Embedded Files
The Fundamentals of Imaging Program will give the astrophotographer an opportunity to explore a wide range of targets in these areas of specialization:
Constellations and Asterisms
Nightscape (e.g. Milky Way)
Meteors
Lunar and Solar
Stars (binary, variable, nova)
Planets
Deep Space Objects
Comets and asteroids
Eclipses and Occultations
Solar System Images
[twenty-seven images total]
:
1. Image the entire solar disk showing sunspots with a white light filter OR a hydrogen-alpha telescope. [One image]
Date: 10/9/2013
Time: 8:45 AM CDT
Location: Home
Seeing (x/5): ‘2/5
Transparency (x/4): ‘3/4
Telescope: Coronado PST
Aperture/FL: 40mm/400mm
Double Stacked?: No
Rotation: 2142
Sunspot Number: 99
Camera: AstroVideo System LN300
Exposure Time: 1/4000th second
Video Length: 60 seconds
Number of videos: 2
Gain: 45
Frames stacked: 1530 for each exposure
Recording Software: AviStack (85% best frames)
Stacking Software: RegiStax
Other Software: PhotoShop for registering
F = filiment
P = plage
S = sunspot
Notes copied from Hydrogen Alpha Program:
"Time for something different.... This takes much longer and results in a much smaller final image vs the DSLR. I've been capturing video in 640x480 for some time with the hope that I could find prominence and disk detail for the other parts of the program. Today I decided to capture the disk with video. The field of view for the PST and video camera is too small to capture the entire disk so I resorted to processing two separate videos for final images and then combine them in PhotoShop. All told, the entire processing to get the image on the left was about twenty-five minutes, mostly watching RegiStax run. I think I like the image better, but I'm not sure that the time invested was worthwhile. I'm also investigating using two screen grab single frames from the video camera and using PhotoShop to combine them and eliminating RegiStax. It would save time HOWEVER there are ripples in the individual images that RegiStax seems to remove. "
2. Image and label solar details mentioned in either the Astronomical League’s Sunspotter Observing Program (white light with a suitable filter) or the Astronomical League’s Hydrogen-Alpha Observing Program. [One image]
Date: 10/18/2013
Time: 9:04 AM CDT
Location: Home
Telescope: Coronado PST
Modifier: 2.5x PowerMate
Seeing: 3/5
Transparency: 2/4
Rotation: 2142
Camera: AstroVideo Systems LN-300
Exposure Times: 1/4000th @ 30 fps
Video length: 1 minute
Number of Stacked Images: 1000
Recording Software: AviStack
Stacking Software: RegiStax
The video was taken on the last day of the Hydrogen alpha project with my LN-300 video camera while mounted on a Coronado PST and 2.5x PowerMate. All things considered, I think it turned out pretty well and it shows how much I learned completing the program.
In the image there are sunspots, plages, active regions, filaments, spiculers, and prominences.
3. Image the entire lunar disk. Depending on your equipment a mosaic may be required to capture the entire disk. [One image]
Name: Full moon image
Date seen: 6/4/2020
Time Seen: 9:15 p.m. CDT
Seen From: Home--over the roof
Seeing: 6/10
Transparency: 4/10
Telescope: Apogee 90mm F/6.1
Lunar Phase when observed: within a day of full
Camera: Canon T2i
Exposure Information: 1/500th sec at ISO 200
4. Image in detail any seven of the lunar features mentioned in either the Astronomical League’s Lunar or Lunar II Observing Programs. One of the images should show both a crater and a dome. While an image may have several features, seven images must be submitted, each highlighting a particular feature. [Ten images]
Lunar #1--crater Common Name of Feature: Alpetragius
Feature type: crater
Date seen: 3/10/2014
Time Seen: 8:11 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek Park
Seeing: 6/10
Transparency: 4/10
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer
Lunar Phase when observed: 2 days after first quarter
Camera: AstroVideo System Mark III
Exposure Information: 60 seconds of video at 1/2000 gain 18 and stacked with RegiStax 6
Lunar #2--catena (chain of craters) Common Name of Feature: "Beer, Beer Catena "
Feature type: crater chain
Date seen: 10/13/2013
Time Seen: 07:36 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek Park
Seeing: ‘5/10
Transparency: ‘4/10
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer
Lunar Phase when observed: 1 day after first quarter
Camera: AstroVideo System Mark III
Exposure Information: 60 seconds of video at 1/1000th and gain 17 stacked with RegiStax 6
Lunar #3--vallis Common Name of Feature: Vallis Alpes
Feature type: valley
Date seen: 3/10/2014
Time Seen: 8:24 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek Park Park
Seeing: ‘6/10
Transparency: ‘4/10
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer
