Forthimage – Amateur Astronomy from Edinburgh
This website is an observing log and a place where I can post my images and observations. You can find more information about the equipment I use on the About/Equipment page as well as papers I am co-author of.
Having imaged many of the obvious objects I find it more satisfying now to contribute data to various projects.
I am currently President and Webmaster of the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh and some of my pictures are displayed on their Flickr page. I also contribute data to the HOYS citizen science project, ExoClock, BAA Mars, Solar and VSS sections, AAVSO, GOSA, GMN, UKMON, as well as others.
Mark
Recent posts
Sun 2022-05-19
Single shot with CCD camera
| Object ID | Sun |
| Details | 2022-05-19 11:35:30 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX |
| Filters | Black polymer R |
| Exposure(s) | 0.001s |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
DO Dra
AAVSO “Alert Notice 753: Monitoring requested for seven intermediate polars” – DO Dra (also known as YY Dra) is on the list, it’s circumpolar and easy from here.
“Photometry (V, CV) of the targets in the table below is requested. DSLR green and visual observations are welcome to supplement the light curves. The cadence requested is every other night, as weather permits, and “about one hour of coverage per night (enough to catch a few spin cycles of the white dwarf). If a source is found to be in a low state, then we request longer coverage and nightly cadence. SNR>>10 is ideal…”
Photometry (V, CV) of the targets in the table below is requested. DSLR green and visual observations are welcome to supplement the light curves. The cadence requested is every other night, as weather permits, and “about one hour of coverage per night (enough to catch a few spin cycles of the white dwarf). If a source is found to be in a low state, then we request longer coverage and nightly cadence. SNR>>10 is ideal…”
Covington adds: “These systems show periodic variability on the spin period of the WD, usually on order of ~10 minutes. So, shorter exposure times are needed so the spin variability isn’t washed out. Previous AAVSO observations of these sources have had exposure times <60s, which is ideal. Also, accurate time tagging of the observations is required, so we can measure periodicities!”
Thought I’d give it a go for 1 hour. Uploaded to AAVSO and BAA databases.
| Object ID | DO Dra Typical/high state mag. 15.0 – 15.5 V Range: 10.0 – 17.2 V |
| Details | 23:00 – 23:59 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian |
| Camera | Atik 460ex @-10°C |
| Filters | V photometric |
| Exposure(s) | 70 x 60s dfb |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | ASTAP |
An Intermediate Polar (also called a DQ Herculis Star) is a type of cataclysmic variable binary star system with a white dwarf and a cool main-sequence secondary star. In most cataclysmic variables, matter from the companion star is gravitationally stripped by the compact star and forms an accretion disk around it. In intermediate polar systems, the same general scenario applies except that the inner disk is disrupted by the magnetic field of the white dwarf.
The name “intermediate polar” is derived from the strength of the white dwarf’s magnetic field, which is between that of non-magnetic cataclysmic variable systems and strongly magnetic systems. Non-magnetic systems exhibit full accretion disks, while strongly magnetic systems (called polars or AM Herculis systems) exhibit only accretion streams which directly impact the white dwarf’s magnetosphere.
Sun 2022-05-04 AR3004
Another interesting group today
| Object ID | AR3004 |
| Details | 2022-05-04 14:37:09 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | ZWO ASI290MC |
| Filters | Black Polymer R |
| Exposure(s) | 120s 90fps .ser |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AS3!, Registax, Photoshop |
AR2993 AR2994
Request for observations as these groups develop from the BAA. Managed 8 days in a row!
| Object ID | Sun AR2993, AR2994 |
| Details | 2022-04-18 – 2022-04-25 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian Black polymer filter + R |
| Camera | ZWO ASI290MC |
| Exposure(s) | 90 – 120s ser video 40% / 20% / 25% frames |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AS3!, Registax, Photoshop |
Type Ia supernova 2022hrs in NGC 4647
2022hrs (= ATLAS22mip), TNS discovered 2022/04/16.619 by Koichi Itagaki
Found in NGC 4647 at R.A. = 12h43m34s.350, Decl. = +11°34’36”.00
Located 30″.0 east and 18″.7 south of the center of NGC 4647
Galaxy is about mag. 12.5, supernova about mag. 14.1 R using photometry with ASTAP.
| Object ID | Supernova 2022hrs |
| Details | 2022-04-18 23:20 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian R filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10 °C |
| Exposure(s) | 3 x 180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | Photoshop, ASTAP |
GMN meteor plot 2022-03-27 22:36:11.685049
A bright meteor, captured by my camera UK006E, also seen and matched by 8 other stations.
