M42 (18K). The Orion nebula is a tremendous cloud of hydrogen gas and dust in which new stars are currently being formed. The nebula lies about 1500 light years away and derives its pink and red colors from hydrogen gas heated by young stars forming in its interior. This photograph was taken through a Meade 6-inch refractor by Stephan Martin.
M16, (141K) This is an image of the "Eagle Nebula", also known as M16. The nebula surrounds a galactic cluster of young stars, and is located in the constellation Serpens. This image was taken with a Meade 6-inch refractor and is a color composite of three CCD images taken through broad band interference filters centered on 450 nm, 550 nm, and 650 nm. Image by Karen Gloria.
M20, (73K) This is an image of the "Trifid Nebula", also known as M20. The blue portion of the nebula is shining by reflected light from the stars embedded in the nebula. The red portion consists of glowing hydrogen gas, ionized by the hot stars it surrounds. This image was taken with a Meade 6-inch refractor and is a color composite of three CCD images taken through Wratten B, V, and R filters. Image by Karen Gloria.
M27, (61K) This is an image of the "Dumbbell Nebula," also known as M27. M27 is a shell of glowing gas blown off of the surface of an old star. The red color in the image is due to the presence of Hydrogen in the nebula. The green color is due to the presence of doubly ionized oxygen. This image is a 30 minute photographic exposure taken through the 24-inch telescope at the new Hopkins Observatory. A longer exposure of the Dumbbell, taken by Prof. Kwitter at the Burrell Schmidt on Kitt Peak, reveals a filamentary halo. Photograph by Stephan Martin.
M13, (41K) This is a photograph of the globular cluster M13, a densly packed cluster of several hundred thousand stars. Globular clusters are considered some of the oldest objects in the galaxy and so contain large numbers of older and redder stars, which can be seen in this photograph. Photo by Stephan Martin
M57, (14K). The Ring Nebula is a planetary nebula formed when a red giant star shrugged off its outer layers which expanded and now appear to us as a ring of gas and dust. The original star can be faintly seen in the center of the ring and may eventually become a white dwarf.
M51, (38K) This is an image of the "Whirlpool Galaxy", also known as M51. M51 is a spiral galaxy with an adjacent companion galaxy (NGC5195). The two galaxies are passing by one another, distorting each other and scattering stars in the process. This image was taken with a Meade 6-inch refractor and is a color composite of three CCD images taken through Wratten B, V, and R filters. Image by Karen Gloria.
NGC6992, (82K) This is an image of a portion of the "Veil Nebula". Image by Karen Gloria.
The Sun in H-Alpha This image was taken on on November 11, 1997, with a Photometrics PM512 CCD camera through a Meade 6-inch refractor with an H-Alpha filter. Notice the large sunspot group below and left of center. Image by Stephan Martin.
May 10, 1994 annular solar eclipse(16K) b&w This is an image of the annular solar eclipse of 10 May, 1994 as it appeared over Williams College. The image was taken at 17h 38m 17s (UT) with a 512x512 pixel Photometrics CCD camera mounted on a 6-inch Meade apochromatic refractor. A neutral density 5.0 filter was used in conjunction with a neutral density 2.5 filter to lower the intensity of sunlight entering the CCD camera. Image by Karen Gloria.
Arp Galaxy Images This is an atlas-in-progress of galaxies taken from Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. Our atlas' purpose is to provide three-color VRI images on a uniform scale. (Field of view 5') Jennifer Heldmann, (Colgate University '97) and Karla Solheim (Bryn Mawr '99), took these images while visiting Williams.
Hale-Bopp Astrophotography A page of photographs of comet Hale-Bopp taken by Steve Martin during the spring of 1997.
CCD Analysis of Comet Hale-Bopp This page contains images of the nucleus of comet Hale-Bopp which were taken by Christy Reynolds ('97) and processed and analysed by Tim Glotch (Colgate '99) as part of the KNAC summer research program during the summer of 1997.
Many of these images would not have been possible without the custom CCD adaptor designed and built by Williams College science machinist George Walther, astrophysics major Jim Partan (now graduated), and assistant machinist Cliff Oakes. Thanks guys!
