This page is about imaging for science
Not just taking pretty pictures – but gathering data for various science projects such as:
- HOYS – Hunting Outbrusting Young Stars
- ExoClock – exoplanet transit timing associated with the ARIEL mission
- BAA – variable star section
- AAVSO – American Association of Variable Star Observers
- GOSA – Asteroids light curves and GAIA
- COBS – Comet Observation Database
- GMN – Global Meteor Network
- UKMON – UK Meteor Network
C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) 2025-12-02
Forward fragment with tail ahead of nucleus.
C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)
Over the past few months
Caught the latest super-outburst of SU UMa
Using ASERO in Spain. Blue points mine.
29P observations using ASERO in Spain
Been doing quite a lot of this for the BAA 29P project over the past few months, using the ASE’s remote telescope in Spain. Now too low and deep in twilight so the season is over until the next apparition.
TCP J17374270+4915116 new possible Dwarf Nova in Her
New Dwarf Nova announced recently
http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/unconf/followups/J17374270+4915116.html
- TCP J17374270+4915116 Dwarf Nova Her
- 2024-12-24 18:40 UT
- Mag. 13.7 V ASTAP
- 300mm f4.6 ONTC Newtonian
- IMX571 mono, V filter
- 1 x 60s
- Y88 ASERO, Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
- Trevinca Skies, Spain, Mark Phillips
C/2023 A3 2024
Looking good after surviving its perihelion passage
| Object ID | C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) |
| Details | 2024-10-22 19:40 UT -> V mag 5.4 Coma 5.4′ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | IMX571 mono @-10°C |
| Filters | V |
| Exposure(s) | 10x30s |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | ASTAP, PS |
A bunch of variable stars 2024-08-31
These might be the stars I am following for a while:
Z UMi – a carbon star and R Coronae Borealis variable, BAA 10.8 – 19V
“An R Coronae Borealis variable (abbreviated RCB,[1] R CrB[2]) is an eruptive variable star that varies in luminosity in two modes, one low amplitude pulsation (a few tenths of a magnitude), and one irregular, unpredictably-sudden fading by 1 to 9 magnitudes.”
#NAME DATE MAG MERR FILT TRANS MTYPE CNAME CMAG KNAME KMAG AIRMASS GROUP CHART NOTES
Z UMi 2460554.37701 14.005 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BBV-831 12.830 000-BBV-825 13.233 1.180 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is -0.1910
W Dra – long period var – 8.9 – 15.4V 278.6d (mine)
#NAME DATE MAG MERR FILT TRANS MTYPE CNAME CMAG KNAME KMAG AIRMASS GROUP CHART NOTES
W Dra 2460554.36373 14.446 0.0143 V NO STD 000-BCB-192 12.941 000-BCB-265 12.926 1.026 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0270
V Cyg – long period var BAA 7.7 – 13.9V
#NAME DATE MAG MERR FILT TRANS MTYPE CNAME CMAG KNAME KMAG AIRMASS GROUP CHART NOTES
V Cyg 2460554.42736 10.484 0.0026 V NO STD 000-BCM-146 10.463 000-BJQ-115 10.668 1.009 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is -0.0420
UZ Boo – UGWZ type dwarf nova – BAA 11.5 – 20.2V
#NAME DATE MAG MERR FILT TRANS MTYPE CNAME CMAG KNAME KMAG AIRMASS GROUP CHART NOTES
UZ Boo 2460554.41546 15.711 0.0588 V NO STD 000-BBV-647 12.083 000-BLC-520 12.763 2.860 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0110
T UMi – long period var 7.8 – 15V (mine/BAA)
#NAME DATE MAG MERR FILT TRANS MTYPE CNAME CMAG KNAME KMAG AIRMASS GROUP CHART NOTES
T UMi 2460554.38421 10.940 0.0034 V NO STD 000-BJX-415 11.204 000-BBT-781 11.387 1.268 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is -0.0220
T CrB – recurrent nova / rotating ellipsoidal binary – 2.0 – 10.8 V
#NAME DATE MAG MERR FILT TRANS MTYPE CNAME CMAG KNAME KMAG AIRMASS GROUP CHART NOTES
T CrB 2460554.40488 9.852 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.524 000-BBW-805 11.156 1.686 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0300
T CrB 2460554.40627 9.842 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.545 000-BBW-805 11.145 1.696 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0090
T CrB 2460554.40767 9.838 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.522 000-BBW-805 11.134 1.707 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0320
T CrB 2460554.38770 9.880 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.548 000-BBW-805 11.164 1.561 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0060
T CrB 2460554.38910 9.873 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.542 000-BBW-805 11.158 1.570 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0120
T CrB 2460554.39050 9.858 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.556 000-BBW-805 11.156 1.580 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is -0.0020
T CrB 2460554.39245 9.839 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.553 000-BBW-805 11.152 1.593 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0010
T CrB 2460554.39441 9.853 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.560 000-BBW-805 11.182 1.606 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is -0.0060
T CrB 2460554.39581 9.831 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.552 000-BBW-805 11.153 1.616 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0020
T CrB 2460554.39720 9.815 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.551 000-BBW-805 11.166 1.626 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0030
T CrB 2460554.39860 9.822 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.548 000-BBW-805 11.164 1.636 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0060
T CrB 2460554.40000 9.825 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.536 000-BBW-805 11.144 1.647 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0180
T CrB 2460554.40139 9.823 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.545 000-BBW-805 11.159 1.657 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0090
T CrB 2460554.40279 9.835 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.547 000-BBW-805 11.142 1.668 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0070
T CrB 2460554.40383 9.808 0.0119 V NO STD 000-BJS-901 10.554 000-BBW-805 11.149 1.676 na na Instr magn correction using CMAG is 0.0000
Aurora meteorcam timelapse UK006E 2024-05-10
The cause of it all, AR 3664 on 2024-05-09
29P 2024-03-29
Down to 15.7 R now. Diffuse non-circular coma.
