| ASTRONOMISER |
The Astronomiser is a fun web site, created by Gary Chappell. I will never be a top notch "astro-imager", but I have really enjoyed learning the basics of this hobby. As you can see, I have done several other things in life, but none of them too well. Ha !!! |
| M37 Great Open Star Cluster - 4,400 light years distant Gary Chappell, 1-26-07, AT-80 semi-APO, DSI-II |
| Haley and Austin |
About Gary:
- Graduated Enid HS, Enid, Oklahoma.
- United States Marine Corps (Vietnam Veteran)
- Graduated Oklahoma City University, B.S
- Flight Instructor, Charter Pilot, Corporate
Pilot Worldwide, Commuter Airline Pilot. - Commercial, Industrial Real Estate
"Semper Fi"
| Coach Sherri Coale, Gary Chappell, OU Fundraiser - WOW ! |
| M-42 The Great Orion Nebula. M-43 is the smaller nebula cloud with single star. A Ghastly Place of New Star Formation. 100's of light years across. Distance, 1,500 Light Years. You can just make out the trapezium, four central stars. 12-30-2007, Meade 200R, DSI III, Alt/AZ Drizzle. FITS/Maxim, TIFF PS, |
| My Meade LX 200R and Sky Shed POD. Very Cozy. |
| If you ain't the lead dog the view never changes! |
Great People I Have Known Cmdr. Bill Serfus USN, 1930-1967 (I was there) Cpl. Larry Bice USMC, 1946-1967 (my friend) Carl F. Chappell, 1897-1964 (grandfather) Coach Dusty W. Eby, 1935-1999 (my baseball coach) Mary Ann Norwood, 1933-1994 (mother-in-law) Great People I wish I knew Jackie Stiles, Julia Ormond, Jodie Foster, Reba McEntire Extraordinary People I Wish I Could Have Known Amelia Earhart, 1897-1937 Lt. Kara Spears 'Revlon' Hultgreen USN, 1965-1994 Lt. General Chesty Puller USMC, 1898-1971 Edwin Hubble, 1889-1953 Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr., 1902-1971 Carl Sagan, 1934-1996 |
| Kris & Deno, 2005 Proud OU Alumni. |
| OKIE-TEX Star Party 2007, Oklahoma-Colorado Border. I had a Great Time! Camp Billy Joe. Gary and his beloved 2004 National RV. |
M-45 Pleiades Star Cluster, AT 66 semi APO. About 500 stars total.
Named "Seven Sisters". On good night you can see about seven stars
with naked eye close together. AT-66, DSI III, 8-8 sec. subs, drizzle.
Named "Seven Sisters". On good night you can see about seven stars
with naked eye close together. AT-66, DSI III, 8-8 sec. subs, drizzle.
Spanning 175 light-years across, M2 is one of the larger globular clusters
known. The cluster is rich, compact, and significantly elliptical. At 13 billion
years old it is also one of the older globulars associated with the Milky Way
Galaxy. The distance of M2 is about 37,500 light-years away from Earth and the
cluster contains about 150,000 stars. Imaged 11-2-2008, Edmond, OK,
AT-111, DSI III., unguided, 8 sec. subs.
known. The cluster is rich, compact, and significantly elliptical. At 13 billion
years old it is also one of the older globulars associated with the Milky Way
Galaxy. The distance of M2 is about 37,500 light-years away from Earth and the
cluster contains about 150,000 stars. Imaged 11-2-2008, Edmond, OK,
AT-111, DSI III., unguided, 8 sec. subs.
M-3 Great Globular Star Cluster. Contains 500,000 stars. 33,900 light years distant.
Imaged 12-20-2007, Edmond, OK. LX200R, Alt/Az, DSI III, 3-30 sec. subs, drizzle.
Imaged 12-20-2007, Edmond, OK. LX200R, Alt/Az, DSI III, 3-30 sec. subs, drizzle.
Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan 1937. Photo just prior to Amelia's ill fated round
the world flight attempt. Amelia was light years ahead of her time. Every American
should take the time to become familiar with Amelia's life, and accomplishments.
the world flight attempt. Amelia was light years ahead of her time. Every American
should take the time to become familiar with Amelia's life, and accomplishments.
| Thanks My Friends For Visiting Our Site. |
| M-35 Open Star Cluster-AT 80-DSI III CCD, Edmond, OK |
Tycho the large crater on lower left above is an impact crater formed approximately
100 million years ago. It is the most recent large impact crater on the Moon's near
side. Tycho is circular in form with a diameter of 52 miles. 1-01-07, AT-66
semi-APO, DSI-II
Omega Centauri is visible from Earth with the naked eye and is one of the Favorite
celestial objects for stargazers from the southern hemisphere. Although the cluster is
17 000 light-years away, located just above the plane of the Milky Way, it appears almost
as large as the full Moon when the cluster is seen from a dark rural area. This image was
taken using a LX200R, 8" and DSI II from Sydney Australia, (southern hemisphere).
