BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator 
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Jan 23, 2021 9:39:19 GMT
Black Wings Chief Mouse ThomasQuinn jon_innuendo HelloDelilah Chopin1995 pg emrabt The Real Wizard Lord Fickle Raf katydyd5 tedFirst Off - a summary of Planetary Conjunctions:Date.............................Object1..Object2...Separation 09 Jan 2021 21:14 UTC...Mercury..Saturn.....1°39' 11 Jan 2021 11:06 UTC...Jupiter...Mercury....1°28' 21 Jan 2021 23:34 UTC...Mars......Uranus.....1°43' 05 Mar 2021 06:49 UTC...Jupiter...Mercury....0°19' 29 Mar 2021 19:10 UTC...Mercury..Neptune...1°23' 29 May 2021 05:20 UTC...Venus.....Mercury...0°24' 13 Jul 2021 07:06 UTC.....Venus....Mars.......0°29' 19 Aug 2021 04:06 UTC...Mercury..Mars.......0°04' 29 Dec 2021 01:02 UTC...Venus.....Mercury...4°13' Now, some key highlights: ♦ Orion Nebula When: December–February [around midnight] / Where: High in sky  ♦ Mars & The Pleiades When: March 3rd / Where: SW  ♦ Beehive Cluster When: February to May [midnight] / Where: high southern kky  ♦ Milky Way When: April–September / Where: southern sky  ♦ Moon, Venus & Mercury When: May 12th & 13th [after sunset] / Where: NW horizon  ♦ Venus When: April–December / Where: rises E (am) sets W (pm)  ♦ Solar Eclipse When: June 10th [10:07 BST (09:07 UT)] / Where 23º above SE horizon  ♦ Saturn [Opposition] When: August 2nd [dusk] / Where: rises E  ♦ Summer Triangle When: July and August / Where: overhead midnight  ♦ Perseids August 12th, 13th - max 150 meteors per hr  ♦ Jupiter [Opposition] When: August 19th [dusk] / Where: rises E  ♦ Andromeda Galaxy When: September and October [midnight] / Where: overhead  Meteor Calendar 2021Shower Name...........Activity Peak.......Activity Period............Peak Per Hr Quadrantids...............3-4 Jan...............28 Dec-12 Jan..........120 Lyrids........................22 Apr................13-29 April...............18 Eta Aquariids..............6 May................18 Apr-27 May............40 Delta Aquariids...........28/29 July.........13 July - 24 Aug..........25 Alpha Capricornids......30 July...............2 July -14 Aug............5 Perseids.....................12-13 Aug.........16 July - 23 Aug.........150 Draconids...................8-9 Oct..............7-11 Oct..................Variable Orionids.....................21 Oct................1 Oct - 6 Nov...........15 Leonids......................17-18 Nov..........5-29 Nov..................15 Geminids....................14 Dec...............13-16 Dec...............120 Ursids.........................22-23 Dec..........17-26 Dec...............10
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Post by ThomasQuinn on Jan 23, 2021 10:49:56 GMT
I'm hoping that I'll be able to travel to the south of France in the second half of the year (it's getting more uncertain by the day, but there's always hope!). Friends of my parents have a summer home there, in a tiny village miles away from nowhere, very dry in summer and at a reasonably high elevation (200 meters above sea level or so). If it goes through, I'll try and get some milky way and other night sky photographs there - the view there is *almost* as good as it was in the Moroccan desert.
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pg
Queen Mab
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Post by pg on Jan 23, 2021 14:19:33 GMT
Once the weather improves, hoping to have a good go at the milky way this year.
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Post by The Real Wizard on Jan 23, 2021 22:11:26 GMT
♦ Solar Eclipse When: June 10th [10:07 BST (09:07 UT)] / Where 23º above SE horizon Score ! 5am for me. I'll just stay up.
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Jun 6, 2021 18:28:59 GMT
Black Wings Chief Mouse ThomasQuinn jon_innuendo HelloDelilah Chopin1995 pg emrabt The Real Wizard Lord Fickle Raf katydyd5 Stevedue to lighter nights, the summer months don't present many astro-imaging opportunities - unless you stay up all night! however, there is one significant daytime event this week: June 10th. For large parts of North America, Northern Europe & Asia, there's an Annual Eclipse. For those of us slightly further south, we'll get a partial Eclipse. In any case, it's still worthwhile. where/when to see Following Link should provide all the information needed: North America: Eclipse June 10thNorthern Europe: Eclipse June 10thImportant Warning:
♦ Never look directly at the sun with the naked eye - use approved eclipse Glasses!
♦ Do not look at the sun through an unfiltered telescope - the tube will become incredibly hot. Use an approved correctly-fitting, astronomy Solar Filter.
♦ Do not attempt to photograph the eclipse without using an ND-100000 Neutral Density Filter
Failure to adhere to the above warnings can cause blindness and cause irreparable damage to equipment.
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pg
Queen Mab
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Post by pg on Jun 6, 2021 18:55:09 GMT
If I stack all my ND filters bring iso down to 50 and force a 1/8000 shutter speed....
I'd still break my camera.
Might give this one a miss!
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 2,868
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Jun 6, 2021 20:25:15 GMT
If I stack all my ND filters bring iso down to 50 and force a 1/8000 shutter speed.... I'd still break my camera. Might give this one a miss! are you in the UK? PM me your address and I'll post you out a solar filter sheet as long as you cover your lens completely you'll be fine - (confirm outer-rim lens size)...i'll do the rest |
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Post by The Real Wizard on Jun 6, 2021 20:49:35 GMT
Dammit - it's just out of my sightline.
