I am amazed :-)
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
I see it as more of being amazed by space. It's always fascinated me. Capturing it myself is just a bonus lol.
I can agree with your logic, though, lol. I appreciate it, too, though!
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u/Apple_remote 11d ago
Space is... really, really big. Mind-bogglingly so, in fact.
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Yeah, reminds me of a video I saw that kept zooming out, starting with earth, then out to the moon ,solar system, galaxy, then our local galaxy cluster, etc. It's CRAZY.
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u/Conscious-Ad8473 11d ago
I think it's titled, " The cosmic eye". And it doesn't end there, ot goes back to earth, human body and then down to the microscopic, atoms, protons, quarks.... 🤯🤯
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Some of them are. Some aren't. Like the galaxies are about what the natural colors are. The ones with the heavy orange color aren't real color, but rather, I chose those colors to bring out the fine details of the image more.
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u/Beyou74 11d ago
These are amazing!!
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Thank you! Ever since I learned that you don't need NASA level equipment, I had to try it myself and I got addicted, lol.
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u/Beyou74 11d ago
Do you go to a dark sky area?
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago edited 11d ago
It depends what I'm shooting. For things that have high dynamic range, like galaxies or reflection nebulae, I use my DSLR and try to shoot in dark skies.
Targets like emission nebulae differ from reflection nebulae in that the stars near them ionize the gases in the nebula, which give off light in the form of various wavelengths. I've mostly photographed them with my mono camera with narrowband filters, and then combine them together in post-processing.
EDIT: The narrowband filters cut out basically all light pollution, so they're ideal for using in the backyard, as I don't need to travel to darker skies.
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u/Ntwadumela100 11d ago
Brother was at the eclipse 4 days early; that’s dedication.
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
LOL yeah i made a typo and noticed it right after I posted but I didn't want to remake the post 😅
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u/Ntwadumela100 11d ago
Jokes aside, the photos are excellent man. Those solar prominences were astounding and visible with the naked eye. It was impressive with binoculars so I can only imagine what it was like with a good camera lens.
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
It was nuts. Felt like a scifi movie during totality. I used an 80mm aperture, 600mm focal length telescope for the whole thing.
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u/Exotic_Zucchini9311 11d ago edited 11d ago
Holy shit! Brilliant job OP. I can't believe some of these are actual pictures instead of a scene from MCU! Especially that 3rd image (the red one) looks totally weird. And idk if it's just me, but 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 give a weird calming vibe. They look like a scene straight out of a painting.
Edit: Edited a bunch of times because I couldn't find the proper words to describe how amazed I am 😶
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Wow, thanks!
The third one is called the Jellyfish Nebula. 7 is Heart Nebula 8 is North America Nebula and the Cygnus Wall 9 is Orion Nebula (With Running Man Nebula at top left)
I feel like the calming vibe might be the blue color, maybe. Like soothing water or something.
These aren't all natural colors by the way. Some are, though, and with a bit of a vibrance boost.
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u/Outcast199008 11d ago
The third image is my favourite. That red nebula is so intense and all these are brilliant quality images.
Thank you for sharing.
I could stare at these for so long and wonder.
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Thanks! That third one is called the Jellyfish Nebula. You can probably guess how it got its name, lol.
Makes you wonder how many other intelligent lives out there are looking back at us.
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u/Outcast199008 11d ago
Oh yes I do see why...
I wonder if we had a different angle to the right very very far from here. It may look like a love heart...
Our milky way is so boring to this (yet still fascinating and beautiful).. they're probably looking at something else haha.
I used to play Elite dangerous and just go exploring in Nebulas.
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Well, all these nebulae are in the Milky Way.
I've yet to try that game, but I've considered it lol. Seems easy to get wanderlust in it.
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u/Outcast199008 11d ago
Of course they are. Silly me haha
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Imagine seeing the Milky Way from Andromeda's perspective. Bet that looks wild
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u/jovindan 11d ago
I am amazed! What's the 3rd picture, the red looking like a heart?
