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The Dick Chambers Observatory – Status
The observatory and telescope are ready to use by members for visual observing. The telescope is fitted with an eyepiece. Any questions please direct them to Keith, Steve, Simon and Andy.
Gallery
A selection of images, photos and observations taken by CMHASD members
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Society News
Latest images from Danny Pearce
The Owl Nebula (also known as Messier 97, M97 or NGC 3587) is a planetary nebula approximately 2,030 light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. Estimated to be about 8,000 years old, it is approximately circular in cross-section with a faint internal structure. Ref:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owl_Nebula
The Milky Way – 22nd April 2026
Taken at St Thomas Becket Church, Romney Marsh last night around 3am. It’s a tracked panorama with 9 panels each of 2 mins and 9 separate (non-tracked) panels for the foreground. Mashed together in Photoshop and Lightroom.
Camera is a Nikon Z6iii full frame with a 17-28mm Nikon f2.8 lens taken at 17mm.
Messier 13, or M13 (also designated NGC 6205 and sometimes called the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules, the Hercules Globular Cluster, or the Great Hercules Cluster), is a globular cluster of several hundred thousand stars in the constellation of Hercules.
5 hours of data using a FRA400 and PlayerOne585MC.
Markarian’s Chain – 23rd April 2026
Settling on the Astro filter; George Buckberry captured more data of the Markarian’s chain on the 23rd April 2026 using his Dwarf3 smartscope. He then stacked the new data with data already acquired on the 18th April 2026 and this is the resulting fabulous image.
Left is a labelled Markarian’s chain by Joe Renzetti from Sky & Telescope to help you identify the galaxies.
The Crescent Nebula
Only after 25 minutes of capturing data at 10 second exposures – the Crescent Nebula is appearing in Dan Stevens image that he took on the 19th April 2026 using a Seestar S30.
The Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888, Caldwell 27, Sharpless 105) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus about 5000 light-years away.
Markarian’s Chain
Experimenting: Three images of Markarian’s Chain taken by George Buckberry using different settings on his Dwarf3 smartscope. Which one do you like the best?
The Moon – 22nd April 2026
The Moon taken on the 22nd April 2026 by Jim Burchell and George Buckberry.
Jim took his image using a Seestar S50 smartscope and George took his using a Dwarf3 smartscope.
On April 22, 2026, the moon was in a Waxing Crescent phase, with approximately 31 to 35% illumination and 5.5 days old after the New Moon.
The Leo Triplet
The Leo Triplet by George Buckberry taken on the 26th April 2026 using a Dwarf3 smartscope.
The Leo Triplet (also known as the M66 Group) is a small group of galaxies about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. This galaxy group consists of the spiral galaxies M65 (bottom right), M66 (bottom left) and NGC 3628 (top).
The Sun – 27th April 2026
WARNING: NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Read the page on Solar Safety before attempting any kind of viewing of the Sun!
A super selection of Sun in white light images taken by members Jim & Simon on the 27th April 2026. The Sun was quite active with several sunspots.
The 1st image on the right was taken by Jim Burchell using a Seestar S50 smartscope.
The images below are taken by Simon Dawes. Details of how Simon took his images are on some of the photos.
Astroimages by Tina Bishop
Here is a fantastic selection of images taken by new member Tina Bishop and new to astroimaging too.
All images were taken using a Dwarf3 smartscope.
CMHASD Observing Evenings – April 2026
Below are a selection of photos taken from our observing evenings during April.
BAA Winchester Weekend 2026
Markarian’s Chain
An absolutely fantastic image of the Markarian’s Chain taken by George Buckberry using a Dwarf 3 smart scope last night. It was George’s 1st attempt at imaging the chain.
Markarian’s Chain is stunning curved string of at least eight galaxies, located near the core of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster. It features prominent galaxies like M84, M86, and the interacting pair “The Eyes” (NGC 4435/4438).
The chain starts with the large elliptical galaxies M84 and M86, and includes NGC 4435, NGC 4438, NGC 4461, NGC 4458, NGC 4473, and NGC 4477.
Left is a labelled Markarian’s chain by Joe Renzetti from Sky & Telescope to help you identify the galaxies.
Comet C2025 R3 (Panstarrs)
The latest Comet C2025 R3 (Panstarrs) images taken on the morning of the 14th April 2026.