Let's all take a moment to marvel that this animation was done over 20 years ago with 100% accuracy:
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 2,868
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Jun 6, 2021 22:08:39 GMT
Dammit - it's just out of my sightline. Let's all take a moment to marvel that this animation was done over 20 years ago with 100% accuracy: it is amazing - all things considered. where are you based? i think you may still get some partial cover. |
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pg
Queen Mab
Posts: 2,076
Likes: 1,343
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Post by pg on Jun 7, 2021 7:21:18 GMT
If I stack all my ND filters bring iso down to 50 and force a 1/8000 shutter speed.... I'd still break my camera. Might give this one a miss! are you in the UK? PM me your address and I'll post you out a solar filter sheet as long as you cover your lens completely you'll be fine - (confirm outer-rim lens size)...i'll do the rest That's kind and really appreciated, but I'll also be working. |
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Post by The Real Wizard on Jun 7, 2021 9:33:19 GMT
Dammit - it's just out of my sightline. Let's all take a moment to marvel that this animation was done over 20 years ago with 100% accuracy: it is amazing - all things considered. where are you based? i think you may still get some partial cover. I'll be in Crete that day - sadly not a chance. |
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Post by ThomasQuinn on Jun 7, 2021 10:10:11 GMT
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Post by The Real Wizard on Jun 7, 2021 10:15:04 GMT
At the moment it's more of the latter. |
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 2,868
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Jun 9, 2021 15:08:39 GMT
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 2,868
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Jul 19, 2021 16:30:43 GMT
Black Wings Chief Mouse ThomasQuinn jon_innuendo HelloDelilah Chopin1995 pg emrabt The Real Wizard Lord Fickle Raf katydyd5 tedwe're now into two simultaneous periods of meteor shower activity: Alpha Capricornids which are with us from 2 July - 14 Aug. Although the peak hourly rate is only around 5, we've some clear nights at the moment so fingers crossed for clear skies around activity peak: July 30th. We're blessed with the Perseids (active period: 16 July - 23 Aug) this year because the peak (Aug 11-13) period will coincide with a new moon - which means relatively darker skies (even in towns). Although the late night owls / early birds will see great spectacles throughout the six weeks, the peak on the 12 will present excellent viewing just after sunset (9pm UK time) until around midnight - expect upto 150 meteors per hour! anyone want advice on camera settings, just shout.
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Post by katydyd5 on Jul 20, 2021 0:35:30 GMT
Thanks for the info Brenski!
I look forward to the Perseids every year and hope for clear skies this year. It's been a while since we've had good viewing here. When my boys were little I used to wake them up in the middle of the night to go lay on sheets on the lawn in the backyard to watch. Since that time the area has been built up a bit more so with more light it's not as good viewing as it once was. Maybe if the sky will be clear during the peak period in August I'll drive out to my son's house which is out in the country. LOL, if I do that, this time I'll wake my grandkids to continue the tradition.
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 2,868
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Aug 2, 2021 9:20:31 GMT
Black Wings Chief Mouse ThomasQuinn jon_innuendo HelloDelilah Chopin1995 pg emrabt The Real Wizard Lord Fickle Raf katydyd5 tedPeak Activity Dates: Aug 11-13 Time: 2000-0300 (UK time) Peak Activity Volume: 150 per hour, including an excellent chance of seeing Fireballs. Radiant: 33° (above horizon) / 35° North East Note the radiant is important, as although meteors can appear anywhere, they'll all appear somewhere (outward) from this point in the sky. This webpage will help you to predict where to look/point your camera: www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/perseid.htmlAs we're now getting closer to peak time for the Perseids, I thought I'd add some camera settings: Aperture: F/2.8 (or max for your lens) ISO: 1600-4000 (depends upon how dark the sky is, locally 400-800 in light polluted areas) Shutter: 20secs (remember - rule of 500*) Use BULB setting if using an intervalometer. What we're trying to capture can be extremely brief (a fraction of a second) to 3 or 4 seconds. It's not a simply a matter of see+click. You'll need to take lots of images to ensure capturing some meteor activity. Here's my suggestion. Ideally, an intervalometer is the best approach. Set your camera up on a tripod - with a nice clear view of a widefield view of the sky, with the North East being in the top third middle of your camera view. Set your intervalometer to LONG = 20sec, INTVL = 23sec, SHOTS = 200+ Many DSLRs and Phone Cameras allow you to set these on the device itself, without the need for an Intervalometer. Rule of 500:This is very important, ALWAYS apply the rule of 500 when taking night-sky images! This rule dictates the maximum length in seconds of any shot - if you want to avoid star trails and commas. To determine your maximum exposure time simply divide 500 by the length of your chosen camera lens. For example: a 20mm lens = 500/20 = 25secs.
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 2,868
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Aug 12, 2021 17:57:26 GMT
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Post by katydyd5 on Aug 12, 2021 23:38:03 GMT
I sure hope you will post pictures. We've been in a bit of a drought for a while and it figures that now, though we still have no rain, we have lots of clouds. I'm going to try and see something tonight, but I'm not feeling hopeful.
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Post by ThomasQuinn on Aug 13, 2021 9:16:00 GMT
Unfortunately, the sky was not particularly clear here last night. I'm going to try again tonight!
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 2,868
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Aug 14, 2021 11:13:14 GMT
Looks good! Sadly, more intermittent cloud cover last night. Jupiter is starting to look pretty good, though! Jupiter & Saturn are pretty spectacular. Rising in the East one hour after sunset. |
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CuppaJo
Tatterdemalion
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Post by CuppaJo on Aug 16, 2021 0:22:49 GMT
Don't forget! Next Sun., the 22nd, is the blue moon of 2021 @ 8:02 AM, Eastern Time, in the U.S. I pray it's not a cloudy night before/after to photograph.
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BrƎИsꓘi
Administrator
They called it paradise, I don't know why...You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 2,868
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Aug 16, 2021 6:25:40 GMT
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