RDM Astrophotography

RDM Astrophotography Randy’s astrophotography page! Managed and image editing assistance by his daughter, Michelle.

The Heart Nebula, IC 1805, is a large, glowing, emission nebula and prominent star-forming region located approximately ...
07/26/2026

The Heart Nebula, IC 1805, is a large, glowing, emission nebula and prominent star-forming region located approximately 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia. The nebula's glow is powered by the radiation and stellar winds from the young, massive stars in the central open star cluster, known as Melotte 15. It is an active stellar nursery, with the central cluster containing very young stars with mass up to 50 times that of the Sun.

The Triangulum Galaxy (M33) is a spiral galaxy located about 3 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Trian...
07/25/2026

The Triangulum Galaxy (M33) is a spiral galaxy located about 3 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Triangulum. It is the third-largest member of the Local Group of galaxies, following Andromeda and our Milky Way. It spans approximately 60,000 light-years in diameter and contains an estimated 40 billion stars. By comparison, our Milky Way contains an estimated 400 billion stars.

Barnard's Nebula is a pair of dark nebulae, officially designated a Barnard 142 and 143, in the constellation Aquila. Ba...
07/24/2026

Barnard's Nebula is a pair of dark nebulae, officially designated a Barnard 142 and 143, in the constellation Aquila. Barnard 142 is more pronounced and resembles a horseshoe. Barnard 143 is more faint and can be seen in the bottom half of the image. Both nebulae appear as silhouettes against the rich, star-field background of the Milky Way. The nebulae are composed of cold gas and dust, with hydrogen gas temperatures within about 10 degrees of absolute zero, -263 degrees Celsius! So, layer up.

IC 1396 is a vast region of ionized gas, containing the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, IC 1396A. A very bright, massive star (...
07/23/2026

IC 1396 is a vast region of ionized gas, containing the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, IC 1396A. A very bright, massive star (HD 206267), located close to the center of the image, is illuminating and ionizing the surface of the dense cloud, which is seen as the bright rim. IC 1396 lies about 2,400 light-years away in the northern constellation of Cepheus.

The Fireworks Galaxy, NGC 6946, in the upper left, is a spiral galaxy about 22.5 million light-years away on the border ...
07/22/2026

The Fireworks Galaxy, NGC 6946, in the upper left, is a spiral galaxy about 22.5 million light-years away on the border of the constellations Cepheus and Cygnus. Open cluster NGC 6939 is to the lower right and lies about 4,000 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus. Both of these objects are separated in the sky by the width of just over a single full moon.

The Pleiades Cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters and M45, is an open star cluster in the constellation Ta**us. It i...
07/21/2026

The Pleiades Cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters and M45, is an open star cluster in the constellation Ta**us. It is just 444 light-years away, making it the closest of the Messier Objects. M45 contains over a thousand stars that are loosely bound by gravity, but it is visually dominated by a handful of hot blue luminous stars that have formed within the past 100 million years. The reflection nebulae around the brightest stars are thought to be an unrelated dust cloud in the interstellar medium through which the stars are passing.

NGC 7000, known as the North America Nebula, is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus that resembles the contin...
07/20/2026

NGC 7000, known as the North America Nebula, is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus that resembles the continent of North America. It lies about 1700 light-years from Earth and spans about 100 light-years. The region is a principal breeding ground of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Messier 3 (M3) is a globular cluster about 34,000 light-years from Earth in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici...
07/19/2026

Messier 3 (M3) is a globular cluster about 34,000 light-years from Earth in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici. It is one of the largest and brightest in our galaxy containing an estimated 500,000 stars.

The Pelican Nebula is an HII region (emission nebula) in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan). Identified as IC 5070, thi...
07/18/2026

The Pelican Nebula is an HII region (emission nebula) in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan). Identified as IC 5070, this nebula contains an active mix of star forming and evolving gas clouds that bear a resemblance to a pelican, giving rise to its name. The gas within the nebula is in constant motion, and it is believed by some that in about 1 million years it will resemble an elephant, lying on its back, wearing a hat.

The Orion Nebula Region
07/18/2026

The Orion Nebula Region

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