Alpha CruX - Stargazing & Astrophotography

27/06/2024

Mānawatia a Matariki — Happy Māori New Year!

The Pleiades cluster ( Matariki )

M45, The Seven Sisters, The Pleiades, Subaru, Matariki. Just a few of the many names given to this beautiful, open cluster of stars with its dusty reflection nebula, diffusing the blue light from the extremely hot, bight, stars belonging to the cluster.
The Pleiades cluster is located in the constellation of Ta**us, and is around 440 light years from earth.

These stars have been used historically to represent the the beginning of the astronomical year for some Maori tribes in New Zealand.
At this time of year it can be seen above the the north east horizon, just before dawn.

This image was captured using a William Optics 81mm refractor & a dedicated, colour astronomy camera.
The images is the result of around 6 hours of total exposure integration.

Have a great long weekend everyone!😁

21/06/2024

14/05/2024

Here's my time-lapse footage of the aurora during the historically strong geomagnetic storm on May 11th.
Remember to turn up the video quality to 4K for best watching
Enjoy!

A timelapse sequence capturing the historically strong geomagnetic storm on the 11th of May 2024.Shot from within Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Res...

12/05/2024

What a truly mind blowing event we have just witnessed.
Undoubtedly the most extreme geomagnetic storm I have ever witnessed from anywhere on earth.
This is just one of many many images I took last night.
It took a lot for me to keep my composure, and to decide where to point the camera.
At times the Aurora filled the entire sky!
Definitely an event for the history books.
Tonight is shaping up to be a similar affair.
Stay tuned for more!
Enjoy!

12/05/2024

Last night's vibes! Need I say more?🌌😍🤯🙌

12/11/2023

Back into a bit of Deep Sky imaging last night, after a mount and imaging train upgrade.

These are the Flame and Horsehead nebula in Orion's belt.

I'm pretty happy with the image quality despite being only 1hr of integrated exposure.
Here's hoping for more clear, balmy nights over summer!

To learn about deep sky imaging and post processing, visit my website and book the Ultimate Deep Sky Experience.

Www.alphacrux.co.nz/pages/astrophotography

07/11/2023

Some very lucky clients, who last night learned to photograph the Milky Way & Aurora Australis for the very first time!🤩🙌🔭

30/10/2023

A pair of well known star forming regions in the constellation of Sagittarius.

The Lagoon Nebula (M8) on the right, is an emission nebula which which glows in the red wavelengths of ionized hydrogen,
The gas is ionized by the radiation emitted from the young cluster of stars within the cloud.

The Trifid Nebula (M20) on the left, consists of an emission nebula as well but it also features a notable reflection nebula.
The reflection nebula is blue due to the diffused light from nearby hot, young stars.

The distances of both these nebulae are estimated to be around 5000 light years from Earth.

Total Exposure integration of this image is 3hrs & 42mins.
Captured using Canon 60D full spectrum mod + Optolong L'Enhance tri-narrowband filter.
William optics GT81 OTA = 0.8 reducer.
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro Mount.

16/10/2023

Here is a montage of timelapse footage taken during a few of my Stargazing Tours over the past two years.

Follow the link below to book a tour of your own!
www.alphacrux.co.nz

Music by Dmitrii Kolesnikov from Pixabay.
https://pixabay.com/users/the_mountain-3616498/

Enjoy!

29/08/2023

13/07/2023

Mānawatia a Matariki!
Happy Matariki everyone!

The image is of the Pleiades star cluster, also known as Messier 45, Seven sisters, Subaru and Matariki, among other names given by different cultures around the world.
It is an open star cluster associated with the zodiac constellation of Ta**us.
It is one of the closer star clusters to earth at a distance of around 440 light years.

For Maori here in New Zealand, witnessing the return of this cluster of to the sky is signifies the beginning of the new year.

Matariki is celebrated anually once the star cluster is seen see rising above the horizon just before dawn.

You can observe Matariki with the naked eye at this time of year by looking to the north east an hour or two before sunrise.