Lunar Phase when observed: 2 days after first quarter
Camera: AstroVideo System Mark III
Exposure Information: 60 seconds of video at 1/2000 gain 18 stacked with RegiStax 6
Lunar #4--dome Common Name of Feature: "Cauchy, Cauchy Domes"
Feature type: domes
Date seen: 9/1/2015
Time Seen: 11:34 PM CDT
Seen From: Home--driveway
Seeing: ‘4/10
Transparency: ‘4/10
Telescope: C8
Lunar Phase when observed: 3 day past full
Camera: Sony Super HAD II Board
Exposure Information: 1 minute of video at 1/2000th stacked with AutoStakkert 2.5.1.7--best 10%
Lunar #5--dorsae Common Name of Feature:
Dorsae Lister &
Smirnov Dorsa Smirnov
Feature type: wrinkled ridge system
Date seen: 8/20/2015
Time Seen: 08:58 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek Park
Seeing: 5/10
Transparency: 7/10
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer
Lunar Phase when observed: 6 days after new
Camera: Sony Super HAD II Board
Exposure: 1 minute of video at 1/2000th
stacked with AutoStakkert 2.5.1.7--best 10%
Lunar #6--mare Common Name of Feature: Mare Cognitum
Feature type: mare
Date seen: 3/10/2014
Time Seen: 9:50 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek Park
Seeing: ‘6/10
Transparency: 3/10
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer f
Lunar Phase when observed: 2 days after first quarter
Camera: AstroVideo System Mark III
Exposure Information: 60 seconds of video at 1/1000th and gain 22 stacked with RegiStax 6
Lunar #7--sinus Common Name of Feature: Mare Insularum & Sinus Aestuum
Feature type: Sinus--bay
Date seen: 3/10/2014
Time Seen: 10:23 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek
Seeing: ‘6/10
Transparency: 10-Mar
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer
Lunar Phase when observed: 2 days after first quarter
Camera: AstroVideo System Mark III
Exposure Information: 60 seconds of video at 1/1000th and gain 22 stacked with RegiStax 6
Lunar #8--mons Common Name of Feature: Mons Gruithuisen Gamma & Mons Gruithuisen
Feature type: mountain
Date seen: 10/16/2013
Time Seen: 8:19 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek Park
Seeing: ‘4/10
Transparency: ‘4/10
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer
Lunar Phase when observed: 5 days after first quarter
Camera: AstroVideo System
Exposure Information: 60 seconds of video at 1/2000th and gain 16 stacked with RegiStax 6
Lunar #9--rima Common Name of Feature: Rima Aridaeus
Feature type: rima/fissure
Date seen: 7/23/2015
Time Seen: 08:47 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek Park
Seeing: ‘6/10
Transparency: ‘4/10
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer
Lunar Phase when observed: first quarter
Camera: Sony Super HAD II Board
Exposure Information: 1 minute of video at 1/2000th stacked with AutoStakkert 2.5.1.7--best 10%
Lunar #10--rupes Common Name of Feature: Rupes Recta
Feature type: cliff/wall
Date seen: 8/23/2015
Time Seen: 08:08 PM CDT
Seen From: Broemmelsiek Park
Seeing: ‘4/10
Transparency: ‘6/10
Telescope: C14 with .5x focal reducer
Lunar Phase when observed: 1 day after first quarter
Camera: Sony Super HAD II Board
Exposure Information: 1 minute of video at 1/2000th stacked with AutoStakkert 2.5.1.7--best 10
"5. As the terminator sweeps across the Moon’s surface the changing light and shadows can create interesting temporary shapes like the Lunar-X or Lunar-V. These are called Clair-lunar effects. Image the Lunar-X and Lunar-V. The final product may be either a single image or a time lapse video (AVI, SER, etc.) of the event. [one image]
Date: 7/16/2021
Time: 22:55 UTC
Telescope: Canary One Telescope
Seeing Conditions: 4
A bit of dodging was done in PhotoShop to lighten both the V and X.
6. Image Saturn, Mars and Venus (pick two of the three). Saturn should show detail as should Mars if imaged near opposition. Venus goes through phases and may not appear round. [two images]
Target: Mars
Date: 7/21/2018
Time: 2:04 a.m. CDT
Camera: ZWO ASI174mm
Telescope type: C14 with 2.5x Powermate
Exposures: 1 second at 300 gain
2 minutes of video
Filter: IR
Capture Software: FireCap
Stacking: AutoStakkert 3 best 5% of frames
Seeing Conditions: 5-Apr
Transparency: ‘7/10
Observing Location: Brommelsiek Park
Notes, Comments and Impressions:
This is an Elysium Planitia image for the AL's Mars InSight Program taken the morning of Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 2 a.m. I'll furnish more information if you needed it, but the basics are 3 minutes of video with FireCap using an IR on a C14 with 2x barlow and ZWO monochrome camera. The best 5% of the frames were stacked with 50% sharpening in AutoStakkert 3 and minor wavelets in Registax 6. I had RGB data, but it didn't seem to help show any more detail so just the IR submitted.
