Photography courses at the New Forest Observatory

The 2015 prices for all photography courses remain the same as for 2014 🙂

Whether it is DSLR photography (macro, micro, high-speed, Nature or specialist) or deep-sky imaging – the New Forest Observatory has a custom made course for you.

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Carbon star SAO 77516

Managed to get the mini-WASP array set up early last night, imaging by 6:10 p.m., just as well as clouded out by 8:10 p.m.

Set up on Carbon star SAO 77516 in Taurus, was going to do M1 but then saw there was a Carbon star nearby and went for that instead.

30 x 10-minute subs – plenty for a star field shot 🙂

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C W Leonis with insert

Here is the full frame C W Leonis image with a magnified insert.

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C W Leonis or IRC +10216

Managed to get 12 x 20-minute subs on this one from the mini-WASP array late last night.

This is possibly the brightest star at 5um wavelength in the galaxy – so I wasn’t actually expecting to see ANYTHING at visible wavelengths.

But there it is 🙂  Carbon star C W Leonis or IRC +10216 – a pretty unimpressive looking image, and possible the one I am the most pleased with.

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Astronomy Now article on the mini-WASP array

There is a 4-page article in the February 2015 issue of Astronomy Now on the mini-WASP array at the New Forest Observatory.

To save trawling through the last 2 years of development on this site, buy the Feb 2015 issue of Astronomy Now and get the whole story in one place 🙂

 

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Today’s Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) is a Lunar Halo over the New Forest Observatory

Got today’s EPOD with the recent Lunar Halo image 🙂

http://epod.usra.edu/

Thank you Jim at EPOD for continuing to publish my work.

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Comet Lovejoy C/2014 Q2

Taken on the evening of 16/01/2015 using the mini-WASP array and 2-minute subs (around 90 in total).

Not very impressive and I won’t spend any more valuable imaging time on this one.  I was lulled into a false sense of security with my earlier Hyperstar work on comets where a 4-minute sub brought out even the faintest detail.  With the array at f#4.5 it is asking a bit much to see the extent of the very faint tail with only a 2-minute sub.  The comet is moving quite quickly so I didn’t want to use longer subs as there would have been more comet movement in that time leading to a soft image.  Also – the VERY long comet tail means a multi frame mosaic if I were to use the Hyperstar III.  Not out of the question, but a bit of a pain to organise.  I may leave it at this for comet Lovejoy C/2014 Q2 and enjoy other people’s better efforts.

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NGC 1817 an open cluster in Taurus

Managed to get 12 x 20-minute subs on this one before total cloud cover last night – nice Moonless conditions – but a ton of water vapour in the air (seen using the standard torch test).

Glad I got something at least, only reason for dropping in on this one was that it was in a good region of the sky for me.

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Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy with the 200mm Canon lens and M26C OSC camera

This is not only the worst comet image I have ever posted – it is also the worst image I have ever posted.

Still last night was a clear night – even if there was a blazing Moon up – and as beggars’ can’t be choosers I grabbed the chance to image C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy.

Only 4-minute subs and only 13 of them as well, but this was a good dry run IF we get a clear Moonless night when I can do the thing properly.

Some things to note.  I put the camera in portrait mode (long axis vertical) thinking this would be the best way to get the whole tail.  Problem was the tail was so far away from north that I would have been better off leaving the camera in landscape mode where the tail would have easily fitted along the diagonal.  So – the camera has now been returned to landscape mode.

Next – I used 4-minute subs in order to try and get the faint tail – trouble is the comet moves a fair bit in 4-minutes leading to a non-sharp looking image.  Next outing I need to drop to 2-minute subs.  Clearly I don’t want any Moon about if I want to get that faint tail.

Finally – that tail!!  Look at it!!  That is over 5-degrees long – WOWSER 🙂 🙂

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Here’s a cunning plan for the up and coming General Election

Sorry – another non-astronomical post – if you don’t like seeing this stuff stop here.

But I have reached an age where I don’t have to suffer crap anymore because for the first time in my life I answer to no one – and let me tell you it’s like being reborn.  Retirement – bring it on!!

I have had to keep the vomit bowl within easy reach these past few days as the Conservative and Labour dements spout their crap, trying their hardest to keep a straight face and look as if they actually mean what they say.  I swear they amaze themselves at how they don’t break down in tears of laughter during one of their moronic diatribes.

And if I feel like that I KNOW that millions feel exactly the same way too.  So what can the “hard working British people” (give me strength) actually do to teach these morons a lesson they have never been dealt before?  Now on this one I do not agree with Russel Brand that not voting is a good idea.  That is a passive response to the insulting and provocative behaviour of our politicians.  No – what I would like everyone to do is vote for UKIP.  This has NOTHING to do with agreeing with UKIP’s policies (whatever they are) or philosophy (whatever that is) – but it has EVERYTHING to do with sending a message to Labour and Conservatives alike, in a language that even these morons can understand.  I have not mentioned the Liberal Democrats at all as they completely lost all credibility the moment they backed down on the Student Fees issue – shame on you, you lily-livered plebs!!

O.K. everybody – this is YOUR chance to show “those in charge” that you haven’t just got off the boat.  Are you going to just sit there and do nothing – or are you going to upset their whole year?

 

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