Matariki is a time for celebration, growth and renewal. It is a chance for people to congregate and remember whānau who have passed, share a meal, tell stories, and enjoy music, among other activities.

Being the second year that Matariki has been held as an official public holiday, there are loads of public events that you can attend to be involved in the Celebration of Matariki.
See your local events directory for more information.

Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone!

03/07/2023

A night time panoramic scene of Lake Tekapo and the Mackenzie basin.
I shot this pano as part of a portfolio recently submitted for my studies (which I'm also pleased to announce is now finished 🥳🍾).

The Milky Way Core rises in the East behind the Two Thumb Range, and the Magellanic Clouds are hovering in the South.

Intense Airglow adds the luminous orange colour to the horizon, as gas particle in the Earth's upper atmosphere emit photons after having been ionized by the Sun's rays during the day.

The image consists of 38 individual 30 second exposures shot at 28mm.
These include tracked images of the sky, untracked images of the foreground and bracketed exposures for the village lights.

Please contact me via private message or Email for prints or image licensing. Email: [email protected]

Enjoy!

18/06/2023

My Latest Deep Sky Object, captured over two nights last week.
This mean looking celestial abstract is known as The Fighting Dragons of Ara (NGC6188).
An emission nebula (stellar nursery) situated in the southern band of the Milky Way, between the constellations of Ara & Norma.
This nebula lies at a distance of around 4000 Lightyears from earth, and spans 600 light years across, the greater extent taking up an angle of around 2 degrees in the sky.
In this very active region of space, new stars are formed from the interstellar material constituting these incredible shapes.
The stellar wind from these hot young stars ionizes the gas around them, causing the gas clouds to glow with the vibrant red hues seen in this image.
It’s common name was no doubt contrived as a result of astronomers observing the shape of two dragons facing off within the intertwined structures of the nebula
The cocoon-like shape in the lower right of the images is NGC6164, otherwise knowns as The Dragon’s Egg Nebula (for obvious reasons).
It is understood that the super-hot & luminous O-type star at the center was formed by this nebula.
The blue halo surrounding the central nebula is likely to be material expelled by the central star in an early phase of heightened stellar activity.
The image is an integration of over 6 hours of One-shot-colour, Tri-narrowband (Ha, Hb & Oiii) footage, captured across two nights this month.
EXIF:
Canon 60D full spectrum modified.
William optics GT81 + 0.8 reducer + Optolong L-Enhance filter.
Skywatcher HEQ5 mount + ASIAIR+
William optics 50mm guide scope + ASI290mm guide cam.
122 x 3 min exposures @ ISO6400, Bin1.
Processed in Deep Sky Stacker & Adobe Photoshop.

Learn how to capture the stars for yourself by joining one of my private Astrophotography tours.
Click the link below for more information.
https://alphacrux.co.nz/pages/astrophotography

07/05/2023

The Rosette Nebula & Satellite Cluster NGC2244.

This star forming region is located around 5200 Lightyears from earth, in the direction of the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn).

The vast complex of young stars, glowing gas & dusty filaments spans over 130 light years, while still only taking a view angle of 1.3 degrees in the night sky.

Rosette is also referred to as the Skull nebula, since in this orientation it closely resembles the shape of a human skull.
Although this should not be mistaken for NGC246, which is also known as the Skull Nebula.

This image is an integration of over 9 hours of tri-narrowband footage using the following equipment.

Canon 60D full spectrum mod, WO GT81, HEQ5 mount, ASIAIR+.
Processed in Deep sky Stacker & Photoshop.

Learn how to take images of the night sky yourself by joining one of my Astrophotography tours.
Click the link below for more info.

https://alphacrux.co.nz/pages/astrophotography

03/05/2023

Here is my complete timelapse footage from the incredible display of Aurora Australis on April 24th.
This was captured with two separate cameras at two different focal lengths. One at 14mm & the other 28mm.

Captured near lake Tekapo.

Enjoy!