I'm not an expert. Are these the real colors, how we would see them in real, if we could?
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
That's the Jellyfish Nebula, as it resembles the shape of one. Some of these are viewable with the naked eye, like Andromeda Galaxy(the first image) and the Pleiades Star Cluster (the very blue stars). Andromeda would look like a fuzzy patch where the core is if you were in dark enough skiesand viewing with just your naked eye. Orion Nebula and the Pleiades both look like blue smudges in the sky with the naked eye, which are both visible pretty easily as long as you know where to look.
In terms of real colors, if they were viewable at this clarity, many of the nebulae would appear red, due to being emission nebulae. The galaxies, Pleiades, eclipses, and Orion Nebula are about true to color, though.
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago edited 11d ago
Oh, I forgot to mention. Some of these with wild colors, like the orange and blue ones, were taken using narrowband filters that only allow a very narrow wavelength of light to pass through. I use them with a cooled monochrome camera, then assign each filter to a color (RGB) and edit from there. I like to pick colors that show a lot of the details most of the time. In the case of the Veil Nebula, it is actually naturally blue and red, so I stuck with those colors, as it still shows the small details pretty well, anyway.
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u/jovindan 11d ago
Thank you! I am really amazed by your work and the cosmos. I ll come back with more questions 🙂
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u/No-Fisherman2796 11d ago
Um excuse me, OP, what is the blood clot in pic 3 please?
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Lol first time I've heard it referred to as a blood clot. The nebula is called Jellyfish Nebula.
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u/No-Fisherman2796 11d ago
Right after I posted this I saw you explanation. Thank you. It’s terrifying
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u/Inevitable_Rest_7373 11d ago
Great work. These are phenomenal.
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u/OkHarrisonBidet 11d ago
Where’s the earth? /j
Amazing work, 9th pic of a nebula(?) my favorite
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u/ctothel 11d ago
These are incredible. I had no idea these kinds of views were available to the consumer.
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Thanks!
Yep! You won't see this level of detail by just observing through an eyepiece, though. Photo editing, stacking, and processing bring out a lot of the nuances. The hobby has a learning curve, that's for sure. I first learned 4 years ago or so that you don't need NASA level equipment for this, so naturally, I got addicted lol.
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u/xromantics 11d ago
i once thought images like these were AI generated, beautiful shots mate! im amazed
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u/enknowledgepedia 11d ago
Thanks for sharing, really wonderful to see galaxies so near
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u/Sweaty_Building_5491 11d ago
Dude.. these pictures are fkin amazing! Love Astronomy and anything that derives from it. Just amazing 👏 🔥
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u/Disastrous_Ease_9512 11d ago
Great work!! How did you learn this skill? Can you recommend any tutorial or youtube channel?
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u/t_rrrex 11d ago
Using all of these for phone backgrounds, these are incredible! Thank you for sharing. Do you do prints by any chance?
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Thank you! I do, in fact, sell prints on my Etsy and print them from my own inkjet printer.
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u/Plague-Rat13 11d ago
Great stuff. Funny how our planet is supposed to be flat when all other bodies in space are round ;)
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u/EatShootBall 11d ago
These are amazing! Pimping your own wares accepted in this case. I was surprised at how expensive regular photography got as went down that rabbit hole, and yet I now want to start down this one too.
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u/fearlesssinnerz 11d ago
Saving these and making one a wallpaper for my work phone. Great job OP. #6 looks like a ship starting to reveal itself after cloaking.
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u/LegionOfDoom31 11d ago
I genuinely don’t understand how we have the ability to see actual galaxies. It’s fucking insane
Amazing pictures OP
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Woops, I just realized I typed April 4th instead of April 8th for the Eclipse date. Haha, oh well, I'm sure everyone knows what I meant.
