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.