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Search Results
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Topic: Gamma Orionis (Bellatrix)
Posted by Astrid Ohlmeier at 12:51 on 2012 Feb 20
Hi Deep Sky MembersI have a question about Gamma Orionis (Bellatrix), the blue-white giant B Star in Orion. If the star has a planetary system, could there be life on one of the planets, which could be a good distance away? The new Kepler space telescope can be pointed to Bellatrix to confirm the existence of a planetary system. Or do you think the star is too bright to detect planets?RegardsAstrid
Topic: The Video Cellar
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 11:53 on 2012 Feb 19
I hope you don’t mind.But I found yesterday, a very good copyright free website.http://www.archive.org/details/TheVideoCellarCollectionMembers might be interested, in looking because. Their is an invaluable assortment of copyright free Astronomy books in PDF. I have four of these now.Through my Telescope W T Hay (Will Hay)Star light Nights Leslie C PeltierMission to Mars by Sir Patrick MooreCelestial Objects for Common Telescope’s Rev T W Webb
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Posted by Sheridan Williams at 16:42 on 2012 Jan 23
Is there anyone out there who would be willing to give a talk and demonstration on sketching astronomical images viewd through a telescope?I’m the secretary of the Open University Astronomy Club and have been asked to find a speaker on this subject.We pay expenses (to be agreed) and take the speaker for a pub meal beforehand if the would like. We meet at the OU campus in Milton Keynes on first Tuesday of every month except July and August.Contact me on:sheridan@ouastro.co.ukSheridan WilliamsP.S. I’m willing to return the favour by giving a talk to your local society.
In reply to: DSLR Cameras
Posted by Gordon MacLeod at 14:01 on 2012 Jan 03
Thanks for that comprehensive response Martin which I have been slow to respond to. I just got a 1000d Canon SLR which I am delighted to have received a few days in advance of my birthday!My own telescope for imaging is a modest Skywatcher Evostar 80mm ED, so I am buying some parts to attach the camera to it.I read with interest, and although it’s not really amusing- I have some shared sympathy, about your weather situation.I too have a small shed/utility room I store my equipment in, more so I can get in and out quickly to avoid and return things into quickly in the event of rain, snow, sleet, etc..I originally was raised on Arran, the most southerly island, but now live in Caithness, so I know how the wind can both be prohibitive to stable images, and just how quickly it blows over clouds when you’re back is turned!Best Wishes and thanks again for responding,Gordon
In reply to: Observing stats 2011
Posted by Gary Poyner at 13:44 on 2012 Jan 01
To continue Jeremy’s thread, here are my observing stats for North Birmingham 2011…A partially clear night is 50% or more cloud, and clear night is 50% or less. Useable gaps in cloud are counted as partialy clear. Clear 51 (2010 – 50)P/Clear 37 (2010 – 32)Of these 88 nights, 6 had some Moonlight interference and 33 had heavy Moonlight interference. I observed on 78 nights as 10 nights were missed due to holidays or giving talks to astro societies. Best month May with 12 nights. Worst month July with 4 nights.8,715 variable star observations were made visually, with 850 CCD obs obtained using robotic telescopes. Not counting 2010, when I was without a main telescope for 6 months, this was my poorest return since 2002. The quality of sky continues to worsen, and I cant explain it. The light pollution seems no worse than previous years, indeed LED streetlights are going up all over the place here and they are excellent, but transparent nights here get rarer and rarer. I saw the Milky Way three times in 2011 from home, and they were just vague sightings easily missed if you didnt look for it. Observing faint stars just gets tougher, despite having a big scope (although I did break the mag 17 barrier visually this year on a rare night with a Polar airstream).I hope other observers post their 2011 results here. It makes for an interesting read!Happy New year!Gary
In reply to: DSLR Cameras
Posted by Duncan Bryson at 23:06 on 2011 Dec 01
Paul A Brierley wrote:
The BAA publish a good beginners, guide book, on digtal slr imaging.As for cameras.I believe most, if not all Canon DSLR, are the camera of choice. The 1000D being a particularly good camera, used by many.But the more expensive Nikon cameras, are also proving popular.Below is a web link for Jerry Lodriguss website. Here I think you’ll find a fair bit of information.http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/NIK_CAN.HTMI have a 1000D and let me recommend it highly. It is an incredibly good camera and does me well. It does not have a video mode. I have not changed mine as I love taking landscape photographs, which you can see on my website if you wish. Also on my website is my Moon photo which was taken through a 4inch telescope attached to my 1000DClear skies
