Amazing Night Sky Photos by Stargazers (March 2013)

NGC 3628 Hamburger Galaxy Fera

Bob and Janice Fera captured this image of NGC 3628, also known as the Hamburger Galaxy, on March 10-11, 2013, from Eagle Ridge Observatory in Foresthill, Calif. The Feras used an Officina Stellare RC-360AST 14" f/8 Ritchey Chretien Cassegrain telescope with two-element field flattener to observe the galaxy. An Apogee Alta U16M CCD camera with Astrodon filters was used to capture the photo. [Full Story on how the image was made]

Red Moon Over Pisa, Italy

Astrophotographer Giuseppe Petricca sent in a photo of the last quarter moon over Pisa, Italy, taken on March 2, 2013.

NGC 1491 Emission Nebula

NGC1491 is an emission nebula in Perseus. It is about 10,000 light years away. Veteran astrophotographer Bill Snyder shot this photo in early 2013 from Heavens Mirror Observatory SRO in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. He used a Planewave 17 inch telescope with an Apogee U16 camera, as well as a Paramount ME mount to capture the image. Posted on March 8, 2013. [See how the photo was made]

Winter Milky Way Over Colorado by McVey

Astrophotographer Daniel McVey sent in a photo with many winter night sky highlights. He writes: "Winter Milky Way with Winter Circle (Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel, Sirius, Procyon, and Castor), Aldebaran (Taurus), Jupiter and the Pleiades over the Gore Range in Summit County, Colorado." Image released March 6, 2013.

Comet Pan-STARRS on March 2, 2013

Astrophotographer Luis Argerich of Buenos Aires, Argentina, took this photo of Comet Pan-STARRS taken on March 2, 2013. He writes: "Easy to see with the naked eye from rural locations."

Moonrise Over Rincon Mountains, Arizona

Astrophotographer BG Boyd sent in a photo of the moon rising over the Rincon Mountains in Tucson, AZ.

Comet Pan-STARRS Seen in Buenos Aires

Astrophotographer Luis Argerich of Buenos Aires, Argentina, took this photo of Comet Pan-STARRS taken on March 2, 2013. He writes: "While the tail was still short it was easy to see with the naked eye and very bright."

Aurora and Spaca Moskalyk Church in Alberta, Canada

Astrophotographer Mike Isaak sent in this photo of an aurora taken near Mundare, Alberta, Canada (east of Edmonton), on Feb. 28, 2013 and submitted in March. He writes: "This … photo is … of the Spaca Moskalyk [Ukrainian Catholic church], which is scheduled to be burned to the ground on March 9th, but is believed to be on hold now due to public interest in preserving the church. I was set up to record a timelapse of this location and the aurora made a brief appearance from behind the clouds."

Comet Pan-STARRS Seen in Buenos Aires #2

Astrophotographer Luis Argerich of Buenos Aires, Argentina, took this photo of Comet Pan-STARRS taken on March 2, 2013. He writes: "Comet Pan-STARRS was visible from about 8:15 pm to 9 pm above the western horizon."

The Earth's Natural Rotation & Polaris, the North Star!

Astrophotographer John Chumack caught the night sky stars appearing to rotate around Polaris, the North Star, in Adams County, OH, on December 13, 2012. He writes: "So how fast are we spinning? Well, that depends on where you are. I took this photo from 38.8 degrees latitude, so in this 11-minute exposure pointed toward the North Star (Polaris), the Earth is spinning at about 800 mph…. If you look at the left side of the image, you will see the blurred … Milky Way running top to bottom. The faint red dashed line running top to bottom near [the] center of the image is an aircraft's blinking light." Submitted in March 2013.

Moon, Airplane and Comet Pan-STARRS Over Rio Rancho, NM

Astrophotographer Josh Knutson sent in a photo of the crescent new moon and Comet Pan-STARRS taken northwest of Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Image submitted March 12, 2013.