How much can you see in a large city light polluted sky?
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That is the question I kept asking myself. And there did not seem to be anybody who could answer this question after numerous searches on the web. So I decided to try it for myself and created this web site to provide an answer to other people who might have the same question. The images below where all taken in Montreal Quebec Canada but the data also applies to any large city with a population of over 1 million soles. You will also find here information and differences about the Meade DSI-C the DSI-Pro and the DSI-Pro II.

For information about the equipment used for taking these images click here.
For a review of the GoldFocus mask click here.

The following images are showing what to expect and have been thaken with the Meade DSI family of imagers using a variety of small telescopes and filters. Most images are purely black and white, having found-out that light pollution can be reduced by taking black and white picture without any Infra-Red filters, due to the good IR sensitivy of the DSI cameras. Some images of fairly low quality are shown, where it is particularly difficult to get good quality images due to my limited view of the sky. Living in Montreal Quebec Canada (Latitude 45 degrees 30 minutes North) limits the exposure time of object with declinations of -25 degrees or less and other obstacles  such as trees limits access to object above 50 degrees of altitude. These limitations explains why some object in the Messier list are missing while others are of low quality. These low quality images also help figuring out what to expect in a highly polluted city. Each image includes a brief description of the imaging setup and exposure used to capture it.

Free Software:
If you are using a goto mount with a DSI Imager, you wished the Envisage capture software had some way of showing the exact center of its field, like a reticuled eyepiece to help align the mount. To fill this need I created the reticule.exe software that does exacly this. You can find info and download this free software here.
Messier Catalog

M2

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 75 images of 8 seconds (10 minutes)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Oct 4,2007 at 23h11 EDT

 

 

M3

Scope 200mm SCT (Meade 2080) with F4 focal reducer.
Exposure Time: 15 images of 4 seconds (1 minute 36 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Sept 10,2005 at 22h41 DST.

 

 

M4

 

 

 

M5

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 54 images of 8 seconds (7 minutes 12 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Sept 2,2007 at 20h54 DST.

 

 

M6

 

 

M7

 

 

M8

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 158 images of 8 seconds (21 minutes 4 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 15,2008 at 21h38 DST.

 

M9

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 75 images of 8 seconds (10 minutes)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 17,2007 at 21h43 DST.

 

M10

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 40 images of 8 seconds (5 minutes 20 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Sept 9,2007 at 22h31 DST.

 

 

M11

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 60 images of 8 seconds (8 minutes)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Sept 21,2007 at 21h42 DST.

 

 

M12

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 317 images of 8 seconds (42 minutes 16 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Drizzle used to increase field size.
Date: Sept 2,2007 at 22h35 DST.

 

 

M13

Scope 200mm SCT (Meade 2080) with F4 focal reducer.
Exposure Time: 38 images of 15 seconds (9 minutes 30 sec)
Filter: Wideband Nebular filter.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Aug 26,2006 at 22h42 EDT.

 

 

M14

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 112 images of 8 seconds (14 minutes 56 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Drizzle used to increase resolution (drozzle resolution 1.5 Pixel fraction 0.80.
Date: Aug 18,2008 at 21h20 EDT.

 

M15

 

 

M16

Scope SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 60 images of 8 seconds (8 minutes)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 28,2007 at 23h29 EDT.

 

 

M17

Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 334 images of 8 seconds (44 minutes 32 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Drizzle used to increase field size.
Date: Aug 20,2008 at 21h58 EDT.

 

 

M18

Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 173 images of 8 seconds (23 minutes 45 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Sept 4,2008 at 21h07 EDT.

 

 

M19
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 36 images of 8 seconds (4 minutes 48 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 18,2008 at 22h43 EDT.

 

 

M20
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 166 images of 8 seconds (22 minutes 8 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 6,2008 at 22h44 EDT.

 

 

M21
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 75 images of 8 seconds (10 minutes)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 18,2008 at 21h50 EDT.