Send a message to learn more

24/04/2023

So, this happened last night....🤯🌠

As if viewing another stunning display of the Aurora Australis wasn't enough, I also managed to capture a giant meteor burning up like a fireball in the South East. (Left side of the frame)
What a night!
The image is one of over 400 frames from a timelapse.
Video is still to come.

Enjoy!

07/04/2023

My latest rendition of M42, the Great Orion Nebula.
An active stellar nursery in the constellation of Orion, at a distance of over 1300 light years from earth.

As much as it always feels like a bit of a cliche to be imaging this object again, I never get tired of seeing more and more detail resolved as I utilize more image integration, different equipment, and ever evolving imaging & post production methods.

It's always very humbling, to ponder the sizes & distances of these cosmic structures in comparison to the scales we often relate to in our daily lives.

The image is an integration of 129 minutes of exposure, plus 30 mins of shorter exposures, bracketed to bring detail back to the bright core.
Canon 60D, full spectrum mod, SW-HEQ5, WO-GT81iv, ASIAIR+

Join one of my Astrophotography tours and learn how to capture the stars for yourself.
Follow the link below for more info.
https://alphacrux.co.nz/pages/astrophotography

27/02/2023

07/02/2023

Make 2023 the year that you experience the joy and wonder of being under a purely star lit night sky, in the world-renowned Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.

This photo was taken on a private Stargazing tour at SkyScape luxury accommodation near Ben Ohau.

To book your Stargazing or Astrophotography experience, follow the link below.

www.alphacrux.co.nz

19/12/2022

Looking for last minute Christmas gift ideas?

Alpha CruX - Stargazing & Astrophotography has gift cards available for three different astronomy/photography experiences.

Give your loved ones the gift of the stars for Christmas!

There is no better way to spoil that special someone than with a night under the stars in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.

Follow the link for more information.

Searching for the perfect gift? Well look no further. Give your loved ones, friends or colleagues the gift of the stars as the ultimate gesture of appreciation. What is included with each Gift Card? View the breakdown here: Stargazing Tour for 2 (Lake Tekapo or Twizel) Private astronomy tour that ca...

19/12/2022

Did you know, Alpha CruX - Stargazing & Astrophotography now supports Smartphone Astrophotography during both Stargazing tours and Astrophotography tours?

The image below is a single 20 second exposure of the The Great Orion Nebula, a star forming region around 1300 light years away.
It was taken using a Samsung Galaxy S20FE smartphone through an 8" Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope.

Book a private tour and fill your device with glittering photos of beautiful and fascinating objects deep in space! 😍📱🌠

16/11/2022

Who stayed up late to see the Lunar Eclipse last week?

This happens occasionally on a full moon when the moon passes through the earth's shadow.

This lunar eclipse occurred on 8.11.2022

It is predicted that there will not be another one until 14.3.2025

31/10/2022

One very happy client who witnessed the Aurora Australis for the first time last weekend.
What a strike of luck!🤯😍

30/06/2022

A big thanks to Everyone who joined us for the Matariki Star party at the Church of the Good Shepherd last weekend.
We were all stoked with the turnout and with the perfect weather!

Below is a link to access the photos taken on the night.
You may need to download images via the Flickr mobile app, or with a PC.
Feel free to share on social media.
Please tag Alpha CruX - Stargazing & Astrophotography ( ) and hashtag

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzW1SA

Enjoy!

Explore this photo album by Alpha Crux - Stargazing & Astrophotography on Flickr!

24/06/2022

Mānawatia a Matariki.
Happy Matariki everyone!

The image is of the Pleiades star cluster, also known as Messier 45, Seven sisters, Subaru and Matariki, among other names given by different cultures around the world.
It is an open star cluster associated with the zodiac constellation of Ta**us. It is one of the closer star clusters to earth at a distance of around 440 light years.

For the Maori here in New Zealand, witnessing the return of this cluster of to the sky is used to bring in the new year.

