Secret Still Observatory

'Star, star teach me how to shine, shine'

Mark

2 minute read

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 21 X 300s (105m)
    * Total: 1h45m

    Integration time target
    * Target: 6 hours
    * Progress: 29%

Seeing index: OK/Poor (3/2)
Jet stream: Average (11 m/s)
Transparency: OK (3)

Globular Clusters

A visual comparison of five clusters in the Messier list

Mark

1 minute read

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC Between 30 and 60 X 60s per image

Seeing index: Poor (2)
Jet stream: Ave/Good (12 m/s)
Transparency: Good (4)

Mark

1 minute read

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 75 X 120s (150m)
    * Total: 2h30m

Seeing index: Poor/average (1/2)
Jet stream: Poor (30 m/s)
Transparency: Average (3)

Markarian's Chain

The beautiful chain of galaxies in Virgo

Mark

1 minute read

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 130 X 180s (390m)
    * Total: 6h30m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 6 hours
    * Progress: 100%

Thursday 18th January

M78

Mark

1 minute read

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 307 X 180s (921m)
    * Total: 15h21m

Notes

January has been a better month for clear skies making astro imaging possible once again. Hooray! M78 in Orion is a reflection nebula approx 1600 light years from Earth with NGC2071 to its North. Also visible is part of the H-Alpha cloud known as Barnard’s Loop which encircles the left-hand/East side of the constellation. Barely visible on following the line of the dark lane in the centre of M78…

Mark

1 minute read

Tonight was unexpectedly clear, although the seeing was average at best. M42 was just scraping above the houses begging to be sketched! The lack of Moon was a bonus and once the heat haze from the chimneys was no longer making the seeing even worse, I spent a fabulous hour observing Jupiter, the Pleiades, the Hyades and finishing with M42. The nebulosity was clearly visible from the outset in the fast Dobsonian and a 24mm eyepiece. With greater dark adaption the fainter nebula became visible and…

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