April 2009

Active Mercury

Posted Thu, 04/30/2009 - 18:50 by admin
A NASA spacecraft gliding over the surface of Mercury has revealed that the planet's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and its geological past display greater levels of activity than scientists first suspected.

The Moon – April 30, 2009 1h 30m UT, ETX-125PE

Posted Wed, 04/29/2009 - 22:53 by John Graham
The Moon – April 30, 2009 1h 30m UT

Imaging Camera: Canon Rebel XTi
Filter: None
Exposure: 1/50sec, ISO800, saved as RAW
Imaging Telescope: Meade ETX 125PE @ f/15
Processing: Digital Photo Pro, Panorama Maker, Photoshop Elements, Registax

Although it was a tad hazy this evening the moon was just too pretty to pass up. This is a single frame taken with my ETX-125PE and with mild wavelets (all 3.1) applied with Registax. I also used a remote switch and the mirror lock-up function of my Rebel XTi to give the mirror flop time to dampen out.

The Moon – April 30, 2009 1h 30m UT, ETX-125PE

Posted Wed, 04/29/2009 - 22:53 by John Graham
The Moon – April 30, 2009 1h 30m UT

Imaging Camera: Canon Rebel XTi
Filter: None
Exposure: 1/50sec, ISO800, saved as RAW
Imaging Telescope: Meade ETX 125PE @ f/15
Processing: Digital Photo Pro, Panorama Maker, Photoshop Elements, Registax

Although it was a tad hazy this evening the moon was just too pretty to pass up. This is a single frame taken with my ETX-125PE and with mild wavelets (all 3.1) applied with Registax. I also used a remote switch and the mirror lock-up function of my Rebel XTi to give the mirror flop time to dampen out.

The Moon – April 30, 2009 1h 30m UT

Posted Wed, 04/29/2009 - 22:53 by John Graham

The Moon – April 30, 2009 1h 30m UT

Thank You

Posted Wed, 04/29/2009 - 07:50 by admin

Once Again A Big
Thank You
to the following
MVAS members
who helped out last night
at
Valley Elementary School Star Gaze


Mark Forsthoefel, Jim Ventling, Joe Tarkany, Mike Baker, Carl Allen, Leonard Howie, Manning Butterworth, John d'Entremont, Dave Merrelli, Paul Schreiber, Rick and Linda Weiss

With about 35 students and parents attending the clouds did clear enough to view the Moon and Saturn.

New Gamma-Ray Burst Smashes Cosmic Distance Record

Posted Tue, 04/28/2009 - 16:50 by admin
A gamma-ray burst detected by NASA's Swift satellite has smashed the previous distance record for the most powerful explosions in the Universe. Researchers are calling it 'an incredible find' and a 'true blast from the past.'

NGC5466 – Sparse Globular Cluster in Bootes

Posted Mon, 04/27/2009 - 22:47 by John Graham
NGC5466 – Globular Cluster in Bootes

Telescope: Meade LXD75 SN6
Camera: Meade DSI Pro II
Filters: IDAS LPS-2, Meade LRGB
Luminance: 25x60sec, saved as FITS
RGB: 10x60sec, saved as FITS
Guide scope: Meade DSX-90, PHD
Software: Envisage, Autostar Image Processing, Photoshop

Located 5 degrees to the east of M3, NGC5466 is about the same size as its much brighter neighbor. NGC5466 is similar to NGC5053, though not quite as sparse as the later. Note the small spiral galaxy near the right edge of the field.

-John

NGC5466 – Sparse Globular Cluster in Bootes

Posted Mon, 04/27/2009 - 22:47 by John Graham
NGC5466 – Globular Cluster in Bootes

Telescope: Meade LXD75 SN6
Camera: Meade DSI Pro II
Filters: IDAS LPS-2, Meade LRGB
Luminance: 25x60sec, saved as FITS
RGB: 10x60sec, saved as FITS
Guide scope: Meade DSX-90, PHD
Software: Envisage, Autostar Image Processing, Photoshop

Located 5 degrees to the east of M3, NGC5466 is about the same size as its much brighter neighbor. NGC5466 is similar to NGC5053, though not quite as sparse as the later. Note the small spiral galaxy near the right edge of the field.

-John

NGC5466 – Globular Cluster in Bootes

Posted Mon, 04/27/2009 - 22:47 by John Graham

NGC5466 – Globular Cluster in Bootes

M57, Ring Nebula at JBSPO, 25 April 09

Posted Sun, 04/26/2009 - 16:00 by cwgeib
M57, 25 April 09, JBSPO

It was getting late, the sky to the west and north was starting to degrade, but I had to go for one more target. M57 is fairly small, and low in the sky (less than 25 degrees). I think I'll revisit this little fellow later in the year when it's higher in the sky. C8 SCT, f/6.3, Canon 350D (unmodded, unfiltered), 11 x 150s subs, processed in Deep Sky Stacker and Photoshop with plugins.