Nebulae
The Carina Nebula
One of my first astronomical photographs: the vast Carina Nebula.
Auckland · New Zealand
Dave's Covid Hobby!
Nebulae, galaxies, planets and time-sensitive observations captured from suburban Auckland.
Field notes in light
From first light to deep mosaics
This collection follows a journey through deep-sky imaging, planetary lucky imaging, photometry and asteroid occultation work. Every image below opens to its original story and full-resolution file.
15 observing storiesNebulae, galaxies, planets and scientific observations
839 exposuresCombined in the 170-megapixel Carina mosaic
7.75 secondsThe measured Gonnessia stellar occultation
The collection
Astronomical images
Filter the collection by subject, or browse all observations in one responsive gallery.
Nebulae
The Carina Nebula Mosaic
A 170-megapixel, 16-panel mosaic assembled from 839 exposures across seven filters.
Nebulae
The Helix Nebula
Five-filter imaging of the nearby planetary nebula sometimes called the Eye of Sauron.
Nebulae
The Orion Nebula
M42, one of the brightest nebulae and the closest massive star-forming region to Earth.
Nebulae
NGC 3603 and NGC 3576
A challenging LRGB and hydrogen-alpha portrait of two southern nebulae.
Nebulae
Gum 15
A faint hydrogen-alpha emission nebula in Vela, rich with dust and active star formation.
Solar System
Comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN)
A ten-minute tracked exposure of Comet SWAN from 180 million kilometres away.
Solar System
Jupiter
Two lucky-imaging studies showing Jupiter, the Great Red Spot, Io and its shadow.
Solar System
Saturn
A planetary portrait with the Cassini Division clearly visible in Saturn's rings.
Clusters & Galaxies
The Jewel Box Cluster
My first astronomical photograph, showing one of the youngest known open clusters.
Clusters & Galaxies
The Sombrero Galaxy
M104, a lenticular galaxy 31 million light-years away with a striking dust lane.
Clusters & Galaxies
The Antennae Galaxies
NGC 4038 and NGC 4039 caught in a collision and a burst of new star formation.
Observations
WASP-43 b Exoplanet Transit
A backyard detection of an exoplanet transit using differential photometry.
Observations
Supernova 2020ue
An image of the newly discovered supernova SN 2020ue.
Observations
Occultation by Gonnessia
A 7.75-second stellar occultation used to refine the orbit and shape of an asteroid.