tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81686757698182896392024-03-05T12:06:18.924+00:00ESAC Astronomy ClubManuel Castillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258038289143967956noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-15793494294145477892019-06-06T10:52:00.001+00:002019-06-06T10:52:31.699+00:00Images of M 13, M 51 and M 11 taken with the new club refractorOn Saturday, June 1, 2019, several club members gathered in my backyard for an astrophotography night. We used the new 80 mm refractor, that the club purchased at the end of 2018, with a Canon DSLR camera to take these next images.<br />
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The first one was M 13, the Great Hercules cluster. We took 60 images of 120 seconds each which I processed in AstroPixelProcessor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tV1i_f_XDK6hTNuoD_JZpWonNj64xPMeYNkLfdV_ZaSVEwLZYbw_5JFRwRaJwjrQFMdR_g-LewweOLzKvpk6VYXpieIKVv6geH8TKhkQfKwnL_b7CduaC3Q2_aLD-b2z4KPMhtH8Ot3c/s1600/M13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tV1i_f_XDK6hTNuoD_JZpWonNj64xPMeYNkLfdV_ZaSVEwLZYbw_5JFRwRaJwjrQFMdR_g-LewweOLzKvpk6VYXpieIKVv6geH8TKhkQfKwnL_b7CduaC3Q2_aLD-b2z4KPMhtH8Ot3c/s320/M13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next we took again 60 images of 120 seconds each of M 51, the Whirpool Galaxy. And again I processed them in AstroPixelProcessor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBULToXVkd3M02Eov1AfQJKksQqTbzO9SGXRvAtkQYfA2WSn0cys_emYCsql6H95TWOQik5EfilyOWMgSctL1WL80onLwnUoE3T9Xh82oSlsncVgKivUhfEALdleZ9KDBORBV9-vTYOxl/s1600/M51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBULToXVkd3M02Eov1AfQJKksQqTbzO9SGXRvAtkQYfA2WSn0cys_emYCsql6H95TWOQik5EfilyOWMgSctL1WL80onLwnUoE3T9Xh82oSlsncVgKivUhfEALdleZ9KDBORBV9-vTYOxl/s320/M51.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally the weather found out about our imaging session so we were only able to take 11 images of 120 seconds each of M 11, the Wild duck cluster.</div>
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I think we can conclude that the telescope performs really well, even on such wide fields. The stars are round (but unfortunately unsharp due to inaccurate focussing done by us) from the center all the way to the corners and no annoying blue or red halos are visible around the stars.</div>
<br />Wouter van Reevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04062583733369429349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-9492624055580338922018-02-01T10:41:00.000+00:002018-02-01T10:44:29.435+00:00Super blue moon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On Jan 31st we observed the full Moon from ESAC (European Space Astronomy Center). This moon was special and widely announced in the media, as it was a blue moon (second of the month), a super moon (at perigee) and a blood moon (eclipse). Unfortunately the eclipse was not visible from Madrid.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super blue Moon, 31 Jan 2018, from ESAC</td></tr>
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So we modified the day-time CESAR solar telescopes set-up such that we could follow the Moon. It was also an important observation, as we succeeded in the first live streaming with the telescopes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The telescope is the top one (visible light). Filter was removed.</td></tr>
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comCamino Bajo del Castillo, s/n., Urb. Villafranca del Castillo, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain40.444211 -3.9526960000000614.922176500000003 -45.261290000000059 65.9662455 37.355897999999939tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-28099510964722856562017-08-07T14:47:00.004+00:002017-08-07T14:47:33.933+00:00ESAC Star Party 2017 - astronomy talk video<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Video (in Spanish) with some pictures from the <a href="http://esacastroclub.blogspot.nl/2017/07/esac-star-party-2017.html" target="_blank">Star Party 2017</a> and the talk about "Astronomía desde el Espacio" <i>(Astronomy from Space)</i> by Eduardo Ojero Pascual.</div>
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-45167677549443909982017-07-20T14:18:00.002+00:002017-07-20T15:07:54.468+00:00Iridium flare, 3rd July 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Iridium flare captured on July 3rd.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YFljIrj4aTg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YFljIrj4aTg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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The video is a sequence of 20 frames with 1sec exposure. The total duration of the satellite visible to the naked eye was ~40 seconds, but the flash has a rapid increase and decrease in brightness at the center of the flare, of a few seconds. It was so bright (magnitude -7.4) that you can clearly see its reflection on the lamp post on the top left. Another Iridium post can be found <a href="http://esacastroclub.blogspot.nl/2011/09/iridium-flare.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iridium 11 flare: stacked images</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iridium 11 flare and other celestial objects for reference</td></tr>
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Iridium flares are one of the most surprising events visible to the eye in the night sky. They are extremely bright, more than the planets and night stars. Only the Moon is brighter. Unfortunately these flares will not happen for much longer. The old Iridium satellite constellation is being replaced by a more advanced generation, Iridium Next, but those will not develop such intense flares. </div>
MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comCamino Bajo del Castillo, s/n., Urb. Villafranca del Castillo, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain40.444211 -3.9526960000000640.4427005 -3.95521750000006 40.445721500000005 -3.95017450000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-63163701241958390712017-07-04T12:19:00.000+00:002017-08-07T14:42:58.149+00:00ESAC Star Party 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The ESAC Astronomy Club organized the annual <b>Summer Solstice Star Party</b> on Friday June 30, 2017, coinciding with the newly ESA adopted #AsteroidDay.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ESAC 2017 Star Party</td></tr>
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Despite an unforeseen cloud cover, over 500 enthusiastic people gathered at the ESAC premises in Villafranca del Castillo, Madrid, to enjoy this ESAC open night. Around 25 telescopes were mounted by several invited amateur associations (~50 astronomers) and the ESAC Astronomy Club, to allow the audience (411 external visitors) a wonderful and varied observation experience. The event was supported by 45 ESAC staff and contractors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUJWjFLnwncV7wVq2ljfFpHf8uQ5h5uP7d4-SqgheEB5UcUhDUx5bZ18CrThUEi1ziFns6GQERVKUhzoihNjPkqNnqmQVIa-TmDZ6Fcb_RR5wZRwSLn5yJRAeMzf1wjjsH9uoJO9M1II/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1600" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUJWjFLnwncV7wVq2ljfFpHf8uQ5h5uP7d4-SqgheEB5UcUhDUx5bZ18CrThUEi1ziFns6GQERVKUhzoihNjPkqNnqmQVIa-TmDZ6Fcb_RR5wZRwSLn5yJRAeMzf1wjjsH9uoJO9M1II/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up the telescopes</td></tr>
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The first part of the Party was the Satellite Tour, conducted by Michel Breitfellner and Larry O'Rourke. This was a general introduction to ESA and ESAC with description of our ESA space missions. The walking tour stopped at the outdoor scale models on-site (Rosetta, ISO, Herschel, SOHO) and the impressive VIL-1 15m radio-antenna.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Satellite Tour at the Rosetta scale model</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herschel and VIL-1 during the satellite walk tour</td></tr>
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After that, Eduardo Ojero delighted 250+ people with an astronomy master class in the full main ESAC auditorium, in preparation for the observations to come (<a href="https://youtu.be/AD1LiO3nS8c" target="_blank">video here</a>).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eduardo Ojero during the <a href="https://youtu.be/AD1LiO3nS8c" target="_blank">general astronomy talk</a></td></tr>