Target: Saturn
Date: 7/21/2018
Time: 12:41 a.m. CDT
Camera: ASI174mm
OTA: C14 with a 2.5x PowerMate
Focal Length: 9350mm
Frames captured: 4338
Filter: L
Length of video: 5 minutes
Shutter speed: 69 msec
Gain: 200
Capture Software: FireCap
Stacking: AutoStakkert 3
Seeing Conditions: 5-Apr
Transparency: ‘7/10
Observing Location: Brommelsiek Park
(north is down and west is to the right)
Same notes as the above Mars image.
7. Image Jupiter showing the Great Red Spot (GRS). [One image]
Seeing Conditions: ‘2/5
Transparency; ‘7/10
Telescope Type: Celestron 8 SCT
Aperture: 8 inches
Focal Length: 2030 mm
Location: Brommelsiek Park
Date: 8/17/2020
Time: 9:48 p.m. CDT
Camera: ASI120mc
Exposure: .00386 seconds
Gain: 70
Frame Rate: 120/sec
Frames: 6531
ROI: 320x240
Capture Software: SharpCap 3 Pro
Stacking Software: Best 5% in AutoStakkert 3.0.14
Europa Shadow Transit (the black spot)
The Red Spot is visible (large spot at 2 o'clock)
Europa is also in transit (a bit left of 12 o'clock)
(note: avoid time stamps when stacking!)
Of course, being red/green colorblind means that I really can't see much in the way of the red spot.
8. Image Jupiter showing a satellite transit, an occultation, an eclipse, and a shadow transit. Be sure to include the name of the satellite and event. Images with multiple events are permissible and even encouraged. [Four images]
Event: Satellite Shadow Transit--Europa
Seeing Conditions: ‘2/5
Transparency; ‘7/10
Telescope Type: Celestron 8 SCT
Aperture: 8 inches
Focal Length: 2030 mm
Location: Brommelsiek Park
Date: 8/17/2020
Time: 9:48 p.m. CDT
Camera: ASI120mc
Exposure: .00386 seconds
Gain: 70
Frame Rate: 120/sec
Frames: 6531
ROI: 320x240
Capture Software: SharpCap 3 Pro
Stacking Software: Best 5% in AutoStakkert 3.0.14
Same image as in #7 above.
Event: Satellite Transit--Europa (start)
Seeing Conditions: ‘2/5
Transparency; ‘4/10
Telescope Type: Celestron f/6 C5
Aperture: 5 inches
Focal Length: 750mm
Location: Home
Date: 8/24/2020
Time: 10:43 - 10:45 p.m. CDT
Camera: ASI120mc & 2x Barlow
Exposure: 0.18632 seconds/frame
Gain: 100
ROI: 480x480
Capture Software: SharpCap 3.1
Stacking Software: no stacking
Poor seeing caused Europa to jump all over the place but I'd estimate that the time in the images are correct for first and second contacts. The ingress took 2 minutes 25 seconds.
Jupiter is overexposed so the moon can be seen.
Event: Satellite Occultation--Callisto (end)
Seeing Conditions: ‘6/10
Transparency; 20-Jul
Telescope Type: "SkyWatcher 12"" Dob"
Aperture: "12"""
Focal Length: 1500mm
Location: Brommelsiek Park
Date: 8/19/2020
Time: 8:48 p.m. CDT
Camera: ASI120mc
Exposure: .080019 seconds --8 minutes
Gain: 40
ROI: 1280x960
Capture Software: SharpCap
Stacking Software: "Not stacked, individual timestamped frames were used. "
Image 1: 08/19/2020 at 8:50:32
Six minutes after SkySafari said the occultation would end and Jupiter is completely round. The two moons seen are Europa (closest to Jupiter) and Io.
Image 2: 08/19/2020 at 8:54:20
A possible dimple on Jupiter's edge in line with Europa and Io.
Image 3: 08/19/2020 at 8:56:33
There's definitely a bump that is Callisto. Enlarged below
Event: Satellite Eclipse--Ganymede (end)
Seeing Conditions: ‘7/10
Transparency; ‘6/10
Telescope Type: 500mm Samyang Mirror Lens
Aperture: 72mm
Focal Length: 500mm
Location: Home
Date: 10/7/2020
Time: 7:08 p.m. CDT
Camera: Canon T7i
Exposure: 1/2 second
ISO: 400
Single frames
Stacking Software: none
Note: hand cropped and stretched so sizes & contrast are different.
9. Image dwarf planets Pluto and Ceres (or other dwarf planets) twice over a one to two-month period and identify them in the field. Measure and report their positions (RA/Dec). [Four images]
Target: Pluto #1
Date: 7/28/2020
Time: 10:55 p.m. CDT (end exposure)
Camera: ASI385mc
Exposures: 30~30seconds at gain 199
Stacking: Live stacking with an ASIAir Pro
Seeing Conditions: 4/5
Transparency: ‘5/10
Telescope type: Apogee 80mm f/6.1 refractor
Observing Location: Brommelsiek Park
West is in the top right corner and North is just to the right of the top left corner.
