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The observing campaign was launched at last week’s VSS meeting in York and there a write-up in the current Section Circular (VSSC 160).
On returning home from the meeting, I found the star rising to outburst (Jun 22.977) at 16.9C and 24 hours later was slightly brighter at 16.2. Since then I haven’t been able to obtain further obs.
Best of luck to anyone wanting to join in the observing fun. Do let me know how you get on.
Go well! Jeremy
Topic: New Arrival
Hi, I just joined the Association and wanted to introduce myself. I dabbled a bit back in the days of my youth but that was forty years ago and an awful lot has changed since then. But at least the stars are roughly where I left them last time I looked. I’ve just moved down to Walton-on-the-Naze on the east coast after living in London for the past twenty-five years and the clearer skies down here persuaded me to take up the hobby again. I’m particularly interested in variable star observation as it seems to me to be an area where amateurs can make a valuable contribution. It’s not an area I’m overly familiar with though and I need to get up to speed. So I hope you won’t mind too much if I pester you with seemingly inane questions. I have a NexStar 8SE on order which should arrive in the next few days and can’t wait to get started.
In reply to: Do We Really Need The Moon? (BBC2)
Posted by TonyAngel at 09:30 on 2013 Dec 12
I cannot believe it. Maggie Aderin-Pocock is going to be joint running Sky at Night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are at least a dozen top BAA members who are more suited.One viewer lost. 🙁
In reply to: Availability of the BAA forum
Posted by TonyAngel at 10:24 on 2012 Dec 09
Nick I think a balance could be achieved that could encourage guests to join and get members to use the forum more.
In reply to: My First Messier 1 in Colour.
Posted by Gary Poyner at 12:54 on 2012 Dec 08
Very nice image Paul. Well done! Hope you’ll have a go at the nebula around the variable star RR Tau for the joint VSS/DSS project!Always have to get a VS plug in do I not? :-)Gary
In reply to: Exoplanet transits
Posted by TonyAngel at 16:53 on 2012 Nov 21
I will have a look. I have looked at their site before, but it would mean joining (and paying) and I already in a few 🙂 I think that the ETD has a greater number of observations and better tools, though please correct me if I am wrong. It is also free 🙂
In reply to: Availability of the BAA forum
Posted by Richard Miles at 10:50 on 2012 Nov 10
The key is to attract more BAA members to use this forum. People’s attention is split between the various items potentially grabbing their attention, of which there are loads these days. We shall have to advertise its use more rather than leaving it as more or less a background activity – it’s a sort of competition for people’s attention and so we need to enhance the value of the forum to our members. How we might do this would be the subject of some other thread.Getting back to Nick A’s point about having this area of the BAA Web viewable by non-members might be considered a negative move, if we enhance the content of the forum then those non-members who can only read and not post their own comments will feel increasingly left out or missing out on what we are doing. Overall, that ought to make them more inclined to join the BAA, which would then further liven up the forum.Richard
In reply to: 2012 October 6 Comet Section / ARPS Meeting
Posted by Richard Miles at 10:02 on 2012 Oct 17
Oops – How about this?Looks like folk will have to manually concatenate the text for them to reach the URL.http://britastro.org/baa/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=809:comet-and-asteroids-and-remote-planets-sections-joint-meeting-6-october-2012&catid=68&Itemid=160
In reply to: 2012 October 6 Comet Section / ARPS Meeting
Posted by Richard Miles at 09:59 on 2012 Oct 17
Hi Nick,Thank you for posting this up. There are lots of members who weren’t able to attend so it is invaluable having this well-presented collection of the talks from the meeting accessible via modern technology. It seems that having a combined theme of comets and asteroids worked very well and so we shall have to repeat the formula in future.btw: For some reason the link failed to work for me. The following URL is the full one, I think:http://britastro.org/baa/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=809:comet-and-asteroids-and-remote-planets-sections-joint-meeting-6-october-2012&catid=68&Itemid=160Richard
Posted by Nick James at 20:36 on 2012 Oct 16
Audio and slides from this recent meeting have been uploaded to the BAA website here:http://britastro.org/baa/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=809:comet-and-asteroids-and-remote-planets-sections-joint-meeting-6-october-2012&catid=68&Itemid=160This was a very full and enjoyable meeting and if you are interested in asteroids and/or comets it is well worth downloading the talks.Nick.
