MOA 2010-BLG-394

MOA 2010-BLG-394

RA: 18:05:53.27
Dec: -31:23:59.47
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X=90 Y=203
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse Michelle Knowler

MOA 2010-BLG-392

MOA 2010-BLG-392

RA: 18:08:10.14
Dec: -25:15:21.46
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X=176 Y=44
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse Michelle Knowler

10 July 2010 UT
Excellent transparency and good seeing. Target is still somewhat faint.Not doing an all night run because the target is days away from peak.

Note there is a break in the middle of this run, but all the images are uploaded in the same zip file because nothing was changed, and the telescope was not moved. (We were doing some camera tests for a while.)
- Guy+Michelle

11 July 2010 UT
Conditions tonight are very marginal. There is some high cloud tied to a very slowly moving weather system. Unfortunately we are right on the edge, and it could go either way at any time during the night. The seeing is also very poor, which is not helping image quality. The worst images have already been removed. On the other hand, Michelle was on-site and taking images as early as 0630 UT. This means the data does span a considerable amount of time, even if it is at sporadic intervals. Guy gave up shortly before 1300 UT.
- Michelle+Guy

MOA 2010-BLG-349

MOA 2010-BLG-349

RA: 17:53:27.65
Dec: -28:24:43.34
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X=26 Y=170
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse Michelle Knowler

MOA 2010-BLG-311

MOA 2010-BLG-311
RA: 18:08:49.98
Dec: -25:57:04.27
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X=266 Y=28
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

MB10311.jpg image this is from tonight and is much sharper


15 June 2010 UT
images 001 to 016
Just managed to get a few images before the target set. Last image has an airmass of about 3 but is obvious
16 June
_a images 017 to 029
Fantastic seeing tonight, images are much improved on last night. Did one hour to start with to get some data in the can and have switched to 092. Will get some more later in the night.

_b images 030 to 108 second and biggest batch for the night. Again still great skies and seeing. There is a gap of images numbered
095 to 104, lost the autoguider and it re-captured in a different framing i.e. target is not close to center. These images are fine but I think need to be processed seperately?
**Also note new 00_finder

_c images 095 to 104
these images have a shift right and up compared to all the other images. I have not re-centered them as this
would crop the image severely so thought it best if I left them for you guys just un-touched. At least you
have the data.

17 June 2010 UT

_a images 109 to 117
fisrt images of the night showed greater than expected increase in brightness so looks like high mag event.

_b images 118 to 157: 0820 to 1140UT
target still rising at 1140 UT no sign of the top yet. Still clear but storm clouds out to sea in both directions it's only a matter of time :-(

MOA 2010-BLG-285

MOA 2010-BLG-285
RA: 17:56:48.16
Dec: -30:00:39.47
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X= Y=
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

MOA 2010-BLG-266

MOA 2010-BLG-266

RA: 17:54:50.84
Dec: -34:15:40.35
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X=182 Y=196
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

MOA 2010-BLG-092

MOA 2010-BLG-092

RA: 18:18:57.69
Dec: -26:10:05.50
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X=249 Y=96
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

First night 3 Jun 2010

Clear night, good seeing. Some images have rather poor focus. Nothing to major however.

6 June 2010 UT
Very marginal night but got a few holes in the clouds. Most of the five only images have
had a small amount of cloud passing during the exposure but not enough to ruin the image.
Seeing and focus fairly poor.

15 June 2010 UT
perfectly clear night, quick photometry showed target still dropping,
Michelle

16 June
fantastic clear sky perfect seeing. Just got six images before the event was called off as it is a binary.
Dave and Michelle

MOA 2010-BLG-274

MOA 2010-BLG-274

RA: 17:52:24.11
Dec: -33:03:55.57
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X=    Y=
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

MOA 2010-BLG-073

MOA 2010-BLG-073
RA: 18:10:11.34
Dec: -26:31:22.54
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Autoguider X=310 Y=113
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

First night clear until dawn. No idea of what target is yet.

Second night again perfect weather, still having the shutter jamming every so often and losing the autoguider. This is why the Autoguider co-ordanates are in the info above.

MOA 2010-BLG-081

MOA 2010-BLG-081
RA: 17:46:57.45
Dec: -34:57:39.73
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

MOA 2010-BLG-158

MOA 2010-BLG-158
RA: 17:56:43.83
Dec: -31:58:17.12
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

No observations taken event called off by uFun

MOA 2010-BLG-146

MOA 2010-BLG-146
RA: 17:55:25.79
Dec: -28:58:06.20
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

Turned out to be binary

New QHA antenna

Put up a new QHA antenna today to try diversity reception on the Satellite reciever. Getting a lot of interferance not sure why yet. Seems like a cable issue.

