The Lagoon Nebula

33x60 @ ISO800 f/5 750 mm

Liz and I went to Temecula, CA to stay out at a vineyard for some relaxation, and some astrophotography. I'll leave it up to you to decide who wanted what.

We rent a little room out on a vineyard about 6 miles out from the city center, and the milky way can clearly be seen out there. The astrophotos come out quite a bit better than from the suburban areas of OC/LA counties so I hope to make it out more often.

Anyway, this trip resulted in one of my favorite Astrophotos yet, the Lagoon Nebula. I also took my first shot of Jupiter (and its 4 Galilean moons are visible in thoe shot).

Recently I acquired my first prime lens, a 100mm macro lens, and it did not go to waste on this trip. Two of the shots included here are with that lens, and they couldn't be any different from each other. The first is a fly macro shot, the first one I've taken of an insect that wasn't totally blurry. The second shot with the lens was of the Antares region of the sky..one of the most colorful regions in the sky. This lens really can do it all.

The last shot was something I took in one of the many antique shops in old town Temecula. I like technical and mechanical things, and big box of old gauges appealed to me.