In reply to: CCD Photometry of Comets
Posted by Richard Miles at 12:02 on 2012 Jun 30
Good-day Mike – Nice to see the interest in photometry of comets – Martin’s book although not dealing with the intricacies of photometry is nonetheless well worth having. I’m sure you’ll find it a very stimulating read.Since asteroids and comets both wander the skies, their photometry share some common issues most notably selection of comparison stars having accurate magnitudes and known colours. Here we are at a watershed in that the AAVSO APASS survey is now reaching fruition with an excellent online source of data at:http://www.aavso.org/download-apass-dataSoon these data will be added to the catalogues used by astrometry / photometry software.There are a few key differences between comets and asteroids. The main one stems from one being essentially a point source of light whereas the other is an extended object. However, an important issue with comets is that there is a whole zoo of comet types out there for which no single photometric approach suits all types of object. You can look at a comet as comprising 3 components; (a) the nucleus acting as a point source and reflecting sunlight directly; (b) the dust coma also reflecting sunlight but which has a diffuse distribution, more concentrated towards the nucleus but which is asymmetric once a tail appears; and (c) a gas coma / ion tail which emits light by chemiluminescence towards the blue-green end of the spectrum. Even the same type of comet will behave differently depending on its heliocentric distance and so observing the same object far from perihelion may require different observing methodology than if it is at say 1 AU from the Sun. Having dedicated observing campaigns on particular objects is a good way forward.I should also mention that a joint BAA Section meeting is taking place on Saturday 6 October at The Open University, Milton Keynes on the subject of Comet-Asteroid Connections during which several talks will refer to the topic of photometry comparing and contrasting the two types of object. We also have Luca Buzzi planning giving a talk on the T3 project, which aims to identify comet-like asteroids: multi-aperture photometry is one tool that can be used to confirm cometary nature, for example.Richard Miles
Posted by Nick James at 07:35 on 2012 May 02
We have just set up a mailing list specifically for the discussion of matters of interest to members of the BAA Comet Section. This could include alerts, observations, meeting plans, equipment, or anything else related to comets and the BAA. If you are interested you can join the list here. Initially we don’t expect there to be too much traffic but you can always unsubscribe at any time.Nick.
In reply to: Observing guide to Variable star’s.
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 20:43 on 2011 Jul 11
Hi Roy-Gary.I’ve seen it and bought a copy.I have also signed UP for circulars in pdf format, and joined the section. You might have, already had, an e-mail from Roger about this next question. I wonder whether you, and possibly Tony Markham could act as mentor’s?Tony lives only Ten miles from me in Leek. And he would be the ideal person to arrange a practical, visual, observing session with.I will also be attending the meeting in October in Eccles.
In reply to: CCD software
Posted by Peter Taylor at 15:08 on 2011 Jun 07
Hi Nick,I have sx h9c and do all my imaging, calibration, stacking, colouring, and grading with maxim, process in photoshop and pixinsight, maxim is really good for camera control, just joined section may seam silly question but how do I submit images to deep sky section.peter
In reply to: Blog UP-date 211DF and 211DH
Posted by Gary Poyner at 10:20 on 2011 Jun 06
Hi Paul,I use AIP4WIN, although there are others available (Maxim DL) to which I am totally ignorant. Others may wish to comment here.Yes it’s fairly easy to do (using AIP), but there are pitfalls of course, as in most things. I had 30 minutes tuition from Jeremy Shears at a VS meeting a few years ago, and that was all I needed (a good teacher though). I was a complete novice, being a visual observer for all of my observing life. If you decide to go that way, then there are plenty of people in the BAA VS community who will gladly help you out should you need it. And you can include me in that.Joining TA is a two way thing, and your submitted observations/images will be of benefit to ‘TA’ as well as ‘TA’ being of benefit to your observing. There! Never one to miss a sales pitch :-)Gary
In reply to: EQ mount
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 09:02 on 2011 Feb 05
Tom,I can testify to the accuracy of the EQ6Pro mount. I am a member of the UKAI imaging forum. On this forum. There are a large number of members who are using this mount, with excellent results. And most, if not all are using medium or large telescope’s.I know off. One member who lives (emigrated)in Brisbane. He’s using one of these mount’s, with an Orion Optics SPX 14". But there are other’s in Grt Britain who us smaller (8") telescope’s all for CCD imaging.My advice to you. Join UP! and ask these questions on there. I am sure you will get the answer’s that you need. Below is a link to said website.http://ukastroimaging.co.uk/forums/index.phpGood luck.
In reply to: Do We Really Need The Moon? (BBC2)
Posted by TonyAngel at 10:00 on 2011 Feb 04
I watched it as well. It gripped me so strongly that I had to see it to the end because I realised that I must have been reading all the wrong books and gone to the wrong lectures. I feel the need to write to the BBC to tell them to ask for a Parliamentary Bill for the BBC to take over all Science institutes in the UK so that these so learned bodies can be brought into line. I cannot wait for the next in the series.On a more serious note ,perhaps the BAA along with the RAS an the SPA could write a joint open letter to the BBC via either the Guardian or the Independent, (the only papers the BBC recognise), on this subject.
