This is Messier 20 (M20) or the Trifid Nebula. I took this a while ago after realizing a few things. This was taken with my Meade 8" LX90 and my Canon EOS T3. This is a total of 30 images taken at ISO 3200 each sub at 30 seconds each. What I realized was the more "good" images I had, the better the final stack would be. Knowing this now will allow me to pull even more detail out of this Nebula. But you can clearly see the dust lanes in there very well.
   The Trifid Nebula is located in the constellation of Sagitarius. This Nebula consist of four groups within, an Open Star Cluster, an Emission Nebula, a Reflection Nebula and "dark nebula". The Dark being the dust lanes. It's distance is about 5,200 light years from Earth. There is actually a Blue region at the upper part of this Nebula, but i was not able to pull it out with this image, next time I hope.

Check this out. Keep an eye open see if you can spot me.

   So I know I posted a photograph of Saturn already, but I was able to learn more about processing techniques and pick up more and better software. This Photo was taken on June 27, 2012 with my 8" Meade LX90 using a Logitech C250 webcam with a 2x Barlow. I explained how I did this before, but I'll touch on it again. I take videos with the webcam using a piece of freeware called SharpCap. Then with more freeware, either Registax 6 or AutoStakkert 2 I place the video files in those programs. Those Programs then set alignment points, afterward taking the video and breaking it down into individual frames. It then Stacks each frame on top of another to make a single photograph. The more frames you have the better the photo will look. After it stacks the frames I use some sharpening in Registax or move the photo over to Photoshop where I can fine tune it. It took me a while to figure all this out to get a better photo, but it was worth the wait and time. My good friend helped me out with the processing techniques and boy did it help. Keep looking I will be able to do Jupiter soon I can't wait now that I've figured it out. Hope you enjoy, oh there is an earlier post about Saturn in my Blog you can read.

   I am sorry to all of my followers for not being more active on my blog. It has been two months since my last post. I can assure you I will be back at it full force soon. That being said on to the photograph.
   On June 5, 2012 was an event that no one alive today will see again. The transit of Venus. In this photo at the top right is a small black dot, that is Venus. I got extremely lucky that day, all day there were clouds covering up the sky. I was devastated, I purchased a Solar Filter to view this specific event. Later that evening before the Transit began Fraser Cain, the publisher of Universe Today and of Astronomy Cast started a Google + hangout to stream live views of the Transit. I jumped in with them with cloudy skies, a few minutes later the clouds cleared. I rushed to get my Telescope setup and begin my Stream. I was able to show a few minutes, then clouds yet again. Finally after an hour or so I got a good break and began my live stream again. I was able to keep the Transit in view and photograph it the rest of the evening.
   In this photo I used my Meade LX90 8" Telescope with a homemade Solar Filter with film from Seymour Solar. This event will not happen until the year 2117, I feel privileged to be able to view it and to photograph it to share with all of you.