Simulated Naked-Eye and Eyepiece Views { 241 images } Created 3 Feb 2013
This is a unique collection of my photos of popular deep sky targets processed to simulate the views of those objects through a telescope or binocular eyepiece. Colour is mostly monochrome but with colours retained on bright stars. Contrast and detail are greatly reduced. These are suitable for illustrations of what observers can realistically expect to see when looking at deep-sky objects. Unlike sketches, star placement is absolutely accurate and details are not subjective.
Images labelled "Telescope view" simulate the view through a moderate aperture telescope at low power with a field of 1° to 3°. Images labelled "Binocular view" were taken with telephoto lenses and have fields of about 5° to 8°, similar to binoculars. Some of these have the stereotypical dual-field binocular outline in order to frame an even wider field. Images labelled "Naked eye" are of broad sweeps of the Milky Way as your unaided eye would see it from a dark site.
However, I can supply versions without the blue border or without the circular mask if needed.
Images are presented in alphabetical order by object catalog & number, i.e. Messier objects (M) before NGC objects. All images are keyworded -- you can search for objects by type of object, constellation, or catalog number.
Images labelled "Telescope view" simulate the view through a moderate aperture telescope at low power with a field of 1° to 3°. Images labelled "Binocular view" were taken with telephoto lenses and have fields of about 5° to 8°, similar to binoculars. Some of these have the stereotypical dual-field binocular outline in order to frame an even wider field. Images labelled "Naked eye" are of broad sweeps of the Milky Way as your unaided eye would see it from a dark site.
However, I can supply versions without the blue border or without the circular mask if needed.
Images are presented in alphabetical order by object catalog & number, i.e. Messier objects (M) before NGC objects. All images are keyworded -- you can search for objects by type of object, constellation, or catalog number.
