Gwen Forrester (starhag)
@gwenforr.bsky.social
Artist, guitar builder, stargazer, housewife. genderless witch in a trans woman’s body.
Messier 74, the Phantom #Galaxy. 100 billion stars, 85,000 light years across, 32 million light years away. A large portion of our own galaxy is between it and us, so there is a lot of dust in the way, making difficult to see, hence the name.
8” f/6 Newt. Canon t3i
240x 60 seconds
#astrophotography
8” f/6 Newt. Canon t3i
240x 60 seconds
#astrophotography
November 13, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Messier 74, the Phantom #Galaxy. 100 billion stars, 85,000 light years across, 32 million light years away. A large portion of our own galaxy is between it and us, so there is a lot of dust in the way, making difficult to see, hence the name.
8” f/6 Newt. Canon t3i
240x 60 seconds
#astrophotography
8” f/6 Newt. Canon t3i
240x 60 seconds
#astrophotography
Messier 33, the Triangulum #Galaxy
6” f/4 Newtonian, homemade EQ mount, ra drive only, no guiding.
Canon t3i (modified)
50x 120 seconds
#astrophotography #space
6” f/4 Newtonian, homemade EQ mount, ra drive only, no guiding.
Canon t3i (modified)
50x 120 seconds
#astrophotography #space
November 9, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Messier 33, the Triangulum #Galaxy
6” f/4 Newtonian, homemade EQ mount, ra drive only, no guiding.
Canon t3i (modified)
50x 120 seconds
#astrophotography #space
6” f/4 Newtonian, homemade EQ mount, ra drive only, no guiding.
Canon t3i (modified)
50x 120 seconds
#astrophotography #space
Messier 2, globular clusters.
One of the largest, at 175,000 light years across, but at 55,000 light years distance, it appears considerably smaller than many others.
One of the largest, at 175,000 light years across, but at 55,000 light years distance, it appears considerably smaller than many others.
October 14, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Messier 2, globular clusters.
One of the largest, at 175,000 light years across, but at 55,000 light years distance, it appears considerably smaller than many others.
One of the largest, at 175,000 light years across, but at 55,000 light years distance, it appears considerably smaller than many others.
Drop something skeletal
October 12, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Drop something skeletal
Jupiter with two of its moons and their shadows.
Left-right: Europa, Io, Io’s shadow, Europa’s shadow.
Left-right: Europa, Io, Io’s shadow, Europa’s shadow.
October 11, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Jupiter with two of its moons and their shadows.
Left-right: Europa, Io, Io’s shadow, Europa’s shadow.
Left-right: Europa, Io, Io’s shadow, Europa’s shadow.
Last Titan shadow transit until 2038. Titan will continue to transit every 16 days through January, but its shadow will miss the planet. In this image, it is at the very top edge, with Titan below and to the right.
I was actually able to see Titan this time. Last time I could only see the shadow.
I was actually able to see Titan this time. Last time I could only see the shadow.
October 6, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Last Titan shadow transit until 2038. Titan will continue to transit every 16 days through January, but its shadow will miss the planet. In this image, it is at the very top edge, with Titan below and to the right.
I was actually able to see Titan this time. Last time I could only see the shadow.
I was actually able to see Titan this time. Last time I could only see the shadow.
Yes, I just find a stick and hold it relatively level in front of the scope and try to replicate the angle I see in the secondary mirror. Not super precise but I figure I can tweak the levers accordingly. Also, it will be different in half an hour anyway, lol.
This is one of my better recent tries
This is one of my better recent tries
October 3, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Yes, I just find a stick and hold it relatively level in front of the scope and try to replicate the angle I see in the secondary mirror. Not super precise but I figure I can tweak the levers accordingly. Also, it will be different in half an hour anyway, lol.
This is one of my better recent tries
This is one of my better recent tries
It’s actually kinda pretty with some magnification
September 25, 2025 at 8:41 PM
It’s actually kinda pretty with some magnification
From Friday night, with Triton
September 23, 2025 at 8:24 PM
From Friday night, with Triton
Neptune and Triton,
September 20
8” f/6 Newtonian, 3x Barlow,
ZWO ASI224MC
September 20
8” f/6 Newtonian, 3x Barlow,
ZWO ASI224MC
September 22, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Neptune and Triton,
September 20
8” f/6 Newtonian, 3x Barlow,
ZWO ASI224MC
September 20
8” f/6 Newtonian, 3x Barlow,
ZWO ASI224MC
Transit of Titan and its shadow across the northern polar region of Saturn.
September 20, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Transit of Titan and its shadow across the northern polar region of Saturn.
My favorite, M22.
Is it weird to have a favorite globular cluster?
Is it weird to have a favorite globular cluster?
August 29, 2025 at 5:19 PM
My favorite, M22.