OBSERVER: Mark Phillips
CONTACT: Forthimage Observatory
TELESCOPE: 0.25m f4.8 Newtonian
EXPOSURE JD: Mid-exposure, not corrected for light time
—————————————————————
JD mag Flt SNR ZeroPt Cat Design.
—————————————————————
2460399.47826 15.742 R R 12.13 24.430 UCAC4 0029P
—– end —–
| Object ID | Comet 29P |
| Details | 2024-03-29 23:19 – 23:31 UT |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | AA IMX571 mono |
| Filters | Rc |
| Exposure(s) | 12x60s 2×2 60% ROI |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | ASTAP, Astrometrica |
29P Outburst discovery 2024-03-24
Discovered using the ASERO/Murrell. I was taking 5x60s stacks and using Astrometrica to measure and quickly noticed that 29P was getting much easier to see with a better SNR. Had originally planned to take several such sets separated by 1 hour but events overtook this plan.
4 sets of 5x60s stacks
—————————————————————
JD mag Flt SNR ZeroPt Cat Design.
—————————————————————
2460394.34874 16.590 R V 37.01 26.284 UCAC4 0029P
2460394.35224 16.314 R V 52.65 26.259 UCAC4 0029P
2460394.37911 14.724 R V 157.05 26.260 UCAC4 0029P
2460394.38261 14.629 R V 166.58 26.303 UCAC4 0029P
—– end —–
So I put a post on the BAA comet group asking for help confirming and emailed Richard Miles to alert him. He asked that I start continuously imaging 29P and measure individual frames as we seemed to be the only ones with clear skies. Many more subs were taken to confirm the comet had increased in brightness from about 16.7R to about 13.7R, a significant outburst. Later on as as we lost the sky to clouds, telescopes in Chile and other parts of the world were able to take over.
Richard requested the first 5 FITS files to determine that the outburst started on the 3rd sub we took. I also sent the remaining subs and Astrometrica files and he produced a preliminary plot using a 3px radius aperture:
All the data are now on the BAA 29P project page.
Alert on the comet group:
ALERT: Strong outburst of 29P/S-W1 discovered by Mark Phillips of the Astro Soc. of Edinburgh (ASE), Scotland
Richard Miles Mar 24 #298
Mark Phillips has only recently joined the MISSION 29P initiative using the ASE’s 0.3-m remote telescope in Spain and has struck very lucky with this discovery of a 13th magnitude outburst of 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1..This is a particularly important discovery as I expect there to be one or two further strong outbursts during the next 5 days.
The reason is that this event comes 107 days after an earlier very strong outburst, which itself happened 114 days after a previous strong outburst in early August detected by Jean-Francois Soulier.
The time interval corresponds with almost exactly two rotations of the nucleus indicative of a highly-active region on a small fraction of the nucleus surface.
Importantly both these earlier events were followed by at least one further strong eruption within the next 5 days of the first.
We may also see a further step-change in brightness within the next 24 hours as happened in early December.
Well done, Mark!
Further monitoring is much encouraged.
Richard Miles
BAA
On SpaceWeather.com
12P Outburst
So I detected the next 12P outburst, which was then confirmed by Denis Buczinski and Nick James. Also added to Nick’s 12P chart
| Object ID | 12P/Pons-Brooks |
| Details | 2024-02-29 19:37 UT Mag 9.8 in 9″ |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | Altair IMX571 mono |
| Filters | V |
| Exposure(s) | 10 x 30s 2×2 |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | Astrometrica, Photoshop |
BAA 12P chart by Nick James
MP data now added in
12P/Pons-Brooks ASERO
Getting close to perihelion and losing it but nice and bright with good tail development.
| Object ID | 12P/Pons-Brooks |
| Details | 2024-03-05 19:46 – 20:13 UT Mag. 6.2 in 8.9′ coma |
| Telescope | 94EDPH Dalrada 94mm f4.4 apo |
| Camera | Touptek IMX571 colour |
| Filters | L |
| Exposure(s) | 54 x 30s 2×2 |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | ASTAP, Photoshop |
ER UMa ASERO Dwarf Nova
Dwarf Nova using the ASE’s ASERO telescopes. Red dots are a polynomial fit in VStar.
| Object ID | ER UMa |
| Details | 2024-02-16 20:09 – 22:14 UT |
| Telescope | 300mm f4 ONTC Murrell ASERO |
| Camera | Touptek IMX571 mono |
| Filters | V |
| Exposure(s) | 55 x 120s |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | ASTAP, VStar |