Mag. -2.90
Duration 1.20s
V avg 42.97 km/s
Height beg/end: 111 km / 86 km
Sporadic
Sun 2022-03-28
Very active Sun this morning
| Object ID | Sun |
| Details | 2022-03-08 08:04:18 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian |
| Camera | Atik 460EX mono Black polymer filter, V filter |
| Exposure(s) | 0.01s |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop Dutone colourisation |
HOYS and 2MASS 21383981+5708470
I’ve been continuing to gather HOYS data as normal and particularly focusing on this star as it’s a bit too low for most people in the evening, but high enough even when below the Pole Star from here in Edinburgh. A lot of the last few weeks data points are mine. Going back to the CCD camera and using real V and R photometric filters has increased accuracy to 0.02 – 0.04 as well.
The star has just undergone a new outburst and is starting to decline again.
The HOYS project reached another recent milestone of 60,00 images in the database. Unfortunately this means the database is now very slow to extract data for lightcurves for. Needs some funding for a developer to work on the database indexing.
NGC 5005 C29
Taken to confirm that there was NOT a supernova for an ASE member
| Object ID | C29 NGC 5005 |
| Details | 2022-03-23 22:06 – 22:34 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian R filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10 °C |
| Exposure(s) | 10 x 180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, ASTAP |
Type II supernova 2022ewj in NGC 3367
2022ewj (= ATLAS22jhw), TNS discovered 2022/03/19.544 by Koichi Itagaki
Found in NGC 3367 at R.A. = 10h46m34s.630, Decl. = +13°45’16”.98
Galaxy is about mag. 12, supernova about mag. 16.3 R using photometry with ASTAP.
| Object ID | Supernova 2021ewj |
| Details | 2022-03-22 22:31 – 22:42 UT Hazy skies |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian R filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10 °C |
| Exposure(s) | 5 x 180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, ASTAP |
M100 (NGC 4321
A grand design spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices, 55 million light years away and part of the Virgo cluster.
V and R filters used
| Object ID | M100, NGC 4321 Coma Berenices 7.4′ x 6.3′ Mag. 9.5 |
| Details | 2022-03-20 |
| Telescope | 240mm f4.8 Newtonian R, V filters |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10 °C |
| Exposure(s) | 20 x 180s V 20 x 180s R d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
NGC 2403
Just imaged and V and R filters because of strong Moonlight.
| Object ID | NGC 2403, C7 Camelopardalis 21.9′ x 12.3′ Mag. 8.9 |
| Details | 2022-03-17 |
| Telescope | 240mm f4.8 Newtonian R, V filters |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10 °C |
| Exposure(s) | 30 x 180s V 9 x 180s R d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
2MASS J17554042+6551277 first star imaged by JWST
The first star imaged by JWST after alignment and focusing complete
| Object ID | 2MASS J17554042+6551277 |
| Details | 2022-03-16 23:30 – 22:43 UT |
| Telescope | 240mm f4.8 Newtonian R filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10 °C |
| Exposure(s) | 5 x 180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
And here’s the actual image
Credits: NASA/STScI
SN 2021agpf in NGC 5732
2021agpf (= ATLAS21bnoc), TNS discovered 2021/12/26.624 by ATLAS
Found in NGC 5732 at R.A. = 14h40m37s.708, Decl. = +38°37’56”.31
Galaxy is about mag. 14, supernova about mag. 17.3 using photometry with ASTAP.
| Object ID | Supernova 2021agpf |
| Details | 2022-03-16 22:19 – 22:47 UT Strong moonlight |
| Telescope | 240mm f4.8 Newtonian R filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10 °C |
| Exposure(s) | 10 x 180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, ASTAP |
New meteor camera first detections
As part of the Global Meteor Network I have added a new camera on the edge of Edinburgh, built following the GMN wiki instructions. Scotland doesn’t seem to have many and definitely needs more.
