Amateur Astronomy at Kitt Peak
May 14th, 2009 | 
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My wife and I discussed with Adam what we wanted to view and image for the night. The Cat's Eye Nebula and Veil Nebula were in prime viewing position, so we began with the Cat's Eye. The Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) is a planetary nebula in the constellation of Draco.This image was taken over the course of three hours. Adam explained the LRGB photographic process as we watched the images slowly paint the monitor. It takes quite some time to take very good pictures. We started over twice because we weren't happy with the result.
The second imaging session was targeted at the Veil Nebula. Specifically, NGC 6995. This is the shrimp looking section at the left in the larger image.
I don't think my wife and I could have been more disappointed when morning came. Adam was an excellent host, as well as the rest of the staff at the observatory. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I would have to say that our trip to Kitt Peak was one of the most memorable and exciting trips we've ever taken. If you are interested in astronomy, you should check out similar programs available in your area. This program is definitely worth taking part in for each star, galaxy, and nebula in the universe.
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