Simon Downing

Astrophotographs displayed in this section are taken and composed by members of the Gibraltar Astronomical Society and are displayed with the consent of the artists concerned. 

CONTENTS
Horsehead Nebula
Dumbbell Nebula
M31 Andromeda Galaxy
The Moon
Rosette Nebula
M13 Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
M16 Eagle Nebula
M17 Omega Nebula
C33 Eastern Veil Nebula
M45 Pleiades Cluster
IC443 Jellyfish Nebula
IC405 Flaming Star Nebula
IC5146 Cocoon Nebula
M42 Orion Nebula
NGC6960 Western Veil Nebula

Simon Downing uses Skywatcher Explorer 300PDS 12" f/5 and Skywatcher Quattro 8" f/4 Newtonian Reflectors on a Skywatcher NEQ6 Pro mount. His autoguiding system is the Orion Mini 50mm Guidescope with the Orion StarShoot AutoGuider. For imaging, Simon uses a modified Canon EOS 650D DSLR (to remove the IR filters) with a Hutech IDAS LPS filter to strongly reduce light pollution. 

Horsehead Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image is comprised of 38 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











Dumbbell Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 20 frames at 4.5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was not used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 












M31 Andromeda Galaxy
by Simon Downing

This image was made from 22 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 












by Simon Downing

This image was captured in Prime Focus (no Eyepiece Projection) and consists of a single frame of exposure time 1/160 s at ISO 400. The telescope used was Simon's Skywatcher Explorer 300PDS 12" f/5 Newtonian Reflector instead. Post-processing was done in Adobe Photoshop and DeepSkyStacker. 












Rosette Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 25 frames at 4.5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing for the left image was done in Adobe Photoshop and DeepSkyStacker. The right image was using the same data but post-processed in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











M13 Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 20 frames at 2.5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 












M16 Eagle Nebula by Simon Downing

This image consists of 14 frames at 3 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 












M17 Omega Nebula

by Simon Downing

This image consists of 14 frames at 3.5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











C33 Eastern Veil Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 23 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











M45 Pleiades Cluster
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 17 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











IC443 Jellyfish Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 30 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











IC405 Flaming Star Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 24 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











IC5146 Cocoon Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 13 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











M42 Orion Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 42 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 400. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 











NGC6960 Western Veil Nebula
by Simon Downing

This image consists of 20 frames at 5 minutes exposure time per frame, using ISO 800. The Hutech IDAS LPS filter was used for these exposures. Post-processing was done in PixInsight and DeepSkyStacker. 

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