In reply to: DSLR Cameras
Posted by M C Butcher at 10:54 on 2011 Nov 21
Tony,Many thanks for your advice. What I didn’t say in my response to Gordon was that our weather up here can be so ‘breezy’ that I don’t have an observatory (there are several occasions each winter when I wouldn’t be certain that it would still be there in the morning). Therefore I set up my telescope each night when it looks clear. As I don’t fancy leaving my telescope outside whilst I am inside at the computer and we either have heavy dew (if calm) or incessant showers it means that I don’t use my computer with my camera. I does mean that I have less to rush inside when the rain approaches!Thanks anyway.Martin
In reply to: Jupiter – GRS
Posted by Callum Potter at 14:40 on 2011 Nov 17
I don’t know if this is what you are looking for Martin, but the Sky and Telescope magazine website has a useful calculator, and a table through to March 2012.http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3304091.htmlI have not checked how accurate the GRS transit times are, though.Regards, Callum
In reply to: DSLR Cameras
Posted by M C Butcher at 11:20 on 2011 Nov 17
Gordon, Sorry I haven’t responded earlier but I have only just read your question on this Forum page. I live in the Inner Hebrides and use an unmodified Canon 40D as I refused to purchase more than one camera for all my domestic and astronomical needs. Prior to that I used an Olympus OM-4Ti film camera, I have no experience of any other cameras. I too have been intimidated by both the cost and the complexity of modifying a DSLR. I use my camera with a tripod (for Aurora, Noctilucent Clouds, startrails and general domestic photography) and inconjunction with my Meade LX-90 8". It has worked very well for all subjects except the fainter Emission Nebulae (where it works but the IR filter requires the exposure times to be either too long or for there to be an excessive number of sub-exposures), and detailed Solar System work, where the seeing (as I am almost at sea level) can be a severe trial. To control the camera I use the Canon TC-80NC remote controller. As I do not have an auto-guiding capability for my telescope the length of the sub-exposures can be a real problem when imaging deep-sky objects. As all my astronomy is conducted from home I usually use mains power to run my camera (and the LX-90 and the Dew controlling system).A disadvantage of the 40D is that it does not have a video mode, this would help a lot with getting over the problem of poor seeing with Solar System objects. One advantage of the 40D is that you can customise certain settings within the camera which then remain set (until you decide to change them), this means that you do not have to set all of the specific astronomical seetings into the camera each time you go out, all that is required is that you dial up whichever customised setting you want (the 40D has 3 and I have them configured for Deep-Sky, Solar System and Photometry work). For image processing I use a general photographic package (Photoshop CS5), an astronomical software (Images Plus) and a noise reduction software (Noise Ninja). For film astrophotography I used Michael Covington’s book on astrophotography (very good) and Jerry Lodriguss’ CD book on using Photoshop for astrophotography (also good). On moving to a digital camera I purchased Michael Covington’s book on DSLR Astrophotography and Jerry Lodriguss’ CD book on DSLR Astrophotography. In hindsight the latter which is pretty much my ‘bible’ was all I needed. Obviously we all work to budget of both money (to spend) and time (to devote) to our hobby and you must make your own choices. I am well aware of the limitations which my circumstances place on the astronomy that I do(most importantly the implications that the weather here has on what I can and can’t achieve), and I am content to operate within those limitations.Please ask if you have any further questions, I would be delighted to help in any way that I can.RegardsMartin Butcher
Posted by Robin Leadbeater at 13:23 on 2011 Nov 06
Anyone have any inside info on this? http://venus.datsi.fi.upm.es/gloria/index.php/en/CheersRobin
In reply to: Telescope Tracking
Posted by Dave Adshead at 16:54 on 2011 Aug 30
Yes, I’ve been using a Lodestar with the OAG in my QSI 583 wsg CCD camera. Previously, I used a separate guide scope side by side on a Skywatcher EQ6 Pro. Moving to the OAG allowed me to remove 8 Kg of counterweight, the EQ6 Pro gave a sigh of relief.I can recommend an OAG, I’ve been using it now for about 16 months. I’ve not had any problems yet finding a star to guide by.RegardsDave
In reply to: Telescope Tracking
Posted by Andrea Tasselli at 11:54 on 2011 Aug 30
Not directly but people that I know of use the combo quite effectively in conjunction with SX-AO.Reg’sAndrea T.