Annually in the later part of June,
Matariki is once again seen rising above the horizon just before dawn.

Iwi of different Maori tribes celebrate Matariki at different times.
Some when the the Pleiades are first seen in the dawn sky, others after the full moon rises or at the beginning of the next new moon.
In some parts of NZ, Puaka/Puanga (Rigel) in the constellation Orion is also used to bring in the new year.

You can observe Matariki with the naked eye at this time of year by looking to the north east an hour or two before sunrise.

Matariki is a time for celebration, growth and renewal. It is a chance for people to congregate and remember whānau who have passed, share a meal, tell stories, and enjoy music.

Being the first year that Matariki has been held as an official public holiday (June 24th) there are loads of public events that you can attend to be involved in the Celebration of Matariki.
See your local events directory for more information.

Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone!

06/06/2022

My latest rendition of M8, Lagoon nebula.
An emission nebula or star forming cloud located in the Sagittarius constellation, approximately 5200 light years from earth.
The glowing gas cloud is attributed to enormous amounts of U.V. radiation given off by the open star cluster NGC 6530, ionizing the gas particles in the cloud.
The image is compiled of 232 minutes if “one shot” RGB image data & 88 minutes of multi-narrowband data (H alpha, H beta & Oiii)

29/05/2022

Over the weekend I had the privilege of hosting an Astrophotography workshop for members of the Photographic Society of New Zealand.

As luck would have it we got two stunning nights under the stars.
Everyone came away with plenty of banger shots of our beautiful Mackenzie Landscape & night skies.

Our initial plans for Saturday night went suddenly astray when lady Aurora decided to make an appearance.
None the less, it turned out to be a very exciting curve-ball for all who were involved.

This time-lapse was captured over the space of 1 hour and 47 minutes, but unfortunately after the peak of the aurora activity.

12/05/2022

Time to take a closer look.

This image is the result of a recent (and ongoing) imaging project.

This bright and colourful object is NGC 3372. More commonly known as the Eta Carina Nebula, being associated with the southern constellation Carina, meaning "The Keel"(of a ship) in Latin.

Carina Nebula is a large emission Nebula (or star forming region) which during good conditions, can be seen with the naked eye.
Its estimated distance from earth is around 7500 light years, and spans near 460 light years in diameter.
It is one of the largest know star forming regions of the Milky Way galaxy, and has been the site of several supernova explosions.
It is also home to numerous open star clusters.

The bright central star in the Nebula is known as Eta Carinae, a luminous Supergiant roughly 4 million times brighter, and 100-150 times more massive than our sun.

The luminous clouds of the nebula are caused by the ionization of gas particles within this interstellar cloud of gas & dust.
In the case of Carina's red emission, high intensity U.V. radiation given off by a young and extremely hot star, causes the Hydrogen atoms in the cloud to emit photons of a specific wavelength.
In this case, 656.28nm, or in other words, red.
The darker textures seen in the image are dense regions of opaque dust within this interstellar cloud.

The image is comprised of 96 minutes of RBG exposure & 112 minutes of Hydrogen-Alpha exposure.
Captured at 478mm with an unmodified Sony A7rii camera.

Interested in learning Astrophotography?
Visit www.alphacrux.co.nz

12/05/2022

Some very exciting news from a business I have been developing over the last couple of year with Rachel Gillespie Douglas Thorne & Rachel Roberts.
There are very exciting times ahead!

01/05/2022

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of working with a very passionate group of photographers, hosted by Rachel Gillespie Adventure Photography & Meghan Maloney, who had come to capture the pristine night skies of Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.
During last night’s session we captured this image of Lagoon Nebula (M8)
A star forming region estimated to be around 5000 light years from earth & in near line of sight with Sagittarius.

The image is an integration of about 20 minutes of combined exposure, taken with a Sony A7Rii mirrorless camera, through a refractor telescope with a focal length of 478mm.

To discover the wonders of deep space & learn how to take images like these for yourself, check out my Astrophotography tour by visiting www.alphacrux.co.nz