M57, The Ring Nebula

This is a pretty astounding astronomical object, called The Ring Nebula.  It was discovered by Charles Messier in a relatively small aperture telescope back in January of 1779.  The Ring Nebula is a "planetary nebula" in the constellation of Lyra.  Such a nebula is formed when a star, during the last stages of its evolution before becoming a white dwarf, expels a vast luminous envelope of ionized gas into the surrounding interstellar space.  In a telescope with an 8" or 10" mirror, it appears similar to this, but with no color at all.  Our eyes are not sensitive to color in dim light.  I have been struggling to learn how to use a special astronomical camera to photograph things like this, and I have been having trouble calibrating an "go-to" computerized telescope mount for a year or so now.  Well, tonight I had success!  I found the problem, and I got this magnificent photograph of something the human eye cannot see in color, AND I did it from my light-polluted side yard in Sea Cliff.  Quite a night!

I decided after successfully getting the Ring Nebula photograph, that I would show you the telescope and mount that I am working with to get this photograph.  This is not a trivial thing, setting up this heavy mount and telescope.  There are thirty pounds of counterweights on the left hand side of the mount opposite the telescope, in this photo.  It takes a while to see this all up, so it was really something when it finally all came together tonight!  You can click on both these photographs to see them in more detail.