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I thought you did an excellent job David. Let’s hope the Committee made good use of all that evidence.
I observed on fewer nights in 2023 than in recent previous years, partly due to unusually poor weather in May and September at my remote observatory in Extremadura, Spain. Numbers were also down because there were more times when I was away from home or doing other things.
Here are my observing statistics:
……………………………………..2023…..2022
Number of nights I observed….102……117
Number of comets observed…….71…… 90
Comet images submitted………453……502
Astrometry to the MPC………1350…..1420
Photometry to COBS………….412……472Let’s see what 2024 brings. Happy New Year everyone!
PeterA rather troubling storyline, but does show off the observatory well. I noticed your name in the closing credits.
PeterYes indeed! I’m seeing a five magnitude increase in just 24 hours. The comet was mag 10.0 at Nov 14.85. See my image here https://britastro.org/observations/observation.php?id=20231115_182423_a28e0b17670bfdcf
Hi Jack,
You can publicise an event here on the forum. The BAA webpage for future events is reserved for BAA events and other selected associated events. The page is not open for the membership to post to.Peter
Yes, a good meeting, good company, and quality accommodation.
The location also enabled members to attend from a wide part of the country.
Thanks to all those involved in the organisation.Peter
As an astronomer, Anges Mary Clerke might have preferred the first clear spell to be named after her, which is probably more rare than a storm in that part of Ireland!
Hi Jack,
I’m not a PhD2 user but can see there are several tutorials on YouTube for setting up the software and hardware. Have you watched any of those?
I searched for “setting up phD2” in YouTube, have a look there.Peter
Yes, Russ Crowmans BlurXterminator does seem to do a good job. I used it for the first time together with RC’s StarXterminator to process my C/2022E3 comet image here https://britastro.org/observations/observation.php?id=20230126_165855_917730cc9af3bb9a I’m also new to Pixinsight so the processing was very time-consuming and I guess could have been done better with more practice.
Thank you for posting that video Denis. I’ve never seen an observatory like that before, it gives me all sorts of ideas!
I must put Peltier’s Skylight Nights on my list of things to read, as rather embarrassingly I never have.Peter
Hi James,
I’ve sometimes had issues with DSS that I’ve never understood…it’s not just you!
It could well be that the comet centroid is being biased by the nearby field star. DSS is not very clever and needs a well-defined comet movement between each frame to distinguish it from the background stars. Try stacking the first, last and middle frames of the series and see if that makes any difference.
Good Luck
PeterHi Grant,
My Planewave 315mm CDK has forced tube ventilation that sucks air down the tube past the secondary, primary, and out the back of the primary mirror cell.
I’ve noticed that all ASA reflectors have a fan that blows air into the side of the tube just above the surface of the primary. I understand this is to reduce or eliminate condensation as they don’t have any form of mirror heating.Peter
You might be able to see your own full name in your profile when you are logged into the BAA website but others can only see your first and last names. I’ve checked profiles, galleries, and forum posts for everyone on this thread and I can only see your first and last names.
PeterHere’s my animation of NEO (7482) 1994 PC1 taken on 2022 January 18th at 19:55UT.
It is 50 x 10 second exposures using my 315mm CDK reflector from my remote observatory in Spain.
My still image is here https://britastro.org/observations/observation.php?id=20220119_211304_d85e6413ccc59e53
Peter
I own and operate a 315mm Dall Kirkham reflector on a remote site in Spain. I moved the telescope from my back garden to its remote site just over two years ago and it has functioned superbly. It hasn’t had a human finger touch it in around 19 months as (touch wood) it has worked so reliably.
I think the BAA owning and operating a remote based telescope is a practical option although there a number of issues to overcome. For instance each morning after a dewy night I open up the observatory, move the telescope into the Sun to dry it out etc., who would do that? I am also familiar with the myriad of of controls that would puzzle a casual user. A User interface similar to those on a rental telescope would probably be required, but that would make it less flexible.
Despite obstacles, it could be made to work and even a single telescope would provide significant observing time provided it was located on a favourable site,
Hello Grant,
Until fairly recently I used a 315mm f/8 Dall Kirkham astrograph in my 2.1m dome. It was a bit snug!Jeremy is right to draw your attention to the Pulsar narrow slit and viewing obliquely through it. This is a major concern if you have a German Equatorial mount with a large dec axis offset from the RA axis as it exaggerates the obliquity.
My dome is over 30 years old and didn’t owe me anything so I took a saw to it and enlarged the slit to one metre wide. I fibreglassed some new slit aperture perimeter upstands and made a new aluminum shutter and it works a treat.
I don’t suggest you try this on a new Pulsar dome though.
Peter
Here’s my image of the eclipse near maximum through the clouds. I was in a friend’s garden at Rettendon near Chelmsford Essex.