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After the talks, visitors relaxed and had some food and drinks in the air conditioned areas. Meantime the skies started to clear up. Some time after twilight there were enough patches in the clouds to start enjoying the Moon and the main gas planets, and the second part started. Jupiter, its four Galilean moons, Saturn and the highly tilted ring system raised the first <i>wows</i> of the audience. Observers could enjoy Jupiter's main belt and zone bands, Saturn's rings Cassini division, plus around 5 small Saturnian icy moons. After midnight the telescopes pointed to double star systems and fainter objects like nebulae and star clusters. People could also take home pictures of their favorite objects with their smart phones.<br />
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The Moon, Jupiter and Saturn were projected live in a large screen, and several satellites were seen crossing the night sky. The brightest sight was the Chinese Tiangong-1 space station, that will re-enter into Earth's atmosphere in a few months. So one of the last chances for many to see this object in space.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwxWW4FuSAQoFSOz040CanM5Kt4obmDlTOE34-o8U_HTTz6WrAmeMUEZU7VqLOC8raRHnQARmF6I4rVy06sBBWIf5qkCPStpJ-4a1rXkNpzD2rPft9nHDMeMOD81PWSWXTR_ExKNBHqU/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwxWW4FuSAQoFSOz040CanM5Kt4obmDlTOE34-o8U_HTTz6WrAmeMUEZU7VqLOC8raRHnQARmF6I4rVy06sBBWIf5qkCPStpJ-4a1rXkNpzD2rPft9nHDMeMOD81PWSWXTR_ExKNBHqU/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Spica, Jupiter, the Moon and a lenticular cloud</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_WxNGOEYp6OG3K57921GeXkE7TguzjoxdedfOYm4Z4bBJo-k6hgJ7L-M30sb-ruNBnlG8ENs28vMEIRLZ9-jKBC37tWvGi1NNjdzHVxf529hg-rZg9ySbG5vICVnkcwXq51FKk3hBes/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_WxNGOEYp6OG3K57921GeXkE7TguzjoxdedfOYm4Z4bBJo-k6hgJ7L-M30sb-ruNBnlG8ENs28vMEIRLZ9-jKBC37tWvGi1NNjdzHVxf529hg-rZg9ySbG5vICVnkcwXq51FKk3hBes/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_6.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Moon projection</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The night was accompanied with live spacy music by Ekhi, and visual image projections on the D-building walls.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuSRBLRJLVR8xvTSa4C7-2o312ivbEsX70_3RN5w3cefb0GfQ_740gOr-eJowS-_eN_gOiYb9jy_f9NeweXxYC6VGlYSe77GKku1bRLAahUkuN8RGczpD-jkipODL3swUcEGGZ_rhHxc/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuSRBLRJLVR8xvTSa4C7-2o312ivbEsX70_3RN5w3cefb0GfQ_740gOr-eJowS-_eN_gOiYb9jy_f9NeweXxYC6VGlYSe77GKku1bRLAahUkuN8RGczpD-jkipODL3swUcEGGZ_rhHxc/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Observing M13 stellar cluster up the ladder, with image projection on the D-building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Thanks to all organizers and ESAC site services for such a successful night!</b><br />
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Related images:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTK2dLLXsyvEIyQg7n2DF6YgCmQv3MW6xEJ0pXNSTkoY84za2Kj0LP_atB2i6BH4l57SmEGV9xYQZrQBP6hylhLHMkOXBmybFpqZ61WCzh47YZyQaWbL1bMlmGMV0wcThX_xc4ynzS6Y/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTK2dLLXsyvEIyQg7n2DF6YgCmQv3MW6xEJ0pXNSTkoY84za2Kj0LP_atB2i6BH4l57SmEGV9xYQZrQBP6hylhLHMkOXBmybFpqZ61WCzh47YZyQaWbL1bMlmGMV0wcThX_xc4ynzS6Y/s200/ESAC_star_party_2017_7.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main observation site</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfWEkO5l1a6qlT2SdDmuqhyshzJdSz-27XHeubK9RDy95fA-uauLo0HBCmbtqn0SL6nKM2Gw_3_OULAlrlsMpgHySklCOr9Ayz-RIYNkXT64RF6NTGsSBjMeEvaknhxeHdkMPSbUjb5s/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfWEkO5l1a6qlT2SdDmuqhyshzJdSz-27XHeubK9RDy95fA-uauLo0HBCmbtqn0SL6nKM2Gw_3_OULAlrlsMpgHySklCOr9Ayz-RIYNkXT64RF6NTGsSBjMeEvaknhxeHdkMPSbUjb5s/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_8.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Leo Metcalfe mounting the 25" (63cm) dobsonian telescope</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2l6C600vzNAMfh8oKfK6rWT8JM9kpEZibwnxCx0MYzR1R5s8Q79UlE6bkgmMIb30jxDAr5UslOO0ScdbeQhJsXzST_zDp05GZo14jOk4hvh41YGVh1I52kGdZljHWBCILy6poJxe1O9k/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2l6C600vzNAMfh8oKfK6rWT8JM9kpEZibwnxCx0MYzR1R5s8Q79UlE6bkgmMIb30jxDAr5UslOO0ScdbeQhJsXzST_zDp05GZo14jOk4hvh41YGVh1I52kGdZljHWBCILy6poJxe1O9k/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The observation site on the D-building terrace</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnXc1EdpHy8lAx_7_IEvUR-CWW28r2SSsjsQyuTrhQmH9BswKapxwx31VBS7BnEtfxyC2QkrG27e610BkUrlBe3nbnQCAXkybnaAEn8iRfmO2F6KeGxTPmUvgS1MOeg-6fjeYIdUCTHw/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnXc1EdpHy8lAx_7_IEvUR-CWW28r2SSsjsQyuTrhQmH9BswKapxwx31VBS7BnEtfxyC2QkrG27e610BkUrlBe3nbnQCAXkybnaAEn8iRfmO2F6KeGxTPmUvgS1MOeg-6fjeYIdUCTHw/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_12.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiijOVCDL_gSukavbsjmTt5_URDuQeuoe7Z9J1DLxebziTnF_y1PuGvKYH98EXt_cfeZ1JiixRpvgaCzOaLHPo0CVE2RiR3ZM7od9XO-pccDooQIRLKRhlCcI94G408Kq_2UP3gd7o30/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1600" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiijOVCDL_gSukavbsjmTt5_URDuQeuoe7Z9J1DLxebziTnF_y1PuGvKYH98EXt_cfeZ1JiixRpvgaCzOaLHPo0CVE2RiR3ZM7od9XO-pccDooQIRLKRhlCcI94G408Kq_2UP3gd7o30/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_13.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuv6P3MHLKLCxiHl29uioAppPrfogirjy9jRFPO_MLzeYZyrSJlSeJ6_y_28A9rRghp7A6SLiJ7XSQil2d2HXqMkZngVlrjOdfdpymk5iutOhT0b409o89YrWNEfL3IkW9L5tuZOrhhlA/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="1600" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuv6P3MHLKLCxiHl29uioAppPrfogirjy9jRFPO_MLzeYZyrSJlSeJ6_y_28A9rRghp7A6SLiJ7XSQil2d2HXqMkZngVlrjOdfdpymk5iutOhT0b409o89YrWNEfL3IkW9L5tuZOrhhlA/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_14.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMubVmyn6cDz_umAzp5IFRYOQvJSv1fYCTmVywZgAM21pk0FprQ6gHsaC_YvJciv-APSsVD11D2PoBrZ9boHB2S2uKNbjkB_WHqp3JgXMgjILiElkfWN0jpTofhezzmip7OKMj2BhPFw/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="1354" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMubVmyn6cDz_umAzp5IFRYOQvJSv1fYCTmVywZgAM21pk0FprQ6gHsaC_YvJciv-APSsVD11D2PoBrZ9boHB2S2uKNbjkB_WHqp3JgXMgjILiElkfWN0jpTofhezzmip7OKMj2BhPFw/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_15.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVQeOxVIWre0CAM5Q9alo3cWAOm0Z6kb8S9incQ8e-s5LRNfucUiuqzmxasZ1Adw6quCwRwv4pSwINdHTUW89HxgsyIZ05ofoFRqFjuSaTwzxGFGlMF9YP_ayRirB43ewQIG6a8O66jo/s1600/ESAC_star_party_2017_16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1353" data-original-width="1491" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVQeOxVIWre0CAM5Q9alo3cWAOm0Z6kb8S9incQ8e-s5LRNfucUiuqzmxasZ1Adw6quCwRwv4pSwINdHTUW89HxgsyIZ05ofoFRqFjuSaTwzxGFGlMF9YP_ayRirB43ewQIG6a8O66jo/s320/ESAC_star_party_2017_16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-66034324183277538062017-06-28T07:58:00.002+00:002017-06-28T07:58:15.215+00:00SOLD OUT ! ESAC Star Party 2017, 30 June<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For your information. We have reached the registration limit for the Star Party 2017.<br />
- 450 people registered total<br />
- 250 people for the General Astronomy presentation<br />
We do not accept more registrations. We look forward to welcome this large crowd at ESAC, weather permitting!</div>
MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-35401967820343671042017-06-22T07:43:00.000+00:002017-06-22T18:31:19.342+00:00ESAC Star Party 2017, 30 June<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The ESAC Astronomy Club announces the annual Summer Solstice Star Party. This year it will take place on June 30, 2017, coinciding with the #AsteroidDay. The doors will open at 20:00, the programme will start at 20:30 and the observations with the telescopes will start at 22:30.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6cENnLwh8HQ6TJjOnvW0SqKsS6U0QiZjImSifevZf2dIhmuDsafk-8suOfJ8AF91Xse-nkBxHmqRlKd90ZDkkFZVTUo2IVnT0BGvXjUcNp2bDKCvZ5zbqvnqT4eJhBwpjk39SowSoHGy/s1600/IM3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6cENnLwh8HQ6TJjOnvW0SqKsS6U0QiZjImSifevZf2dIhmuDsafk-8suOfJ8AF91Xse-nkBxHmqRlKd90ZDkkFZVTUo2IVnT0BGvXjUcNp2bDKCvZ5zbqvnqT4eJhBwpjk39SowSoHGy/s400/IM3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ESAC Star Party</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Agenda:</b><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>20:30 tour along the satellites at ESAC </li>
<li>21:30 presentation about astronomy in D building. </li>
<li>21:30 second tour along the satellites at ESAC </li>
<li>22:30 observation with telescopes, guided constellations tour, guided satellite spotting </li>
</ul>
<b>More:</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QHu8UNQXS75oOLhxP0Z6bzrXrM0jZSEIVUh0SRuwXcj5ySjgTewHc1fW0zWtnId0St4NO136JElMWJatI7pcQM-Xg1c-QYcGd_YjbAW6VuSleY3TZsuRl99-Mrx4rgKw5nMoJ_-SVS7-/s1600/IM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QHu8UNQXS75oOLhxP0Z6bzrXrM0jZSEIVUh0SRuwXcj5ySjgTewHc1fW0zWtnId0St4NO136JElMWJatI7pcQM-Xg1c-QYcGd_YjbAW6VuSleY3TZsuRl99-Mrx4rgKw5nMoJ_-SVS7-/s200/IM2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Astronomy master class</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As always you, your <b>family </b>and your <b>friends </b>are <b>invited </b>to attend the star party. However, the way we want to register the invitees is different than previous years! We have created a Google form that you, the ESAC employee, will need to fill out for every person that you want to invite. The form can be found <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSca6RmGJMY7ZFQ_3vUWV878Kkq7VkvtC10qxYjjKPWcKF5xDQ/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank">here</a>. Please make sure to fill out all required items and to also inform us if your invitees plan to attend either tour along the satellites and/or the presentation about astronomy by ticking the appropriate boxes in the form. The number of visitors is <b>limited to 450</b> and the number of participants of the <b>presentation to 250</b>.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbpCi0TBPNbP7MX6Jkh0_lfTS4fZyp8H-m_XvSXlZdXk3-QICiFf7R6Z8V9S6g8kYzNtXsqF8NoUym_A1Io47ZjX0YYAoKlQMQ76u31HC2sMmhklho2XZDWKlcF1hf1gfmx98MlB24e5p/s1600/IM4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbpCi0TBPNbP7MX6Jkh0_lfTS4fZyp8H-m_XvSXlZdXk3-QICiFf7R6Z8V9S6g8kYzNtXsqF8NoUym_A1Io47ZjX0YYAoKlQMQ76u31HC2sMmhklho2XZDWKlcF1hf1gfmx98MlB24e5p/s200/IM4.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telescope platform</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As in previous years you are required to bring your own food and drinks. We will take care of ice to cool your drinks though. The restaurant terrace will be open for you to eat at. Parking will be done at the ESAC parking and the guards will let your invitees enter as long as they are on the list. So make sure to fill out the form for each invitee! Finally, the first tour of the satellites will start at 20:30 sharp and the presentation at 21:30 sharp so please make sure to arrive on time.<br />
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From 22:30 onward we will point our telescopes at various objects in the sky, including Jupiter, the Moon and Saturn. We will dedicate several telescopes to taking pictures and we will make sure that you and the other visitors can make pictures with your own smartphones through those telescopes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image may contain: screen" height="150" src="https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/13528365_10154994503219689_544929884419190458_o.jpg?oh=c043c85abc347ea8a065f7550337a946&oe=59DB4376" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saturn Live projection during 2016 Star Party</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Location: ESA - European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) Camino bajo del Castillo s/n, Urb. Villafranca del Castillo 28692 Villanueva de la Cañanda, Madrid, Spain<br />
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Please contact us in case you have any questions,<br />
ESAC Astronomy Club</div>
MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-833889013349419452017-06-06T12:19:00.002+00:002017-06-06T12:19:19.304+00:00NGC 7000 imaged from my backyardIn the night from May 24 to May 25 I used my Canon EOS 700D mounted on my Sky Watcher StarAdventurer mount to take images of NGC 7000, also known as the North America Nebula. The camera is modified and has its IR-filter (Infra Red filer) replaced by a different filter that lets pass through more red light. So emission nebulae like the North America Nebula are ideal objects to image with this camera because they principally emit light at the very red wavelength of 656 nanometers, which get blocked by the original IR-filter.<br />
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Here is a picture of my setup:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0kkQwCCWqNjegCXWuwPWBBWXtvxa47PAaQoXJqjj-HKcOXPUGygNtHvpfBjbK7cAri8Wr9_uuMOfLI1r0lOg_lr5xgEPfXdjftKm6I-57Z_u_MqFjuQRLOJqGMyd_9jmdGT6FYOnQkUYX/s1600/IMG_1865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0kkQwCCWqNjegCXWuwPWBBWXtvxa47PAaQoXJqjj-HKcOXPUGygNtHvpfBjbK7cAri8Wr9_uuMOfLI1r0lOg_lr5xgEPfXdjftKm6I-57Z_u_MqFjuQRLOJqGMyd_9jmdGT6FYOnQkUYX/s320/IMG_1865.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I took 40 images of 3 minutes illumination each. Then I processed the images and rejected 4 of them based on statistics that give indications about the background noise and sharpness of the stars. The final result is this<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9I_RK2OHHiT6Z9_LBgIYX90fTZGk7EvseTDU1oj8LWwDWGtBlQfRP_4SQDBTL41wx2OVyiUBovriEb-Qqa8IMop7lzc3JaHKK7KHhLH5LYFKs2v3lyg1gAXUJ8DfI0LpMdUg6SEor8gDe/s1600/NGC_7000_light_BINNING_1_integration_DBE_BGN_CC_SCNR_HT_PS_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9I_RK2OHHiT6Z9_LBgIYX90fTZGk7EvseTDU1oj8LWwDWGtBlQfRP_4SQDBTL41wx2OVyiUBovriEb-Qqa8IMop7lzc3JaHKK7KHhLH5LYFKs2v3lyg1gAXUJ8DfI0LpMdUg6SEor8gDe/s320/NGC_7000_light_BINNING_1_integration_DBE_BGN_CC_SCNR_HT_PS_small.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Stay tuned for more images to come in the near future!Wouter van Reevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04062583733369429349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-80148646761407685022017-06-02T09:34:00.001+00:002017-06-02T09:34:05.552+00:00Tiangong - 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Chinese space station Tiangong -2 flew across the night sky over a location close to ESAC. The Moon, Jupiter and some clouds complete this night-sky portray.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXzQaF0GMQMBSdXaL2xIxlZlNkIPx-G6FM_u31KgEtnOr0D4PpFCaZTnjtxGnDyYw9uVrITl3o8J64BMwp-rYo0-rO__c88u0n9v9oNZ-e73GhnL6UYX_lyJmKdHq5-WU2qQ3UYHRqd8/s1600/Tiangong-2_1Jun2017.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXzQaF0GMQMBSdXaL2xIxlZlNkIPx-G6FM_u31KgEtnOr0D4PpFCaZTnjtxGnDyYw9uVrITl3o8J64BMwp-rYo0-rO__c88u0n9v9oNZ-e73GhnL6UYX_lyJmKdHq5-WU2qQ3UYHRqd8/s320/Tiangong-2_1Jun2017.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Chinese station is a cylindrical module of 10 meters long and 3.3 meters diameter, flying at altitudes around 370km. In this pass, the station came out of shadow at 23:12 CEST on the western sky at 10 deg elevation, crossed the Leo constellation at 62 deg elevation, and got into shadow again at 23:18 in the eastern sky. The apparent magnitude was approximately 1 mag.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLqeLbxH3Qc80aYB66_R0y00WyaZx37PfP_Tb5ZoG7wHMaY87HuowSRLhpbl5rQiYQlsjWWmJaBvTM8fdMcAAb3mhodY31ajNDyM6OWM7aqv3uBNq6DIWf73CCRco94CU3yuAUv4yqmI/s1600/Tiangong2_1June2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLqeLbxH3Qc80aYB66_R0y00WyaZx37PfP_Tb5ZoG7wHMaY87HuowSRLhpbl5rQiYQlsjWWmJaBvTM8fdMcAAb3mhodY31ajNDyM6OWM7aqv3uBNq6DIWf73CCRco94CU3yuAUv4yqmI/s200/Tiangong2_1June2017.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOKir4yk9r2PJTXt-PcgUrO7UN_Vwn8mo66InQ2eOFIavocrDwrsh_lltunvcDQIz9QqmC1-OUZjk3GIviqpDUPChCHrIoCzeFMIAGaVbOVFOfzAtCbw4PfZZKYHkfBBv9ejQ7Tru2a4/s1600/Tiangong2_1June2017_annotated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOKir4yk9r2PJTXt-PcgUrO7UN_Vwn8mo66InQ2eOFIavocrDwrsh_lltunvcDQIz9QqmC1-OUZjk3GIviqpDUPChCHrIoCzeFMIAGaVbOVFOfzAtCbw4PfZZKYHkfBBv9ejQ7Tru2a4/s200/Tiangong2_1June2017_annotated.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The images were taken with a Nikon D3100 with 1sec exposure and a cadence of around 2 seconds.<br />