 

 

M22
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 14 images of 8 seconds (1 minutes 51 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 6,2008 at 23h29 EDT.

 

 

M23
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 18 images of 8 seconds (2 minutes 24 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Sept 25,2007 at 21h23 EDT.

 

 

M24

Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 18 images of 8 seconds (2 minutes 24 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Sept 20,2007 at 22h20 EDT.

 

 

M25
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 60 images of 8 seconds (8 minutes)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 18,2008 at 22h32 EDT.

 

 

M26
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 23 images of 8 seconds (3 minutes 4 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Sept 19,2007 at 22h57 EDT.

 

 

M27
Scope: Meade 2080 (200mm SCT with F3.3 Focal reducer).
Exposure Time: 10 images of 60 seconds (10 minutes)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Aug 17,2006 at 01h35 EDT.

 

 

M28
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 44 images of 8 seconds (5 minutes 52 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 6,2008 at 23h17 EDT.

 

 

M29

 

 

M30
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 17 images of 8 seconds (2 minutes 16 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Nov 2,2007 at 21h19 EST.

 

 

 

M31

 

 

M32

 

 

M33

 

 

M34

 

 

M35
Scope: Orbitor 70mm F4.2.
Exposure Time: 20 images of 11 seconds (3 minutes 46 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Mar 12,2006 at 21h22 EDT.

 

 

 

M36

 

 

M37

 

 

M38

 

 

M39

 

 

M40

 

 

M41
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 23 images of 8 seconds (3 minutes 4 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Jan 31,2008 at 00h40 EST.

 

 

 

 

M42/M43
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 345 images of 8 seconds (46 minutes)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Jan 16,2008 at 00h51 EST.

 

 

 

 

M44

 

 

M45

 

 

M46

Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 105 images of 8 seconds (14 minutes)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Mar 17,2008 at 23h24 EDT.

Also visible planetary nebula NGC-2438

 

 

M47
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 19 images of 8 seconds (2 minutes 32 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Mar 17,2008 at 21h20 EDT.

 

 

M48
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 52 images of 8 seconds (6 minutes 56 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrow band 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Dec 26,2007 at 05h48 EST.

 

 

M49
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 40 images of 8 seconds (10 minutes)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 12,2007 at 00h10 EDT.

 

 

M50
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 105 images of 8 seconds (14 minutes)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Mar 18,2008 at 20h52 EDT.

 

 

M51
Scope: Meade 2080(200mm SCT) with F4 focal reducer.
Exposure Time: 8 images of 42 seconds (5 minutes 40 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Apr 21,2006 at 21h57 EDT.

 

M52

 

 

M53
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian. with 1.25X barlow.
Exposure Time: 64 images of 8 seconds (8 minutes 32 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Juil 1,2008 at 22h14 EDT.

 

 

M54

 

 

M55

 

 

M56

 

 

M57
Scope: Meade 2080 (200mm SCT) with F4 focal reducer.
Exposure Time: 21 images of 8 seconds (2 minutes 48 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Sept 1,2005 at 23h54 EDT.

 

 

M58
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 42 images of 15seconds (10 minutes 30 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Jun 7,2007 at 23h25 EDT.

 

 

M59
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 34 images of 15 seconds (8 minutes 30 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Jun 7,2007 at 22h52 EDT.

 

 

M60
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 56 images of 15 seconds (14 minutes)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Jun 7,2007 at 23h08 EDT.

 

 

M61
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 79 images of 15 seconds (19 minutes 45 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 18,2007 at 00h16 EDT. (Drizzle used to increase resolution but with insufficent images resulting in the grid pattern).

 

 

M62

 

 

M63
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 61 images of 15 seconds (15 minutes 15 sec)
Filter: Wideband Nebular filter
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 26,2006 at 21h05 EDT.

 

 

M64
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 42 images of 15 seconds (10 minutes 30 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Jun 7,2007 at 00h01 EDT.

 

 

M65/M66
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 44 images of 15 seconds (11 minutes)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 22,2007 at 22h53 EDT.

