Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 5 X 300s (30m)
    * Total: 0h30m
    

Between the clouds the other day I squeezed in 30 minutes of exposure time on the border between Cassiopeia and Cepheus, a region full of interesting objects. The view in the photo is wide field - 6.6 x 4.8 degrees. Due to the short exposure the H alpha clouds are mainly colourless (e.g. the Lobster Claw Nebula) and the resolution is somewhat poor but I thought it quite an interesting exercise to point the…

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 365 X 60s (365m)
    * Total: 6h05m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 6 hours
    * Progress: 100%

Notes

Seeing index: Excellent 5/4
Jet stream: Poor (32m/s) Moon phase: 80%
Transparency: Poor

Almost defeated by the dire Autumn weather. On the night of 9th a brief 45 minute spell with gaps to the heavens gave poor views of M31 but surprisingly good ones of M57 (x150). The following morning dawned clear (again briefly, after another night of thick cloud) to the beautiful sight of the crescent Moon with earthshine, Venus and between the two the still-visible star Regulus in Leo.

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 88 X 300s (440m)
    * Total: 7h20m

    Integration time target
    * Target: 7 hours
    * Progress: 100%

Notes

Mon 4th September

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 95 X 300s (475m)
    * Total: 7h55m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 12 hours
    * Progress: 66%

Notes

22nd August 2023

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 129 X 300s (645m)
    * Total: 10h45m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 12 hours
    * Progress: 90%

Notes

8th August 2023

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 94 X 120s (190m)
    * Total: 3h10m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 6 hours
    * Progress: 50%

Notes

Seeing index: Not recorded
Jet stream: Not recorded

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 139 X 120s (278m)
    * Total: 4h38m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 12 hours
    * Progress: 39%

The bright supernova SN2023IXF currently visible in M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy.

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 63 X 120s (330m)
    * Total: 5h30m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 6 hours
    * Progress: 92%

Another try in the latter stages of this year’s galaxy season where the weather has been so awful. Aiming for some good resolution and brightness using the 268C and a fast Newtonian.

    Integration time (running total):
    * OSC 11 X 120s (22m)
    * Total: 0h22m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 2 hours
    * Progress: 18%

This is another experiment on the feasibility of using an F12 scope for deep sky imaging. I have deliberately chosen an object close to the zenith which should remain visible for some time with the aim of completing a multi-night image before the end of galaxy season. The altitude will decline as we enter the month of June so the next two…

    Integration time:
    * OSC 33 X 120s (66m)
    * Total: 1h06m

This evening was unexpectedly clear though with a thin layer of high, semi-tramsparent cloud which affected guiding and visibility. Around half the gathered frames were discarded. The clouds got thicker around 1 am so I closed the observatory roof and left the calibration frames for the morning. As has been the case recently, calibration frames have been very problematic but I did finally resolve two outstanding issues: