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Brad N.

@elbrad.bsky.social
130 followers 50 following 162 posts

Recent re-transplant to Victoria, BC. Amateur photog, beginner astrophotog, and aspiring hermit (so long as there's internet). The world might be on fire, but I can take pictures of the bits that are still beautiful. Camera: Sony A7 iv Scope: Seestar S50

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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
It really is. Now that tourist season is winding down, it'll be great to hit up a few campsites for a night or two local-ish!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Got myself out to a Bortle 2-3 area for my vacation this year, and managed to capture the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies. #SeestarS50 #astrophotography #space
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
After stacking a couple shots together, editing, tweaking, and a little bit of cursing, here's the result from last night's lunar eclipse.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I keep forgetting to post the astrophotos here, so for your enjoyment, here's the Dumbbell Nebula, Wizard Nebula, and the Rosette Nebula.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
There were too many clouds to get any good astrophotos while out camping this weekend at #FunkyForest on #vancouverisland, so here's a slow fire.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
The beginnings of Eagle Nebula with only ~100 minutes of integration so far. Aiming for more soon, so long as the skies cooperate. #Seestar #S50 #Astrophotography
Eagle Nebula
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
It's been a minute since my last photo dump. Here's some shots from the weekend. Two trips, one to French Beach and one to Jordan River here on #VancouverIsland. #MilkyWay shots and some #StarTrails as well as the beginnings of my capture of the #EagleNebula.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Off to #FishermanWharf in #YYJ #VictoriaBC, with a daytime moon, and loads of goslings.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Waxing Gibbous moon, almost 60% Taken from my balcony in #yyj with a Sony A7iv, Tamron 150-500mm, at 500mm.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Heron spotting out at #EsquimaltLagoon in #YYJ. Weirdly gorgeous birds!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Oh Bluesky...I keep scrolling through you, but forget to feed you a bunch of photos of birds, squirrels, turtles and such to distribute to the masses. Please accept this photo dump as a most sincere apology. Taken in #YYJ with a Sony A7iv and mostly the Tamron 150-500mm lens. 2/2
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Oh Bluesky...I keep scrolling through you, but forget to feed you a bunch of photos of birds, squirrels, turtles and such to distribute to the masses. Please accept this photo dump as a most sincere apology. Taken in #YYJ with a Sony A7iv and mostly the Tamron 150-500mm lens. 1/2
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
The moon is getting in the way of my plans for more Milky Way photography, but I figured I'd make the best of Luna while she's here.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Are we talking about the Epstein Memorial Ballroom here?
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Don't do this. Don't get my hopes up. (but seriously Europe, do this.)
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Had the chance to visit The Raptors in #DuncanBC yesterday, and the opportunity to have a hawk land on my gloved hand. Definitely a place worth checking out, and it'll be getting a revisit from me soon!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Enshittification: The new way of life.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Looks like I've forgotten to post the latest astro photos! Here you go. First is the Crab Nebula, then the Iris Nebula, Monkey Head Nebula, and finally the Pinwheel Galaxy. All shot with the #SeestarS50 in #VictoriaBC, Bortle 6.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Last nights session I captured the Monkey Head Nebula and the Hercules Cluster.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
It's been a little over a year with the Seestar S50, and I've been trying to learn how to expose the images properly, how to edit the images, and how to fine tune the results to get something that comes as close to reality as possible. This is 10s exposures on the Orion Nebula.
Orion Nebula on the Seestar S50.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
The skies refuse to clear, so I can't get the telescope out...but the camera seems to work still!
Squirrel on a mossy rockBufflehead in the oceanRed heart lock on a chain
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Gander can't be released soon enough. Though you're launching in Canada, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a worldwide demand for a more ethical social media platform, and by the looks of it, this is Gander!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Today's trip to #BotanyBay, just southwest of #PortRenfrew on #VancouverIsland #BritishColumbia
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
Revisited the Rosette Nebula last night, and added another 600 frames or so. This helped bring down the noise, increase the clarity, and allowed me to pull out some more of the blue hue from the centre. As always, shot in #YYJ with the #Seestar S50
