These astrophotographs were taken with "old school" methods. Hand-guided (no auto guide), illuminated reticle, and emulsion film. The black and white photographs were taken with Kodak 2415 Tech Pan high performance film (no longer made) and the color photographs were mostly taken with Kodachrome 64 (also no longer available). Both film types were hypersensitized with pressurized pure hydrogen gas the same day as the photographs were taken. The equipment used was a Takahashi E130 hyperbolic astrograph mounted atop an original Meade 2080 SCT (no frills) with a Nikon FE SLR camera. The Meade SCT was used as the guide scope for most of these photographs.
Comet Hale-Bopp taken on April 6, 1997.
The telescope setup that I used for several years, showing a Takahashi E130 hyperbolic astrograph (used mostly as the camera lens) mounted atop a Meade 2080 SCT (used mostly as the guide scope), and a Nikon FE camera body. The location shown is in cow pasture in Gauss, Texas, about 30 miles away from College Station, Texas.
The Andromeda Galaxy (M-31 or NGC 224) taken with Kodak 2415 Pan Tech with negative transfer.
This photo won Best Black & White Astrophoto at the 1989 Texas Star Party near Ft. Davis, Texas.
The Rosette Nebula - taken with Kodak 2415 Tech Pan with negative transfer.
Halley's Comet taken on March 22, 1986.
The California Nebula or NGC 1499.
The Eagle Nebula, which is also known as M-16 or NGC 6611.
The Dumbbell Nebula, which is also identified as M-27 or NGC 6853.
The Pleiades which is commonly called the seven sisters. Also known as M-45 and is surrounded by the nebula NGC 1432. Indeed, it is the symbol on the Subaru automobile.
The Ring Nebula and is referred to as M-57 or NGC 6720.
The Horsehead Nebula. Are you able to understand why? It is also referred to as B33.
Color photo of the horsehead nebula.
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as M-51a or NGC 5194, with smaller companion galaxy NGC 5195.
Star trails and the Mayall Dome at Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona. It houses the Nicholas U. Mayall 4 meter diameter telescope.
On the left is the Trifid Nebula (M-20 or NGC 6514) and on the right is the Lagoon Nebula (M-8 or NGC 6523.
The Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC 6992) is a portion of the Cygnus Loop, the remnant of an ancient supernova.
The North America Nebula (NGC 7000).
The Triangulum Galaxy, otherwise known as M-33 or NGC 598.
The Sombrero Galaxy, also known as M-104 or NGC 4594.
The Orion Nebula - M-42 or NGC 1976.
Star trails in Arches National Park.
Solar photography does not require long exposures as with deep sky photography, but does require a few special precautions to prevent eye injury. Special filters and masking are used for full sun exposures. Notice that the solar filters are taped on to prevent them from coming off during viewing. During totality of a total solar eclipse, one does not need the filters, but instead can directly view the event.
Solar prominences from the Great Solar Eclipse of 1991 in Baja Mexico.
The diamond ring effect for the Great Solar Eclipse of 1991 in Baja, Mexico.
The Great Solar Eclipse on July 11, 1991 in Baja, Mexico. This shot was taken from a beach on the totality centerline near Cabo San Lucas. The totality event lasted 6 minutes and 31 seconds at this location, and reached up to 6 minutes and 58 seconds at the maximum point off the coast of mainland Mexico, one of the longest of the century. The next solar eclipse of this length will not occur until June 13, 2132.