(19:40:54.37, -22:36:04.3) from image in Aladin
West is in the top right corner and North is just to the right of the top left corner.
(19:38:59.37, -22:30:34.4) from image in Aladin
Target: Pluto #2
Date: 8/13/2020
Time: 12:06 a.m. CDT (end exposure)
Camera: ASI385mc
Exposures: 30~30seconds at gain 135
Stacking: Live stacking with an ASIAir Pro
Seeing Conditions: 5-Apr
Transparency: ‘7/10
Telescope type: Apogee 80mm f/6.1 refractor
Observing Location: White Memorial WA
"While not required, I wonder if I could see how much Pluto moved in 24 hours."
Positions:
6/30/2021 @ 2:54 UT (top)
" 19:51:51.37, -22:31:17.5"
7/1/2021 @ 2:55 UT (bottom)
" 19:51:46.14, -22:31:35.0"
Target: (1) Ceres night 1
Date: 7/8/2021
Time: 10:00 UT
Scope: Slooh Chile One
Preset: "Generic (1 50sec L, 1 20 sec RGB)"
Seeing Conditions: 4/5
Night 1 coordinates: (03:27:30.0, +12:14:02.0)
Night 2 coordinates: (03 34 32.1, +12 38 57.2)
Target: (1) Ceres night 2
Date: 7/14/2021
Time: 10:15 UT
Scope: Chile Two
Preset: "Generic (1 50sec L, 1 20 sec RGB)"
Seeing Conditions: 4/5
"10. Image a comet over the period of one to two nights to show motion through the sky. Measure and report the positions (RA/Dec). Due to the nature of comets please see Appendix 2 for details, hints, and tips. " [Two images]
Name: C/2020 F3 (Neowise)
Day 1
Location: Brommelsiek Park
Seeing Conditions: ‘8/10
Transparency: ‘6/10 and windy
Image taken: 7/23/2020 at 9:51 p.m.
Camera: Canon T7i
Lens: Canon 75-300mm zoom @ 75mm
Exposure: 10 seconds ISO 1600
Processing: Histogram adjustments and sharpening in Canon's Digital Photo Pro
Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:"
Humid, no breeze, kind of miserable if you moved at all. Clouds spoiled the Neowise view for some of the time. The camera was mounted on my 12"" SynScan goto dob. A goto centered the comet and I manually offset the comet lower in the frame for better display. "
While I took many images that evening I thought the one with the laser track towards Neowise was the most interesting.
Center (RA, hms): 11h 01m 21.315s
Center (Dec, dms): +44° 58' 26.493"
Size: 16.4 x 10.9 deg
Radius: 9.855 deg
Pixel scale: 9.84 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: Up is 300 degrees E of N
Measured coordinates (Astrometry.net plate solve then Aladin):
RA: 10 48 18.06
Dec: +43 01 52.0
https://theskylive.com says:
RA: 10h 48m 19.2s
Dec: 43° 02' 00.8" (J2000)
Day 2
Location: Brommelsiek Park
Seeing Conditions: ‘6/10
Transparency: ‘7/10
Image taken: 7/25/2020 at 9:29 p.m.
Camera: Canon T7i
Lens: Canon 75-300mm zoom @ 75mm
Exposure: 13 seconds at ISO 1600
Processing: Histogram adjustments and sharpening in Canon's Digital Photo Pro
"Warm, humid, no breeze. There were about 50 people at Brommelsiek looking for the comet. The seeing was very poor and transparencey wasn't very good either. The comet was much dimmer than two days earlier as the pictures clearly show. theskylive.com says it is currently magnitude 7.1"
"Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:"
Center (RA, hms): 11h 08m 53.079s Center (Dec, dms): +39° 18' 02.468" Size: 10.6 x 16 deg
Radius: 9.591 deg
Pixel scale: 9.58 arcsec/pixel Orientation: Up is 304 degrees E of N
Measured coordinates (Astrometry.net plate solve then Aladin):
RA: 11 22 40.23
Dec: +39 24 00.0
https://theskylive.com says:
RA: 11h 22m 35.9s
Dec: 39° 23' 16.5"
For fun... Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke motion over a five minutes period.
Image center: 23h 41m 36.03s, -37d 20' 00.5'"
21-07-10T10:11:00Z from Chile Two
21-07-10T10:16:00Z from Chile Two
Image size: 43.5x43.5 arcmin FOV
Image scale: 1.28 arcsec/pixel
Aligned in PhotoShop and animated gif created online.
North is Up.