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comMajadahonda, Madrid, Spain40.449984266547872 -3.886252641677856440.449229266547874 -3.8875131416778563 40.45073926654787 -3.8849921416778566tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-15199027929551561052017-05-22T21:37:00.000+00:002017-05-22T21:37:18.861+00:00Plane crossing the Sun<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVG7wDGmjTML0bMSx3pM3WrMnwSSL61l0wRWgAH45ZEKqfKTUnFq0WWSAcuqnOCgM2bGoQa-JooDz_khP3rFkLVsZDcMEyDd3tWG8Vbm8NHoJMuXxxx9HUctPGMMW28Rq5CtMax_rHNY/s1600/image_hel_halpha_20170426T084843_processed_sharp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVG7wDGmjTML0bMSx3pM3WrMnwSSL61l0wRWgAH45ZEKqfKTUnFq0WWSAcuqnOCgM2bGoQa-JooDz_khP3rFkLVsZDcMEyDd3tWG8Vbm8NHoJMuXxxx9HUctPGMMW28Rq5CtMax_rHNY/s400/image_hel_halpha_20170426T084843_processed_sharp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://cesar.esa.int/index.php?Section=Observatories_ESAC_Sun" target="_blank">ESAC Helios Solar observatory</a> captures from time to time objects crossing the Sun disk. In this case, a plane crossed the Sun. The image was taken on <a href="http://cesar-tools.cosmos.esa.int/sun_live/sun_live.php?Section=Play" target="_blank">Wednesday 26th April 2017</a> at 10:48:43 Madrid time
from the ESAC Helios Solar observatory. Image in H-alpha band (665nm
wavelenght) showing the hydrogen emission from the Sun's
chromosphere layer. The active regions around two sunspots groups
are visible in the image.<br />
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Image credit: <a href="http://cesar.esa.int/" target="_blank">CESAR</a> Educational team. </div>
MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comCamino Bajo del Castillo, s/n., Urb. Villafranca del Castillo, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain40.444211 -3.9526960000000614.922176500000003 -45.261290000000059 65.9662455 37.355897999999939tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-30308361630273193432017-05-15T08:25:00.001+00:002017-05-15T12:11:28.192+00:00Comparing ISS transits. Sun transit at ESAC, 14 May 2017 (compared to Moon Jan 2017)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On Sunday 14th May 2017 the International Space Station ISS crossed the disk of the Sun as seen from the European Space Astronomy Center, ESAC.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUmsTbAAsVjv03QygCamO9sqW6ICWfVnG1Z90S1Qh2MKNF0H168w9LzyXA5F-7gUt60N8UkWgENODbTDb9GvceDtmlqj9n23ItXe1mhpC4U11UsJ6PGOMhiqiwAY97INCmm6HWis1iAo/s1600/ISS_transit_14_may_2017_07h06m04sUTC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUmsTbAAsVjv03QygCamO9sqW6ICWfVnG1Z90S1Qh2MKNF0H168w9LzyXA5F-7gUt60N8UkWgENODbTDb9GvceDtmlqj9n23ItXe1mhpC4U11UsJ6PGOMhiqiwAY97INCmm6HWis1iAo/s320/ISS_transit_14_may_2017_07h06m04sUTC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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ISS crosses the Sun</div>
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The above image is a superposition of thirty-eight consecutive frames captured on 14th May at 09:06:04 (24fps, Nikon D3100). The black silhouette is seen against the Sun photosphere background. The ISS is the largest man-made object in orbit, spanning the size of a football pitch. Despite its large size, it orbits the Earth at a distance of approximately 400 km, therefore looking tiny to telescope fanatics. Depending on the ISS orbit altitude and the Sun elevation over the horizon, its apparent angular size to the observer varies. That is clearly seen in the composite images below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4j2omPFhk8b6IYM2Ry-CZKgFBhdzKv2Pxhe9yMxdBq2-lK_xKglO41mDuIVLDrGDC6H3z18jQ8Z4Kwl6DkXFQKIQXJ-9ryXCovuMI_6-Cj93jasNozgWiE8_BYF4MdPP4vNbZ2LymzQ/s1600/ISS_Moon_Jan2017_Sun_May2017_comparison.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4j2omPFhk8b6IYM2Ry-CZKgFBhdzKv2Pxhe9yMxdBq2-lK_xKglO41mDuIVLDrGDC6H3z18jQ8Z4Kwl6DkXFQKIQXJ-9ryXCovuMI_6-Cj93jasNozgWiE8_BYF4MdPP4vNbZ2LymzQ/s400/ISS_Moon_Jan2017_Sun_May2017_comparison.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Comparison between two transits (Jan 2017 - May 2017)</div>
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In the image two ISS transits are placed side-by-side: the left one on Jan 2017, when the space station was flying at a slant range of 452km. The right one, on May 2017, at a slant of 930km (see <a href="http://esacastroclub.blogspot.com/2017/02/iss-and-moon-over-esac.html" target="_blank">ISS transits Moon over ESAC 14Jan 2017</a>). The outcome is dramatic, as the resolving of the ISS body drops by half at a double slant range. Not only that, the image quality is considerably different. As the light crosses more layers of Earth's atmosphere, the 'seeing' worsens and the image turns less crisp (right image). On the other hand, an increased crossing time allows for more frames to be captured (38 versus 13). The phenomena is extremely fast in any case: the ISS took only 0.56 and 1.6 seconds to cross the Moon and Sun disks. Therefore careful location/timing planning was required to successfully capture it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TLn148GBRfH63WYFI_bt9nPL1n9aCvJRhyphenhyphenn7GwHLnNcbtg2YLbsIl5NGXMGfemLagwjPIeIEWVk_xn8L9so7QXf4PRDphxOrmkrSD8jQdlFzhzgsfgBJiLPWHO15DaHQ1ZCJJtW2hKg/s1600/ISS_Moon_Jan2017_Sun_May2017_comparison_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TLn148GBRfH63WYFI_bt9nPL1n9aCvJRhyphenhyphenn7GwHLnNcbtg2YLbsIl5NGXMGfemLagwjPIeIEWVk_xn8L9so7QXf4PRDphxOrmkrSD8jQdlFzhzgsfgBJiLPWHO15DaHQ1ZCJJtW2hKg/s400/ISS_Moon_Jan2017_Sun_May2017_comparison_2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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ISS-Sun crossings are common, but a crossing from a specific location on Earth is not. The observer, the ISS and the Sun must be precisely aligned. An ESAC group composed of Manuel Castillo and Miguel Perez Ayucar set up two telescopes with two Canon reflex cameras and a Nikon, in the back of the A-building, in the early morning. The ISS cannot be spotted before the crossing with solar telescopes, so the observation is done with a clock in hand, and basically in the blind. Everything was right at the precisely expected time. The geometry is so particular that the ground path where observers can see the event is only a few hundred meters wide. Therefore careful planning of the observation must be performed. The station flies at ~27000km/h therefore the transit takes is a blink of an eye to be complete. </div>
MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comVillanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain40.4442118229839 -3.952696323394775440.443456322983906 -3.9539568233947753 40.4449673229839 -3.9514358233947755tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-58872528775195984082017-02-16T11:00:00.000+00:002017-02-16T11:01:19.077+00:00Auroras in Kiruna<div style="text-align: justify;">
On January 30th and 31st 2017, few ESAC Astro Club members observed and recorded an auroral burst over Kiruna, Sweden. It was possible thanks to the<a href="http://cosmos.esa.int/web/mars-express/home"> Mars Express</a> Science Working Team and Science Operation Working Group meetings celebrated at the <a href="http://irf.se/">Swedish Institute of </a><a href="http://irf.se/">Space Physics</a> in <a href="https://www.google.es/maps/place/Kiruna,+Suecia/@67.8169596,20.1124224,10.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x45d08e2ae4257c2b:0x4034506de8c8660!8m2!3d67.8557995!4d20.2252821">Kiruna</a> on January 31st and February 1st, 2017.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXY_kr09xZV7m5pDzCnlpvL9YL0H-eWArHSgxUFTVmZRDG5odzWBw5c5WYpzFq_PdyuIJ18uIA0xCes3wTHsrcqhfeXvRyRkpJmeVqEahk3ce2ZyJNjY0fsRBZQG1UPbuB-1ElPeflhkIT/s1600/Pic1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXY_kr09xZV7m5pDzCnlpvL9YL0H-eWArHSgxUFTVmZRDG5odzWBw5c5WYpzFq_PdyuIJ18uIA0xCes3wTHsrcqhfeXvRyRkpJmeVqEahk3ce2ZyJNjY0fsRBZQG1UPbuB-1ElPeflhkIT/s320/Pic1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Auroras observed near Kiruna on 2017-01-30. Credit: M.Castillo/M.Breitfellner, 2017</div>
