Cliffside Observatory
Welcome to the Cliffside Observatory
This website is a record of my journey through astrophotography, documenting my growth from beginner to experienced imager. I began imaging in 2020 with my Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain 8SE (now dedicated to visual observing). As my skills developed, I added two more telescopes to my setup:
Sky-Watcher Esprit 120 ED Super APO Refractor on a Sky-Watcher EQ6R Pro German Equatorial Mount
William Optics 71 WIFD Refractor on a ZWO AM5N Strain Wave Mount
Each telescope provides unique perspectives due to differences in objective lens diameter and focal length, allowing me to capture a variety of celestial objects.
Equipment: Details on all my telescope setups, including cameras, filter wheels, filters, rotators, and power/data management systems.
Images: Organized by year, then by object type:
Galaxies
Globular Clusters
Nebulae
Planetary Nebulae
Other celestial objects
Other Stuff: Local weather updates and links to some of my favorite astronomy websites.
Contact: Feel free to send me a note if you have questions or would like to request a specific object to be imaged.
Links: A selection of top astronomy resources for enthusiasts.
This website is a work in progress, and I’ll be adding more images and information over time.
A big shout out and a heartfelt thanks to my wife, Lorna, who rekindled my passion for astronomy with the surprise gift of the Celestron 8SE, thanks, honey!
View Looking Southeast Over the Gananoque River (July 2025)
The Williams 71 WIFD refractor on a ZWO AM5N strain wave mount, installed on an 8½” SkyShed pier, ready for imaging under the summer skies.
In the Garage (~Summer 2021): Telescope Setup & Adjustments
This photo is a bit of an oddity, it shows the Esprit 120 set up for visual observing. Fun fact: I’ve never actually looked through this telescope with my own eyes; it’s strictly a imaging telescope!
Imaging the moon, Celestron 8SE with a ZWO ASI 294 MC Pro Colour Camara.
Celestron 8SE in visual mode.
