[BAA Comets] Some questions on working towards ICQ report

Tue Jul 29 15:10:24 BST 2014

Hi Roger,

After just getting up and reading your first response I just saw your latest 
arrive : ) First of all thank you very much for your detailed reply and I 
will certainly send you my notes once I have gone through the whole 
exercise.

I do not use a red filter as such, but I do use both an SBIG ST7 and an ST8 
cameras.  Richard Miles, during the past year, has been very patiently been 
giving me advice on the use of Astrometrica - this has been extremely 
helpful - and it has helped me understand a lot easier, the processes you 
describe, than if I had started completely cold.

Richard advised me that within Astrometrica, because of my cameras, I needed 
to set the colour band to red with filter set to clear (I hope I have that 
right Richard!).  It is for this reason why I was questioning what I should 
set the observational method to be : ) This is now the only current 
outstanding question I have.

Best Wishes,

Tony
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Roger Dymock" <roger.dymock at ntlworld.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 3:17 PM
To: "'BAA Comets discussion list'" <comets-disc at britastro.org>
Subject: Re: [BAA Comets] Some questions on working towards ICQ report

> Hi again Tony,
>
> One point I overlooked. The objective of the CCD Astrometry and Photometry 
> procedure is to produce
> visual equivalent magnitudes from CCD images therefore you should not be 
> using a red filter (if that
> is what you mean). FoCAs requires that you image unfiltered.
>
> Regards
>
> Roger D
>
> Hi Tony,
>
> Answers to your questions (feel free to ask more at any time).
>
> 1) If the tail goes off the edge of the image you measure from head of 
> comet to the edge and record
> that distance using the 'greater than' (>) symbol in COBS.
>
> 2) Can't help you there so I suggest you contact Julio Castellano at 
> orodeno2 at yahoo.es (for any
> FoCAs problems). You could also try the mailing list at
> https://es.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Cometas_Obs/info
>
> 3) You are correct in what you say but I use a single image which seems to 
> give similar results to
> others. Richard Miles has shown that the longer the exposure the larger 
> the coma. I will have a look
> at mine sometime to see what difference it makes.
>
> 4a) ICQ code is not the same as the MPC code. For ICQ code I suggest you 
> use, as COBS registration
> page mentions and you stated, first three letters of surname plus xx.
>
> 4b) The ICQ code for CCD images using a red filter is lower case k. See
> http://www.icq.eps.harvard.edu/ICQKeys.html for all relevant codes.
>
> 4c) You should reference the catalogue you use for photometry in the 
> ICQ/COBS report. For MPC
> reports I show the catalogue used for photometry in a COM line as below. 
> The astrometry catalogue is
> automatically included above the observation lines.
>
> COD G68
> OBS R.Dymock
> MEA R.Dymock
> TEL 0.61-m f/10 reflector + CCD
> AC2 roger.dymock at ntlworld.com
> ACK G68_2014_02_27-1
> COM CMC-14 used for photometry
>
> NET UCAC-4
>
> 0052P         C2014 02 25.11478 05 04 19.79 +32 59 34.5          16.0 N 
> G68
> 0052P         C2014 02 25.12170 05 04 20.62 +32 59 31.7          16.0 N 
> G68
> 0052P         C2014 02 25.12865 05 04 21.45 +32 59 28.9          16.0 N 
> G68
>
> I understand an observation to be a single visual observation of an object 
> or a single CCD, or
> stacked, image of same but it's not a question I have been asked before so 
> someone may correct me on
> that.
>
> When you have worked through the total procedure I will update it with any 
> points your have raised
> which need clarifying.
>
> Regards
>
> Roger Dymock
> Email: roger.dymock at ntlworld.com
> Tel: 023 92647986
> Skype: rogerdymock67 or
> Skype: rjvdymock
> MPC Observatory Code: 940
> Project Alcock http://www.britastro.org/projectalcock/
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: comets-disc-bounces at britastro.org 
> [mailto:comets-disc-bounces at britastro.org] On Behalf Of Tony
> Angel
> Sent: 28 July 2014 11:04
> To: Comets-disc at britastro.org
> Subject: [BAA Comets] Some questions on working towards ICQ report
>
> Hi,
>
> I have just about worked through Roger's Tutorials - I have done 
> everything upto but not including
> COBS, but before I can produce an ICQ Report I have a few outstanding 
> problems.
>
> 1. Tail length. What do you do when the tail goes off the edge of the 
> image. Sometimes I cannot
> image with the C14 F11 and the 4" F4 during the same run.
> 2. In FoCAs I cannot get the E-mail setup to work - anyone using hotmail 
> with FoCAs? (not a show
> stopper)
> 3. Coma diameter and Tail length. Do I base this on stacked or single 
> image? Logic tells me to use
> stacked because a short image may not collect enough information. For 
> example this morning's C/2014
> E2 stacked shows a coma of some 12 arc minutes, but a single image about 
> 3.75 arc minutes.
> 4. COBS Registration
>    a) ICQ code: is this the same at the MPC code or is it something else I 
> need to apply for soon?
> (Yes I know that I can put ANGxx in that field)
>    b) What is observation method - is it "C" for me, or it something else 
> because I am using an
> SBIG CCD which is in the red?
>    c)  Default reference star catalogue - do I put down the one I use for 
> astrometry or the one I
> use for photometry?
>
> Once I get into COBS I might have a few more question LOL
>
> Finally, what is meant by an observation from the Section point of view?
>
> Thank you in advance. : )
>
> Tony
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