Topic: Telescope Tracking
Posted by Nick Atkinson at 20:11 on 2011 Aug 29
Has anyone any experiance using SX Loadstar and an off axis guider?
Topic: British Pathe News
Posted by David Basey at 14:46 on 2011 Aug 25
When you have a few minutes to spare go to http://www.britishpathe.com and type ‘astronomy’ in the search box.There are some wonderful short archive clips, for example:-
- A 1932 film of the moon through a University of Michigan telescope.
- 1942, George Hole demonstrating his 14" Newtonian mounted on a concrete fork.
- A 1940 film of what appears to be Clyde Tombaugh and the discovery of a new planet although Pluto was discoverd 10 years earlier.
This just scratches the surface.Something to enjoy on cloudy nights perhaps.
Topic: BBC2’s Horizon
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 06:54 on 2011 Aug 16
Did any of you catch last night’s Horizon documentary about Telescope’s of the 21st Century?Apart from the usual annoying music in the background. I thought it was pretty good. There were some very interesting telescope’s, including a Neutrino detector under the ocean (I thought these particles had already been detected) and a cosmic ray detector. And, ALMA. ALMA looks very impressive. And when operational, will hopefully answer many question’s.It was nice to watch some good telly for a change.
In reply to: SV Ari
Posted by Peter Meadows at 20:41 on 2011 Aug 04
An image of SV Ari taken by Guy Hurst on Aug 3.483 UT using the Sierra Stars robotic telescope can be seen at http://www.britastro.org/robotscope/hurst04.htm when the nova was at mag. V = 15.44.
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 22:12 on 2011 Jul 15
Can somebody on this forum please recommend. A good book, for somebody who is, stating out in Variable star observing, through a medium sized telescope.
In reply to: tracking device
Posted by Callum Potter at 16:18 on 2011 Jul 14
Hi Opu,you could make yourself a ‘barn door’ or ‘scotch mount’ – it is a very simple device for tracking at the siderial rate, and quite portable. There are many internet sites that explain how to make one, and there is also an article in the latest Sky and Telescope (August 2011) with a very minimal design (but a bit US centric).Also in the August 2011 S&T is announced the Vixen Polarie tracking mount, which looks somewhat more compact than the astrotrac, but is not yet available to buy.Finally there is also the Orion Min-EQ Tabletop Equatorial Telescope Mount for which a drive is an optional extra. I am not sure how good the tracking is (not the best I am sure), but might be adequate for short exposures (up to a minute maybe).Or there is always the option of a small equatorial mount head, like one of the EQ range, or a vixen polaris.I hope this helps.Regards, Callum
In reply to: Advice re telescope choice
Posted by Americo Watkins at 22:51 on 2011 Jul 13
James, thanks for your comments.Do you find collimation stability and any mirror shift a problem? Particularly after any slewing or median flips.I know these can be problems with sct’s but have the newer versions improved on this. I know Meade have a mirror lock. How about the celestron’s. I plan to use an automated draw tube focus.Cheers eric
In reply to: Advice re telescope choice
Posted by Americo Watkins at 22:45 on 2011 Jul 13
Evening Richard Thanks for your comments and advice. I believe I may have replied to you individually rather than as a post on the forum.I’m just wondering about the flat fielding discontinuity as a result of the meridian flip as mentioned by Richard, the results of which might expain Bruce Gary’s remarks in his book "Exoplanet observing for amatuers p.14 2nd Ed. "but the meridian flips invariably produce shifts in the exoplanet light curve and this can be annoying" or maybe not.Would I be right is saying that due to the shift that each of the pixels would not cover exactly the same field therefore the flat fielding would not be identical to the earlier images and hence affect the photometry results.BTW have results for Emma (NB/2) ready just need to work out some mid-point times for stacked images.Eric
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