AstroGuide:Portfolio Chris Hollander’s Astrophotography

Research

Questions worth looking at twice.

Visual studies, controlled experiments, and survey datasets that can grow as new observations arrive.

12 research projects
The 25-hour M31 portrait, reframed around the region containing AT 2026aabo. Draft

Transient study

A Nova Erupts in Andromeda

A backyard before-and-after study of AT 2026aabo in our neighboring Andromeda Galaxy, built from nineteen observing sessions and a reconstructed Siril workflow.
19 sessions · 2,031 frames · 25h 7m
Wide-field portrait of the Andromeda Galaxy Completed

Processing research

Reconstructing the AT 2026aabo edit

An interactive Siril processing graph, editing timeline, and reproducibility ledger showing how a 25-hour Andromeda portrait became a controlled nova comparison.
2,031 source frames · reconstructed workflow
Detailed view of NGC 7331 and the surrounding Deer Lick galaxy field Completed

Processing research

Reconstructing the SN 2026aaiv edit

An interactive Siril processing graph, editing timeline, and reproducibility ledger showing how two observing eras became a controlled supernova comparison.
1,405 source frames · reconstructed workflow
The final wide-field presentation. NGC 7331 and SN 2026aaiv sit at right; Stephan's Quintet is visible at lower left. Completed

Transient observation

The (Humongous) Tiny Dot: Catching SN 2026aaiv in NGC 7331

A backyard before-and-after study of SN 2026aaiv, with a shared galaxy background, isolated point-source experiment, and fully reconstructed Siril workflow.
5 nights · 1,002 frames · 6h 26m 40s
A compact nested sky map moving from an expansive Andromeda, Perseus, and Cassiopeia panorama into Local Group galaxies, emission nebulae, reflection nebulae, and stellar nurseries. Experimental

Regional survey · dust, star formation, and Local Group galaxies

Andromeda, Perseus, and Cassiopeia survey

Cross a vast Milky Way-mode panorama from the Andromeda system through Perseus and Cassiopeia, connecting nearby clusters, dark clouds, stellar nurseries, and neighboring galaxies.
18 linked images · 4 nested levels
A telescope market scatter plot of aperture and focal length Active

Equipment research

The backyard telescope market

An interactive map of aperture, focal length, and focal ratio across amateur telescopes, with verified retail pricing coming soon.
716 telescopes · interactive comparison
The completed M27 field, processed to reveal the planetary nebula's faint outer shell. Completed

Processing experiment

A Step Too Far? AI Upscaling M27

A controlled comparison of native-scale data, conventional Lanczos-4 enlargement, and AI-assisted super-resolution applied to the same M27 observation.
Native · Superres · Lanczos-4
A compact nested scale map flowing from a wide Cygnus and Vulpecula Milky Way field into nebulae, clusters, and a distant galaxy. Experimental

Regional survey · nested sky scales

Cygnus and Vulpecula survey

Cross the northern Milky Way from Cygnus down into Vulpecula, explore stellar nurseries, supernova debris, planetary nebulae, clusters, and a background galaxy.
14 linked images · 3 nested levels
A compact nested scale map flowing from the wide Cepheus and Cygnus Milky Way field into individual nebula regions. Experimental

Regional survey · nested sky scales

Cepheus and Cygnus survey

Trace the northern Milky Way into ionized nebulae, dark molecular clouds, young clusters, and wind-blown structures across Cepheus and Cygnus.
12 linked images · 3 nested levels
A compact nested scale map flowing from the wide Sagittarius Milky Way field into the Lagoon, Trifid, Eagle, and Swan regions, with M22, M25, M26, and M11 along the left edge. Experimental

Regional survey · nested sky scales

Sagittarius survey

Follow the Milky Way's bright Sagittarius star clouds into linked stellar nurseries around the Lagoon, Trifid, Eagle, and Swan nebulae.
11 linked images · 5 nested levels
Active

Survey research · field of view

Custom Rig FOV Survey

Compare how field of view and accepted integration change the presentation of the same deep-sky subjects across the S30 Pro, F30, S50, and WO Z61 + ASI662 imaging rigs.
20 observations · 3 dimensions
A backyard telescope observing beneath the night sky Ongoing

Community research

Seestar stability and dropped frames

A community study of whether target geometry, tracking drift, capture settings, observation age, and local conditions help explain dropped frames.