Robin Leadbeater

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Viewing 20 posts - 221 through 240 (of 1,123 total)
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  • in reply to: Nova Cas 2021 #584893
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    It is slightly strange that they decided to use a subset of all the available spectra (There are currently 104 in the BAA, 392 in the ARAS and 113 in the AAVSO databases, most of which would meet the resolution criterion though many are likely duplicates) I wonder what the selection criterion was.

    in reply to: Microlensing event – Gaia21efs #584889
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    The spectrum matches that of a highly reddened early K type star

    in reply to: Microlensing event – Gaia21efs #584888
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    On it now with the ALPY200. I make it roughly mag 13.5 unfiltered off the spectrograph guider so significantly brighter than at quiescence.

    EDIT: I see that is consistent with the 13.64 V (APASS) at 16:20 today in the Gaia follow up data

    in reply to: Projects #584871
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    They used to  be even smaller I think (AstroTech 65mm/70mm refractors) They also had at least one with a Star Analyser 200 in the filter wheel which Arne Henden and I sorted. Unfortunately that does not work well with the  new  Takahashi E-180 astrographs which at f2.8 are too fast for the SA200

    in reply to: Projects #584863
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Raising the public profile through funding permanent BAA sponsored exhibits promoting the role of amateurs in science museums and similar venues perhaps? Or perhaps taking a stake in the rebuilding of the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Observatory which (was) burnt down earlier this year?

    in reply to: Projects #584851
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    and we have a member with expertise in this area

    https://britastro.org/video/13862/14770

    in reply to: Projects #584850
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    A remote spectrograph in the southern hemisphere could be productive and is not something that the existing “telescopes for hire” provide. There is 2SPOT, a proof of concept dedicated remotely operated spectrograph on a telescope farm in Chile run by an amateur group, funded from commercial donations, individual personal investment and crowd funding. (The equipment was shipped out and commissioned on site and is maintained locally)

    https://www.deepskychile.com/fr/

    https://2spot.org/FR/

    https://www.helloasso.com/associations/2spot/formulaires/2

    in reply to: Cataclysmic variable #584795
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    I see fellow amateur supernova classifier Claudio Balcon took a spectrum last night and classified as a CV (with a blue continuum and weak Balmer absorption at ~0 redshift)

    in reply to: Cataclysmic variable #584791
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Yes I saw that this morning. It is a pity it took 10 hours to report. It was clear here last night so could have grabbed a confirming spectrum.

    in reply to: ESO VLT images 42 asteroids #584789
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Looking at the full paper, I see that they found deconvolving the images using the actual measured stellar point spread function gave artifacts so they resorted to tuning the PSF using a parameterised function. The reference to the validation of the technique using Vesta might be interesting for planetary imagers.

    in reply to: Paper on spectroscopy and photometry of Miras #584761
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Well let’s just say i’ve seen a lot worse !   It would make a good template for anyone considering undertaking a similar sort of project 

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: MV Lyr fading #584755
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Despite poring over the radar maps looking for gaps between the rain showers I have only managed 10 min on this so far.

    Only the Balmer lines in emission are clear in the noisy spectrum but it does perhaps seem to be intermediate between the low and high state spectra in the literature. Here for example in the high state from  L. Rosino et al 1993 PASP 105 51

    and the low state (blue end only) from Voikhanskaia, N. F. 1988, A&A, 192, 128  

    (Both low state spectra, showing interesting variation during the 0.13 day orbit)

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: La Palma volcano eruption #584749
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Wow ! 🙁    Can you even insure against such an event ?

    in reply to: LL And rare outburst #584719
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Another low resolution R~500 spectrum last night (low SNR due to bright full moon) continues to show no evidence of H alpha (in emission or absorption) but the higher Balmer absorption lines have increase in depth. V mag for  the two spectra were ~12.8/13.7 (AAVSO)

    Robin

    in reply to: Recurrent Nova RS Oph #584712
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Hi Hugh,

    Looks good. I identified the coronal lines lines in a 2006 Star Analyser spectrum using this reference

    This time round I’ve used ISIS to make a little animated gif (attached) showing the [FeX] line emerging based on 4 observations between 25th Aug and 11th Sept

    Cheers 

    Robin

    in reply to: BAA AGM & Meeting. #584706
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    The legal restrictions have been lifted but the wearing of face masks and social distancing where possible is still advised by both the government and NHS as ways to limit the spread. Personal freedom works both ways. A poll of members would be interesting. It could be that actually more members would attend provided modest precautions like face masks and social distancing were in place than would not attend because they do not wish to follow the guidelines. 

    in reply to: LL And rare outburst #584694
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Thanks Gary.

    The Taichi Kato paper was not published until 2004.

    https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004PASJ…56S.135K/abstract

    I will send a correction to CDS

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: Nova And 1979 ? #584683
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Here is the spectrum of BD+25 103, also  identified (likely incorrectly) in SIMBAD as Nova And 1979,  compared with an F2v standard 

    in reply to: LL And rare outburst #584682
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Hi Gary,

    Could “Nova And 1979” actually have been LL And with a position error?  See VSSC #83 1995 p7 and separate thread on “N And 1979”

    https://britastro.org/vss/VS0083.pdf

    (Your first VSSC after you took over directorship in 1995 by the looks)

    Robin

    in reply to: Nova And 1979 ? #584680
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    The TA article

    http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1979Astr…16..152.

    confusingly IAUC 3412 covers reports on several diverse objects including asteroid 1979QB

    http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/03400/03401.html

    Cheers

    Robin

Viewing 20 posts - 221 through 240 (of 1,123 total)