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 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
Another bright Perseid Fireball 2022-08-09
Almost as bright as the previous one with an absolute mag. of -6.0, but further away so only an apparent mag of -3.6.
Summary for Event ----------------- Updated: 2022-08-09 08:00:15 shower ID 7 PER (Perseids) Lg 60.16° Bg 38.63° Vg 59.61km/s mass 1.34424g, abs. mag -6.0 best visual mag -3.6 Path Details ------------ start -1.77° 55.29° 122.53km end -2.15° 55.16° 78.24km Orbit Details ------------- Semimajor axis -148.00A.U., eccentricity 1.01, inclination 113.04°, Period nanY, LA Sun 136.19°,
© UK Meteor Observation Network
IC5146 Cocoon Nebula HOYS stack
All the HOYS stacked images from the last few months in R, V and Ha, all stacked into one image and processed just for fun. No science left in it doing it like this, but a nice image anyway. I can find stars down to mag. 19.05 G-band from Gaia data.
Jupiter & Saturn 2022-08-06
First of the season. First of the season. Saturn still low and murky. Jupiter’s extra altitude makes it much easier this year.
| Object ID | Jupiter / Saturn |
| Details | 2022-08-06 00:18 UT / 00:012 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian x2 Barlow |
| Camera | ZWO ASI 290MC |
| Filters | UV/IR block |
| Exposure(s) | 90s 80 fps .ser videos |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AS3!, Registax 6, Photoshop |
2022-08-02 Perseid Fireball
This is an impressive one that leaves a vapour trail lasting several seconds, mag -6.9. Didn’t register on RMS detections as it was so close and saturated the sensor.
Updated manually by Mark McIntyre to include UK006E data.
Summary for Event ----------------- Updated: 2022-08-03 14:28:43 shower ID 7 PER (Perseids) Lg 55.19° Bg 38.86° Vg 57.23km/s mass 2.29762g, abs. mag -6.9 best visual mag -6.8 Path Details ------------ start -1.81° 56.14° 150.44km end -2.74° 55.64° 80.08km Orbit Details ------------- Semimajor axis 6.09A.U., eccentricity 0.85, inclination 110.92°, Period 15.05Y, LA Sun 130.34°, last Perihelion 2022-07-08
Bright Perseid 2022-07-31 23:05 UT
Saw it outside and then found it on the meteor camera. Data from UKMON:
shower ID 7 PER (Perseids) Lg 50.74° Bg 38.96° Vg 58.81km/s mass 0.54304g, abs. mag -4.4 best visual mag -2.0 Path Details ------------ start -1.44° 55.83° 123.61km end -1.97° 55.55° 85.49km Orbit Details ------------- Semimajor axis 16.25A.U., eccentricity 0.94, inclination 112.52°, Period 65.48Y, LA Sun 128.41°, last Perihelion 2022-07-12
© UK Meteor Observation Network
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
20 frames and stacked on the comet. V magnitude of 13.6, which is fainter than the Clear values given on COBS, as expected.
| Object ID | Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) |
| Details | 2022-07-26 23:39 – 00:01 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10 °C |
| Filters | Photometric V |
| Exposure(s) | 20 x 60s |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, ASTAP |
C-2022 C3 ZTF Orbit
theskylive.com
First Perseid of 2022 detected
Pat Devine’s camera UK0074 and mine UK006E detected a very ordinary one, showed by the UKMON data.
Summary for Event ----------------- Updated: 2022-07-25 06:08:22 shower ID 7 PER (Perseids) Lg 46.41° Bg 40.26° Vg 55.17km/s mass 0.01683g, abs. mag 0.4 best visual mag 0.8 Path Details ------------ start -2.70° 55.59° 111.93km end -2.87° 55.51° 98.88km Orbit Details ------------- Semimajor axis 3.78A.U., eccentricity 0.75, inclination 107.74°, Period 7.33Y, LA Sun 121.75°, last Perihelion 2022-06-28
© UK Meteor Observation Network
UU Aql Dwarf Nova
X28087AF chart
Following the AAVSO campaign to observe some Dwarf Novae along with Hubble. The main aim is to determine when the star is faint enough for Hubble to observe it – to avoid damage to its sensors!