HD 222536 the close star (mag 8)
HD 222713 is on the left (mag 9.4)
HD 222466 is above and right (mag 8.5)
11. Image an asteroid over the period of one night to two nights to show motion through the sky. Measure and report the positions (RA/Dec). Due to the nature of asteroids please see Appendix 2 for details, hints, and tips. " [Two images]
Target: (2) Pallas night 1
Date: 7/28/2020
Time: 11:07 p.m. CDT (end)
Scope: Apogee 80mm f/6.1
Camera: ASI385mc
Exposure: 30 seconds
Gain: 199
# frames: 15
Seeing: 5-Apr
Transparency: ‘5/10
Stacking: Live stacking with an ASIAir Pro
Observing location: Brommelsiek Park
Pallas Night 1: (18:52:08.13, +19:18:22.4) from image in Aladin
Pallas Night 2: (18:44:11.69, +17:04:14.9) from image in Aladin
Target: (2) Pallas night 2
Date: 8/12/2020
Time: 11:11 p.m. CDT (end exposure)
Scope: Apogee 80mm f/6.1
Camera: ASI385mc
Exposure: 30seconds
Gain: 135
# frames: 20
Seeing: 3/5
Transparency: ‘7/10
Stacking: Live stacking with an ASIAir Pro
Observing location: White Memorial WA
"12. OPTIONAL: Image a solar eclipse showing C1-C4 contacts. The final product may be either a single image, a time lapse video (AVI, SER, etc.) or a collage image of the event.
[Four images—replace any one of the eleven requirements above]"
NAME OF PROJECT: SUN: Solar Eclipse
Images taken with a Canon T7i DSLR using an old Vivitar 400mm telephoto lens and a Baader photographic solar filter. The pictures are single frames with no post processing.
Project Begun: 8:30 a.m. August 21, 2017
Project Ended: 4:00 p.m. August 21, 2017
Seeing Conditions: 4/5
Location: Home
Telescope Type: DSLR and 400mm telephoto lens
Focal Length: 400mm
Exposure varies with image.
Images taken with a Canon T7i DSLR using an old Vivitar 400mm telephoto lens and a Baader photographic solar filter. The pictures are single frames with no post processing.
Eclipse Type: Total eclipse
Date: August 21, 2017
Partial Eclipse Begins: 11:49:19
Total Eclipse Begins : 13:16:54
Total Eclipse Ends: 13:18:25
Partial Eclipse Ends: 14:43:47
Total Eclipse Duration: 1m31s
Start: first contact top right C1
just before totality C2
totality
just after totality C3
end of totality C4
13. OPTIONAL: Image a lunar eclipse. The final product should be a time lapse video (AVI, SER, etc.) or collage image of the event.
[One image—replace any one of the eleven requirements above]
Project date: 10/8/2014
Seeing: 4/5 mid eclipse
Transparency: 4/5 mid eclipse
Telescope: ETX-70
Camera: Starlight video camera
Aperture: 70mm
Focal Length: 350mm
Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:
Got to Broemmelsiek about 3:00 a.m. and set up with an ETX-70. In retrospect alignment could have been better or I may have needed to drill down to find a lunar tracking rate (if it has one). About 20 people cycled through the park with most being imagers. The night was a bit chilly and damp. I didn’t have dew problems but other commented on the difficulty. Five people wanted to talk…I’d rather would have had solitude. Interesting how visible things were mid-eclipse until the sun started lightening up the eastern sky and then nothing…all within 5 minutes. I got M42, M36, M37, M38, M38, M31, M45, M41, M44, M67, M81 & M82 with the 11x80s during mid-eclipse. Nice copper color to the moon too.
Start partial: 4:13:22 AM
Start total: 5:23:33 AM (there really is a small "slice" of the Moon in the image)
End total: 6:22:50 AM
End partial: not observed…the moon set before the end of partial phase 6:48:47 AM
14. OPTIONAL: Submit at least five wide field images with elements as follows (not all elements are required): identifiable in focus foreground and night sky, Milky Way, a constellation out to its border, star trails, time lapse video.
[Five images—to replace any one of the eleven requirements above]
Night Sky from the Arches
6/1976
5 minute exposure using ISO 400 Ektachrome film with a Canon EX piggyback on an EQ C8 using manual guiding. The slide was scanned in the 2000s.
Center (RA, hms): 17h 24m 46.155s
Center (Dec, dms): -29° 41' 59.724"
Size: 34.1 x 21.4 deg
Radius: 20.108 deg
Pixel scale: 25.6 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: Up is 176 degrees E of N
M7 is the obvious open cluster and the Pipe Bowl dark nebula is just below the center
In the days of film and hunched over manual guiding
Wide angle Milky Way from Shannondale with a modded Canon XT DSLR at 17mm with a VIS blocking filter (640nm)
8/3/2011 @ 10:36 p.m. CDT
46 stacked frames
30 sec @ iso 1600
What color should IR be? I picked redish.
Milky Way from Shannondale
640nm--->IR wide field
Timelapse from the Canyonlands Outpost looking south towards the Milky Way
9/25/2011 @ 9:27 MDT
60 30 second exposures at ISO 1600
17mm using a modded Canon XT with an IR blocking filter.
