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Club Pictures
By Don Loftus
29°39' N,  82°21' W
Altitude: 50 Meters (more or less)		   Updated Oct. 24, 2003
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Astrophotography by Don Loftus

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Pictures are copyright © by the author. However, these pictures may be reproduced for non-commercial usage providing credit is given to the author of each picture.

Don's Dob

Don's Dob

Don and son Curtis have built a beautifully crafted, Dobsonian telescope that is not only great for looking through but also also rivals superbly crafted furniture. Read how he built this fine instrument and see pictures of this scope.


Comet Hyakutake

Don took these pictures from his home just outside the city limits of Gainesville, Florida on Monday morning (1:00 a.m. EST), 1996 March 25 when the comet was closest to the Earth.

Ordering Information  If interested in obtaining prints of these pictures, contact Don Loftus for sizes, prices and availability.

Technical Information

  1. Equipment: Camera mounted piggyback on a Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (for tracking purposes)
  2. Film: Kodak T-MAX 400
  3. Processing: D-76 at 74 degrees for 9.5 minutes
  4. Original Prints: Made on Kodabromide F-3. Online images contrast enhanced with Photoshop
Click on each image to view a larger picture.

C. Hyakutake 2 min, 50 mmComet Hyakutake (100K gif)
50 mm normal lens, 2 minute exposure at f/2.8


C. Hyakutake, 2 min, 90 mmComet Hyakutake (157K gif)
90 mm lens, 2 minute exposure at f/2.8


C. Hyakutake, 5 min, 200 mmComet Hyakutake (113K gif)
200 mm lens, 5 minute exposure at f/4



Ring Around the Moon

Ring Around the Moon (click to enlarge

This picture was submitted to "Sky & Telescope" magazine. The magazine ran Don's picture in their 2002 November issue in the Gallery section. Don took this shot on the evening of 2002 February 21 and it shows Jupiter (above the Moon), the waxing Moon one day past first quarter (looks full due to overexposure), and Saturn (below the Moon). The ring around the Moon is caused by moonlight refracted by ice crystals in high level clouds. (Click image to enlarge.) Moon halos like this are not uncommon even in Florida and can sometimes be quite bright.


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