Has had a recent outburst and my latest two measurements show it as V mag. 16.9 on 2022-07-11 and then on 2022-07-20 a V mag. of 12.3. Quite an outburst. Seems to happen every 2 months.
Photometry using ASTAP, plot from AAVSO VStar.
UPDATE: 2022-07-31 now very faint down at mag. 17 and on its base magnitude.
UU Aql 2022-07-11 / 2022-07-20
Mag. 16.94 +- 0.09 / Mag. 12.33 +- 0.01
| Object ID | UU Aql |
| Details | 2022-07-11 23:49 UT 2022-07-20 23:04 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C |
| Filters | Photometric V |
| Exposure(s) | 3 x 180s 2 x 180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | ASTAP, VStar |
Dwarf Nova illustration
Credit: NASA and L. Hustak (STScI)
Current theory suggests that dwarf novae result from instability in the accretion disk, when gas in the disk reaches a critical temperature that causes a change in viscosity, resulting in a temporary increase in mass flow through the disc, which heats the whole disc and hence increases its luminosity. The mass transfer from the donor star is less than this increased flow through the disc, so the disc will eventually drop back below the critical temperature and revert to a cooler, duller mode. Wikipedia
AR3055 AR3056
Sun is very active at the moment.
| Object ID | AR3055, AR3056 |
| Details | 2022-07-15 AR3055 15:47 UT AR3056 15:51 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian |
| Camera | ZWO ASI290MC |
| Filters | Black polymer, R |
| Exposure(s) | 120s 90fps .SER |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AS3! Registax 6 Photoshop |
Sun 2022-06-22 AR3038
Nice group AR3038
| Object ID | Sun and AR 3038 |
| Details | 2022-06-22 15:21 R, 15:29 Ha |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC EQ8R |
| Camera | ZWO ASI290MC |
| Filters | Black polymer R, Ha |
| Exposure(s) | 120s .ser videos 90fps |
| Capture | FireCapture |
| Processing | AS3!, Registax, Photoshop |
2022 UK006E monthly reports
Reports generated by UKMON
https://ukmeteornetwork.co.uk
V1117 Her
Taking part in the AAVSO campaign on V1117 Her: Alert Notice 771: V1117 Her in deep fade again. Comparisons marked in the main image.
The fade seems to be past but as well as long term variations it seems to be a star with short-term variations over periods of a few hours. An “…anomalous YSO (possibly debris-disc object)”.
| Object ID | V1117 Her |
| Details | YSO (Young Stellar Object) Range approx: 12.3 – 13.9 Coordinates (2000): RA 16 39 06.43 Dec. +09 47 55.3 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-10°C |
| Filters | Johnson V |
| Exposure(s) | 5 x 60s d f b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | ASTAP |
“The anomalous YSO (possibly debris-disc object) V1117 Herculis is at a deep minimum of visual magnitude 15.1 as of 2022 March 9.45 UT, from observations by AAVSO member John Pickett. Observations, in a variety of filters – visual observations included of course – are requested to see what happens next. Deep minima of this object have tended to occur at semi-regular intervals of about 400 days but the last comparable minimum drawn from the AAVSO light curve was only about 100 days ago, so this may indicate new processes are taking place in the circumstellar environment.”
“Observations in the B and I bands are especially welcome. V band photometry is encouraged, and visual observations are welcome. Observations two-three times per night are requested (and once per night between episodes of activity).”
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 |
Here’s the light curve from the BAA VSS database, including some of my observations (the very first red point – bottom left – is mine, as are some of the V CCD measurements).
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 | 250mm 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 |