Deep Sky Photography | 01.21.2025

Jupiter and Its Moons 

The Pac-Man Nebula 

Deep Sky Photography | 01.21.2025

Jupiter and Its Moons Jupiter and the Pac-Man Nebula 

Jupiter and Its Moons Jupiter accompanied by its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These tiny points of light lined up near the gas giant, each a fascinating world in its own right, visible even from millions of miles away.

The Pac-Man Nebula (NGC 281) also known as NGC 281, has a unique shape, living up to its playful nickname. Glowing faintly in hues of orange and pink, it’s a stunning star-forming region surrounded by dark dust and intricate patterns carved by stellar winds and radiation.

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Flaming Star Nebula and Orion Nebula | 01.20.2025

Flaming Star Nebula and Orion Nebula | 01.20.2025

Tonight’s clear sky and cold air provide the perfect conditions for deep-space photography. Winter’s crisp atmosphere, with lower humidity and less atmospheric turbulence, enhances visibility, allowing for sharper and more detailed images of the stars and distant galaxies.

Flaming Star Nebula

Orion Nebula 

The magenta image is IC 405, better known as the Flaming Star Nebula. It’s about 1,500 light-years away in the constellation Auriga and gets its fiery appearance from the radiation of a nearby “runaway star” called AE Aurigae. This star was flung out of the Orion region millions of years ago and now lights up the surrounding hydrogen gas, creating that striking magenta glow.

The second image, glowing gold and green, is the Orion Nebula—one of the most famous sights in the night sky. Sitting about 1,350 light-years away, it’s a bustling nursery where stars are born, surrounded by swirling clouds of gas and dust. The colors come from ionized gases lit up by young, massive stars, creating a vibrant, otherworldly masterpiece.

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Bennington Battle Monument Sunrise | 01.18.2025

Bennington Battle Monument Sunrise | 01.18.2025
Bennington, Vermont

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Dawn Over Troy, New York | 01.16.2025

Dawn Over Troy, New York | 01.16.2025

Dawn breaks behind the 17-foot bronze statue of the Goddess Columbia crowned A Call to Arms above the Soldier and Sailors Monument in Troy, New York.

Why Columbia?
Columbia is a personification of the United States in American mythology, symbolizing liberty, justice, and progress. Often depicted as a noble female figure in flowing robes with a torch or shield, Columbia served as an allegory for the nation’s ideals during the 18th and 19th centuries. She was a counterpart to Uncle Sam, representing maternal spirit, influencing symbols like the Statue of Liberty.

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M33 Triangulum Galaxy | 01.15.2025

M33 Triangulum Galaxy | 01.15.2025

Note: The Triangulum Galaxy (M33 or Messier 33) is a stunning spiral galaxy located about 3 million light-years away in the constellation Triangulum. It is one of the most distant objects visible to the naked eye under ideal dark-sky conditions. Measuring approximately 60,000 light-years in diameter, M33 is smaller than the Milky Way but still a significant galaxy with a mass estimated at 10–40 billion solar masses. With an apparent magnitude of 5.7, the galaxy is faint but can be seen without a telescope in excellent viewing conditions.

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Andromeda | 01.14.2025

Andromeda | 01.14.2025
Note: If Andromeda was brighter in the night sky, it would appear six times larger than our moon.

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M42 Orion Nebula | 01.13.2025

M42 Orion Nebula | 01.13.2025

Believe it or not, we’ve had cloudy skies for almost a month at night. Tonight, the sky finally cleared, so I took the opportunity for some deep space photography. This is what the Orion Nebula (M42) looks like tonight, captured from my backyard at about 6:30.

The Orion Nebula, also known as M42, is a massive cloud of gas and dust in the constellation Orion, where thousands of stars are born. It’s the closest large star-forming region to Earth, located 1,300–1,500 light-years away. Visible to the naked eye, it appears as the middle “star” in Orion’s Belt and as part of the sword hanging below the three belt stars. Best observed in January, it’s a stunning feature of the winter sky, easily spotted under moderately dark skies.

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Starbuck Island from the Troy Waterfront | 01.11.2025

Starbuck Island from the Troy Waterfront | 01.11.2025

Much like watching clouds, observing ice formations can be mesmerizing. Yesterday, these delicate, ethereal shapes floated along the Hudson’s dark waters, each one unique and fleeting. One after another, they drifted past, only to vanish into the ice jam beneath the Congress Street Bridge.

Starbuck Island, located between Green Island and Troy, New York, derives its name from the Starbuck Brothers Foundry established on Center Island in 1821. The foundry was among the early iron manufacturing enterprises in the region, contributing to the area's industrial development during the 19th century. The island's association with the Starbuck family and their foundry led to its naming as Starbuck Island.

Additionally, the name "Starbuck" appears in Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick as the first mate of the Pequod. Melville, who spent part of his early life in the Albany area, may have drawn inspiration from local names during his writing.

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The First Nipper Sunrise of the Year | 01.02.2025

 

The First Nipper Sunrise of the Year | 01.02.2025
Albany, New York 

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New Year's Day

It was a good day to get out and chase some history. I spent some time with Robert Frost—his epitaph reading, “I had a lover’s quarrel with the world,” a sentiment as timeless as The Road Not Taken, where the less-traveled path made all the difference.

Robert Frost (1874–1963) was one of America’s most celebrated poets, revered for his realistic depictions of rural life and his ability to use New England settings to delve into profound social and philosophical themes. A four-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Frost crafted iconic works such as The Road Not Taken, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, and Mending Wall. His poetry, distinguished by its conversational tone, masterful use of meter, and deep reflections on nature and human struggles, remains a cornerstone of American literature. Frost is often celebrated for offering insights into life’s complexities that are both profound and accessible.

Walking through the Old Bennington Cemetery, it’s hard not to be moved by the history etched into its weathered stones, especially the patriots who rest here—heroes whose sacrifices shaped the course of the American Revolution.

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Sun Detail | 12.31.2024

Sun Detail | 12.31.2024

The sunspots you see are dark, cooler regions on the Sun’s surface caused by intense magnetic activity. They vary significantly in size, typically ranging from about 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) to 50,000 kilometers (31,068 miles) in diameter. To put this into perspective, many sunspots are as large as Earth, which has a diameter of approximately 12,742 kilometers (7,918 miles). Some sunspots can grow even larger; for instance, the largest sunspot ever recorded, AR 14886, was nearly the diameter of Jupiter—about 88,846 miles (142,984 kilometers).
Sunspots expand and contract as they move across the Sun’s surface and can last from several days to a few months. Their size and frequency fluctuate in an approximately 11-year cycle known as the solar cycle, with more and larger sunspots appearing during periods of increased solar activity.

It’s important to note that while sunspots appear dark compared to the surrounding solar surface, they are still extremely bright. If isolated from the Sun, a sunspot would shine brighter than the full Moon. © 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
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