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Auroras are produced when the Earth magnetosphere is perturbed by the capture of the charged particles (mainly protons and electrons) that constitute the solar wind. When the particles enter in the atmosphere they collide with the existing gases (mostly Nitrogen and Oxigen) and excite the atoms that later reemit the absorved collision energy. The dynamics of the light emission depends on the magnetic interaction between both the Earth magnetosphere and the particles. As the particles are captured mostly through the magnetic field poles, the auroral lights are seen at high latitudes of northern and southern hemispheres.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mBEYMV6M4VplmQgX7sKj3D5jrEN_9c32wE1O-TIxxZSx3k6ydBeniB8LT1A-YXmRZcDIMQiyGJ1yjOcaRYm5Kb9fBk0ldDb9bdhtTUmDwGJdrrP_sArntix2II9fc8CYXNF1mISuTj4j/s1600/Pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mBEYMV6M4VplmQgX7sKj3D5jrEN_9c32wE1O-TIxxZSx3k6ydBeniB8LT1A-YXmRZcDIMQiyGJ1yjOcaRYm5Kb9fBk0ldDb9bdhtTUmDwGJdrrP_sArntix2II9fc8CYXNF1mISuTj4j/s320/Pic2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Auroras observed near Kiruna on 2017-01-31. Credit: M.Castillo/M.Breitfellner, 2017</div>
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The solar wind stream depends on the solar activity cycle of 11 years. So, when the solar activity is high it is more probable to see auroras because there are more intense particle ejections. Currently the Sun is moving to the minimum of the present solar cycle, so the solar mass ejections are not very intense. However, other solar features release significant streams of charged particles. The Sun´s corona acts as a shield that decelerates and reduces the solar wind normally ejected from the photosphere. As the corona is constantly changing and reshaping due to its interaction with the solar magnetic field, sometimes an area opens in the corona, then a coronal hole is formed. As a consequence the solar wind increases significantly and it is followed by intense auroras around the Earth poles.</div>
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The observed auroral burst was produced by a G1 (Kp5) geomagnetic storm due to the arrival of a high speed solar wind from a large coronal hole in the Sun. This coronal hole can be observed in this <a href="https://vimeo.com/204334362">video link </a>of the Solar Dynamic Observatory of NASA. It formed behind the Sun and when it rotated and pointed to the Earth it released the charged particles that three days later produced the observed Auroras. A video showing the observed auroras in real time is <a href="https://vimeo.com/203752109">here</a>.</div>
Manuel Castillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258038289143967956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-66588298787353776602017-02-10T09:52:00.000+00:002017-02-10T09:52:25.628+00:00Sun Dogs - Parhelia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 14px;">A really bright Sun Dog (parhelia) was visible on 09 Feb 2017 from Majadahonda. Gently falling hexagonal ice plates create this sky spectacle. The ice particles are located in the distant cirrus cloud formation. The vertical extent of the red hue seems to indicate large crystals, as they are subject to larger wobbling while falling.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Left Sundog with increased brightness towards the parhelic circle</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Parhelia on cirrus cloud</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: white;">If you want to learn more ..</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">http://www.atoptics.co.uk/fz588.htm</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LRtwE-lFEAeQXdJCtieWpXEVRqz7lLrc9H3AVvsTGbCV0ySt1BH_89vBRFz2CqeASkWkl74pC5N8SP0D0SVKwItsrOopDJIn9IEa56DJVYP2wn8gKShnyYzL65CtpRAu4IvWGduCTds/s1600/Sundog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LRtwE-lFEAeQXdJCtieWpXEVRqz7lLrc9H3AVvsTGbCV0ySt1BH_89vBRFz2CqeASkWkl74pC5N8SP0D0SVKwItsrOopDJIn9IEa56DJVYP2wn8gKShnyYzL65CtpRAu4IvWGduCTds/s320/Sundog.jpg" width="265" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Sundog formation (courtesy ATOPTICS)</span></span></td></tr>
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comCalle Barco, 2, 28220 Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain40.459783 -3.875125000000025514.6108255 -45.183719000000025 66.3087405 37.433468999999974tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-48884355176074116012017-02-10T08:59:00.000+00:002017-02-10T09:11:21.978+00:00ISS and the Moon over ESAC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: inherit;">On Saturday 14th 2017 the International Space Station ISS crossed the disk of the Moon as seen from the European Space Astronomy Center, ESAC. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The image is a superposition of thirteen consecutive frames captured on 14th January at 02:01:14. The phenomena is extremely fast: the ISS took only 0.56 seconds to cross the moon disk! Therefore careful location/timing planning was required to successfully capture it. The ISS was in Earth's shadow</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">, so its black silhouette is clearly seen against the bright background of the Moon surface.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;">ISS crosses the Moon</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><br />ISS-Moon crossings are common, but a crossing from a specific location on Earth is not. The observer, the ISS and the Moon must be precisely aligned. The ISS is the largest man-made object in orbit, spanning the size of a football pitch. Despite its large size, it orbits the Earth at a distance of approximately 400 km, therefore looking tiny to telescope fanatics. Depending on the ISS orbit altitude and the Moon elevation over the horizon, our natural satellite is at least 30-40 times bigger than the man-made station. The geometry is so particular that the ground path where observers can see the event is only a few hundred meters wide. Therefore careful planning of the observation must be performed. The station flies at ~27000km/h therefore the transit takes is a blink of an eye to be complete.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;">An ESAC group composed of Michel Breitfelner, Manuel Castillo, Abel de Burgos and Miguel Perez Ayucar set up two telescopes with two Canon reflex cameras in the back of the A-building, in the freezing night. The ISS, being in Earth's shadow, cannot be spotted before the crossing, so the observation is done with a clock in hand, and basically in the blind. Everything was right at the precisely expected time. The outcome was awesome: seen a fast dark spot carrying astronauts, flying cross the Moon.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1yDprizgZn3eSqsmTBFSJRXsHegbp3T3cXG5GY1q-rDzkac3cxcuXuF8tzZ9JvXaF0kyaKomK0K6LbQTaJQYkO2UtU3kgm-FbHEfO6_oWOoHLBewkNzGC3_sDJUx4jjZVpdkhe5kuFg/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2017-01-14+at+19.16.50.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1yDprizgZn3eSqsmTBFSJRXsHegbp3T3cXG5GY1q-rDzkac3cxcuXuF8tzZ9JvXaF0kyaKomK0K6LbQTaJQYkO2UtU3kgm-FbHEfO6_oWOoHLBewkNzGC3_sDJUx4jjZVpdkhe5kuFg/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2017-01-14+at+19.16.50.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain40.443730083215847 -3.9535760879516640.44297458321585 -3.95483658795166 40.444485583215844 -3.9523155879516603tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-57427409504351171672016-06-24T17:15:00.002+00:002016-06-24T17:15:41.354+00:00Mars opposition 2016<div style="text-align: justify;">
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This year the opposition of Mars took place on 22/05/2016. At a distance of 0.5101 AU from Earth and with an apparent diameter of 18,4" it was brighter than Jupiter. </div>
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The following pictures were captured between 20/05/2016 and 24/06/2016 by Manuel Castillo and Abel de Burgos. </div>