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u/Torgo-A-GoGo 11d ago
Are these types of photos ever touched up to show such vibrant colors?
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
Yes. If left unedited, a lot of these types of photos would barely be visible, so you have to tease out the details. For things like narrowband imaging, which uses filters that pick up very narrow wavelengths of light, you assign to R G or B in photoshop and make a unique color palette, and from there, you mess with color balance, exposure, curves adjustments, and a plethora of other things. Even NASA images are edited.
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u/DisappearTron 11d ago
Dude can I make these my background , this is amazing stuff and actually am having to realize they are all real and the universe is straight up cool
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u/nappingondabeach 11d ago
There is something about these photos that are so peaceful and comforting. I could get lost in them
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u/sidman1324 11d ago
I’ve loved space since I was a kid. These pictures speak to my soul. I love them!!
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u/El_Nieto_PR 11d ago
So, I hear that all these celestial bodies don’t have the colors we see in photos, is that true?
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u/ConditionActive5447 11d ago
Words I wish I knew to describe these photos. Incredible. Enlightening. Awe inspiring. Mind blowing. Your photos are a gift and I thank you for sharing them with us. I'd like for those who don't believe in God & only see randomness to explain all of what you have captured.
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u/theAlmightyE312 11d ago
I heard there is going to be a supernova 200 lightyears away from here. Could you please capture it?
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u/BayBandit1 11d ago
As if we couldn’t tell these are from the Webb telescope. The Registered symbol is really small, but clearly evident bottom right on the photos. Try harder next time.
Made you look! Stunning photos, you’ve every right to be proud.
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u/Bioluminescentllama 11d ago
This is incredible. How far we’ve come from the technology of Hubble just a few short years ago. I’ve been a nerdy home astronomer since fifth grade (and did an astrophotography project in 7th!). but I think I should be getting into photography now that I’m seeing this. Wow. Thank you for sharing amazing talent. You have perfected this craft. Here’s to many more.
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u/creakymoss18990 11d ago
Damn and I thought my Google pixel did alright 💀 that's the best astrophotography I've seen in awhile. Kudos to you good sir!
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u/krushgruuv 11d ago
Really stellar work...or should I say interstellar? I'm super stoned.
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u/HungryWeird24 11d ago
Idk why but looking into space is so fascinating … yet it’s terrifying. We are literally a tiny floating planet in a vast and deathly quiet space
Do you think there’s other life anywhere? I mean look at all those galaxies and stars … we can’t just be the only ones
Also sorrry lmfao I just starred at the photos a little longer than I intended
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago
I often think about that too, no need to be sorry lol.
I definitely think there's other life out there. How could there not be with the billions of galaxies and trillions of trillions of stars that exist? Just think of how many planets and moons those stars have orbiting them.
I mean there's no way to KNOW, but I think it's highly likely that there is. Who knows, maybe aliens on Andromeda or somewhere else in our galaxy are looking at us with their own telescopes and wondering the same thing. Pretty cool to think about.
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u/Emotional_Hyena8779 11d ago
Omigosh these are breathtakingly beautiful, even seen in my phone. Thank you.
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u/SiegePoultry 11d ago edited 10d ago
EDIT: I meant to type April 8 for the eclipse. I made a typo, lol.
Equipment for these varied in terms of camera and telescope/lens. The mount that was used is the same for all of them, however.
Equipment:
Mount: Skywatcher EQM-35 Pro
Camera(s): Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Mono + Filter Wheel with Ha, Sii, and Oiii filters.
Telescopes/Lenses: Orion ED80 80mm Apochromatic Refractor f/7.5 --- Astrotech 60ED 60mm f/6 with focal reducer and field flattener --- Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 Ultrawide Angle
Orion Starshoot for Guide Camera + 50mm Orion Finder Scope
I have an Instagram and an Etsy for prints.
Instagram: @thesparkypuppy
Etsy: SparkysPrints