 

 

M67
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 58 images of 8 seconds (7 minutes 44 sec)
Filter: Meade NarrowBand 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Dec 6,2007 at 21h29 EST.

 

 

M68

 

 

M69

 

 

M70

 

 

M71
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 105 images of 8 seconds (14 minutes)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Sept 19,2007 at 23h58 EST.

 

 

M72
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 58 images of 8 seconds (7 minutes 44 sec)
Filter: Meade NarrowBand 908N.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Oct 26,2007 at 22h296 EST.

 

 

M73
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 105 images of 8 seconds (14 minutes)
Filter: NLucicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Oct 26,2007 at 22h47 EST.

 

 

M74

 

 

M75
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 77 images of 8 seconds (10 minutes 16 sec)
Filter: Lumicon LF3085 Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Aug 17,2007 at 00h47 EDT.

 

 

M76

 

 

M77
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 105 images of 8 seconds (14 minutes)
Filter: Lumicon Hydrogen Alpha long pass filter.
Camera: DSI Pro
Date: Jan 17,2008 at 22h41 EST.

 

 

M78

 

 

M79

 

 

M80

 

 

M81

 

 

M82

 

 

M83

 

 

M84/M86
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 61 images of 15 seconds (15 minutes 15 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 22,2007 at 23h37 EDT.  Also visible NGC-4388 and NGC-4402

 

 

M85
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 60 images of 15 seconds (15 minutes)
Filter:  Meade NarrowBand 908N.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 29,2007 at 23h43 EDT.

 

 

M87
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 62 images of 15 seconds (15 minutes 30 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 27,2007 at 23h06 EDT.

 

 

M88

 

 

M89
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 22 images of 15 seconds (5 minutes 30 sec)
Filter: Meade Narrowband 908N.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 29,2007 at 00h01 EDT.

 

 

M90
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 40 images of 15 seconds (10 minutes)
Filter: Meade NarrowBand 908N.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 29,2007 at 00h11 EDT.

 

 

M91
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 9 images of 15 seconds (2 minutes 15 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 22,2007 at 00h18 EDT.

 

 

M92
Scope: Meade 2080 (200mm SCT) with F4 focal reducer.
Exposure Time: 56 images of 4 seconds (3 minutes 44 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Sept 5,2005 at 22h25 EDT.

 

 

M93
Scope: Meade 2080 (200mm SCT) with F4 focal reducer.
Exposure Time: 24 images of 4 seconds (1 minutes 36 sec)
Filter: Wideband nebular filter.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Mars 21,2006 at 23h20 EDT.

 


 

M94

 

 

M95
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 60 images of 15 seconds (15 minutes)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 22,2007 at 21h55 EDT.

 

 

M96
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 44 images of 15 seconds (11 minutes)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 22,2007 at 22h17 EDT.

 

 

M97

 

 

M98
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 37 images of 15 seconds (9 minutes 15 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 12,2007 at 00h26 EDT.

 


 

M99
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 65 images of 15 seconds (16 minutes 15 sec)
Filter: Meade NarrowBand 908N.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 24,2007 at 00h51 EDT.

 

 

M100
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 100 images of 15 seconds (25 minutes)
Filter: Meade Narrowband 908N
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 298,2007 at 23h11 EDT.

 

 

M101

 

 

M102

 

 

M103

 

 

M104
Scope: Meade 2080 (200mm SCT) with F3.3 focal reducer.
Exposure Time: 24 images of 8 seconds (3 minutes 12 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: April 21,2006 at 22h39 EDT.

 

 

M105
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 45 images of 15 seconds (11 minutes 15 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: May 22,2007 at 23h35 EDT.

 

 

M106

 

 

M107
Scope: SkyWatcher 114mm F4 Newtonian.
Exposure Time: 44 images of 8 seconds (5 minutes 54 sec)
Filter: None.
Camera: DSI C
Date: Sept 5,2007 at 21h286 EDT.

 

 

M108

 

 

M109

 

 

M110