2010 Solar System Bests

and best DSO

Mars 2009 - 2010 FINISHED!

I had taken it upon myself to go out as often as possible for this apparition.  As long as it was clear, I was out imaging.  Most nights were mostly poor as is frequent in the winter around here.  This was the 1st time using a 5x PowerMate in my C8i.  I long planned to get a large aperture, fast f-ratio Newtonian, and now do.  Having this plan in my mind it seemed fitting to use it this season on a bright, but small planet in Mars.  Here's some highlights that haven't seen the light of day in the past year...

As always, click for larger size and here's the whole Mars 2009-2010 season (http://maphilli14.multiply.com/photos/album/102/Astronomy_-_Solar_System_-_Mars_2009_-_2010)

My attempt at getting Phobos and Deimos using an obscuring bar made from aluminum foil.  I only got Deimos...next apparition, both with animation and a 14"!

and the mouse over version!  http://maphilli14.webs.com/Astronomy/8-Webs/SolarSystem/Mars/2009-2010/index.html

and one more

I do apologize that some of my orientations are N-up and some are S-up.  Worse than that, some are just plainly mislabeled!!!

Jupiter with Ganymede Eclipse

Main site

This was night 4 of 4 and the current longest consecutive stretch of nights in a row.  I set out to capture Io emerging from transit at nearly the same time as a eclipse of Ganymede.  

One of the best RGBs that started the night off before the seeing really fell apart. (click image for high res)

One of the better red channels (click image for high res)

Here is the animation, which consists of 57 sub images.  Each frame is a separate 10s capture at 50fps.  I tried to set the frame rate in the animation at 25ms.  The capture duration is from 05:36 UT to 05:51 UT. 

http://maphilli14.webs.com/Astronomy/8-Webs/SolarSystem/Jupiter/2010/20100831/j2010-08-31_r_mp-flash-25ms.gif

Enjoy!

Mike

Sunset + Autumn + Lake + Bike = Magic!

Jupiter Oct 23/24

BE SURE TO CLICK EACH PHOTO FOR HIGH-RES views!!!

Two nights of decent to above average seeing and a nice double transit weekend before last.

1st night had better seeing:  Oct 23, 2010

Great Red Spot

Io off limb

Io in transit and shadow on globe

Oct 24, Dual moon events:

Left to Right -- Ganymede, Io, Europa (under Ganymede's shadow) and Europa's shadow just on the right edge...

By 0224UTC Io has disappeared behind Jupiter, but seeing improved such that Europa is clearly defined and it's shadow has moved further towards the center

Jupiter in avg seeing 20101011

Nothing special

Comet 103P/Hartley Motion Animation Oct 8, 2010 (!!17MB GIF !!)

I'm still struggling on how to process the comet against a static, but separately processed stellar field.  Here's a cool effect, 2 minute sub exposures times 32 quantity.  Spanning ~100 minutes of time (small dithering time in between each sub and some tossed subs).

Warning, this file is 17MB

Jupiter with Europa Transit near opposition

Seeing was good initially, poorer later, but I'm still sorting out the captures.

And another from later, where you can see Europa a bit better, as it's closer to the edge.

Nice view of Jupiter's GRS and Jr!

Don't forget to click the image for a larger view!  This is from night 3 of 4 and the seeing wasn't quite as good as the night before.  Still, always nice to catch the Great Red Spot.

And don't forget to look at the rest of this season here: http://maphilli14.webs.com/jupiterbymikephillips.htm

Megan and Dad's Catch!

We were relocating a lizard from our unfinished storage to the creek near the main road and found not only tadpoles, but also small fish (not caught) and CRAYFISH! I had no idea they were happily living in the creek in my back yard!

Tape30-2010.06.19_10-15-44.dv.mpg

Great view of the boring side of Jupiter

Seeing might have been best on night 2/4 last weekend.  Too bad it's the boring side, but I really could stare at this shot and let it soak in.

As always, the whole season is up here on my web.com homepage!

3d Europa transit 20100828

 

Make sure you click image titles for a larger view.  They're fitted for the web.com main page rss feed!

                Be sure to try to cross your eyes and make the moon pop out!

As Mitch Duke can attest to we've had some good seeing around here the past week. I attribute it much to a stalled high bounded by Hurricane Earl, which thankfully is only brushing our coast and not bashing it!

Anyway in a vain effort to compete with the world class images popping out of the wood work, I offer my humble 8" from night 1 of 4 ( a personal best).

I also grabbed some Uranus shots this night too, which I'm still assembling.

I will probably post the remainder of my work up on the new website:

http://maphilli14.webs.com/ 

Be sure to try to trick your mind and or cross your eyes on this one as it WILL make the moon pop out in front of those shark tooth shapes in the sSEB.

                                              150% sized!

                                          Mono channels

Uranus with 4 or 5 moons

You decide if I got elusive Miranda or not.  I found some Flea3 tips from Anthony Wesley that might help me net out a better set, including needed darks too!

RGB:

Here's the mouse over version with NASA's JPL overlay.  It wasn't spot on aligned, so either I was off on the time or speed of light delay.

http://maphilli14.webs.com/Astronomy/8-Webs/SolarSystem/Uranus/2010/Mouse-Over-Template.html

4th of July 2010

Happy belated 4th. These are all from a neighbors display.
a variety of exposures, from 15-30s on a tripod.

Good seeing Jupiter Jun27

Best we've had in sometime! Even the kids are getting out of bed, Jake my 6YO helped with this one and found 3 of the moons, two of which are pictured here

Jupiter and GRS Jr 20100619 0910UT

1st image from my 2nd of the early season.  I really wanted sleep, but more good seeing in the SE USA and some clear skies for a change got me out of bed.  I tried to get the GRS Jr. and may have sharpend a bit too far.

Tell me what you think I caught going on near the GRS Jr.

Astronomy - Solar System - Jupiter (2010)

SEB seems gone at start of season. First opposition with the Flea3

Late season Mars

Rescaled 2x using the 2.5x PM and the new(ish) Flea3!

Anyone know what that bright spot in the blue channel is near Arabia Terra?

Earlier shot doesn't show, must be some alignment or stacking error

Happy 6th Birthday Jacob!

"Hey dad, guess what?"

"Chicken Butt?"

No Jacob's 6 years old today!

Left to Right:

Top: Birth, 5/14/2004 - 1YO 2005, 2YO 2006, 3YO 2007

Bottom: 4YO 2008, 5YO 2009, 6YO 2010, Birth, 5/14/2004

Happy Birthday Megan

4 years old today.

Here is the mash up, birth to recent and all birthdays in between.