My first serious attempt on Jupiter
Just as I felt guilty for not staying under the night sky for such a long time, I lugged my LX90 together with all the gadgets out to my garden.
Archive for the 'Astrophotography' Category
My first serious attempt on Jupiter
Please check Heavens Above regarding the passing of ISS and STS-117. The STS-117 has undocked from ISS and prepared to return to earth on Thursday. This will be a very great chance to photo the flyby of them. Most of the America has the sight of them. I don’t have the chance to take the photo as the nearest flyby is only going to happen on 29 June. The STS-117 has backed to earth by that time.
Ok guys, gear up!
The general thumb of rule to get good astrophotograph is,
Good photo = 6 Good(s)
Good telescope: The telescope isn’t necessary to be expensive or exotic. It just has to be suitable on the object that you image.
Good mount: The mount can support the telescope well and the setup is very well balanced.
Good tracking: The tracking error is supposed to be acceptable with the focal length you are imaging at.
Good camera: Again, the camera has to be a good partner with the telescope. Read this article about what’s a good partner.
Good skill: This means the imaging skill (image taking + processing skill)
Good weather: No wind to cause vibration, no atmospheric turbulence to cause distorted image, and most importantly, NO CLOUD.
Why is there conclusion but no detail of this topic posted? Hehe, the detailed article is still in progress. Summary comes first. 
Although I haven’t seen McNaught myself these days, the spectacular images around the webs pleased me very well. I have been collecting the best McNaught photos for my very own collection but sharing is always a better attitude. Enjoy!
New Addition!
Author: Kevin Crause
Location: Mossel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa
Date: 20 January 2007
Photo Details: Nikon D2X, 80mm lens, f/2.8, 20secs, ISO800
Description: This is probably the longest tail I have seen!
Yes, Michael Griffin has announed that Hubble Space Telescope will have its Service Mission 4 (SM4), the final SM, in 2008. It will be giving stunning discoveries again with the latest scientific instruments.
New batteries will be installed during this mission. The capacity of the olds are degraded and cannot work for 2 to 3 more years. Thermal blankets protecting it against the harsh environment of space will be installed as well. Don’t forget the almost broken down gyroscopes. Some of the current are dead and it is running on the backup gyroscopes. These are the basic equipments for it to function properly. Now, we go to the astronomical instruments.
One of the three fine-guidiance sensors will be replaced to improve its ability to track faint guide stars and measure stellar positions with greater accuracy. The Wide Field Camera 3 and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph are the Hubble’s new guns. These two powerful instruments will push its ability to the peak. The astronauts will try to repair the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. It has stopped operating since 2 years ago when a power supply failed.
Good luck to all the astronauts and staffs joinning this service mission. Did I mention that HST is as old as I am?
Above is the transit sequence.
Are the photos above able to make you consider to get one solar filtered telescope? If I were you, I do. However, the solar minimum is around which means that the solar activity is quite inactive now. The scene may not be that gorgeous. I might hold my penny.
Kudos to March05 again for the photos above!
Edited: Photo is replaced as requested by March05. The sunspot numbers are revised.
Watch out for this event! This is a great chance for those who have solar telescope or solar filtered telescope who wish to take a memorial photo or observe visually. If you miss this, you are going to wait for another 10 years, i.e., 9 May 2016. Most Americans, Asians (except Indians), Aussies and those who live in the visible area have the chance to enjoy this transit. It starts at 3:12 am GMT+8 on 9 November 2006 and lasts for 5 hours.
You must protect your eyes with solar filter. If you have a telescope, make sure that it has a proper and safe solar filter (I’m going to get Baader Astrosolar Film for my 8″ LX90). Don’t look at the Sun directly, it will severely damage your eyes. For those who don’t have any of the equipments or not lucky enough to be in the visible area, you may visit SOHO on 9 November 2006 for the real time movies.
To know the exact time of the transit happens in your area, please visit NASA - Transit of Mercury 2006.
Mercury transits can occur only in May or November, when the planet crosses the ecliptic plane. And they happen rarely - 13 or 14 times per century.
Recommended Equipments
- Coronado Personal Solar Telescope
- Solar film filtered telescope (I’m getting a Baader)
Dear every Meade telescope users, you’re now given a chance to submit your photo taken with Meade telescopes. I am looking forward a chance to take lunar images. Submit your photo here.
Disclaimer,
Click on the images for larger versions. Both of them are the stunning images from the Cassini Imaging Team. They are actually the same photo, just the latter of which colour contrast is exaggerated. The colour variation of the latter image imply that the sorting of particles in different sizes. The image is a stack of 165 images taken by the Cassini wide-angle camera in nearly 3 hours.
For more information, please visit In Saturn’s Shadow
My classmates organize a Lantern Festival party tomorrow. It’s going to be held at my house. We’re going to observe the Moon for sure! We will have moon cake and shaddock as well as buffet. Moon cake and shaddock are Chinese traditional food eaten during the Moon Cake Festival or Lantern Festival/
Stay tune for the photos! I am not going to miss the chance to photo the Moon again.
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