Observation Log - September 22, 2000

Observation Log - September 22, 2000 - Tinton Falls, NJ

Tonight's session was the first session with the newly repaired and upgraded Starlight Xpress MX516. The cooling problem I had experienced was due to a bad power brick. And I had the CCD chip upgraded to the newest, more sensitive chip. I also added a 15-meter cable, which didn't seem to work too well with the camera. I went back to my older 10-meter cable and had no more problems. In addition to regular imaging, I took a set of darks like usual, and added a new run of flats for common configurations with the Homeyer color filter wheel, and with no reducer, with the 6.3 reducer and with the 3.3 reducer.

Here's an image I took to compare the new CCD chip with the old. This is the latest version of NGC7319, Stephan's Quintet, galaxies in Pegasus, magnitudes 12.6 to 15.3, group diameter about 3'.5. Main components are, from the right side going counterclockwise: NGC 7317, m13.6 42" x 30"; NGC 7318A, m13.4 1'.6 x 1'.2; NGC 7318B, m13.1 1'.9 x 1'.2; NGC 7319, m13.1 1'.6 x 1'.2; (left away from group) NGC 7320C, M15.3 24"; (bottom) NGC 7320, m12.6 1'.9 x 1'.0. The tiny galaxy at the far left bottom of the image remains unidentified. The exposures for this composite were taken between 01:43 a.m. and 02:20 a.m. the morning of September 22, 2000. A total of 17 frames were used, with a total integration time of 33 minutes. The Meade LX200 was used with the f/6.3 focal reducer and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place, giving an effective focal ratio of f/4. The final image was created and processed with dark frame subtraction, flat field, median filter, then compositing, Digital Development (FFT, low- pass, mild), a low-pass kernel filter, and finally a contrast stretch. Here is my previous effort on Stephan's Quintet from mid July. Note that the current image is comparable to the original image, yet it was acquired with an exposure time of 33 minutes versus 131 minutes using the old chip!

NGC7332 and NGC7339, two galaxies in Pegasus. On the right, NGC7332 is magnitude 11.1, dimensions 3'.6 x 0'.9. On the left, NGC7339 is magnitude 12.2, dimensions 2'.8 x 0'.8. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer, for an effective f/ratio of f/4, and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place. This is a composite made from 34 images with a total integration time of 35 minutes. Each image was processed with dark frame removal, flat field and median filter for noise reduction, then compositing, Digital Development (FFT, low-pass, mild), and finally a contrast adjustment. Images were taken between 11:25 p.m. and 12:07 a.m., the night of September 21/22, 2000.

NGC6934, a globular cluster in Delphinus, magnitude 8.9, diameter 5'.9. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer, for an effective f/ratio of f/4, and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place. This is a composite made from 11 images of 2 minutes each, for a total integration time of 22 minutes. Each image was processed with dark frame removal, flat field and median filter for noise reduction, then compositing, Digital Development (Kernel, low-pass), an FFT low-pass hard, and finally a contrast adjustment. Images were taken between 09:27 and 09:54 p.m., the evening of September 21st, 2000, under very good skies.

M32, a dwarf elliptical galaxy in Andromeda, a companion galaxy to M31, magnitude 8.1, dimensions 8'.7 x 6'.5, distance given as 2.3 to 2.9 million light years. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer, for an effective f/ratio of f/4, and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place. This is a composite made from 15 images of 1 minute each, for a total integration time of 15 minutes. Each image was processed with dark frame removal, flat field and median filter for noise reduction, then compositing, Digital Development (FFT, low-pass, hard), and finally a contrast adjustment. Images were taken between 01:20 and 01:38 a.m., the morning of September 22nd, 2000.

I originally took this image in order to compare it with my earlier image of M32 to see how much progress I've made in CCD technique. I took my first image of M32 on October 30, 1999. As I played with image enhancement techniques on my new image, I cranked up the contrast quite a bit, and saw that I had captured some of the outer regions of M31, the Andromeda Galaxy, in the upper right quadrant of the frame. Upon closer inspection, and by comparison with the University of Washington Press atlas of M31, I found that I had captured quite a few interesting details in M31. For example, by comparing my image with the finder chart, you can see that the image clearly shows four globular clusters in M31, labeled G142, G156 (mag 15.6, 2".5), G163 and G176 (mag 16.3, 2".7) on the finder chart. The chart labels open clusters with a 'C' and uses a solid outline to represent stellar associations and dotted outlines to represent dust clouds. If you take a minute and bring up my higher-contrast image and the finder chart in separate windows in your browser, you'll find quite a few interesting objects.

M110, an elliptical galaxy in Andromeda, a companion to M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy.) M110 is magnitude 8.0 with dimensions of 21'.9 x 11'.0, giving a fairly low surface brightness. This galaxy is at a distance of 2.3 million light years. Images were taken using the f/6.3 focal reducer, for an effective f/ratio of f/4, and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place. This is a composite made from 33 images for a total integration time of 34 minutes. Each image was processed with dark frame removal, flat field and median filter for noise reduction, then compositing, Digital Development (FFT, low-pass, hard), FFT low-pass medium, a median kernel filter and finally a contrast adjustment. Images were taken between 12:26 and 01:09 a.m., the morning of September 22nd, 2000. Here is another lower-contrast version of this same image with less contrast stretch to show more detail near the core. Note the mottled look of the nucleus of this galaxy. The dark patches are real objects that appear on images produced on larger telescopes. According to Stephen james O'Meara, a visual observer may be able to see these under good conditions and higher magnification.

M1, the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant in Taurus. M1 is magnitude 8.4 with dimensions of 6' x 4', and it is at a distance of 6,500 light years. Images were taken at the prime focus of the LX200 at f/6.3, and the Homeyer color filter wheel was in place. (NOTE: This image was made WITHOUT a focal reducer.) This is a composite made from 10 images for a total integration time of 17 minutes. Each image was processed with dark frame removal, flat field and median filter for noise reduction, then compositing, Digital Development (FFT, low-pass, hard), a process kernel filter (low-pass) and finally a contrast adjustment. Images were taken between 05:24 and 05:45 a.m., the morning of September 22nd, 2000.

Jupiter, dimensions 40.05 seconds polar, 42.82 seconds equatorial. Images were taken using the 3X TeleView barlow, for an approximate f/ratio of f/19, and the Homeyer color filter wheel was used. This is an RGB composite made from 13 images, 5 each in red and green, and 3 in blue. All exposures were approximately 0.5 seconds. The three color channels were processed and composited individually. The three composited color channels were each processed with Maximum Entropy Deconvolution, then the resulting three frames were color combined. The final image was contrast adjusted, and rotated. Images were taken between 04:30 and 04:37 a.m., the morning of September 22st, 2000.

Saturn, dimensions 17.24 seconds polar, 19.32 seconds equatorial. Ring system dimensions were 43.8 seconds major axis, 18.0 seconds minor axis. Images were taken using the 3X TeleView barlow, for an approximate f/ratio of f/19, and the Homeyer color filter wheel was used. This is an LRGB composite made from 20 images, 5 each in red and green, blue, and white. All exposures were approximately 0.5 seconds. The four channels were processed and composited individually. Each was processed with Maximum Entropy Deconvolution, then the resulting frames were color combined. The final image was contrast adjusted, and rotated. Images were taken between 04:43 and 04:52 a.m., the morning of September 22st, 2000.