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Rosette Nebula from last night in #YYJ. I need more time on target to reduce the noise and bump up the clarity. 531 20 second frames shot on the #Seestar S50.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Going back and seeing what I did last year, versus this year. Bode's and Cigar Galaxies, both shot on the #seestar S50. 1st is March 2025, 2nd is data from today and earlier this week. Learning how to properly process images is rewarding, and I'm looking forward to continuing to learn.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
1300 ly away, The Iris Nebula is a reflection nebula, meaning the dust is reflecting the light of a nearby star. It would take you six light years to cross it from one side to the other. Shot on the #seestar S50 in Bortle 6 conditions.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
Long exposure at Little Qualicum Falls today. #XQU #VancouverIsland
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
30,000 - 35,000 years ago a supernova exploded and caused this formation called the Jellyfish Nebula. It's 5000 light years away. I'm going to spend more time getting more scope time with this one to try and bring out more details in the dust cloud. Taken in #YYJ with a #SeestarS50
Jellyfish Nebula
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Finally a clear night in #YYJ. Enough that I could do an all night session with the #SeestarS50 on the Bode's and Cigar Galaxies.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
I got round to watching #TheLifeOfChuck. One of the best stories from @stephenking.bsky.social , and while I may be wrong, I felt it was one of the best roles that @markhamillofficial.bsky.social has played. Such heart, such a beautifully melancholic story. It's going to sit with me for a while.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
West Bay walkway near the marina in #Esquimalt. 5 second exposure with the ND filter on. Love the look of the water in this one, and the only hint of the timed exposure are the masts blurring with the slight waves we were getting. #yyj #photography
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
Gorge Waterway heron and seals in #VictoriaBC #YYJ
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
The Reversing Falls at the Gorge Waterway in #VictoriaBC. Photos of seals and herons to follow.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
I've tried to get a cloudy moon before, and it's always been tricky. I've been messing around with exposure bracketing (taking multiple shots in quick succession with different exposure times), and I think I've almost got it!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
Just outside #VictoriaBC in #JordanRiver. The telescope wasn't behaving, but the camera came through!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Still reprocessing old captures...but the forecast is calling for a clear night on Friday! Here's hoping for at least one new target soon! #seestar #astrophotography
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
The one nice thing about the cloudy weather is that I can go back and reprocess old data. Here's the Heart Nebula and the Fishhead Nebula. Left one is where I overprocessed and oversaturated, right is with a bit more of a delicate hand. #seestar #astrophotography
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
So many cloudy nights in #VictoriaBC, so I've been processing old data, trying to bring out more detail, more sharpness, and a more interesting composition. Still loving what the #seestarS50 can do!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 30/11/2025
The Horsehead and Flame nebulae. It's funny how my initial processing never turns out well, but when I come back to it after a few hours, the results are much better. #seestar #astrophotography
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
...with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that means Pedophile!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Come for a visit sometime when they have the fountain all lit up!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
This one especially stands out for me. Anytime I see a safety PSA, my mind immediately goes back to this obviously drug-induced ad.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
Halloween is coming up, how about some magic? The Wizard Nebula. 7200 light-years away, completely invisible to the naked eye. This is what 2 hours with scattered clouds got me last night. I'll need at least a full night's imaging when the weather cooperates in order to bring out more detail.
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 25/10/2025
I've seen so many photos of the WVN, but this level of detail makes it look SO much more interesting. Thank you for sharing your capture!
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
The Heart Nebula, from a mildly cloudy evening in Bortle 6. Taken with the #SeestarS50
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
#AndromedaGalaxy - 2029 10s, 20s and 30s subs, hours in #Siril, edited in #SetiAstro, touched up in Lightroom. Finally got some resolution on the dust lanes. I'll have to find a lower Bortle area and set it up for better resolution. Don't think the lower exposure times are helping at this point.
Andromeda Galaxy
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Brad N. @elbrad.bsky.social · 18/10/2025
Always love seeing your work! This is yet another great shot!
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