CCD Image of Omega taken by my good friend Daniel Calleja in Sydney Australia, whose
link can be found above. He has helped me learn the art of CCD Imaging.
Thanks Daniel
celestial objects for stargazers from the southern hemisphere. Although the cluster is
17 000 light-years away, located just above the plane of the Milky Way, it appears almost
as large as the full Moon when the cluster is seen from a dark rural area. This image was
taken using a LX200R, 8" and DSI II from Sydney Australia, (southern hemisphere).
CCD Image of Omega taken by my good friend Daniel Calleja in Sydney Australia, whose
link can be found above. He has helped me learn the art of CCD Imaging.
Thanks Daniel
Kristina and Deno in Costa Rica 2008
| 1977 Cessna Citation Business Jet over the Atlantic |
If you have to ask, you need more education, or at least
more Science Channel Time Actually I don't know much
about it either, but since Jodie Foster mentioned above
in movie "Contact", I seem to be interested in "Primes".
more Science Channel Time Actually I don't know much
about it either, but since Jodie Foster mentioned above
in movie "Contact", I seem to be interested in "Primes".
My new Custom Wyorock Focuser installed on Orion 12" DOB. Very smooth, and machining is excellent!. Highly Recommend.
| Some of my Photoshop creations above. I have too much time on my hands. Ha! |
| My Meade LX200R 8" Setup on Meade Super Wedge Meade 6.3 Focal Reducer-Meade Microfocuser Meade DSI III Main Camera-Meade DSI II Guide Camera AT-80 APO Guide Scope, and Meade Finder Scope Losmandy Top Plate, Rings, Counter Weight System |
| Most of my equipment is detailed below. I seem to not be able to focus on one type of optics. I think if I could start over again, I would purchase a nice 14" DOB, and concentrate on visual observing. Unfortunately I have dabbled in CCD Imaging, and it has become addictive. . |
| Astro-Tech 111EDT f/7 ED triplet apochromatic refractor, Astro-Tech 80 ED Guide Scope. Meade LXD-75 Go To Mount Sky Shed POD |
Orion 12" DOB with Intelliscope. Currently setting on top of a Equatorial
Platform. The platform is designed to work in RA and DEC, and does an
excellent job of keeping objects centered in eyepiece. The platforms
work great. They are simple and very well designed. Makes using a
DOB a whole different ballgame. Tom Osypowski of Equatorial Platforms
makes this fine product.
Platform. The platform is designed to work in RA and DEC, and does an
excellent job of keeping objects centered in eyepiece. The platforms
work great. They are simple and very well designed. Makes using a
DOB a whole different ballgame. Tom Osypowski of Equatorial Platforms
makes this fine product.
Planet Jupiter 9-16-2008 -
Edmond, OKlahoma
Orion 12" DOB - Equitorial
Platform S/A - Meade LPI
Televue Powermate 2.5X
Planet imaging is very
difficult. I hope to do better
in time.
Edmond, OKlahoma
Orion 12" DOB - Equitorial
Platform S/A - Meade LPI
Televue Powermate 2.5X
Planet imaging is very
difficult. I hope to do better
in time.
Messier 56 is located about half-way between Beta Cygni (Albireo) and
Gamma Lyrae. It is one of the less bright Messier globulars,
especially lacking the bright core which most globulars have.
Nevertheless it is not too difficult to resolve, even at its rather large
distance.
At its distance of 32,900 light-years. its diameter of 8.8 arc minutes
corresponds to a linear extension of about 85 light years.
Image taken at OKIE-TEX 2007.
Meade LX200R - Alt/Az - Meade DSI- II Color Imager.
Eight (10 sec subs) Fits 3p, PS and Carboni Actions.
Gamma Lyrae. It is one of the less bright Messier globulars,
especially lacking the bright core which most globulars have.
Nevertheless it is not too difficult to resolve, even at its rather large
distance.
At its distance of 32,900 light-years. its diameter of 8.8 arc minutes
corresponds to a linear extension of about 85 light years.
Image taken at OKIE-TEX 2007.
Meade LX200R - Alt/Az - Meade DSI- II Color Imager.
Eight (10 sec subs) Fits 3p, PS and Carboni Actions.
M-42 The Great Orion Nebula. M-43 is the smaller nebula cloud with single star. A Ghastly Place of New Star Formation. 100's of light years across.