Startrails from outpost south.aviFull sky fisheye showing the summer Milky Way with the Summer Triangle almost straight up from Brommelsiek Park.
Canon T2i with a Peleng 8mm fisheye lens. Wide open for 30 seconds.
Balanced Rock at the Arches.
9/22/2011 @ 9:20 p.m. MDT
10 stacked 15 second exposures at ISO 1600
18 mm Canon lens on a modded Canon XT with an IR blocking fil
Wild field view to the east from Canyonlands Outpost.
9/25/2011 @ 11:15 p.m. MDT
90 stacked 30 second exposures at ISO 1600
17 mm Tokina lens on a modded Canon XT with an IR blocking filter.
The blob above the center is M31.
The foreground rocks are from the first image in the sequence. They were copy/pasted into the stacked image to prevent blur.
Star trail pointed to the north at Canyonlands Outpost.
9/25/2011 @ 10:00 p.m. MDT
60 stacked 30 second exposures at ISO 1600
10mm Tokina lens on a modded Canon XT with an IR block
Images uses for the star trail above made into a video...
TimeLapse outpost2.avi15. OPTIONAL: Image three lunar occultations (one ingress and one egress and one graze). The final product should be a time lapse video (AVI, SER, etc.) of the event. Stacking not required for occultation images. If possible, include a time stamp on the frames to time the event. [Three images—replace any one of the eleven requirements above]
Deep Sky Images [twenty-five images total]
Remote Telescopes as defined for Astronomical League Observing Programs are Go-To Telescopes where the observer is not responsible for maintenance and operation of the telescope. A telescope which belongs to the observer, regardless of its location is NOT considered a Remote Telescope. If an Astronomical League Observing Program allows the use of a Remote Telescope, the member must be submitting a request for an image, and the image must be done specifically for that member. This would include telescopes where you "buy" time and control the telescope during that time slot, and also includes telescopes where you request a specific image be taken for you, but the telescope operators control the timing to optimize telescope use.
I've chosen to use SLOOH as a remote telescope provider for the DSO portion of the Foundations of Imaging Program. SLOOH uses the term mission to refer to choosing a target, scope, acquiring the target and making exposures. You may choose to join an already scheduled mission or create your own. I believe that joining a mission that was scheduled by someone else is would be a violation of the AL's definition of Remote Telescope. As such I've joined SLOOH at the highest level so that I can create and run up to five advanced missions that I initiate concurrently. Others may choose to join the missions I create, but the mission was created specifically by me it meets the AL's definition.
See the Slooh Scope tab above or click here for information on Slooh locations, scopes, presets, and weather/sky condition descriptions.
Image formats and post processing:
Slooh saves images in two formats: fits and jpgs. Slooh calibrates, stacks, and adjusts gamma based on preset prior to saving the image as a jpg. Fits are calibrated, saved but not stacked. All scope/cameras combinations other than the OSC Canary Three usually take single LRGB frames. (see the Slooh information tab for more detail)
I used the Slooh provided jpgs whenever possible and resorted to fits files only when image issues occur (bad tracking, filter wheel failure, mechanical problems).
The images were post processed with Levels, Curves and Astronomy Tools in my old version of PhotoShop to bring out more detail in the nebula. I used Noise Ninja to reduce noise in the images. My PhotoShop skills are limited.
In all images below North is Up and East is to the Left.
Note: I've very red/green colorblind so the colors below are probably not what normal vision people see. They look great to me!
Slooh's Seeing/Transparency Scale
Level
1 Bad Noise gradient, blurriness or image attenuation expected for ~70% of missions due to cloud, seeing, moonlight, or dust/haze.
2 Noise gradient, blurriness or image attenuation expected for ~50% of missions due to cloud, seeing, moonlight, or dust/haze.
3 Noise gradient, blurriness or image attenuation expected for ~30% of missions due to cloud, seeing, moonlight, or dust/haze.
4 Noise gradient, blurriness or image attenuation expected for ~10% of missions due to cloud, seeing, moonlight, or dust/haze.
5 Great Very little or no noise gradient, blurriness or image attenuation expected.
Deep Sky Images [twenty-five images total]
Imaging Information
Image
1 Open Cluster #1
Object: MGC 6475/M7/Ptolemy's Cluster
Constellation: Scorpius
Right ascension: 17h 55m 16.3s
Declination: -34d 47' 13.8"
Trumpler class: I,3,m
See my Open Cluster Log for 50+ images of OCs.
