Astronomy At Home

Mars!

Carol — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:10:14 +0000

I haven’t been out with the telescope for quite a while, but couldn’t resist having a look at Mars tonight!

The photograph shows little more than a fuzzy red blob, but it’s the best I could do If it’s clear tomorrow, I might have a try with NexImage to see if I can get a better result.

I also took a few more of the moon…

Coursework arrived

Carol — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:36:32 +0000

My coursework arrived today for Introducing Astronomy through the OU - very excited! It’s going to be a BIG learning curve and looks like it’s going to take a fair amount of brainpower … but I think I’m going to really enjoy it!

All I need to do know is polish off my Digital Photography coursework (just a final panel of images and accompanying written document to submit) and I’ll be ready to focus completely on Astronomy.

Moonrise & Moonset times, Edinburgh

Carol — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:53:53 +0000

1 Nov 2009 - Rise: 15:26, Set: 05:48 (99.0%)
2 Nov 2009 - Rise: 15:42, Set: 07:14 (Full at 19:14)
3 Nov 2009 - Rise: 16:05, Set: 08:42 (99.8%)
4 Nov 2009 - Rise: 16:40, Set: 10:08 (98.0%)
5 Nov 2009 - Rise: 17:34, Set: 11:21 (93.4%)
6 Nov 2009 - Rise: 18:47, Set: 12:16 (86.4%)
7 Nov 2009 - Rise: 20:14, Set: 12:54( (77.2%)

From http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?obj=moon&n=304

The moon

Carol — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:05:30 +0000

I took these photos a couple of nights ago (30th September) with the digital camera - my first attempt at the moon with the Canon! Although they’re not amazing pictures in terms of sharpness etc., I’m quite pleased with them as a first attempt. The first few pictures I took were totally black - nothing in them at all - but I’ve learned enough recently to know what I needed to adjust (slower shutter speed, higher ISO) in order to get some more light into the picture. A good start!

I’ve just put resized pictures up here because they’re actually HUGE at full size (2MB each and over 3000 pixels wide).

Moonrise & Moonset Times, Edinburgh

Carol — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:02:49 +0000

30 Sep 2009 - Rise: 17:30, Set: 02:38
1 Oct 2009 - Rise: 17:39, Set: 03:54
2 Oct 2009 - Rise: 17:47, Set: 05:10
3 Oct 2009 - Rise: 17:56, Set: 06:28
4 Oct 2009 - Rise: 18:06, Set: 07:48
5 Oct 2009 - Rise: 18:19, Set: 09:12
6 Oct 2009 - Rise: 18:37, Set: 10:38

From: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?obj=moon&n=304

Moonrise & Moonset Times (Edinburgh) 23.09 - 29.09

Carol — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:21:17 +0000

23 Sep Rise: 13:43, Set: 20:11 (26.3% illuminated)
24 Sep Rise: 14:51, Set: 20:51 (35.8% illuminated)
25 Sep Rise: 15:44, Set: 21:45 (45.7% illuminated)
26 Sep Rise: 16:22, Set: 22:52 (55.6% illluminated)
27 Sep Rise: 16:48, Set: ? (65.1% illuminated)
28 Sep Rise: 17:06, Set: 00:05 (74.0% illuminated)
29 Sep Rise: 17:19, Set:01:21 (82.1% illuminated)

From Moonrise & Moonset Times

Tried Jupiter again …

Carol — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:39:16 +0000

… but it didn’t go well! I took a few shots with the 2x barlow but when I checked them on the PC, they were just like bright fuzzy blobs. Which has led me to the conclusion that I’m using too high an ISO setting on the camera and am therefore over-exposing the image. In my head, I just assumed that because the sky is very DARK, I’d need to use ISO 1600 … but I now think that the sky may be dark but Jupiter is actually quite BRIGHT, so a lower ISO setting will actually work better.

Unfortunately, Jupiter disappears behind our house quick sharply, so I’m out of time tonight - but this will be my experiment on the next clear night: to use different ISO settings.

(And, by the way, turning the telescope tube round worked a TREAT! I even got to sit on a chair while I was taking my pictures!)

Jupiter

Carol — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:41:33 +0000

This is my first bash at Jupiter with the new camera – it’s not great, but it’s a starting point!

Jupiter with Canon EOS 300D & 2x Barlow

I need to get the step ladder out, as I have to look into the camera in order to try and focus but the size of the camera makes it too high up for me (even with the telescope legs at their lowest setting). I tried standing on a garden chair tonight but that made me too HIGH and it was killing my back having to lean over! It’s very hard to get a focus because I’m looking into a tiny wee camera viewfinder so I think it’s a case of trial and error – take a picture, check it on the computer, re-focus and try again etc. etc.

Am looking forward to trying with the moon again next time it’s up and about – think it’ll be an easier target for me to practice with!

UPDATE (an hour or so later):

Just struck me that I can just turn the telescope tube round a bit, so that the bit for the eyepiece / camera etc. is at the side, rather than the top … then I don’t need a step ladder! I don’t think there’s a reason I can’t do that?!?!

Astronomy frustration!

Carol — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:14:02 +0000

I’m feeling a bit frustrated at the lack of clear skies just now! I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I hadn’t realised quite how frustrating this would be!! The way my back garden is with surrounding houses etc. I can only see the moon probably from about the first quarter to maybe the last quarter if I’m lucky - at other times, it’s either hidden behind trees/houses or is rising too late in the night. The only thing that’s keeping me positive is that it’s getting dark earlier now and the clocks go back next month too, so I should hopefully be able to make something of the moon when it’s in its later phases of rising in the morning and setting in the evening, since it’ll soon be a lot darker in the late afternoon/early evening than it is in the summer.

(I know the moon isn’t the only thing in the sky, but I’m still learning so I need to practice on the moon quite a bit first!!)

Moonrise & Moonset times (Edinburgh)

Carol — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:06:32 +0000

16 Sep 2009 - Rise: 03:20, Set: 18:23
17 Sep 2009 - Rise: 04:55, Set: 18:34
18 Sep 2009 - Rise: 06:27, Set: 18:45
19 Sep 2009 - Rise: 07:58, Set: 18:55
20 Sep 2009 - Rise: 09:28, Set: 19:07
21 Sep 2009 - Rise: 10:57, Set: 19:22
22 Sep 2009 - Rise: 12:23, Set: 19:42

From Moonrise & Moonset Times