Posted by Peter Meadows at 18:28 on 2010 Dec 30
The BAA Robotic Telescope Project (RTP) uses the Sierra Stars Observatory Network (SSON) as their remote telescopes (see http://www.sierrastars.com/). SSON have announced that a new 32in telescope on Mt Lemmon will shortly be joining the two existing SSON telescopes. The press release on this new telescope is given below.Details on the BAA RTP can be found at http://britastro.org/robotscope/, by contacting myself, the BAARTP coordinator at robotscope@britastro.org or by using this forum.—SSON Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 23 December 2010Mt. Lemmon Sky Center Partners with the Sierra Stars Observatory Network(Markleeville, CA December 23, 2010) The University of Arizona (U of AZ) and the Sierra Stars Observatory Network (SSON) announce an agreement to provide access to the 32-in telescope of the Mt. Lemmon Sky Center (MLSC) through the service of the Sierra Stars Observatory Network.MLSC recently completed installation of the Schulmann 32-in telescope at its facility atop Mt. Lemmon. This telescope is used for the SkyCenter’s nightly citizen observing program (SkyNights) and all-night programs (AstronomyNights) as well as being an integral part of several educational programs for University classes and special workshops for amateurs interested in learning more about astro-imaging. Anna Spitz, Program Manager of the MLSC, appreciates the potential of the partnership with SSON. "Magnificent instruments like the Schulman telescope should never be idle, and when our normal evening programs were over, we wanted to find a way to provide access to other users who have a need for the aperture, superior optics, first-rate camera, and steady skies that makes this such an important facility. Ms. Spitz goes on to say. Rather than try to develop the infrastructure to support this kind of access, we decided to partner with Sierra Stars Observatory Network. SSON has a unique offering, providing its users to an ever-expanding worldwide network of quality telescopes.The Sierra Stars Observatory Network (SSON) is a unique partnership among professional observatories that provides its users with affordable high-quality calibrated image data. The goal of SSON is to serve the needs of science-based projects and programs. Colleges, universities, institutions and individuals use SSON for their education and research projects. The mission of SSON is to promote and expand the use of its facilities among the thousands of colleges and schools worldwide that do not have access to professional-quality automated observatory systems to use for astronomy education and research.Ed Beshore, Faculty Advisor for the MLSC and Director of the Catalina Sky Survey, was instrumental in putting together the partnership with SSON. "We chose to be part of SSON’s network, because it represented a great opportunity for MLSC to be part of an offering that offers great added value through its support for educational and research users that could benefit from access to facilities in both hemispheres.Mr. Beshore goes on to say. "We also see the ability to bundle on-site experiences, on-line training, and remote access to a global network of telescopes as a unique educational opportunity" Adam Block, the director of our SkyNights and Astronomer Nights programs is a world-renowned astrophotographer. People wishing to learn from Adam have traveled thousands of miles to attend his workshops on Mt. Lemmon. We think that now, those unable to undertake such a long journey will still be able to benefit from Adam’s experience partly through this new ability to support observations from remote users. In addition, we are looking at ways to partner with local businesses and schools to provide a curriculum that offers an experience at the telescope coupled with supervised follow-on projects that rely on students conducting their own observing projects using the 32-in telescope."Rich Williams, founder and CEO of SSON, appreciates the quality and professionalism that the staff at the MLSC brings to SSON. Our partnership with the University of Arizona and the Mt. Lemmon Sky Center adds powerful instruments and key people to SSON. Their state of the art new 32-inch telescope will be the largest telescope so far in our growing global network. The professional staff also brings decades of experience working with remote automated observatory systems. Our users will be delighted to start using this power instrument for their education and research projects! For more information about SSON contact:Rich WilliamsSierra Stars Observatory Networkrichw@sierrastars.comwww.sierrastars.comTwitter: SSON_ChatSkype: sierrastars—
Posted by Steve Holmes2 at 14:09 on 2010 Nov 05
Over the last few years I have developed an interest in the sort of "recreational" aspects of astronomical computing popularised by Jean Meeus in his well-known series of books ‘Mathematical Astronomy Morsels’. I have researched a number of similar topics myself, which are available to view on my website (http://www.steveholmes.net/astro), and have also conducted email conversations with a number of the more well-known practitioners in the field. Now that I have joined the BAA I wondered what sort of interest there might be in topics of this sort among the membership.The Computing Section Director suggested I might post to this forum to see if there were any like-minded souls out there, so please reply if you would like to engage in some computational discussions that require an enquiring mind rather than a detailed knowledge of orbit calculations! Steve Holmes
Attachments:
Topic: Telescope for planetary work
Posted by Tom Moran at 20:23 on 2010 Sep 13
Hello.I have recently joined the BAA and wonder why I didn’t join ages ago!I am a keen solar observer and use a skywatcher 120mm refractor, herschel wedge and continuim filter for white light and a pst for hydrogen alpha. I am interested in planetary work but I feel the 120 refractor is not quite up to it. I, like most people, have a limited budget and I was considering the skywatcher pro 180. Does anyone have experience of this telescope? Would it be adequate to make contributions to the Jupiter, Mars and Saturn sections of the BAA?Kind regards.Tom Moran
British Astronomical Association
Supporting amateur astronomers since 1890
