Other images
Mizar and Alcor RGB
Something to image in the strong moonlight. Mizar (Zeta Ursae Majoris) has 2 partners: the brighter one you can see is 14 arcsecs away at mag 4 but there’s also one at 0.04 arcsecs separation and mag. 2 that we can’t see separately. Alcor is a binary too with an 8th magnitude red dwarf companion, 1 arcsec away from the primary.
| Object ID | Mizar, Alcor |
| Details | 2020-04-06 21:03:20UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-15C Baader RGB filters |
| Exposure(s) | 3x30s ea RGB 1×1 |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Vesta occultation of HIP 14439
Well I didn’t manage the occultation because of really bad weather – very windy and sleet blowing into the dome and telescope tube.
Got an image just before occultation.
2020-02-11 21:45:13
2s exposure 1×1 TR filter
Supernova SN 2020ue in NGC 4636
| Object ID | SN 2020ue NGC 4636 |
| Details | 2020-01-19 01:12:57 UT Muniwin gives mag. as 12.56 RA = 12 42 47 DEC = +2 39 35 FWHM = 2.77 pxl Sky = 1708.31 ADU Sky dev. = 50.19 ADU Net intensity = 94384.6 ADU Noise = 271.5 ADU S/N ratio = -25.4 dB Brightness = 12.5627 mag Error = 0.0031 mag |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 OO Newtonian |
| Camera | Atik 460EX @-15C |
| Exposure(s) | 5x120s 2×2 TR |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Muniwin |
Wide angle Milky Way shots from the Languedoc
So – because there’s no night in Scotland from May to August, I went south to the Languedoc hills. Sainte-Polycarpe in the Aude region to be precise. First real use of my Skywatcher Star Adventurer mount. Great fun, still a lot to learn, but got some decent images. Also made a fun little video story of my holiday in a beautiful region of France.
Summer Solstice Noctilucent Clouds
23:15 UT 21 June 2019
Samsung S8 mobile camera
Supernova 2018 ivc in M77
First supernova for me.
| Object ID | SN 2018 ivc in M77 Type II supernova |
| Details | 2018-12-03 22:10 – 22:39 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC, IDAS P2 |
| Camera | Atik 460EX at -20C |
| Exposure(s) | L 10x90s 1×1 |
| Capture | APT |
| Processing | Nebulosity, Photoshop |
Albireo – now it’s officially NOT a binary
Everyone’s favourite double star is now officially not a binary system according to the latest GAIA data release. This is just to show that I don’t care – it’s still the best.
| Object ID | Albireo, Beta 1,2 Cygni |
| Details | 2018-08-23 20:57 – 21:00 UT |
| Telescope | 200mm Newtonian f5 |
| Camera | ZWO ASI290MC, IR/UV block |
| Exposure(s) | 21 x 5s with 5s delay between |
| Capture | SharpCap 3.1 |
| Processing | Nebulosity 3, Photoshop |
Amazing NLC display over Edinburgh
One of the best I’ve seen. Almost overhead too.
| Object ID | Noctilucent Clouds |
| Details | 2018-06-18 23:12 UT |
| Telescope | – |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 1.6s @ f3.5 ISO 400 |
| Capture | In camera |
| Processing | Lightroom |
Noctilucent Clouds
First sighting this year and one of the very earliest to appear on Twitter.
Venus at the bottom with Castor and Pollux above. ß Aurigae (Menkalinan) to the upper right.
| Object ID | Noctilucent Clouds |
| Details | 2018-06-01 22:52 UT, 22:53 UT |
| Telescope | Kit lens 27mm at f4 Fixed tripod |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | ISO 400 1.6s |
| Capture | In Camera |
| Processing | Lightroom |
Testing RC8 and 460EX on Mizar and Alcor
Just for test purposes but quite fun. Focus not spot on though.
| Object ID | Mizar and Alcor |
| Details | Double star(s) Ursa Major |
| Telescope | RC8 at f/8 |
| Camera | Atik 460EX (-15C) and SX filter wheel IDAS P2 LPR filter |
| Exposure(s) | RGB 6x10s each 2×2 darks, no flats or bias |
| Capture | APT, no guiding |
| Processing | Stacked in Nebulosity, processed in Photoshop |
Jupiter and Mars conjunction 2018-01-7
A very close conjunction.
| Object ID | Jupiter and Mars in conjunction |
| Details | A very close conjunction, less than 14′ between the two planets. Poor seeing and very low altitude <15degrees |
| Date/Time | 2018-01-7 05:47UT, Inset 06:03UT |
| Telescope | C80ED @ f7.5 |
| Camera | Canon 600D |
| Exposure(s) | 30s, inset 0.6s no darks, flats or bias |
| Capture | APT unguided |
| Processing | Processed in Photoshop |
Perseid near Cygnus and Lyra
2018-08-12 23:23UT
Taken in the hills along the Thieves Road near West Linton.
Canon 600D
Single 25s image RAW ISO 800 18mm f9