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Manuel used a QHY5II monochromatic camera and RGB filters on his 8" f10 SC telescope with a barlow x3 lense. He took three videos of approximately 1000 frames (one for each filter). </div>
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Abel used a QHY5L-II monochromatic camera and a Baader IR pass filter on his 8" f10 SC telescope with a barlow x2 and his TS130 f7 apochromatic refractor telescope with a barlow x5 lense. He took several videos of approximately 20000-40000 frames each.<br />
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All videos were processed with Autostakkert and the final images were edited using Registax and Phososhop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVQwAdiOEbvFlL5aUEDexmHUBDuF37BIwNsKLz4q-ZUmFZakbkWEZJBZlX7y2-FZJVkyzd0j1d-SZjbbrREJGbX87dTf1zWue9WBI616mucVOjARmMkSv_yPyhDRS5wfcpXfMZd-9awHo/s1600/Mars20160528T0238z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVQwAdiOEbvFlL5aUEDexmHUBDuF37BIwNsKLz4q-ZUmFZakbkWEZJBZlX7y2-FZJVkyzd0j1d-SZjbbrREJGbX87dTf1zWue9WBI616mucVOjARmMkSv_yPyhDRS5wfcpXfMZd-9awHo/s320/Mars20160528T0238z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Mars - </span>Celestron 8" + barlow x3 + RGB filters - 28/05/2016 2:30 UT - Manuel Castillo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjSUuwOQDJ6ffyVS8x4heel5qw3xKD4gdj76pA9hsbGKDKqjqcpIFXRCQfLUrfvdh3X-8FvEXVw_tRzR43DruKzn1eytnXhFXuu4vDGh5DnaaToXW-Euvl_DVHlm0FBJdLM7OueN2QHdV/s1600/Mars20160605T0034z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjSUuwOQDJ6ffyVS8x4heel5qw3xKD4gdj76pA9hsbGKDKqjqcpIFXRCQfLUrfvdh3X-8FvEXVw_tRzR43DruKzn1eytnXhFXuu4vDGh5DnaaToXW-Euvl_DVHlm0FBJdLM7OueN2QHdV/s320/Mars20160605T0034z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Mars - </span>Celestron 8" + barlow x3 + RGB filters - 06/06/2016 0:30 UT - Manuel Castillo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FjWIj8xlZK1JuvI8IjQqtKBh_qaJbU8snIPj4utNP_-HnzLyjgT7izE1kk4tydxpvjc__r0qbuHwBo4rJmJmKplPBp9JrYiQ_YRUe-YNos2KigjuR-2VS26XVlTFAUU5n-5kGQr6DWrb/s1600/Simulation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FjWIj8xlZK1JuvI8IjQqtKBh_qaJbU8snIPj4utNP_-HnzLyjgT7izE1kk4tydxpvjc__r0qbuHwBo4rJmJmKplPBp9JrYiQ_YRUe-YNos2KigjuR-2VS26XVlTFAUU5n-5kGQr6DWrb/s400/Simulation.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Mars (real images on the left side and simulated images on the right) - </span>TS130 + barlow x5 + no filters - Abel de Burgos<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAL-noYULA23B9i60d_Lfai0ij0tps3salfq7VnDKqvnk8tqqJyMjiJPHBW1ToZqYJvR0X9BFmWo0LItMZcJWP6ggdg-563A8aTPBhn9ix_eBVLqQ2UI5gdhusE4uR44kBseJqfaFKaBzR/s1600/Mars_irpass_compare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAL-noYULA23B9i60d_Lfai0ij0tps3salfq7VnDKqvnk8tqqJyMjiJPHBW1ToZqYJvR0X9BFmWo0LItMZcJWP6ggdg-563A8aTPBhn9ix_eBVLqQ2UI5gdhusE4uR44kBseJqfaFKaBzR/s400/Mars_irpass_compare.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Mars - </span>Celestron 8" + barlow x2 + Baader IR-pass 680nm - 10/06/2016 0:00 UT - Abel de Burgos<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGyOWSNa3PkpUwq4VKtqbLDnb5Dwk69wMrYK95FumYod-Tcrk-gBzJhoZQwzXnHzZoPElXdxZCBe5bF3akDgBef6Tz2evYqPph4s7dcX1ASZVkAwDAfIsadFCwp6wXWGrAXlQuPRhiLZg/s1600/Mars_ir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGyOWSNa3PkpUwq4VKtqbLDnb5Dwk69wMrYK95FumYod-Tcrk-gBzJhoZQwzXnHzZoPElXdxZCBe5bF3akDgBef6Tz2evYqPph4s7dcX1ASZVkAwDAfIsadFCwp6wXWGrAXlQuPRhiLZg/s400/Mars_ir.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Mars - </span>Celestron 8" + barlow x2 + Baader IR-pass 680nm - 23/06/2016 23:30 UT - Abel de Burgos<br />
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Abel also took some pictures of Saturn:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3s77HO36A8rLEBypoOSFMedW9NzhxtbmIcXauzanS98SNyZVSkuBOAupd_j0BXoxGftyPHRZjNvFCqvIcXy9gLEizVwwCI7ig-RRKPXuYD89DB5aNC1XNrol6Yj_wVXWIP_dfGf3Q8ZWB/s1600/Saturno_final_color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3s77HO36A8rLEBypoOSFMedW9NzhxtbmIcXauzanS98SNyZVSkuBOAupd_j0BXoxGftyPHRZjNvFCqvIcXy9gLEizVwwCI7ig-RRKPXuYD89DB5aNC1XNrol6Yj_wVXWIP_dfGf3Q8ZWB/s400/Saturno_final_color.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saturn in false colour - TS130 + barlow x5 + no filters - 27/05/2016 0:30 UT - Abel de Burgos</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OhQobrX66xykKUdt4ixxkczMXd55SAG12mNlqB5I20yOuDue9101W3pYtwM-UrOg8leyWR8OH44J92peu1Pb2sXUMKtcUrPxy5LOVDgBdRWFjKmNMu0KvJW83ENpviTHNoWdjJR5EsGA/s1600/Saturn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OhQobrX66xykKUdt4ixxkczMXd55SAG12mNlqB5I20yOuDue9101W3pYtwM-UrOg8leyWR8OH44J92peu1Pb2sXUMKtcUrPxy5LOVDgBdRWFjKmNMu0KvJW83ENpviTHNoWdjJR5EsGA/s400/Saturn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saturn in false colour - Celestron 8" + barlow x2 + Baader IR-pass 680nm - 10/06/2016 0:00 UT - Abel de Burgos</td></tr>
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Clear skies! </div>
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Abelinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06724833084949423393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-35001935117748270602013-11-16T18:35:00.001+00:002013-11-16T18:35:57.480+00:00A plane crossing the Sun<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A plane flying over the European Space Astronomy center, ESAC, in Madrid, was captured in this h-alpha image of the Sun, on 06-Nov-2013.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhof93Aer1xAWF4MZesjzfUGTySAYgwI4Yuz6feSkY2F4wN7i9qdb-GPGj3ClfoPHrfUHZKyHRad0LJI4MKk709rbDQN9ow1SUU33DHcONN8L9l162mtjtS5-Ldjr5D3RvaMJac67OQeg0/s1600/2013-11-05-hel-hal-sun_and_plane_______.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhof93Aer1xAWF4MZesjzfUGTySAYgwI4Yuz6feSkY2F4wN7i9qdb-GPGj3ClfoPHrfUHZKyHRad0LJI4MKk709rbDQN9ow1SUU33DHcONN8L9l162mtjtS5-Ldjr5D3RvaMJac67OQeg0/s320/2013-11-05-hel-hal-sun_and_plane_______.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The images were acquired with a Coronado SolarMaxII-90 BF30 from the ESAC solar observatory Helios, by Elena Leiva. Real time solar images (weather permitting) are posted in <a href="http://www.sciops.esa.int/SB/VENUSEXPRESS/include/sun_monitor.html">http://www.sciops.esa.int/SB/VENUSEXPRESS/include/sun_monitor.html</a>.</div>
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-23058800097289264832013-11-16T18:30:00.001+00:002013-11-16T18:30:22.348+00:00Sun explosion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Sun delighted us on 06 November 2013 with a magnificent explosion. The material was ejected from a region close to the active sunspot, as shown on this h-alpha sequence of images.<br />
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The images were acquired with a Coronado SolarMaxII-90 BF30 from the ESAC solar observatory Helios, by Elena Leiva. Real time solar images (weather permitting) are posted in <a href="http://www.sciops.esa.int/SB/VENUSEXPRESS/include/sun_monitor.html">http://www.sciops.esa.int/SB/VENUSEXPRESS/include/sun_monitor.html</a>.<br />
