Finally, More Images

Hello folks. I am sorry for the lack in posting, but weather and other factors have kept my cameras from imaging the night sky lately. That came to an end last Saturday night, with a fairly good imaging run on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The sky was clear and rather dry, but the moderate winds kept my imaging to wider fields of view. I also did some visual observing with my 15" Dobsonian reflector StarGazer Telescope. A good friend and fellow SCAN member, Joe, was there as well, with his son Thomas and his 13.1" Coulter Dobsonian reflector. We observed several cool things while the cameras were imaging, including a "same field" view of Jupiter and Neptune. That was a first for me. I had to shut down imaging when some clouds rolled in from the northwest, but not before I got some nice shots. I hope you like them.

This image is of M20, the Trifid Nebula (Top), and M8, the Lagoon Nebula (Bottom). These nebula are located in the "steam" coming out of the spout in the teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius.
Camera - Hap Griffin Modified Canon EOS 350D
Lens - Sigma 300 MM f2.8 Lens, set at f2.8 - ISO 1600 - (480MM effective focal length)
40 Minutes of exposure (20 x2 minutes)
AstroTrac TT320X Astrophotography mount for tracking

This image is of the Rho Ophiuchi region pf the sky. The bright star in the lower left is alpha Scorpii, Antares. The triple star system in the upper right, surrounded by blue nebulosity is Rho Ophiuchi. You can also see M4, a Globular Cluster, to the right of Antares.
Camera - Hap Griffin Modified Canon EOS 350D
Lens - Sigma 300 MM f2.8 Lens, set at f2.8 - ISO 1600 - (480MM effective focal length)
1 Hour of exposure (30 x2 minutes)
AstroTrac TT320X Astrophotography mount for tracking

This image is of the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, as we see it from out earthly viewpoint. The light polution from Rocky Mount, VA and Martinsville, VA is visible above the trees. The trees blurred because the mount is following the stars, so earthbound objects blur in the image.
Camera - Canon EOS 40D
Lens - Sigma 12-24MM f4.5-5.6 Wide Angle Zoom Lens, set at f4.5 - ISO 800 - (19MM effective focal length)
40 Minutes of exposure (20 x2 minutes)
AstroTrac TT320 Astrophotography mount for tracking