Distance, 1,500 Light Years. You can just make out the trapezium, four central stars. 12-30-2007, Meade 200R, DSI III, FITS Lib, Carboni Actions, TIFF PS,
Distance, 1,500 Light Years. You can just make out the trapezium, four central stars. 12-30-2007, Meade 200R, DSI III, FITS Lib, Carboni Actions, TIFF PS,
| "Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity." -Albert Einstein |
| "The best thing about being old; I don't have time to get mad at anybody", Gary Chappell |
Messier 31 (M31, NGC 224) is the famous Andromeda galaxy, our nearest large
neighbor galaxy. 2.5 million light-years away, and containing 150 billion stars,
Andromeda is about 30% larger than our own Milky Way Galaxy. Andromeda Galaxy
M31 has a double nucleus. This suggests that either it has actually two bright nuclei,
probably because it has "eaten" a smaller galaxy which once intruded its core, or parts
of its only one core are obscured by dark material, probably dust.
neighbor galaxy. 2.5 million light-years away, and containing 150 billion stars,
Andromeda is about 30% larger than our own Milky Way Galaxy. Andromeda Galaxy
M31 has a double nucleus. This suggests that either it has actually two bright nuclei,
probably because it has "eaten" a smaller galaxy which once intruded its core, or parts
of its only one core are obscured by dark material, probably dust.
| Kris, Gary-Okie-Tex 2008 Star Party |
Wide angle photo shows M31 with its smaller neighboring Galaxy M110. Imaged
10/27/2008, Edmond OK AT-80 APO, and AT 111 APO, DSI II and DSI III, unguided.
10/27/2008, Edmond OK AT-80 APO, and AT 111 APO, DSI II and DSI III, unguided.
| One of the fun things I used to do was fly Learjets out of Love Field in Dallas. Flew "Ray Price", the Country and Western singer to many concerts. The Learjet 25 above was a great aircraft, 440 knots @ 45,000 feet. |
| Pilot for Trans Central Commuter Airline. Me at nose of aircraft. The Metroliner days. A bullet with no wing. Ha ! |
| Hmmm,... I think I need to lose some weight. |
| ---Prettiest Girl I Ever Knew--- |
| My 1st cousin, Randy. Nice trout Randy ! |
My beautiful sister, Sharon, and her daughter Michelle, and Kiddo's.
Nancy, Gary, Sharon 1979
| MOM - "She is so Pretty here". |
| My Grandmother Pearl (top) - Garnet - Sylvia - Smiley a friend. Around 1915 in Ames area. Life was very hard back then. Look at the faces closely. You can see the hardship, which they were enduring. Three sisters, and all great and beautiful ladies. |
| My dad Horace and his RV in late 70's. |
| "The one thing we all have in common, is that we would all like to be remembered as uncommon", Gary Chappell |
Madeline and Horace in San Francisco, 1945
| Aunt Nelda. She is very beautiful. |
| This is Gary and his 1956 Ford in HS Soph year. His girl is Betsy, the most beautiful and popular Senior in HS. Gary had a big crush on Betsy. The truth is, Gary used Photoshop and merged Betsy into the pic. In actuality she would not have given Gary the time of day ! Ha! |
My half-brother Doug and his friend in 1988.
| Bossart's, my grandparents in 1940 |
| My Good Friend Barry Leigh and I golfing in Beaver Creek in 80's . Barry is Gone Now. |
Erin Higgins, OU Basketball Star. Best Player I ever knew.
Look Happy Here ???
My Cousin Ken - "El Capitan"
Sharon and Granddad 1964
| Mary Ann - What a Great Mother-In-Law she was... |
Bass Fishin in Ole Mexico
My Beautiful Girl's at OU
Haley 9th Grade Basketball
| Linda Ken's wife - - HS PIC Beautiful ! |
As a Marine Orderly for Ship Commanding Officer, I on occasion got
special benefits. One was sitting down with Raquel Welch one on
one and eating Brownies for about ten minutes. I was 19 at time,
and you can imagine !!! She was very nice to me.
special benefits. One was sitting down with Raquel Welch one on
one and eating Brownies for about ten minutes. I was 19 at time,
and you can imagine !!! She was very nice to me.
Going thru Pearl enroute to Tonkin Gulf.
My good HS friend Jerry Young aboard the CarrierCoral Sea.
| Kris and Haley in Hot Springs I Love my Girl's... |
O'Tar and Kris
| I know you can't go Home, but I really enjoy trying. Gary |
The Ole Deer Hunter - Ames, OK 2005
| Gary and his good friend Mr. Kelley, Elk Hunting in Colorado. |
| Hubble Telescope PIC of Saturn Beautiful |
| Chappell's - Little's abt 1952 Top L to R - Madeline, Bud, Carl Bottom L to R - Horace, Gary, Pearl, Randy, Ken. |
| Jennie & William Denison, my Great Grandparents. Jennie was a gorgeous and elegant looking lady. |
| I Love This Photo |
| Republicans All, "Grand Ole Gang" |