This stunning image of the comet was taken by Jim Burchell from Dartford using a Seestar S50 smart scope.
This super image of the comet was taken by Kevin Smith using a Dwarf3 smart scope from a beach in Deal, Kent.
The Whirlpool Galaxy
M51a – The Whirlpool Galaxy and its companion M51b by Kevin Langford from Bexley.
This super image was taken using an ED102 APO, Pegasus NYX-101 mount, ZWO ASI071, and L-Pro filter.
7.5 hours over 3 nights (19/03/26 & 06-07/04/26).
Link to Kevin’s Flickrpage:
https://flic.kr/p/2s7w79z
Latest deep sky images by Danny Pearce
A fantastic selection of deep sky objects taken by Danny Pearce.
M101 – The Pinwheel Galaxy (also known as NGC 5457) is a face-on, counter clockwise intermediate spiral galaxy located 21 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major.
Danny used a FRA400 and PlayerOne585MC with a UV/IR cut filter to acquire the image. 380 x 60secs subs were captured but many were infected by clouds and so ended up taking the best 180 or so. Stacked and processed using PixInsight.
M51a – The Whirlpool Galaxy (also known as NGC 5194) is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. It was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy and is 31 million light-years away. Its companion is called M51b or NGC5195.
Taken on 12/04/26 from Dartford. Danny used an HEQ5 mount with a Skywatcher150PDS scope and PlayerOne585MC colour camera with a UV/IR cut filter. Exposures were all 60 sec length and Danny took 180. Stacked with Flats and Bias frames and processed in PixInsight.
M3 (also known as NGC 5272) is a globular cluster located 33.9 thousand light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici.
This image was also taken by Danny on 12/04/26 from Dartford, using an HEQ5 mount with a Skywatcher150PDS scope and PlayerOne585MC colour camera with a UV/IR cut filter. Exposures were all 60 sec length and Danny took 72. Stacked with Flats and Bias frames and processed in PixInsight.
Jupiter
Two super images of Jupiter taken by Simon Dawes on the 6th & 7th April...
Comet C2025 R3 (Panstarrs) – 12th April 2026
HOT OFF THE PRESS – TAKEN THIS MORNING Comet C2025 R3 (Panstarrs) by Jim Burchell. This fantastic image was taken using a Seestar S50 smart scope at 4:00 UTC 2026/04/12. 36×10 second stacked images. The comet is currently in the constellation Pegasus;...
The Jellyfish Nebula
The Jellyfish Nebula IC443, taken on the 17/18th March 2026 by member Kevin Langford. Kevin acquired this stunning image using an ES102ED, with a focal reducer, L-eNhance filter on a Pegasus NYX-101. 4.8hrs of exposures. Link to Kevin’s Flickr page....
Deep Sky images by Neil Webster
Two super deep sky images taken by member Neil Webster from St Mary Platt, Kent. M97 – The Owl Nebula and M108. The Owl Nebula is on the left of the image and M108 on the right. The Owl Nebula (M97) or NGC 3587 is a faint planetary nebula in the constellation...
Latest Atmospheric Optic images by members
Three stunning images of some Atmospheric Optics taken by members whilst out and about. This superb image was taken by Honor Wheeler using a phone camera whilst walking in Surrey on the 22nd March 2026. The stunning image shows a Halo, Sundog, and Upper tangent arc....
The Moon – 22nd March 2026
Four great images of the Waxing Crescent Moon taken on the 22nd March 2026. The Moon had an illumination of about 15% – this is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. This image was taken by member George Buckberry using a Samsung smart phone set in...
Sun & Moon by George Buckberry
The Moon & Sun by member George Buckberry; both taken using a Dwarf 3 smart...
The Heart Nebula (IC1805) by Honor Wheeler
A stunning image of the Heart Nebula (IC 1805) taken by Honor Wheeler on the 25th February 2026 using a Dwarf3 smartscope. The Heart Nebula is a vast emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia located approximately 7,500 light-years away in the Perseus Arm of the...
Star Trails by Honor Wheeler
A fantastic image of Star Trails by Honor Wheeler taken on the 24th February 2026 using a Dwarf3...
Lunar Corona
A great image of a Lunar Corona and Jupiter taken by member Gary Hunt on the 27th February 2026. Jupiter is the dot on the right hand side of the Moon at the 2 o’clock...
