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Posts Made By: Dave Erickson

November 22, 2013 03:15 AM Forum: Home Observatories

Comet Imaging...

Posted By Dave Erickson
Wow! The weather has not cooperated the past couple of weeks. I had a good run on the comets and now can't catch a break. Hope things improve once ISON has rounded the sun and is heading back out... I might be asking a bit much, it is nearly winter and conditions in the Sierras have been spectacular this year...


November 22, 2013 03:16 AM Forum: Comets

Hope the weather improves...

Posted By Dave Erickson
Wow! The weather has not cooperated the past couple of weeks. I had a good run on the comets and now can't catch a break. Hope things improve once ISON has rounded the sun and is heading back out... I might be asking a bit much, it is nearly winter and conditions in the Sierras have been spectacular this year...


November 29, 2013 08:39 PM Forum: Comets

Comet Lovejoy 20131129

Posted By Dave Erickson
Well I was able to get a few frames of comet C2013_R1 (Lovejoy) between clouds this morning. Attached is an image...

November 30, 2013 06:30 PM Forum: Comets

ISON Not Looking Good after Solar Encounter

Posted By Dave Erickson
Here is the latest SOHO Image of ISON after Perihelion taken this morning November 30,2013. I annotated it with ISON's location. It looks like its not ejecting enough material to support a large tail and it is dissipating. Still ISON has been full of surprises, time will tell...Dave

December 4, 2013 12:03 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

SH2-240 SNR

Posted By Dave Erickson
Here is an Image from earlier in the month Sh2-240 a Super Nova Remnant, this is a reasonably dim object spanning several degrees. The nebula on the left is Du-77 even dimmer than Sh2-240, and the surrounding area is filled with background Halpha emission and small structures. Imaging was done remote over two unusually transparent nights where Sky Quality measured 22+ mag/arc seconds, using the 3" F/4 astrograph. Attached image is a single frame approx 6.5 X 4.5 degrees.

December 22, 2013 09:25 PM Forum: Comets

Comet C/2013R1 Lovejoy

Posted By Dave Erickson
Hi,
Here is an image of comet C/2013R1 (Lovejoy) from the other night. Yellow filter single 6 min exposure. Tail is about 3 degrees long. Image cropped from original. Moon was up and bright.
Dave

April 23, 2014 06:41 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Summer Skies are on their way

Posted By Dave Erickson
I don't know about you but am excited for the Milky Way and a new round of imaging the local stuff grin Here is an All Sky image from just before 5:00AM PDT this morning. Still some high clouds but looks promising.

May 11, 2014 08:58 PM Forum: Telescope Making

5" minor axis Secondary Mirror Testing

Posted By Dave Erickson
I have a small optical shop in my garage that includes couple of very old plano interferometers, a 6" Davidson Fizeau, and a larger 10" fused silica test plate setup, both use the green mercury line at 546nm.

I recently purchased a 5" minor axis secondary mirror for an astrograph I am making. I took a look with the 10" testplate and it looks reasonably close to the guarnteed 1/10 wave by eye.

May 18, 2014 10:12 PM Forum: Home Observatories

Spaceship over the 6' dome?

Posted By Dave Erickson
Well...This is a lenticular cloud formed by the Sierra wave. A wave of stable moist air flowing over the Sierra Nevada mountain range reaches an altitude where the temperature at the crest of the wave drops below the dew point and moisture in the air condenses to form lenticular clouds.

June 8, 2014 01:43 AM Forum: Insects - Flowers and Other Small Stuff - Photos

Rare Cicada Pupation

Posted By Dave Erickson
I arrived in the morning of May 30 2014 to the loud songs of the Cicadas. Something I am familiar with but haven't ever experienced at Sierra Chaparral Observatory. When I arrived at the Observatory they were everywhere, and their loud buzzing permeated the air. This is a rare once in 12 year event at this location. The last time this happened in Kennedy Meadows was 2002 according to my Neighbor the ranger at Black Rock Ranger Station.
Enjoy,
Dave

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