Date (UT): 6/9/2021
Time (UT): 02:20 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile Two
Seeing: Level 2
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options: Open Cluster
2 Open Cluster #2
Object: M6/Butterfly Cluster
Constellation: Scorpius
Right ascension: 17h 41m 42.6s
Declination: -32d 15' 37.6"
Trumpler class: II,3,m
Date (UT): 6/8/2021
Time (UT): 02:10 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options: Open Cluster
3 Globular Cluster #1
Object: NGC 5139/Omega Centauri/C80
Constellation: Centaurus
Right ascension: 13h 28m 03.3s
Declination: -47d 35' 20.0"
Shapley-Sawyer:
Date (UT): 6/8/2021
Time (UT): 02:20 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options: Globular Cluster
4 Globular cluster #2
Object: NGC 6121/M4
Constellation: Scorpius Right ascension: 16h 24m 52.9sDeclination: -26d 34' 26.7"
Shapley-Sawyer: IX
Date (UT): 6/8/2021
Time (UT): 06:25 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options: Globular Cluster
5 Dark Nebula #1
Object: Barnard 86/Inkspot Nebula
Constellation: Saguttarius
Right ascension: 18h 04m 17.8s
Declination: -27d 52' 03.9"
Date (UT): 6/8/2021
Time (UT): 03:20 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing
Options: Faint nebula
6 Dark nebula #2
Object: Barnard 93/Dark Comet Nebula/LDN 327
CB 125
Constellation; Sagittarius
Right ascension: 18h 18m 8.1s
Declination: -18d 02' 22.2"
Date (UT): 6/10/2021
Time (UT): 22:40 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Canary Islands
Telescope: Canary Two Ultra Wide Field
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Faint nebula
7 Galaxy #1
Object: NGC 4374/M83/Southern Pinwheel
Constellation: Virgo
Right ascension: 12h 26m 07.9s
Declination: +12d 46' 13.4"
See my Active Galactic Nuclei, Flat Galaxies, and Northern Arp Logs for more images of galaxies.
Date (UT): 6/8/2021
Time (UT): 02:30 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Bright Galaxy
8 Galaxy #2
Antennae Galaxies
C60/NGC 4038/4039
Constellation: Corvus
Right ascension: 12h 02m 57.9s
Declination: -18d 59' 09"
Date (UT): 6/9/2021
Time (UT): 03:10 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One
Seeing: Level 2
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Bright Galaxy
9 Bright nebula #1
Should contain star forming regions, including the Bok Globules
Object: NGC 6523/M8/Lagoon Nebula
Constellation: Sagittarius
Right Ascension: 18h 05m 5.7s
Declination: -34d 22' 54.4"
Date (UT): 6/8/2021
Time (UT): 05:05 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile Two
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x20 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x20 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x20 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Large Bright Nebula
10 Bright nebula #2
Reflection nebula
Object: C68/NGC 6729
Constellation: Corona Australis
Right ascension: 19h 03m 19.4s
Declination: -36d 55' 8.3"
Date (UT): 6/11/2021
Time (UT): 05:35 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One Wide Field
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Small Bright Nebula
11 Bright nebula #3
Planetary Nebula
Object: NGC 6302/Bug Nebula/C69
Constellation: Scorpius
Right Ascension: 17h 15m 10s
Declination: -37 07' 32.2"
Date (UT): 6/8/2021
Time (UT): 06:25 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Small Bright Nebula
12 Bright nebula #4
supernova remnant
Object: NGC 6992/East Veil Nebula
Constellation: Cygnus
Right Ascension: 20h 57m 16.4s
Declination: +31d 47' 53.3"
Date (UT): 6/12/2021
Time (UT): 01:17 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Canary Three
Seeing: Level 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x20 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x20 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x20 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Faint Nebula
13 M42/M43
Date (UT): 7/8/2021
Time (UT): 10:05 UT
Observatory: Slooh Chile
Telescope: Chile One
Seeing: 4
Exposures: Two images
1 Generic
1 50 sec. L, 20 sec RGB
1 Multi Luminance 20 sec for Trapezium
2 20 sec. for bright areas
Processing Options Photoshop Blending
14 M31
Object: M31/NGC 224
Great Andromeda Galaxy
Constellation: Andromeda
Right Ascension: 00h 43m 53.7s
Declination: 41d 23' 04.1"
Date (UT): 6/11/202C
Time (UT): 1 & 6/17/2021 03:40 UTC &
04:25 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Canary Islands
Telescope: Canary Three
Seeing: 3 & 4 Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Bright Galaxy or Comet
DeepSkyStacker
Photoshop for cropping,noise reduction, curves, increased saturation, sharpening.
15
Object: M20/Trifid Nebula
Constellation: Sagittarius
Right Ascension: 18h 03m 52.9s
Declination: -23d 01' 56.
Date (UT): 6/11/2021
Time (UT): 2:35 UTC
Observatory: Slooh Canary Islands
Telescope: Canary One
Seeing: 3
Exposures:
L: 1x50 seconds at 3x3 binning
R: 1x25 seconds st 3x3 binning
G: 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
B; 1x25 seconds at 3x3 binning
Processing Options Bright nebula
2. OPTIONAL: Image five double stars from the Astronomical League’s Double Star Program. From these images measure the position angle and separation between the primary and secondary. (See recent editions of the Journal of Double Star Observations for ways to accomplish this.)
