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Posts Made By: Maurice Clark

December 14, 2002 06:46 PM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

Re: Given up on the moon

Posted By Maurice Clark
Actually I feel that it is not just the Moon that the US gave up on. Look at how many missions to explore the solar system are being planned/launched in the future. nly just a tiny trickle compared to 10-15 years ago. Look at the JPL website and see what missions are planned. Apart from a couple of Mars missions the only mission to explore anything in the solar system is the Dawn mission to Vesta and Ceres. Nothing to any of the outer planets. Even the Pluto mission is still in danger.

Maurice

January 2, 2003 09:44 AM Forum: Pictures of Me and My Telescope and........

One from my recent observing trip!

Posted By Maurice Clark
Here is a shot of me trying to observe the Moon through the clouds that accompanied me on my recent observing trip down south. For over 2 weeks while I was there the skies were clouded, apart from the first 2 nights! :-(

The telescope is a 30" f/5 newtonian belonging to the University of Florida/Gaineville.

Cheers,

Maurice

January 2, 2003 09:49 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

NGC 2392

Posted By Maurice Clark
Hi all,

Here is an image of NGC 2392. One of the few images I was able to obtain on a recent trip to Florida.

It is a combination of 10, 60 second exposures taken with an ST-8E binned 2x2, and a 30" f/5 newtonian. (see picture on "me and my telescope" forum).

Cheers,

Maurice

January 6, 2003 07:14 AM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

The Poms finally have a win!!!

Posted By Maurice Clark
Who else was listening to the 5th test and heard the English beat Australia for only the third time since 1998?

By 225 runs, a good win!

Maurice

January 11, 2003 08:42 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

comet 2002V1 NEAT

Posted By Maurice Clark
Finally had a chance to view this comet this evening. Quite nice despite the bright Moon, It is around mag 7, well condensed with no tail visible. It reminded me of an unresolved M15 but brighter. I am surprised that no-one else seems to be observing this comet. It is well placed in the evening sky. Perhaps some have been put off by the mag 11 prediction. I will post a CCD image later when I have had time to process them.

Looks like winter finally arrived here in MN. -18*C outside at the moment and still dropping!!!!!!!!!! Oh well, at least it does not take much to cool the CCD down. The ST-8E is at -30*C at less that 20% cooling!!!!

Cheers,

Maurice

January 20, 2003 06:55 AM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

Mount Stromlo Observatory destroyed by fire. (1)

Posted By Maurice Clark
In a major setback for Australian astronomy, the historic Mount Stromlo observatory has been almost totally destroyed in the bushfires surrounding the Australian capital Canberra. These fires have so far claimed 3 lives and destroyed over 400 homes.

Among the telescopes destroyed are the Oddie 9" refractor, the 50" Melbourne telescope, the 26" Yale-Columbia refractor, and several others. The 76" was damaged but may be repairable. Video of the disaster can be found at this link:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2003/01/19/video/20030119pm_fires.ram

Footage of the observatory is about midway through.

I have visited this observatory several times and it was a wonderful place with considerable history. It has been a sad loss to Australian astronomy.

Regards,

Maurice

Ps, I have posted a press release from the ANU in a second message.


January 21, 2003 03:24 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Help wanted

Posted By Maurice Clark
Hi all,

I have been experimenting with a 50mm lens on my CCD and getting some nice images. However due to the presence of a bright moon, (why is it always clear then!!???) there is a strong gradient across the image which I am having difficulty in removing.

The image below is of Gemini and the IC 433 region, and is a jpg copy of the original. If anyone would like to have a go at removing the gradient, please feel free to have a go. I would be very interested in seeing your results and of hearing how you managed it.

I have Photoshop 7 as well as CCDSoft and API4WIN for my processing. I have also tried the process described in Ron's book without success.

Thanks in advance.

Maurice

January 26, 2003 09:21 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Mt Stromlo fire damage pictures

Posted By Maurice Clark
This link to photos of the fire damage at the Mt Stromlo observatory was posted on one of the astro boards I subscribe to. The photos show the damage very graphicly. Also note how far away from the scopes the trees were. It shows just how hot the fires were!

http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~wood/mso_fires/mso_fires.html

For those in the US who do not know much about Mt Stromlo, The loss to Australian astronomy would be about the equivalent of Lick of Mt Wilson being destroyed, and only having Kitt Peak left for professional astronomy.

Cheers,

Maurice

January 26, 2003 10:09 AM Forum: Pictures of Me and My Telescope and........

Re: by the way

Posted By Maurice Clark
But would you REALLY want you pet curled around your Nagler!!!??? :^)

Maurice

January 30, 2003 06:51 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Comet Kudo-Fujikawa

Posted By Maurice Clark
Check out the link below for a really nice animation of SOHO images of comet Kudo-Fujikawa moving past the sun.

Cheers,

Maurice

http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/data/LATEST/current_c3.mpg

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