Bunkroom PC

Guy replaced the motherboard, CPU and memory on the bunkroom PC as it was very noisey.

MOA 2010-BLG-077

MOA 2010-BLG-077

RA: 18:03:26.88
Dec: -30:40:06.12
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: Guy Thornley, David Moorhouse, Michelle Knowler

First night clear skies, good seeing and transparency. Had a few issues with autoguider lossing lock during the night.

Second night again clear all night. Seeing not as good as last. Autoguider again playing up as we went over the meridian, perhaps a balance issue, time will tell.

Time has told, it's a Binary :-(

MOA 2010-BLG-069

MOA 2010-BLG-069
RA: 17:52:31.74
Dec: -30:39:49.75
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: David Moorhouse, Michelle

Good night, didn't get started until about 1am as there was to much passing cloud but then got a good run until about 4.30am. Target is bright and well seperated from other stars.

Second night got an early start at about midnight but high air mass of 4! Pics were average, again got stopped after a few hours by cloud. This late night stuff is harsh.

NOAA Satellite receiver

Today is day one of the new receiver. Putting up the antenna was the last part of the puzzle. The receiver came from www.geo-web.org.uk and cost NZ$400 the antenna is second hand but almost new from Gary Moles in Palmerston North at $140. The images are currently going to www.binoscope.co.nz/wxtoimg/noaa.html but may be hosted on the Auckland Astronomical Society site one day. Below is the very first image it produced. The satellite pass is very low only getting 28 deg above the horizon which is why it is so noisy.

Raising the floor

For many years users of the Kumeu Observatory have cursed the 150mm (6") drop in the floor between the entrance and the middle storage area. Alistair had a huge job moving his 18" dob in and out. Others couldn't store instruments where they wanted and teh door area became cluttered. I just spent two days mid week putting in a false floor so it's all level. The change is huge making the whole space feel bigger and more connected. Moving of the telescopes is now easy. One day we will get vinyl laid to complete the job.

MOA 2010-BLG-020

MOA 2010-BLG-020
RA: 17:52:49.88
Dec: -30:36:06.42
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: David Moorhouse

No images taken, cloud all evening

MOA 2010-BLG-050

MOA 2010-BLG-050
RA: 18:01:26.30
Dec: -28:38:33.83
Optics: Celestron C14
Focal length: 2634mm
Pixel Scale; 0.70"/pixel
Camera: SBIG ST7 XME Deluxe
CCD: KAF-0402ME class 1
Filters: Wratten #12
Exposure: 300 sec
Observers: David Moorhouse

Seven images taken all night due to cloud.

Storage area insulation

Today makes the finish of the insulation project. We finally did the roof area of the entrance and storage area. It now has pink batts insulation R2.6 rating so we should be warm at night during this years Microlensing season. Gone are the days of sleeping inside at 2 deg centigrade above the outdoor temperature! I can't believe the difference compared to what the place looked like when we started going there. Once again Peter our neighbour came to the rescue with a trailer to get the materials to site and a electric screw gun. He also suggested using a gib lifter which lifts sheets of gib board to allow installation on the ceiling, the kitchen area we did by hand, it took three of us and was a real mission, this became a simple one man job, thanks Peter.

Network and weather station problems fixed.

Fixed the network connection to from the Dome to Steves house, 200 meters away. The post on which a repeater was on had been removed! A few screws and cable ties and its fixed. Also the remote sensor for the external wind vane and rain gauge stopped talking wirelessly to the inside unit. Ran a wire between the two, seems to be working fine now. Manual says this will reduce battery life so have to watch that.

New bunks!

The new bunks. We now have a set of King Single bunks to replace the old wire frame singles we had before. They are wooden and very sturdy from 'The Bunk House' in Manakau cost about $800 mostly donated by Guy Thornley. Bad nights sleeps are going to be a thing of the past.

Kitchen Insulation and cleanup

Just spent three days working to insulate the remaining walls and the ceiling of the downstairs kitchen and sleeping area. We had to remove the large shelf unit above the window. This was cut in half while on the wall to be able get it down safely. Found out how the rats were getting into the wall by the window, there was a huge hole near the flashing at the top of the window. Put up six sheets of gib with insulation on these walls. The ceiling took five sheets of gib and one bag of insulation. Took one trailer load of rubbish to the dump. Cleaned the floor in the wasp and gave the place a good once over. Shelves are back up, one in kitchen and the other half near the doorway to the dome.

Wratten #12 yellow filter

Just recieved an ASTRONZ #12 Wratten to try this season on the C14. We are going to also use the Ted Argos focal reducer this season. We are hoping to get improved FWHM with the optics working at their designed spacing and also the reduced scpectrum will help as well. Testing as soon as we get a fine evening.