Equipment
Telescopes, cameras, mounts, and other equipment used for CCD astro-imaging at Silver Spring Observatory and remote locations.
Equipment Gallery
New Mexico Telescope Setup
Primary imaging telescope at the Blackbird Observatory in New Mexico.
17" Ritchey–Chrétien Cassegrain Telescope
Computer controlled all steel and aluminum fork mount with precision gears for accurate tracking during long-exposure imaging.
17" Dobsonian Telescope
Large aperture Dobsonian telescope for visual observation and wide-field imaging.
Current Setup
Telescope
Primary imaging telescope for deep sky observations. Optimized for CCD imaging with high-quality optics and precise tracking.
Mount
All steel and aluminum fork mount with precision gears for accurate tracking during long-exposure imaging. Computer-controlled for automated targeting and guiding.
CCD Camera
Cooled CCD camera for deep sky imaging. Low noise and high sensitivity for capturing faint astronomical objects.
Filters
Filter set for LRGB imaging and narrowband photography including Hydrogen-alpha (Ha), Oxygen III (OIII), and Sulfur II (SII).
Observatory Locations
Silver Spring Observatory
Historical📍 Silver Spring, Maryland
The original home observatory established in Silver Spring, Maryland. Personal observatory used for CCD astro-imaging of deep sky objects.
Blackbird Observatory
Historical📍 Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Remote observatory located near Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Known for excellent dark skies and seeing conditions. Now relocated to Sierra Remote Observatories.
Visit websiteSierra Remote Observatories
Active📍 Sierra Nevada, California
Current remote imaging location. Sierra Remote Observatories provides excellent dark sky conditions and professional-grade infrastructure for amateur astronomers.
Visit websiteAlder Springs Observatory
Active📍 California
Alder Springs Observatory (G53) - an additional remote imaging location.
Texas Astronomical Society Dark Site
Active📍 Caddo, Oklahoma
Our newest observatory at the Texas Astronomical Society's dark site in Caddo, Oklahoma. Remotely operated and will be used by the TAS Teen Group for research projects.
Visit websiteObservatory Photos
Understanding Image Labels
Each image in the gallery is labeled with the observatory code where it was captured, and the filters used in the imaging process.
Observatory Codes
- H85Silver Spring Observatory, Maryland
- BBOBlackbird Observatory, New Mexico
- SROSierra Remote Observatories
- G53Alder Springs Observatory
Filter Codes
- LRGB - Luminance + Red, Green, Blue
- Ha - Hydrogen-alpha narrowband
- OIII - Oxygen III narrowband
- SII - Sulfur II narrowband
- LRGB+Ha - Color enhanced with Ha
- SII/Ha/OIII - Hubble Palette