Stunning: The Belt Region of Orion with Horsehead Nebula on the left






Pictured: Spectacular images of deep space caught by an amateur astronomer - from his back garden

By Cher Thornhill

Last updated at 2:34 PM on 27th November 2008

It may have taken NASA millions of dollars and over a decade to design a space telescope that could capture truly spectacular images of deep space.

But an amateur astronomer has now caught the same dazzling constellations - from his back garden.

Greg Parker, a professor of electronics at Southampton University, spent less than £10,000 on his equipment but invested thousands of hours to perfect the amazing images.

He used a specialised digital camera, which is refrigerated to boost its performance, and a 28cm reflecting telescope, from a portable observatory at his home in the New Forest.

But each image took hours of careful attention to capture.

Professor Parker captured the M31, also known as the Andromeda Galaxy, using a digital camera and telescope from an observatory in his back garden

'The images really are of the highest quality, particularly of the reflection of nebulae in Orion,' said Professor Parker.

'Bright blue reflection nebulae are caused by dust particles scattering short wavelength (blue) light from a nearby star much more efficiently than longer wavelength (red) light,' he explained.

'The eerie-looking M78 in Orion is a fine example.'

The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters or Seven Stars

The incredible images include one of the Pleiades - also known as the Seven Sisters or Seven Stars - one of our closest star clusters in the constellation of Taurus.

Professor Parker also photographed the Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31 or M31, a spiral galaxy about 2.5 million light-years away, and the belt of Orion, which is thought to be the most visible constellation in our sky.

The images will be available in a book - Star Vistas - early next year.

Leading astronomer Patrick Moore comments in the book: 'The pictures are of real scientific value, and they are also works of art.'

Devoted: Professor Parker with observatory in his back garden in the New Forest




Article: HERE