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-17529893136422661582013-11-14T21:44:00.002+00:002013-11-14T21:47:24.167+00:002013-11-13: Comet C/2012 S1 ISON<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yesterday, around 6:05 UTC, I imaged the comet ISON from Majadahonda. The fact that the magnitude was +8.5 together with the relative position of the comet at low altitude over Madrid City from Majadahonda . It difficulted seriously to image the tail of the comet. However, I obtained the following images in black and white and colour stacking around 20 pictures at exposures of 5 secs. The individual pictures were captured with a Canon 60Da DSLR camera through a C8 telescope working at F/10. The main elements of the coment are evident: the nucleus, the coma and the dust tail. The ion tail developed two days ago is not visible in the images.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPx0hu1XMTb1gVaztdR8VrDzLr8w1izqdTta_iS96hQU65Hb87KgCWSQlAo7MT5TCx5CSkJ2GeBQiiAKC-xKqzeDUBNidc_redtpAgVij09FNdZo7Tcy18bJs93BVl6T1teGtFLX6Tgky/s1600/ISON20131113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPx0hu1XMTb1gVaztdR8VrDzLr8w1izqdTta_iS96hQU65Hb87KgCWSQlAo7MT5TCx5CSkJ2GeBQiiAKC-xKqzeDUBNidc_redtpAgVij09FNdZo7Tcy18bJs93BVl6T1teGtFLX6Tgky/s400/ISON20131113.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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As the comet is much brighter after the <a href="http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=14month=11&year=2013">outburst of today</a> (around +6.5), weather permitting, I hope to have a better opportunity the coming days.Manuel Castillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258038289143967956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-40951331460630853092013-11-07T23:33:00.002+00:002013-11-07T23:47:49.214+00:002013-11-03: Solar Eclipse from Madrid and Bermuda Eclipse Intercept Flight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<u>F</u>ew people of the club observed the hybrid solar eclipse of last week in different ways. Although only a small fraction of the eclipse was observed from Madrid, we were able to observe the eclipse despite of a persistent thick fog. Once it cleared I captured the following white light image of the eclipse from Majadahonda at 12:45 UTC. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y_fFBZKUCMAtPLxel13PDNYKoOd7NTSjfPRZIVjNWV6cojbi9KrNMF3YzDJDbyHbmTnKSBsQ9EGI3l9yDWTJOgOEcFmqwVvQXd49JY5EPK-kIK4x8zT_L4mGKjbP1BhJYUmpaMeoqXqp/s1600/Sun201311031245-Vis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y_fFBZKUCMAtPLxel13PDNYKoOd7NTSjfPRZIVjNWV6cojbi9KrNMF3YzDJDbyHbmTnKSBsQ9EGI3l9yDWTJOgOEcFmqwVvQXd49JY5EPK-kIK4x8zT_L4mGKjbP1BhJYUmpaMeoqXqp/s320/Sun201311031245-Vis.jpg" /></a></div>
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At 13:53 UTC, Miguel Perez Ayucar and Elena Leiva captured this H-alpha image from ESAC. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4S4z03qdfwX0vyaJAIJiZOjFyzOKNaturEwFI8RAAPUOc60JObTKtTmBK9h89rlS2Nv_uIo8umdqBHfbHJpGN99c5yqEz8i6wcTIBK0ZCZOIWUEANsMgRpnC2uYTVMI6CFm1KTPfRZ5E/s1600/Sun201311031353-HAlpha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4S4z03qdfwX0vyaJAIJiZOjFyzOKNaturEwFI8RAAPUOc60JObTKtTmBK9h89rlS2Nv_uIo8umdqBHfbHJpGN99c5yqEz8i6wcTIBK0ZCZOIWUEANsMgRpnC2uYTVMI6CFm1KTPfRZ5E/s320/Sun201311031353-HAlpha.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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During the eclipse, Michel Breitfellnet captured the following image from the Quiron Hospital in Pozuelo where he was recovering from a surgery. He projected the Sun through a hole in a paper sheet and imaged it with a smart phone. At the moment, Michel is recovering at home. We are sure he will be back very soon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJQ4GxyrSz7cGTSvnRxG1PVLGMpPLfK65-vlsZDtMc-Azx35zt0T-6C9XWeITbohTvkb8Ju5UAnlDLg_O0OciG31JyX0WmuXlRkeP8RWAtAmS6NumPAo6V-CpR7iNBElQ_CjJzwMGxgRM/s1600/SolarEclipseByMichel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJQ4GxyrSz7cGTSvnRxG1PVLGMpPLfK65-vlsZDtMc-Azx35zt0T-6C9XWeITbohTvkb8Ju5UAnlDLg_O0OciG31JyX0WmuXlRkeP8RWAtAmS6NumPAo6V-CpR7iNBElQ_CjJzwMGxgRM/s320/SolarEclipseByMichel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another different experience was the one enjoyed by Leo Metcalfe. He participated in an eclipse intercept flight from Bermuda and he captured the following image and video.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fKexPclXmY" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2j5am1ns8FrhQvSqMYJp7Iowx_6DaZ7tWGwmiBou9KmQYsZf43Vt8H3CxicUQ1RlyFaxyxALzflN2GdSkuNbQcrJ0OGsyY3M52d3VxcDvjGklbh8EB6lUZ2yaQNJQOQR6VOK1-962iB_/s320/SolarEclipseByLeo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Information about the video is in the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fKexPclXmY">Leo´s channel in youtube </a>and images of this experience are <a href="http://www.launchphotography.com/Total_Solar_Eclipse_2013.html">here</a>. The <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html">APOD</a> chosen for <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131107.html">2013-11-07</a> was captured in this flight.</div>
Manuel Castillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258038289143967956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-49019344001321033472013-11-07T23:02:00.000+00:002013-11-07T23:04:12.859+00:002013-10-09/10: GRANTECAN - La Palma - Canary Islands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Thanks to a visitor observation time assigned to the team of Miguel Sanchez-Portal, we were fortunate to enjoy an observing night with the <a href="http://www.gtc.iac.es/gtc/gtc.php">GRANTECAN</a> 10.4 meter telescope in <a href="http://www.iac.es/eno.php?op1=2&lang=en">Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory</a> (La Palma Island). The images and video shows the magic of this place for astronomy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEqxfOJb-DPjTpjY-mKYsjvv_RRuCb6xacza9R2T4dFQuZowoANHDscyWWmhpY7QpLTj-JP95K1xPrfTGVKDB1SCOPYtr5KurkDDvMe3-Yq1NyawuhKjkY9bQN3cXGuZ_fHfEzL5z1hl9/s1600/IMG_8176s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEqxfOJb-DPjTpjY-mKYsjvv_RRuCb6xacza9R2T4dFQuZowoANHDscyWWmhpY7QpLTj-JP95K1xPrfTGVKDB1SCOPYtr5KurkDDvMe3-Yq1NyawuhKjkY9bQN3cXGuZ_fHfEzL5z1hl9/s400/IMG_8176s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNW7XswHXsrwM3IZ-Ux6SXCDNRaSNpMt5YBThsBZ7rWi-RGGTVHcBYafEIwcmDS1U4Etg5E6rLo2pohj9IQKkej2OR_u97Jpl6EIDeKKzsvzpi4uA0h62-SeDW3ciNvKo04OmwO5TseND/s1600/IMG_8183s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNW7XswHXsrwM3IZ-Ux6SXCDNRaSNpMt5YBThsBZ7rWi-RGGTVHcBYafEIwcmDS1U4Etg5E6rLo2pohj9IQKkej2OR_u97Jpl6EIDeKKzsvzpi4uA0h62-SeDW3ciNvKo04OmwO5TseND/s400/IMG_8183s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The following image is a false colour quick look of one of the observed objects:<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abell_370"> Abell370</a>. A cluster of galaxies at 4775 Mly.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmV183mqAsQkCLV2GD7thMsyz06wGswa2-WCzm2XL_r6Ndx0gv-YJTBb6y1O2U9ySh1hgxgrRCtdSm4VNpk8mrevz9snAmM4qaSVC5xBQOAJ16rAvHO1qDb8LTWJiJ_jac0IzLbVYk4yp/s1600/Abell370Cosmetic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmV183mqAsQkCLV2GD7thMsyz06wGswa2-WCzm2XL_r6Ndx0gv-YJTBb6y1O2U9ySh1hgxgrRCtdSm4VNpk8mrevz9snAmM4qaSVC5xBQOAJ16rAvHO1qDb8LTWJiJ_jac0IzLbVYk4yp/s400/Abell370Cosmetic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Manuel Castillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258038289143967956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-61240660328608960942013-11-07T22:50:00.000+00:002013-11-07T22:50:30.006+00:002013-08-09/15: Green Flashes from Sopelana, Bizkaia<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following green flashes were captured on 2013-08-09 and 2013-08-15 from Sopelana, Bizkaia with HDD video. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a phenomenon between fact and fiction popular by Jules Verne novels and northern legends. Actually it is an optical phenomenon caused by the atmospheric refraction of the last Sun rays before sunset. A short documentary describing both the history and science of this event is in the following video. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">This documentary of BBC Coast S07 E01 (on air on 2012-05-13) incoporates the Green Flash that I captured from the same place on 2008-08-17 to illustrate the observation of the event from the Western Islands, UK.</span></div>Manuel Castillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258038289143967956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-37767446864404354922013-04-27T13:02:00.003+00:002017-10-10T10:00:58.962+00:00The scales of the Solar System: ISS, Sun and bird<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A new stacked image of the <a href="http://esacastroclub.blogspot.com.es/2013/04/iss-transits-sun.html">International Space Station transiting the Sun on 20 April 2013</a>, illustrates the different scales in the solar system, as a bird coincidentally crossed the Sun just a second before the ISS.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZu51_HL0AkYaWSq4rzJztMphAALj3JdMBjBqku44KoUm1dnhKfJPggLhSlkQkvxIo8pINKjW-FfvUt4hdosowpUOngzYVOfJcSIsmNTudUdrIWMAjYaQpj8o90lTL2tQ2SqFOYQQ4pk/s1600/isssun2013Apr20_all_color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZu51_HL0AkYaWSq4rzJztMphAALj3JdMBjBqku44KoUm1dnhKfJPggLhSlkQkvxIo8pINKjW-FfvUt4hdosowpUOngzYVOfJcSIsmNTudUdrIWMAjYaQpj8o90lTL2tQ2SqFOYQQ4pk/s400/isssun2013Apr20_all_color.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ISS and bird transiting the Sun</td></tr>
