Astromick

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Horsehead Nebula (B33) in Orion.

Just before I started packing away last night, Orion was coming up. So I couldn't resist having a quick look at B33.
This is way too little exposure for this object, 30 x 1min subs. Un-modded camera.

M45 16th Oct 2010

Another two hours worth of data added to the stuff from the other week.
I'll need to work on this a bit more, so this is just a quick process.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Oops!!!

When imaging M45, please remember to remove the focusing mask.
That was a waste of a half dozen images. Ha ho whaddoya know!

OT: Lechlade & Rupert 1966

Found this today in an antique shop in lovely Lechlade, which is about 10 miles from where I live. Bargain! to add to my collection.

Lechlade has an Xmas shop that is open every day of the year. Shhh!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Very interesting talk given by Chris Lintott of the University of Oxford discussing The Galaxy Zoo, an internet-based program for enlisting the help of amateur astronomers in cataloguing other galaxies.

The hills (craters) are alive with the sound of music.

On Sol 2382 (Oct. 6, 2010), Opportunity the rover, covered over 94 meters (308 feet) on her trek to Endeavour crater.
Here's a pan that I created from a few images taken by Opportunity's navigation camera.

Credit NASA

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Comet Hartley 2 12th Oct 2010

48 x 30sec subs.

OT: New car time.

Bought a new car today. My old BMW needed too much work after a recent oil leak.
Ford Fiesta Titanium 1.6.
It's nice and sporty... for us old duffers!

Comet Hartley 2 - processed yet again!

This is what I wanted... trailing stars, from DSS.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Imaging Comet Hartley 2 last night.

Takahashi piggy backed onto C9.25.

Shot with my HTC Desire phone.

103P/Hartley 2 10th Oct 2010 re-processed.

Finally got the processing sorted with help from the guys on Yahoo DSS group.
Looks like a comet tail is appearing.

103P/Hartley 2 10th Oct 2010

My stacking program is not working correctly at the moment, I was hoping to get a better image with trailing stars. Bear with me.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Jupiter and Io transit 10th Oct 2010

Green and red filter composite.

Comet Hartley 2

Here's a quick process of comet Hartley 2 from tonight. Better to come tomorrow.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Quick! it's clear...

well, it was last night.
Managed to bag a few deepsky objects using my Takahashi. Here is the first M45; 51Min worth of 30sec subs, darks,flats & bias applied. Processed in DSS and CS5:-

And here is the Perseus double open cluster NGC 884 & NGC 869.

Also NGC752, to the right are a high number of galaxies, but they wouldn't be seen in this almost test frame of only 17 x 30sec frames. Bah!

Sunday, September 05, 2010

I need to get out more!

I also need to get to some darker skies. Here in Wiltshire we have some very good dark sky locations.
I hope to get out a bit more now that I have a new powertank from Maplin.
My old Celestron powertank is knackered, It never charged very well using the supplied PSU that came with it and I haven't used it for over 3 years, hence the battery is completely flat. A naughty No No! when it comes to lead acid batteries.
I sourced trying to get the battery replaced but it would have cost about £30... the Maplin unit is only £34, so it's "a no brainer".
Handy for me Doh!

We're on holiday soon in darkest South Wales in a place called Amroth. I'll be taking my old AS-GT mount and Takahashi to have a go there. Only problem is there'll be a full Moon about, but it'll be interesting to see what I can get.
I must go to a star party one of these days, if I can just get over my anti-social tendencies.