Tim Haymes

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Viewing 20 posts - 81 through 100 (of 121 total)
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  • in reply to: HOPS software installation #582994
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Sorry there is  problem editing my message above.  I will make contact via email
    Basically the FITTING does not work. Although anaconda installation looks OK

    It turns out that my data is causing a problem in W7 and W10 installations, while the WASP-12b test data is OK.

    I hope to try another transit with a different camera.

    Tim

    in reply to: HOPS software installation #582993
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Ive checked my installation I think my problem is different.  The fact i can get to a preliminary light curve suggest the install is OK. When I type at the anaconda prompt: echo %PATH%  the path includes  C:Anaconda3. So im guessing that’s correct (It is the correct dir although not the one in the ARIEL notes, and python is there also).  The problem I have in the work flow, is the FITTING routine.  I get this message displayed for 1 second, then nothing.  What does this imply?

    in reply to: HOPS software installation #582992
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Thanks for the correspondence – yes I also encounter this problem.  I will check the installation in the light of what has been discussed.  I have a data set for Qatar-1b that could be submitted if HOPS completes successfully.  I thought it was caused by poor data quality.  I will investigate further.

    in reply to: possible supernova in nearby NGC 5002 #582985
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    I imaged the galaxy through thin cloud – on Aug 9th at 2100UT. Despite the poor transparency the stacked subs indicate the transient at about 16.5 mag. (C11 at f5.5, QHY174m)

    Tim

    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    What wonderful images of the event – thanks for sharing. 

    in reply to: Anyone ever seen a black prominence? #582643
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    I had to look up how this could have been observed, as there was no solar eclipse.  Appears Young’s slits were in use, and i had the pleasure of a tour at the Late Commander H Hatfield’s observatory which employed this method in the 1970/80s.  My suggestion is that it could be caused by the Doppler shift making a prom appear fainter and darker perhaps.  

    http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/2011JBAA..121…54M/0000054.000.html

    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Apologies that this event is not listed on the BAA Handbook Lunar Occ page,  it should have been.  A prediction setting that i used was incorrect. (Fixed now!).  The omission was only noticed after publication.

    I will be using an IR pass filter for imaging.   For my mobile goto telescope it should be possible to set up the alignment with stars before sunrise. I might do that and keep the rig running.  Early acquisition of Venus would be a bonus. 

    in reply to: CMOS v CCD for photometry? #582593
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Thanks Nick/All – this is encouraging. I will continue investigations with CMOS.  My test images were not taken under best conditions. I hope the image above of PQ And (one of many) illustrates the image profile im using to learn HOPS.  Not ideal but it works. It isnt saturated according to AstoArt

    Tim

    in reply to: PQ And in very rare outburst #582569
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Here goes. Ah! it seem to take a long time before its available to insert.   I may have made a second comment…sorry

    in reply to: PQ And in very rare outburst #582568
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    PQ was at alt 8deg, and managed a sequence of FITS from 1.30 to 3 am BST.  BUT I dont know what to do with the data.    However i have a memamsured image giving a R mag of 10.5 using UCAC4. I dont know how one gets V mag with a filter. Where do you get the ensemble photometry data for V (or G)?   My image is attached (single image in Astrometrica).. I hope
    The browser is not playing ball.

    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    There were some other observers in England. I was just south of the path in Oxfordshire and Phil Denyer in N London who was on a close chord to myself. We observed no event by video.   Simon Kidd north of Stevenage recorded a long positive of 8 sec as did a nearby colleague of his with 9 sec. (durations are preliminary)

    Loughborough was expected to be in the shadow path, so it was a close appulse.

    Tim

    in reply to: Potentially bright supernova in NGC 4636 #582007
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    I have measured it at 12.7 (unfiltered CCD) using the AAVSO chart (X25129DUM) and AstroArt 5.  The telescope was the CHI-1 (Chile) on the Telescope Live network (Planewave CDK24, 60sec) – date 2020-02-03.360

    in reply to: Pulsar 2.7m request #581619
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Thanks for your input gentlemen. Yes, the observing slit and zenith view are on my query list. Also the view to the Southern horizon is a bit limited without some additional design work inside. I have a good horizon, and would like to make full use of it. 

    I now have an invite to visit a member’s 2.7m dome.   The Scopedome 3m is also on my short list.

    Thanks again for your general comments.

    Tim

    in reply to: 1998 HL1: upcoming fly-by #581540
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    I grabbed some frames last night between clouds and found the asteroid with 200mm F2,8 lens.  Image show the rapid motion over about 20mins.  Ive added it to my album on this site. Thanks to David and Nick for the thread on this interesting NEO.

    in reply to: Smartphone adapter recommendations? #581486
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    I saw one demonstrated at the Amateur Astronomy Centre, Todmorden.  Visitors were able to take pictures of the moon easily through their 16″ Meade – Thanks to Peter Drew who invited me over.

    in reply to: Identification of artificial satellites / junk? #581215
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Thank you Grant

    UT: 2019-07-26,  0007Hr 53s     RA 19h 44m 27s,  DEC -06d 53′ 54″ (J2000)
    rate of motion: 1’arc/min,   magnitude 10 to 13 erratic

    in reply to: Identification of artificial satellites / junk? #581208
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    Thanks for the tip Grant.  I need to ask around to see who has a copy, and who might offer to solve it for me.

    I did download a command line program IDsat, but it assumes i know the ID. And the data input was hard going. So looking for a more user friendly solution.

    Cheers, Tim

    in reply to: Winchester: Pete and Paul’s Observing Challenges #580982
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    The weather was better for me, and I recorded 16 event in 3 hrs. Thanks for the challenge Paul – it was a good night apart from some drifting con-trails.

     https://youtu.be/bD-4hmdg1DI

    in reply to: Observatory computer setup #580967
    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    I was also concerned by updates and stability, I now run most of my astro software on HP W10  i5 recycled business laptop from CeX, with card reader, DVD, one USB3 and 2xUSB2, 250Gb SSD.  No problem. The card reader provides extra capacity for data.   I can avoid unexpected updates by keeping it in airplane mode.  It will update when reconnecting to the internet, so i keep an eye open for the “feature updates” and just allow them to install when the laptop is not in use. I also set the  “no install” period to include night hours”.

    So I find W10 fine, I ignore the fancy patchwork shortcuts. I put all the apps in the tray. It looks like W7. There is also a registry hack that will put the seconds display into the clock if you so wish (I found it on the internet). In the system folder there is Internet explorer. You can use this instead of Edge if you prefer it. 

    The windows 10 OS is better designed on timing issues, there are fewer, or better controlled interrupts (compared to XP and W7). This would benefit software requiring UT, and the reliable timing of fast data collection.

    Ive not used linux or Wine.

    Tim Haymes
    Participant

    There were two readings I took recently that prompted my question.  Thank you all, and I am pleased that i can feel confident of an improvement as the night goes on for the reasons given.  My two readings were on March 29th
    2103 UT  (Sun -21)  SQM  19.8
    2315 UT (Sun -33)  SQM   20.2

    The best sky readings here is 20.3

    Cheers

Viewing 20 posts - 81 through 100 (of 121 total)