Astrophotography (mostly) and Other Space Stuff…..

Sweetman Astrophotography

Useful Links (Tools & Software)

PixInsight Resources:

SetiAstro Tools – Useful collection of free scripts

PixInsight Toolbox – Essential collection of free scripts

RC Astro – BlurXterminator, NoiseXterminator & StarXterminator. Scripts for purchase, but with free trial and well worth the money

Other Processing Software:

Siril – Free and powerful deep space astro stacking and editing software

AutoStakkert! -Free Moon and Planetary stacking software

Data Capture Tools

N.I.N.A – open source software for equipment control and sequencing.

PHD2 – open source guiding software

Stellarium – open source planetarium software, very useful for planning shots

Astronomy Tools – website with calculators useful for imaging.

SharpCap – Free capture software for Moon and Planetary images

Hello,

I’m Mike

I hope you’ll join me as I explore the amazing universe of astrophotography. This hobby can seem overwhelming at first, but it I find it to be perspective changing and inspiring.

NGC 1499, the California Nebula. This is the first image that I’ve completed with the two sequence dual narrowband filter. I used the DB-Xtract PixInsight plugin to separate the Ha, SII, and OIII channels and then processed with a narrowband workflow. First Quarter Moon from 12/27 Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas captured November 28, 2025 Getting started on the California Nebula (NGC 1499)…still have to add in the SII data. Had some spare time waiting for other targets to rise, so I returned to Andromeda, about 7 hours total captured over 3 nights in late November. Last full moon of 2025.... 98.6% moon from a few hours ago Messier 45, or the Pleiades, is one of the most recognizable asterisms in the early winter sky. It is a star cluster of nearly 1000 stars located at a relatively close 445 light years from earth. It contains young stars which give the blue color. Thanksgiving moon…from 11/27. 47.1% Illuminated.

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