Room for one more up top.

Small CGE mount problem.

I had a small problem on the CGE mount that I fixed with the help of the guys on Yahoo CGE forum.
When the mount was loaded and balanced, there was a very small rocking motion in declination. This was caused by backlash between the worm and worm wheel, because
worm was too far from the wheel.
I had to loosen the two bolts at the back of the DEC housing and nudge the worm closer to the wheel.
Works a treat now. Thanks Tom Krajci.

Seeing!

Here is an example of the seeing that we've been having recently!
Dunno about you, but I can't do too much with that.
SKYnyx and 2.5x TV Powermate.

Jupiter 17th & 19th August 2009

"Waving like a flag seeing".

SKYnyx first light.

This is the first time that I've used the SKYnyx for planetary imaging.
The seeing wasn't up to much, the camera software is easy to use but just different, so its going to take awhile to get my head around it!.
This image was taken with a 2.5x TV Powermate, the best 600 frames from 1800 ish. 55 seconds per channel including an IR ;-)

The Sun - 11th Aug 2009

Taken with Takahashi Sky-90, SKYnyx 2-0M, 2.5x TV Powermate and 5x Powermate.
Using Baader film, K-line filter and Ha filter.

New SKYnyx camera.

My new camera arrived today from the US. A SKYnyx 2-0M, which is a mono 640x480 type. It has a smaller pixel size than my DMK which cuts down the noise slightly. We shall see ;-)
It's a solid chunk of metal though, and seems very well built. All I need now is my license key to come through from Lucam Recorder.
I have the casual version, but it only allows you to save .jpg files rather than video. Still it's not a bad price, although the Pound against the Euro a present is almost on parity :-(
I bought from OPT.

That's a 'T' piece nosepiece.

Here's a couple of captures to compare the image size:-

DMK21AF04AS

SKYnyx

Meanwhile back on Mars.

Opportunity has spotted a possible meteorite on the surface. The rock is called "Block Island," and was discovered on July 18, 2009.
Here is a mosaic that I produced from the RAW image website.

And below is an RGB composition that I constructed from the RGB data at the Exploratorium RAW data website, (RGB process for correct colour balance).

Credit: Exploratorium
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech.


You may have noticed that I've changed the close-up colour picture a few times. I'm still trying to find a definitive guide for processing colour Mars images.
This is the closest that I can get, using the histogram readings from the image calibration target.

Jupiter impact.

This is amazing, the Jupiter impact as viewed from the Mt. Wilson Observatory 60" telescope... through the eyepiece!

I wanna hook up my DMK!

Every cloud...

Found it!

Planetwarp.

After looking at LPOD I thought I'd have a go at this new piece of software called PlanetWarp.
It does a really good job of flattening Moon images to give an overhead view.
Here's a Mare Crisium before and after:-

Betelgeuse; she's gonna to explode captain!

Betelgeuse is already nearing the end of its life and is soon doomed to explode as a supernova. When it does, the supernova should be seen easily from Earth, even in broad daylight.

Credit Physorg.com

A giant anvil-shaped cloud hovering 75,000ft above Earth is photographed by Space Station astronauts

Credit NASA

Imaging M31 last night.

Hmmm... I don't think 18 minutes worth of 30 second subs really cuts it. Clouds stopped play :-(
Still the set-up worked. The Tak is quite 'bouncy' sitting on top of the C9.25. But the vibrations die down quickly enough.
I've ordered a 7lb Losmandy weight as well, which I'm assured will fit onto the CGE counterweight bar. Two 25lb weights work, but are a tad heavy for this combination.

Animated Jupiter impact.

Looking out of the ISS window.

I was watching NASA TV this afternoon, and the camera was panning around outside looking at the Earth.
I wondered exactly where they were, and found this handy little site.
It shows you a simulated view looking from the US Destiny's lab window.

Here's a view from the simulated window, and below it the actual view from the camera outside.

Jupiter & dark impact - 25th July 2009

RG-RGB

IR-RGB

M27 & M57 - 25th July 2009

30 x 30second @800ISO, C9.25, prime focus.

45 x 30second @800ISO, C9.25, prime focus.

Hubble view of Jupiter dark impact.

Credit

Jupiter 25th July 2009 - in Red, IR & Green filters

Anthony Wesley's impact coming round the corner!
Red

IR.

Green.

Land on the Moon in Google Earth

I'm a big fan of Google Earth, in fact the Google streetview car was taking photo's down my street a week or so ago.
But now you can streetview on the Moon ;-)
You can even overlay the latests LRO images onto the map, in 3D!

Jupiter 22nd July 2009

Noctilucent clouds 21st July 2009

Jupiter & Io 20th July 2009

Tell you what, it's rock steady on the CGE mount.

Jupiter, Io & impact 20th July 2009

I just managed to capture the impact mark on Jupiter, discovered by Anthony Wesley on 19th July 2009.
See also Cloudy Nights forum for details, and here for Sky & Telescope.

Mimas Against the Rings & Enceladus.

Just spotted these on the Planetary Society Blog, amazing images.

LRO.

We're starting to get some hi-res images from LRO now.

Here is a portion near the Apollo 14 landing site in Fra Mauro that I've picked because I love those 'house sized' boulders. I think the crater is over a mile wide.

Below the Apollo 14 landing site.

Bottom two, Apollo 17 Spilt rock (Tracey rock) and Panorama taken at the time by the crew.

Credit NASA

Apollo 11 radio with Apollo 11 Flight Journal

This is good, I like this.
It's a stream of the Apollo 11 mission audio broadcast in real time.
We have one of those internet radios, that can stream things from the internet. I have this on and off all day.
Please beware; on the way to the Moon there's a lot of static and not much talking.
And of course to accompany this you have the Apollo 11 Flight Journal, by David Woods, Ken MacTaggart and Frank O'Brien.