[Five images—replaces 5 DSOs]
See my Double Star log for images and measurements for the one hundred doubles stars that are part of the program.
Object: Eta Cassiopeiae
Object: Eta Cassiopeiae
Date Seen: 8/5/2012
Time Seen: 10:47 PM CDT
Literature Sep: 12"
Measured Sep in ": 13.6
Literature PA: 307°
Measured PA: 326.0°
Telescope: C14
Camera: 1/3" analog starlight board
Software: wxAstroCapture
Video length: 10 seconds
Approx. Mag.: 488x
FOV: 1.6x3.3 arcminutes
Exposure: 1/250th second
Object: Zeta Piscium
Date Seen: 8/20/2012
Time Seen: 12:26 AM CDT
Literature Sep: 23"
Measured Sep in ": 20.3"
Literature PA: 63°
Measured PA: 62.7°
Telescope: C14
Camera: 1/3" analog starlight board
Software: wxAstroCapture
Video length: 10 seconds
Approx. Mag.: 488x
FOV: 1.6x3.3 arcminutes
Exposure: 1/250th second
Object: Gamma Arietis
Date Seen: 8/20/2012
Time Seen: 12:32 AM CDT
Literature Sep: 7.8"
Measured Sep in ": 6.5"
Literature PA: 0°
Measured PA: 355.9°
Telescope: C14
Camera: 1/3" analog starlight board
Software: wxAstroCapture
Video length: 10 seconds
Approx. Mag.: 488x
FOV: 1.6x3.3 arcminutes
Exposure: 1/500th second
Object: Lambda Arietis
Date Seen: 8/20/2012
Time Seen: 12:38 AM CDT
Literature Sep: 37"
Measured Sep in ": 33.3"
Literature PA: 46°
Measured PA: 49.8°
Telescope: C14
Camera: 1/3" analog starlight board
Software: wxAstroCapture
Video length: 10 seconds
Approx. Mag.: 488x
FOV: 1.6x3.3 arcminutes
Exposure: 1/250th second
Object: Gamma Andromedae
Date Seen: 8/20/2012
Time Seen: 11:36 PM CDT
Literature Sep: 9.8"
Measured Sep in ": 8.7"
Literature PA: 63°
Measured PA: 65.1°
Telescope: C14
Camera: 1/3" analog starlight board
Software: wxAstroCapture
Video length: 10 seconds
Approx. Mag.: 488x
FOV: 1.6x3.3 arcminutes
Exposure: 1/1000th second
3. OPTIONAL: Select two variable stars from the A.A.V.S.O.’s Variable Star Index or Variable Star Target Tool and follow them over a period of two months using proper cadence. Use photometry to measure the changing brightness over the period.
[Ten images—replaces 5 DSOs]
See my Variable Star log and Carbon Star log for images and data. The Variable Star log has only text while the Carbon Star log has screen shots of VPhot screens for the one hundred stars in the program.
VPhot screen shot showing FO Ser and surrounding comp stars.
Star JD Calendar Date Mag. Error Filter
Z UMa 2458662 2019 Jun. 27.15101 9.502 0.055 TG
Z UMa 2458247 2018 May. 08.19918 8.874 0.009 TG
Z UMa 2457916 2017 Jun. 11.28822 8.024 0.002 TG
Z UMa 2457900 2017 May. 26.13559 8.322 0.003 TG
Z UMa 2457882 2017 May. 08.30146 8.68 0.003 TG
Z UMa 2457548 2016 Jun. 08.23343 8.647 0.003 TG
Z UMa 2457532 2016 May. 23.22361 9.575 0.005 TG
Z UMa 2457514 2016 May. 05.17917 9.227 0.004 TG
Z UMa 2457482 2016 Apr. 03.23920 8.202 0.001 TG
S UMa 2457481.76 2016 Apr. 03.25963 9.838 0.004 TG
S UMa 2457487.69 2016 Apr. 09.19047 9.554 0.004 TG
S UMa 2457547.772 2016 Jun. 08.27159 7.703 0.002 TG
S UMa 2457531.761 2016 May. 23.26052 7.992 0.002 TG
S UMa 2457915.809 2017 Jun. 11.30904 11.113 0.026 TG
S UMa 2457899.658 2017 May. 26.15795 11.772 0.031 TG
S UMa 2457904.692 2017 May. 31.19153 11.655 0.023 TG
S UMa 2458246.732 2018 May. 08.23230 8.311 0.006 TG
S UMa 2458661.669 2019 Jun. 27.16867 8.109 0.047 TG
4. OPTIONAL: Image a nova or a supernova at least twice over a suitable time period to show a change in brightness. Estimate the brightness in each image based on surrounding stars.
[Two images—replaces 2 DSOs]
Not attempted as part of the Foundations of Imaging Program. See my log for the AL's Nova Program here.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse