The heat goes on!

Still no break in the heatwave...sun, sun, sun and clear skies! Temperature at about 28 degrees...phew!
Finished school last Friday and during the last week we had a 'Space Day' with the kids. I took in my ST80 refractor and we looked at the Moon which was clearly visible at about 9.30am. Some of the children showed some real interest and we submitted a job to the BRT for a look at the Dumbell Nebula, still waiting for the result.

Here is the Ring Nebula (M57) taken with the BRT and processed with the FITS viewer.

Your Job:

Request ID 28903
Job ID 20564
Object Type MESSIER
Object ID 57
Object Name The Ring Nebula
Exposure Time 120000 ms
Filter Type Colour
Dark frame Instant
Site Name Tenerife
Telescope Type Name Galaxy
Telescope Name Galaxy Camera
Request Time 21:16 on Sunday 28 May 2006 (20:16:18 UTC)
Completion Time 05:14 on Thursday 1 June 2006 (04:14:37 UTC)
Comments
Status Complete

Heatwave!

Got this image back from BRT of the Pinwheel Galaxy, again another object that is hard to see with a telescope. I have done a lot of processing with this one as the image had a very red colour and the focus was not good. I've managed to pull out quite a lot of detail which shows the arms of the spiral and the colours look quite good too.

Incredible weather!
Not a cloud in the sky for almost a week and the temperature has reached 31 degrees. It gets hotter...today could break all records 39 degrees down South! Just come in from outside trying to image some DSO's with my 130m. Although it looks clear, my images are not very good and I STILL can't find the Whirlpool Galaxy, found M39 open cluster tonight though.

Whirlpool Galaxy Revisited

Had a go tonight at bringing out the Whirlpool Galaxy that was imaged by the BRT. This time I used the FITS data and Java tool.
Wow! What a result, it has bought the image to life and the detail is brilliant!
I still cannot find this beasty with my scopes even though it is clear outside and I know where to look...visually a difficult one.
Well, one week to go before the holidays and I am pretty tired! I really wanted to out tonight to do some imaging, but I can't bring myself to concentrate at this late hour.

Here it is!

Just received my image of the Great Hercules Cluster from the Bradford Robotic Telescope in Tenerife. Here it is after a bit of processing.
Must admit that my own image is just as good...what do you think?
This was initially processed with the FITS Java Applet, seems to bring out the detail in the image.

Here is the info on the BRT:

Request ID 31798
Job ID 22948
Object Type MESSIER
Object ID 13
Object Name The Great Hercules Globula Cluster
Exposure Time 30000 ms
Filter Type Colour
Dark frame Instant
Site Name Tenerife
Telescope Type Name Galaxy
Telescope Name Galaxy Camera
Request Time 23:23 on Tuesday 27 June 2006 (22:23:58 UTC)
Completion Time 00:48 on Sunday 9 July 2006 (23:48:05 UTC)
Comments The Great hercules Globular Cluster
Status Complete

Here is the colour version:

Wild Duck Cluster

No...that's the name of a cluster of stars not a visit to Crompton Lodges!
This one is my job from the Bradford Robotic Telescope, still waiting for another image of the Great Hercules Globular...watch this space!
Weather this week (and last) was hot! temperature reaching 29 degrees, last Sunday the heavens opened...wow talk about a summer storm!
Today it's much cooler and raining.