James Lancashire

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Viewing 20 posts - 41 through 60 (of 75 total)
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  • James Lancashire
    Participant

    Brief gap in clouds last night at Sandwich, Kent. Do you want other months by email?

    James Lancashire
    Participant

    I have Jan & Feb conjunction images on my mobile phone. Aiming for tonight, cloud permitting. Do you need a larger image scale e.g. DSLR?

    in reply to: Royal Mail stamps issued for the RAS bicentennial #582050
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Though I didn’t notice much from the RAS itself. I would have thought they could have marketed sets and FDCs. Instead I found several on a global online auction site…

    in reply to: Museum of Moon at Rochester Cathedral, Kent #582049
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Impressive size, detail and setting of the 7m installation. The assistants had been reasonably briefed for answers.
    The nave was bustling, especially with families. I was told (without asking) at 10,000 visitors had seen this moon.
    I said that was impressive and the lady said that’s just in one day! Typically 8-10k each day!!

    in reply to: Heather Couper #582042
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Heather was already a BAA Past President when I was at uni and venturing to London for national meetings. But she (and Nigel – the combined ‘HenCoup’) sailed over to Cambridge in my first or second year. I forget who was listed as the speaker as they were a double act!

    I recall asking Heather about both research and publishing opportunities and she advised to go freelance like them! Neither worked out though it was refreshing to hear about non-standard career thoughts.

    There were funny stories about their antics at parties and I invited them to one of the legendary CUAS river expeditions but the HenCoup punt had been decommissioned by that time. However their RSVP was full of fizz, wit and politeness – plus the expected Oxford rivalry!

    Sad to read the sad news and condolences to Nigel.

    in reply to: Orion’s Arrow #581839
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    With a moonless and very transparent sky last night, I also didn’t think the ‘arrow’ asterism obvious as a ‘pointer’.

    Maybe if you *needed* a direction but then why not stick to the usual end of the Plough?

    I wondered if eta Ori might be variable and its eclipsing nature gives an 8-day period from mag 3.26 to 3.48

    in reply to: Meetings RAS/BAA > IoP #581349
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Useful, thanks Janice. Although more convenient for me for Kent trains from St Pancras, I shall miss the opportunity to pop into Burlington House. Though I hope the new location encourages wider benefits via video links as you say.

    in reply to: Comet Section Meeting on Saturday, May 18 #581139
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Thanks Nick. A lot of work getting them online. I’ll have a good look at them over the weekend.

    in reply to: Comet Section Meeting on Saturday, May 18 #581127
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Did they get uploaded? Not sure how to navigate the video part of this website

    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Sporadic rather shower?

    in reply to: Ordering observations by azimuth #580847
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Which objects are you observing that need to zigzig round the sky?
    (Apart from possibly near horizon at dusk/dawn.)
    Why not just set the dome and observe as targets drift past?

    in reply to: Comet Section Meeting on Saturday, May 18 #580705
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Been years since I was last in York, Central venue looks handy.
    But no train booking right now. No obvious hotel deals.
    So can’t confirm till nearer the time.

    in reply to: Lunar Eclipse Tonight #580583
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    All clear here. Good views. Plus Venus and Jupiter as I walked home.

    in reply to: 2019 Quadrantids – Radio Detections #580486
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Not radio either, but had my DSLR cameras on as the worst cloud cleared about 2am.

    There were the usual W-E planes and the ISS at 06:05am plus a few shorter meteor trails (both sporadic and Quads).

    This bright event at 06:18am was the highlight and continued onto the alternating 30s exposure on my second camera.

    in reply to: Meteors #580442
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Good results there. I seem to remember there was a ‘telescopic’ project of the meteor section though using binoculars and a lot of concentration!

    Your video answers one question which is field of view being approx 14 x 10 deg. Do you automate the detection of meteors the same way as for wider field sessions? What magnitude meteor do you think you’re detecting? Are you plotting both shower events and sporadics?

    in reply to: Sporadic fireball 2018 Nov 17/18 #580299
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    I use a JJC timer unit (intervalometer). I think there is a connection available for Canon.

    I have two DSLRs set up on 30sec exposures timed so the second camera activates while the first is writing to memory card. This gives me continuous coverage for one direction.

    Hadn’t realised the curtains would be caught in the background so I’ll rig up some dark backcloth for the Geminids.

    in reply to: The Dragon Wakes #580064
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    One Draconid at 0035UT and an earlier sporadic from digital camera operating at 50% exposure time for 6h40m on 2018 Oct 08/09

    in reply to: Martian Glitter Trail #579831
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Nice image to obtain both point and elongated images. I’ve been struck by the brightness, visual colour and very low declination of Mars.

    There is a link to David Malin’s photo at http://www.atnf.csiro.au/outreach/education/senior/astrophysics/photometry_colour.html

    in reply to: Council election paperwork anomaly? #579813
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Voting reasonably straightforward though I find it tricky to switch back and forth between voting tab and info tab compared to paper options. It’s much harder when there is a large number to choose from.

    in reply to: Lunar Eclipse #579763
    James Lancashire
    Participant

    Well the next one is before dawn on 2019 Jan 21
    https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/uk/london?iso=20190121

Viewing 20 posts - 41 through 60 (of 75 total)