Is it weird to have a favorite globular cluster?
Is it weird to have a favorite globular cluster?
So this line right here is the shadow of the rings at the equator
August 23, 2025 at 3:30 PM
So this line right here is the shadow of the rings at the equator
Mark your calendars!
Save the date!
August 31rd will be the super ultra rare BEIGE MOON!!
A beige moon is the second first quarter moon of a month beginning with the letter A; a very auspicious event, the likes of which have not been witnessed since the last time it occurred!
Save the date!
August 31rd will be the super ultra rare BEIGE MOON!!
A beige moon is the second first quarter moon of a month beginning with the letter A; a very auspicious event, the likes of which have not been witnessed since the last time it occurred!
August 20, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Mark your calendars!
Save the date!
August 31rd will be the super ultra rare BEIGE MOON!!
A beige moon is the second first quarter moon of a month beginning with the letter A; a very auspicious event, the likes of which have not been witnessed since the last time it occurred!
Save the date!
August 31rd will be the super ultra rare BEIGE MOON!!
A beige moon is the second first quarter moon of a month beginning with the letter A; a very auspicious event, the likes of which have not been witnessed since the last time it occurred!
Saturn last night or early this morning depending on what you call 3am.
August 16, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Saturn last night or early this morning depending on what you call 3am.
Messier 8, the Lagoon Nebula.
I did this in short exposures to better show open cluster NGC 6530, at left, and small but bright Hourglass Nebula at right, with the star Herschel 36.
8” f/6 Newtonian, Canon t3i
I did this in short exposures to better show open cluster NGC 6530, at left, and small but bright Hourglass Nebula at right, with the star Herschel 36.
8” f/6 Newtonian, Canon t3i
July 27, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Messier 8, the Lagoon Nebula.
I did this in short exposures to better show open cluster NGC 6530, at left, and small but bright Hourglass Nebula at right, with the star Herschel 36.
8” f/6 Newtonian, Canon t3i
I did this in short exposures to better show open cluster NGC 6530, at left, and small but bright Hourglass Nebula at right, with the star Herschel 36.
8” f/6 Newtonian, Canon t3i
It was lovely!
July 20, 2025 at 1:13 PM
It was lovely!
I got a bit luckier here.
Also got to watch through the telescope
Also got to watch through the telescope
July 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
I got a bit luckier here.
Also got to watch through the telescope
Also got to watch through the telescope
Moon amongst the Pleiades… clockwise from upper left: Asterope, Taygeta, Celaeno, Electra, Merope, and Alcyone, with Pleione and Atlas further below. Maia is occulted here, in the middle.
Canon M200, Zeiss 2.8/180, 3x teleconverter.
Single 1 second exposure at iso1600
Canon M200, Zeiss 2.8/180, 3x teleconverter.
Single 1 second exposure at iso1600
July 20, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Moon amongst the Pleiades… clockwise from upper left: Asterope, Taygeta, Celaeno, Electra, Merope, and Alcyone, with Pleione and Atlas further below. Maia is occulted here, in the middle.
Canon M200, Zeiss 2.8/180, 3x teleconverter.
Single 1 second exposure at iso1600
Canon M200, Zeiss 2.8/180, 3x teleconverter.
Single 1 second exposure at iso1600
Found in the wild today…
July 10, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Found in the wild today…
This was 09:32 on that date.
I was observing it visually before, at 300x very clearly and didn’t notice anything.
Honestly though, that image is pretty ratty and that could just be noise.
I was observing it visually before, at 300x very clearly and didn’t notice anything.
Honestly though, that image is pretty ratty and that could just be noise.
July 8, 2025 at 12:49 AM
This was 09:32 on that date.
I was observing it visually before, at 300x very clearly and didn’t notice anything.
Honestly though, that image is pretty ratty and that could just be noise.
I was observing it visually before, at 300x very clearly and didn’t notice anything.
Honestly though, that image is pretty ratty and that could just be noise.
July 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Me too!
This is my favorite, M22. It was the first deep space object I came across randomly when I first started browsing around with a telescope. I could only barely see it, as a faint, ghostly patch of light, but I immediately knew it was something special.
Finally got a good image of it recently
This is my favorite, M22. It was the first deep space object I came across randomly when I first started browsing around with a telescope. I could only barely see it, as a faint, ghostly patch of light, but I immediately knew it was something special.
Finally got a good image of it recently
July 6, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Me too!
This is my favorite, M22. It was the first deep space object I came across randomly when I first started browsing around with a telescope. I could only barely see it, as a faint, ghostly patch of light, but I immediately knew it was something special.
Finally got a good image of it recently
This is my favorite, M22. It was the first deep space object I came across randomly when I first started browsing around with a telescope. I could only barely see it, as a faint, ghostly patch of light, but I immediately knew it was something special.
Finally got a good image of it recently