Observatory & Astrophotography
The Burke-Gaffney Observatory
is located on residence at the University, and thus suffers from significant light pollution owing to its location near central
Halifax.
The main instrument is an 41cm diameter Cassegrain
reflecting telescope with an SBIG ST8/9 CCD camera. You can visit the Saint Mary's Observatory facebook page here.
Stellar Nurseries & Supernovae Remnants - Planetary Nebulae
Galaxies - Star Clusters - Solar System Bodies
Stellar Nurseries & Supernovae Remnants
M78Cristina Collicott, SBIG ST9, winter 2008
Bravo Cristina(!)
The Flame Nebula
Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
M42: Orion Nebula
Jon Savoy and James Sherar, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
M43
James Sherar, SBIG ST8XME, 2006
The Pelican Nebula
Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
Trapezium
Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
Horsehead Nebula, IC 434
Michael Hiland (www), Aaron Gallant, Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST9 & ST8XME
M16: the Eagle Nebula
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, Summer 2008
The Bubble Nebula
John Munro, SBIG ST9, 2007
M1: The Crab Nebula
Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
NGC 6995
Jon Savoy SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
This is just a small section of the 'Veil Nebula', it actually covers 3o of sky !
NGC 6992
Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8, spring 2004
Galaxies NGC 891 'Edge On View'
Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
M81
Jon Savoy and Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8XME, spring 2005
M82
Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8, spring 2004
It is believed that M81 and M82 had a close encounter which left M82 as an irregular, check out our friends at seds.org for more info
M51, The Whirlpool Galaxy
Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
Prof. Gary Welch introduced us to Chris Mihos' neat Java Applet where one can simulate the interactions of a galactic close encounter. Go ahead and challenge yourself to see if you can recreate the famous Mice, Cartwheel, or Antennae galaxies.
M33, The "Pinwheel" Galaxy
James Sherar, SBIG ST8XME, 2005
M31, an inner region of the Andromeda Galaxy
Aaron Gallant, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2005
M106
Aaron Gallant, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2006 (edited Daniel Majaess)
M74, a Spiral Galaxy
Aaron Gallant, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2005
M104, a Spiral Galaxy
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, 2008
NGC 5247, a Spiral Galaxy
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, 2008
M109
Jon Savoy SBIG ST8XME, winter 2005
M108
Daniel Doucette and Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8XME, winter 2005
M63Jon Savoy and Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8XME, winter 2005
M94Daniel Doucette and Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8XME, spring 2005
Planetary Nebulae
Planetary Nebula is a misnomer and has nothing to do with planets at all. In fact, it's a stage of stellar evolution when the envelope of a star cannot be retained gravitationally by its core.M27:Dumbbell Nebula
Jon Savoy and Dave Lane, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
Butterfly Nebula
Aaron Gallant, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2005
M57: THE RING NEBULA
Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004 (top)
Daniel Majaess (www), SBIG ST8, spring 2004 (middle)
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, summer 2008 (bottom)
NGC 2392: The Eskimo Nebula
John Munro, SBIG ST8XME, 2006 (edited Daniel Majaess, top)
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, 2008 (bottom)
Solar System Bodies The Moon
Jon Savoy and James Sherar, SBIG ST8XME, summer 2004, High resolution shot
Daniel Majaess, James Sherar, Andrew Gergely
SBIG ST8XME, Bessel-Blue filter, Winter 2006
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, 2009
JUPITER
Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8XME, winter 2005
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, 2008
4 moons Ganymede, Europa, Io, Callisto
WOW(!)
THE SUN
Jon Savoy and James Sherar, SBIG ST8MXE, summer 2005
Our first attempt at shooting the Sun
Comet Machholz
James Sherar, SBIG ST8XME, Winter 2005 (edited Daniel Majaess)
Comet Lulin
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, 2009
Asteroid 349 Dembowska
Beth Sampson, Joel Tanner, and Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8, spring 2004
Pluto!
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, spring 2008
Star Clusters M92
Jon Savoy, SBIG ST8XME, fall 2004
Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8, Summer 2004
M13Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8, spring 2004
M53Jon Savoy and Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8XME, spring 2005
M56Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8MXE, summer 2006
M11
Daniel Majaess, SBIG ST8XME, summer 2006
Stars The pair of stars are famous because they are an absolute delight to see in the eyepiece, where the contrast in colors can be easily discerned granted the system's brightness.
Albireo
Michael Hiland (www), SBIG ST9, 2008