Still in the early config stages but this is the first detection saved as an animated GIF. I don’t plan on posting these here all the time but these are the first!
My azimuth seems to be about 120° which is what I was aiming for.
2022-03-13 02:22:58 UT
2022-03-15 02:06:15 UT
And from the second night, much better:
This is my detection coverage.
Calibrated azimuth: 120.5°, altitude 49.5°
145 Adeona asteroid light curve
Third submission to GOSA project. This was marked as a “Important target” with just 25% completed.
| Object ID | 145 Adeona |
| Details | 2022-03-01 20:06:31 to 2022-03-01 22:55:22 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian V filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C |
| Exposure(s) | 56 x 180s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | GOSA |
Sun 2022-03-01
Mono image, colourised as Duotone.
| Object ID | Sun |
| Details | 2022-03-01 10:46:56 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian |
| Camera | Atik 460EX Black polymer filter, V filter |
| Exposure(s) | 0.02s |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | Photoshop |
22 Kalliope asteroid light curve
Second submission to GOSA project. This was marked as a “Hot target”. There was a close almost-grazing-occultation with the fainter star nearby. Looked like it was going to be very close but I suspect missed in the end.
| Object ID | 22 Kalliope |
| Details | 2022-02-28 20:11:12 to 2022-02-28 23:58:17 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian V filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C |
| Exposure(s) | 290 x 45s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | GOSA |
19P/Borrelly
Currently the brightest comet around at about mag. 9. Photometry with ASTAP gives me a V magnitude of 9.7. Animation shows it heading away from the Sun now, after perihelion (1 Feb 2022), tail first.
| Object ID | Comet 19P Borrelly |
| Details | 2022-02-26 21:02:22 – 21:42:46 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian V filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C |
| Exposure(s) | 20 x 120s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | ASTAP, Photoshop |
68 Leto asteroid light curve
First submission to GOSA project – Gaia-Groundbased Observational Service for Asteroids (Gaia-GOSA)
| Object ID | 68 Leto |
| Details | 2022-02-26 22:01:29 to 2022-02-27 00:47:26 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian V filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C |
| Exposure(s) | 147 x 60s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | GOSA |
(201) Penelope light curve
A large main belt asteroid, discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa in 1879. Thought I’d try the same technique as for an eclipsing binary. One extra step in AstroImageJ to track the asteroid between frames. Didn’t get enough data to determine a period and comparison stars were impossible to find in this particular field so relative flux only.
| Object ID | (201) Penelope |
| Details | 2022-02-10 21:39:08 – 00:59:05 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C V filter |
| Exposure(s) | 95 x 120s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | AstroImageJ |
Sun 2022-02-08
Sun is getting high enough to see again. Very active at the moment.
Mono image, colourised as Duotone.
| Object ID | Sun |
| Details | 2022-02-08 11:08 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian |
| Camera | Atik 460EX Black polymer filter, V filter |
| Exposure(s) | 0.01s |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | Photoshop |
V1297 Cas eclipsing binary
No predictions for transit times for this one so trial and error. Sadly missed both peaks and dips.
| Object ID | V1297 Cas Eclipsing binary in Cassiopeia |
| Details | 2022-02-06 19:34 – 23:27 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian Photometric V filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C |
| Exposure(s) | 620 x 15s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | AstroImageJ |
NR CAM eclipsing binary
Got both secondary and primary transits before cloud came in but had hoped to get both peaks to see if asymmetric or not which might indicate star spots. Primary transit is deeper than the secondary.
Wrote a How-To article on the ASE website about this: How to record an eclipsing binary transit light curve
| Object ID | NR CAM Eclipsing binary in Camelopardalis |
| Details | 2022-01-27 18:01 – 22:22 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian Photometric V filter |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C |
| Exposure(s) | 476 x 25s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | AstroImageJ |
Finder chart and data:
AAVSO — Variable Star Plotter
V523 Cas eclipsing binary
Cloud stopped play so caught the primary transit but not the secondary. Will try this one again since it transits so fast.
| Object ID | V523 Cas Eclipsing binary star |
| Details | 2022-01-24 21:44 – 22:58 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C Photometric R filter |
| Exposure(s) | 137 x 25s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | AstroImageJ |
