The last few weeks have been rather infuriating. Clear skies during the day, but come sunset, low cloud rolls in and covers the critical area where C/2011 L4 has been lurking. But last night the gaps were bigger and lasted long enough to make it worthwhile getting the binoculars out. Normally I would have opened up the observatory, but with 15mph – gusting 20 mph, the roof would have taken flight. Even then, the target…
Observing Session: The Elusive C/2011 L4 Panstarrs
Last week started off with a little bit of excitement. A BAA news email on Monday announced that Comet C/2011 L4 had a few sightings by BAA members in Southern England. Here in Cornwall, we are more Southerly than most, but as yet , this little puppy has eluded all attempts to observe it. While we have had a few clear days this week, the 20 degrees above the horizon where the Comet is,…
Weekend Jolly
Last weekend we both went up to Cheltenham for the British Astronomical Association’s Annual Deep Sky Section Meeting, While I have been to the BAA’s Winchester weekend for the last six years, this was my first visit to one of their section meetings. The itinerary for the day was a follows. Stewart Moore: A review of the deep sky yearNick Hewitt: Barnard, Gordon and the darknessPaul Curtis: Deep sky imaging and processing using a…
Imaging/Observing Session 19, Feb.
Wow. Two clearish nights in a row. Objects: Jupiter, Clavius Crater- The Moon, The Double star Almaak, M51 and two Caroline Herschel objects NGC2204 and NGC381. Session Started 19:27Seeing: II Slight quivering of the imageTransparency: Poor. The Milky way was invisible and only principle Constellations stars were seen below a altitude of 45 degreesAirmass at time of observation: Jupiter – 1.2 , Clavius Crater- The Moon – 1.2 , Almaak – 1.3, M51 – 1.8, NGC2204 –…
Imaging/Observing Session 18, Feb.
Session Stats Session Started 18:56Seeing: II Slight quivering of the imageTransparency: Poor. The Milky way was invisible and only principle Constellations stars were seen below a altitude of 45 degreesAirmass at time of observation: Jupiter -1.2 , Moon- 1.2 Objects: Jupiter and Magnius Crater, The Moon The new weather station has now been up and running for the last three weeks and has been logging all sorts of data. I’m not sure which data…
2012 DA14
Well the much publicised arrival of the Asteroid 2012 DA14 finally came yesterday evening. I was at two minds as to whether to go to my local Astronomy Club’s Friday meeting, as if it was clear, then I would have had a better opportunity of viewing/imaging this Asteroid from my own observatory, than just by looking through a few hastily assembled scopes. Unfortunately, I was right. While conditions were good, they weren’t good for…