Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Sky & Telescope’s Bob King has provided a simple overlay of M101 and the supernova onto the AAVSO chart, if it helps visual observers
https://skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/uploads/SN-2023ixf-chart-AAVSO.jpg
Alex.
Hi Gordon,
AS discussed, most meteorite specimens in the NHM are not on public display because they need to be maintained under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity. Also they are able to store their most valuable specimens in a dedicated lab facility with a controlled atmosphere, such as the Winchcombe meteorite. A nice example is on display:
https://britastro.org/observations/observation.php?id=20210612_184807_7b10976de4db0fd7
I visited The Vault last year and it is disappointing that few meteorites are available for public viewing.
Alex.
Hi Andy,
Any of the Cardiff talks made available on the BAA YouTube channel will be most appreciated.
Thanks,
Alex.
Richard – yes, my C11 had a clear view of the 29P field until 3 minutes before the predicted time of occultation. IERS tell us that the Earth’s rotation is currently speeding up, which they measure to microseconds, but last night it seemed to ‘put on a spurt’ when the field stars faded as they slipped behind a rooftop. 🙁
Most likely I would have recorded a negative (miss) observation from my location (outside the predicted shadow zone), but very frustrating to be thwarted in that manner!
Alex.
Thanks Paul.
I think Charles’ Wain predates our monarchs of that name but it’s most appropriate for this weekend.
Alex.
…and there is Cor Caroli…
https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/cor-caroli-heart-of-charles/
Now well-placed for images of the starfield.
Clear skies,
Alex.
I never eat anything as substantial as a pie during a night’s observing, perhaps just a hot chocolate drink to warm me up. I’ll go get a slice of humble pie…
Alex.
I’ve just watched the BBC1 lunchtime news about this flyby. Under the name of each astronomer interviewed about this NEO, the BBC gave them the title ‘Astrologer’.
Argh! 🙂
Alex.
This topic is a good incentive to attend the BAA Spring meeting in Cardiff
https://britastro.org/event/baa-spring-meeting
Alex.
Hi James,
As Peter commented, your blurry stacking might be due to a nearby star. I had no problems using the comet stacking workflow in the DSS User Guide for my C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) series of exposures
https://britastro.org/observations/observation.php?id=20200716_224500_72d8be81be01185c
I zoomed in to each image and click / registered the bright centre of the coma.
The sky motion of the comet will also be a factor, which is more evident in narrow field images rather than wide-angle views. The exposure duration and number of images in the stack can exaggerate the trailing. For my recent images of C/2022 E3 (ZTF) I took 20 x 4s exposures through my C11 and just used the default ‘star field stacking’ in DSS.
Alex.
https://www.imo.net/the-atmospheric-trajectory-of-2023-cx1-and-the-possible-meteorite-strewn-field/
Fragment of meteorite found in France
https://globalmeteornetwork.groups.io/g/main/message/8551
a la Winchcombe!
Alex.
Hi Andy,
I’ve had no problems logging in to my account, editing my web profile ‘preferred name’ and changing it a couple of times. After screen refresh the changes were displayed OK.
I’ll let you know if it reverts to displaying middle names.
Thanks,
Alex.Combining the data from Nick James and Nick Quinn we provisionally find that the meteor was a slow sporadic (Vg ~10 km/s) with an absolute mag of about -2.
Plots of ground track, radiant and orbit attached.Alex.
