I've added a new page to the blog to show some of the equipment I use, and have used, over the years. Click on the 'Equipment' button in the menu above to view this.
I'll add to this from time to time, so please keep looking!
Saturday 30 October 2010
Sun - 30th October
Sunny days are likely to be few and far between as we head towards Winter, so I thought I'd capture another solar white light image while I could.
The large sunspot group AR1117 is nearing the limb and will soon leave the visible disk. Another spot is creeping around the edge of the disk opposite AR1117. It will be interesting to see how this develops. The umbral region is just visible in the area of faculae, which themselves are enhanced by their contrast against the slightly darker limb region.
The large sunspot group AR1117 is nearing the limb and will soon leave the visible disk. Another spot is creeping around the edge of the disk opposite AR1117. It will be interesting to see how this develops. The umbral region is just visible in the area of faculae, which themselves are enhanced by their contrast against the slightly darker limb region.
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| AR1117 nears the edge of the disk. |
Sunday 24 October 2010
Solar Rotation
Amazingly, another clear day today. Having taken another image of the solar disk, I thought it would be interesting to composite the images from the last few days to show more clearly the rotation of the sun.
Ideally, as a future project, I must try and take a consistent run of images at regular and shorter time intervals. It would be interesting to then combine these and produce a short movie to show the rotation.
Ideally, as a future project, I must try and take a consistent run of images at regular and shorter time intervals. It would be interesting to then combine these and produce a short movie to show the rotation.
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| Solar rotation |
Thursday 21 October 2010
The Sun continues to shine
Blessed with more sunshine over the last few days, I've been capturing a few more images, to try and improve my image processing workflow.
Here are a couple of shots from the 20th and 21st October. The rotation of the Sun over the 24 hour time difference is clear.
Here are a couple of shots from the 20th and 21st October. The rotation of the Sun over the 24 hour time difference is clear.
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| 20th Oct |
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| 21st Oct |
Sunday 17 October 2010
Sun 17th October 2010
Sun was shining today, so decided to try and take some images.
This shot was produced from 18 images stacked in Registax with a bit of processing in Photoshop CS3 and final colorising to make it more pleasing on the eye.
Original sub's taken with Nikon D300, 300mm prime with 1.4 converter (=420mm), 1/3200s at f8, through Baader solar film.
Main sunspots on show are numbered 1113 (top), 1115 (bottom) and 1112 (the group of small spots at right). Faculae can also be seen near the limb adjacent to the spots. Two smaller spots (un-numbered) can also be seen just above the centre of the disk.
Warning to non-astronomers - never look directly at the sun without proper filters designed for the purpose. Failure to do so risks ruining your camera and, more importantly, your eyes!
This shot was produced from 18 images stacked in Registax with a bit of processing in Photoshop CS3 and final colorising to make it more pleasing on the eye.
Original sub's taken with Nikon D300, 300mm prime with 1.4 converter (=420mm), 1/3200s at f8, through Baader solar film.
Main sunspots on show are numbered 1113 (top), 1115 (bottom) and 1112 (the group of small spots at right). Faculae can also be seen near the limb adjacent to the spots. Two smaller spots (un-numbered) can also be seen just above the centre of the disk.
Warning to non-astronomers - never look directly at the sun without proper filters designed for the purpose. Failure to do so risks ruining your camera and, more importantly, your eyes!
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| Our nearest star - 17th Oct 2010 |
Solar Eclipse. 22 July 2009
I consider myself fortunate. My company has a facility in Hangzhou, China, and my work involves occasional trips out to this part of the world. Imagine how I felt when I discovered that the center line of the eclipse passed right over our company. I needed to do some planning!
After a little gentle persuasion I was pleased when my boss agreed it was important that we had a business visit to coincide with the eclipse!
The morning of the eclipse arrived and, to my horror, there was total cloud cover. We were due to leave Hangzhou that afternoon to make another business visit to a facility in Tokyo, so I started to pack, resigned to the fact that I wouldn't see it. I happened to glance out of the window right at the start of the partial phase and, to my amazement, I could see the sun peeping out through high hazy cloud. I dropped everything to collect my camera gear and rushed down from the 10th floor of the hotel, hardly believing my luck
After a little gentle persuasion I was pleased when my boss agreed it was important that we had a business visit to coincide with the eclipse!
The morning of the eclipse arrived and, to my horror, there was total cloud cover. We were due to leave Hangzhou that afternoon to make another business visit to a facility in Tokyo, so I started to pack, resigned to the fact that I wouldn't see it. I happened to glance out of the window right at the start of the partial phase and, to my amazement, I could see the sun peeping out through high hazy cloud. I dropped everything to collect my camera gear and rushed down from the 10th floor of the hotel, hardly believing my luck
I set up my camera on the lawn outside the hotel in the sticky heat, complete with 500mm lens and DIY filter made from Baader solar film. As the morning passed, the crowd of onlookers grew; all keen to view the disappearing solar disk through my camera and the hand-held viewer I'd made from some left-over film. This was a little concerning, with fears of my tripod disappearing amongst the crowd, and the risk of my new buddies removing the filter and damaging their eyes. Fortunately, everyone was very orderly and I was, for a time, the centre of attention, trying to explain what was going on through the medium of sign language!
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| World Trade Centre, Hangzhou |
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| Totality approaches! |
These are a collection of images of what we saw.
Partial phases were taken using the solar filter. A few seconds before totality, I removed the filter and programmed the camera to take images automatically every second through second contact, to try and capture the diamond ring and Bailey's beads. I did the same at third contact, before putting the filter back for further partial phase shots.
An amazing experience and I can't wait for the next one.
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| Second contact diamond ring |
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| Bailey's beads |
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| Totality |
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| Beautiful! |
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| Chromosphere and prominance |
Friday 8 October 2010
Jupiter Opposition 21st Sep 2010
An observing session of the Bedford Astronomical Society, organised for the night of opposition. In addition to observing through the 12" Dobsonian's on the terrace, great views were had through the Bedford School Observatory 16" Meade. Unfortunately, I didn't manage any images through the scopes, but was pleased with the atmosphere captured in these shots of "ghostly" society members.
In addition to Jupiter, we also had good views of the colourful green and blue disks of both Uranus and Neptune, the latter being a first for me. Marvellous!
In addition to Jupiter, we also had good views of the colourful green and blue disks of both Uranus and Neptune, the latter being a first for me. Marvellous!
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| By Jove! |
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| Ghosts on the terrace.... |
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| Moonlight on the Bedford School Meade |
Sunday 3 October 2010
Equipment
This is my current primary telescope - a 10" f6.3 Newtonian reflector. The mirrors were bought in the late 70's from Fullerscopes in London, the primary being made by respected mirror maker David Hinds. I housed these in a home made tube mounted on a Dobsonian mount. This sufficed for a few years, but in the 80's I decided I needed a better tube, so embarked on making a ply hexagonal affair in a tasteful shade of green (well I thought it looked nice anyway).
A few years later I once again decided that an upgrade was needed, to enable me to enter the wonderful world of guided imaging. Fortunately, Phil Stone's Superscopes company was located near by and I knew Phil from the Bedford AS. A few months later, my new Titan equatorial mount arrived, with my Hinds optics housed in a new shiny white tube......
This picture was taken a few years ago after I'd completed a complete refurb of the mount and tube assembly - a new paint job and cleaning/greasing of all the bearings.
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