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Robin LeadbeaterParticipantA 45 degree (erecting) diagonal perhaps ? Is there any sign that there was a prism in there ? Not sure why though unless it added some needed optical length for some reason.
Cheers
Robin
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantThat is already a very whittled down list, those that look like supernovae. The filtered tip of a very big iceberg of 800,000 alerts issued for the night of 24th Feb, set to grow by an order of magnitude once it gets up to full speed
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/get-ready-for-the-rubin-observatorys-deluge-of-discoveries
Supernovae beyond ~0.05-0.1 redshift are currently too faint for amateur spectrographs though and most of these in the list will even be beyond the professionals.-
This reply was modified 1 week ago by
Robin Leadbeater.
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This reply was modified 1 week ago by
Robin Leadbeater.
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantLondon busses (340kW)
That’s quite a difference from the Flanders and Swan conversion factor (1 bus = 97HP). We are in trouble if fundamental units like this are found to change with time. Is there a theory to explain this ?
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantI remember making something similar to this about 20 years ago using a video camera viewfinder (a tiny Cathode ray tube)
http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/UC15_viewfinder.htm
to use on the scope with my long exposure modified video camera
http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/1004xcam1.htmWhen you compare with what you get with smart scopes these days and the cost of displays like in VR headsets for example it does seem rather expensive though. If they are popular enough, I can imagine someone undercutting them substantially.
6 February 2026 at 12:36 am in reply to: Why do only Type 1a supernovae have Silicon absorption lines in their spectra? #634509
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantWith a core collapse type II supernova the core remains, compressed into a neutron star and the visible spectrum results from the heating of the outer layers of the star, mainly hydrogen, hence the strong Balmer lines.
I guess that still leaves though the question as to why 1c, core collapse SNe where the H and He envelope has already been stripped away, do not show strong Si II lines. This review paper though does suggest it perhaps is seen weakly in 1c spectra (fig2)
https://arxiv.org/abs/1908.02476-
This reply was modified 1 month ago by
Robin Leadbeater. Reason: typo
4 February 2026 at 9:10 pm in reply to: Why do only Type 1a supernovae have Silicon absorption lines in their spectra? #634458
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantVery “hand waving” but as I understand it, it is because of the difference in the mechanism. With a core collapse type II supernova the core remains, compressed into a neutron star and the visible spectrum results from the heating of the outer layers of the star, mainly hydrogen, hence the strong Balmer lines. With a type Ia, the white dwarf is completely consumed by the thermonuclear explosion resulting from the increase in pressure just prior to the impending total collapse, converting all the material into heavier elements including silicon, the Si II (and Calcium) lines showing strongly in the visible part of the spectrum.
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantThanks chaps,
I now have both apps running and the original green wavy app did not alert whereas the newly installed green spiral one briefly amber alerted last night so I will swap to that one.
Cheers
Robin
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantHi Alex,
Yes all conditions set up ok, though I’ve just discovered from the Lancaster Uni Aurora Watch website there are two (both third party) Android apps using the Lancaster data, titled AuroraWatch UK and Aurora Watch UK. I was using the former which has the same (green wavy) logo that Lancaster use on their website but I see on the internet page for that app they acknowledge that there is a problem with a google play limit on how many free alerts they can send out which I guess they quickly exceed these days with the increased interest. I have now downloaded the app with the space in the title (which has a green spiral logo) so hopefully perhaps that is more reliable. Is that the one you have ?
Cheers
Robin
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantIt’s maddening listening to my phone pinging ‘red alerts’ for the past two days
What alert service are people using ? I have traditionally used Lancaster Uni’s Aurorawatch app but it never seems to send alerts these days
Thanks
Robin
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantCorrect spelling please 😉 (2019 Merlin Medal)
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantMy first goto, the Vixen skysensor 2000 happily did this and (tracked any other object) regardless of mount alignment. It came as a shock when I found this was not universally true !
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantProfile with the background subtracted using a spline fit and the integrated count
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Robin LeadbeaterParticipantThis is a bit like the way that spectroscopists integrate pixels normal to the slit direction.
A quick and dirty measurement from the image using VisualSpec
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28 December 2025 at 12:39 pm in reply to: Comet 3I trajectory according to Google AI – like taking to a 5 year old #632825
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantTheir natural language abilities are pretty amazing though
Yes they can be pretty good at weaving a convincing (though false) argument. I found it interesting that it recognised the inconsistency when pressed and owned up to this in its response. It did finally calculate the answer (or appeared to do so, though perhaps it just lifted it from somewhere) using the orbital elements and geometry.
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Robin LeadbeaterParticipantThe HST image in the paper with Helen as co-author mentioned above is very impressive too.
Working with my old school ! Though it was just Coopers’ Company and in the East End back then
EDIT: I see ChatGP failed to spot the missing apostrophe in the paper
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This reply was modified 3 months, 1 week ago by
Robin Leadbeater.
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This reply was modified 3 months, 1 week ago by
Robin Leadbeater.
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantNo opportunity to get any follow up spectra but spectra posted on the French spectroscopy forum show a significant decrease in NH2 emission relative to dust between 17th and 25th November
http://www.astrosurf.com/topic/179978-une-com%C3%A8te-bizarre-c2025-k1-atlas/
Cheers
Robin
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantWell it did take them 6 attempts but impressive planning and certainly a spectacular image.
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This reply was modified 3 months, 2 weeks ago by
Robin Leadbeater. Reason: typo
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantThe emission lines in the red are all from NH2 and are much stronger
Now independently confirmed
“NH2 dominated spectra of Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)”
https://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=1750018 November 2025 at 3:54 pm in reply to: X-SHOOTER spectrum of 3I/ATLAS: Insights into a distant interstellar visitor #632104
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantA spectrum of 3I. Just your average comet, here compared with 2020 F3
Robin
Robin LeadbeaterParticipantYes it is reportedly very carbon depleted.
https://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=17351
The emission lines in the red are all from NH2 and are much stronger than in that spectrum taken in August marked here in green.Attachments:
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