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The apparent sizes (in the picture) of the objects Sun, ISS and bird are comparable, but their real sizes and distances are vastly different.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sketches showing the geometry of the different objects (size/distance ratio exaggerated for illustration)</td></tr>
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Object [pixel size in image, angular size, real size, distance to camera]<br />
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Sun [ 796 pix, 32 arcmin, ~1.400.000 km, 150.000.000 km]<br />
ISS [ 16 pix, 39 arcsec, 109 m, 645 km]<br />
Bird [ 22 pix, 53 arcsec, ~40cm, ~ ?? m] <br />
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From the boomerang shape of the bird, it can be identified as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift" target="_blank">shift</a>. Assuming a typical wingspan of ~20cm, the bird should have flown 86m away from the camera. Taking into account that the Sun was at 40deg elevation, the bird flight altitude could have been around 55 m.<br />
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Can we say something about how fast these objects were? Certainly. The ISS crossed the Sun in ~1.16sec, and the bird in ~1.04sec (images taken at 25fps). From these vales one can derive that, while it took around the same time for both objects to cross the Sun, the bird was flying at an apparent speed of ~7m/s (~25km/h), the ISS was flying at only ~5.4km/s.<br />
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To obtain the real speed, one should know in which direction the object was flying. While for the bird it is difficult to know, the ISS geometry is well known, and at that moment was at ~40deg elevation from the horizon. This yields a ~7km/s real speed for the ISS.<br />
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comValdemorillo, Madrid, Spain40.523879945548089 -4.058396816253662140.522371445548089 -4.0609183162536624 40.525388445548089 -4.0558753162536618tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-21078109650758768512013-04-22T10:25:00.000+00:002013-11-07T20:26:38.912+00:00ISS transits the Sun<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This white-light image shows the International Space Station transiting the Sun on 20 April 2013, at 17h 35min 32sec. It was captured from the Valmayor reservoir, in Valdemorillo, Madrid, Spain. The active sunspot group number 1726 is visible in the center of the image.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">ISS crossing the Sun: frame stacking</span></div>
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The ISS crossed the limb of the Sun in ~1.2sec. The image was taken with a Canon EOS 500 in video mode (25fps, full HD) through a Messier R102 Optical tube with a Baader solar filter. A Coronado SolarMaxII 90 BF30, in piggyback, also recorded the transit. H-alpha images are still being processed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJB06LA7UPQP9BAy01TKCeL6dnGqLccvLURgAfYymfHniKImNAIclzejbVPshd3L0S2yO79yxjlEnHHWAPruzc-kCGK-vtq3toWKXvJifUrGWirk4XoUQc2sq5kUtecJ-InjyLXCXy87Q/s1600/DSC_7005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJB06LA7UPQP9BAy01TKCeL6dnGqLccvLURgAfYymfHniKImNAIclzejbVPshd3L0S2yO79yxjlEnHHWAPruzc-kCGK-vtq3toWKXvJifUrGWirk4XoUQc2sq5kUtecJ-InjyLXCXy87Q/s200/DSC_7005.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyoJqufbpdYQ4CdPIM5Cby2_1gjxNaYZBXSJsbT3UyuFT4G6ijB0GIEnCn2aYwsfN_5A5QXRJZULr7tgcXkA4yfODYWl6f2UCy-UzGGlb5ewbpCYGnP4MlJ-R61PGKS9BM3WMRqG6dRU/s1600/DSC_7008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyoJqufbpdYQ4CdPIM5Cby2_1gjxNaYZBXSJsbT3UyuFT4G6ijB0GIEnCn2aYwsfN_5A5QXRJZULr7tgcXkA4yfODYWl6f2UCy-UzGGlb5ewbpCYGnP4MlJ-R61PGKS9BM3WMRqG6dRU/s200/DSC_7008.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The observing team</span></div>
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MIGUEL PEREZ AYUCARhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05847400739228338885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-43326764442098720622013-03-22T11:40:00.001+00:002013-03-22T17:05:42.584+00:002013-12-18: A new observation of the PanSTARRS Comet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The following figure shows together two observations of the comet on 2013-03-14 and 2013-03-18: 4 and 8 days after its perihelion pass. As this non-periodic comet is moving away from the Sun, in the images it can be observed that the cometary activity is being reduced. The nucleus, coma and tail glowing are fading as it can be seen in the visible and false colour images.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgra44kyOgF9LkW2YHkP0WXOJUWFJv3cilzCBpYepHVyLtGkENe83SBl0IML-WZzoWYZxWeVjvgC36VH4S_nEm7UXxtJRl5hrhZXbdK-chTdK32JvxkqiOS6Od5XNv0cBcEueOqvCWG1kiJ/s1600/PanSTARRS-20130314-20130318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgra44kyOgF9LkW2YHkP0WXOJUWFJv3cilzCBpYepHVyLtGkENe83SBl0IML-WZzoWYZxWeVjvgC36VH4S_nEm7UXxtJRl5hrhZXbdK-chTdK32JvxkqiOS6Od5XNv0cBcEueOqvCWG1kiJ/s320/PanSTARRS-20130314-20130318.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
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The third column of images show the image after application of a Larsen-Sekanina filter (Sekanina Z., Larson S. M., 1984. The Astronomical Journal 89,571.). It is a rotational gradient filter that allows to observe fine morphological structures around the comet. So, the morphological changes in the nucleus, the coma and the tail become quite evident. Although there is also a change in perspective as the coment is moving away, comparing the images it can be observed an activity reduction in the extension and density of the tail, the size of the coma and the fine jets emerging for the nucleus.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/62303393" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/62303393">Comet Pan-STARRS (C/2011 L4) captured from Majadahonda on 2013-03-18</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5359657">Manuel Castillo Fraile</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
<br />Manuel Castillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258038289143967956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168675769818289639.post-7181358447468100652013-03-15T00:38:00.002+00:002013-03-15T00:43:03.390+00:002013-03-14: Pan-STARRS Comet from Madrid<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today, as in the previous days, the cloud coverage in Madrid difficulted seriously the observation of the comet. However, few holes opened at last time allowing to capture few pictures of the comet.</div>
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The following picture has been generated stacking 15 images captured on 2013-03-14T19:14 UTC with a DSLR Canon EOS 60Da through a 20 cm SCT.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGOiIhI0kN6cPcTxYdahiHpQFhcCIWfkwUmzsbP71paTwBSqzNKaicrWcjw5HkY3kJDUVIQJFzBuBp54REbed2W2Jm-d5d8-M2n3EQt3FlYlvd3BlZQh4ejdO7ZSxVXU241h_Zz2X9ifS/s1600/PanSTARRS-20130314T1914z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGOiIhI0kN6cPcTxYdahiHpQFhcCIWfkwUmzsbP71paTwBSqzNKaicrWcjw5HkY3kJDUVIQJFzBuBp54REbed2W2Jm-d5d8-M2n3EQt3FlYlvd3BlZQh4ejdO7ZSxVXU241h_Zz2X9ifS/s320/PanSTARRS-20130314T1914z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The same picture shown in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging">HDR</a> shows very well the nucleus of the comet together with the dust tail and other glowing structures.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96VL9e4J_DSJRVqohivOLD8l5ZNHoOJOTkPH-gBYZnWmqOI5HYTRUUunaUvdYbcgQU-vnA7tV1NY3YJvrX8Aa3w4yT-C4txuJqa1nmfv_dXJOthFljrgAkXWGXmKX_0TBmQoJyeNVLLDA/s1600/PanSTARRS-20130314T1914z-HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96VL9e4J_DSJRVqohivOLD8l5ZNHoOJOTkPH-gBYZnWmqOI5HYTRUUunaUvdYbcgQU-vnA7tV1NY3YJvrX8Aa3w4yT-C4txuJqa1nmfv_dXJOthFljrgAkXWGXmKX_0TBmQoJyeNVLLDA/s320/PanSTARRS-20130314T1914z-HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Manuel Castillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258038289143967956noreply@blogger.com