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Swansea Astronomical Society BlogMonday, October 16, 2017The blank Sun in H-alpha light
Imaged using a Hypercam 178M and Lunt 50 H-alpha solar telescope. Best 50% of 1000 frames for the disk and best 20% of 1000 for the prominence layer. Stacked in Autostakkert!2 and finished in Photoshop CC.Finally, a Gaussian sharpen to enhance detail. Click on the image to geta closer view.
 Anne Startup Ophelia reddened Sun
The sky was dark and cloudy, and the Sun was red in Hereford UK this morning, to the west of the main track of hurricane Ophelia.
 Anne Startup Thursday, October 12, 2017Following the SAROS with Nick Lewis FRAS FBIS
Tonight Nick Lewis, a former Chairman of Swansea Astronomical Society, gave a fascinating lecture on the SAROS and solar eclipses to a full audience, culminating with his recent eclipse trip to the USA.
     Saturday, October 7, 2017Crater studies on the 90% waxing Moon
Celestron 9.25 SCT AVX, ZWO ASI120MC-S camera, 3000 images captured in Firecapture 2.5x64, 500 stacked and aligned in AutoStakkert!2.3, wavelets in Registax 6, then edited in Adobe Elements 11. Click on an image to get a closer view.
Copernicus
Prinz, Aristarchus, Herodotus, Vallis Schroter
Philolaus, Anaximenes, Carpenter, Anaximander, Herschel, Pythagoras, Babbage
 Colin Miles Thursday, October 5, 2017The Sun in H-alpha light with AstroDMx Capture for Linux and a QHY 5L-II-M camera
Two overlapping, 2,500 frame SER files were captured of the Sun, using a Solarmax II, 60, BF15 H-alpha scope mounted on an iOptron Cube PRO, AZ GOTO mount and a QHY 5L-II-M camera. AstroDMx Capture for Linux was used to capture the data. The best 40% of images in the SER files were stacked in Autostakkert! 3, Wavelet processed in Registax 5.1 both running in Wine, and Stitched into a single image with native Linux software, Hugin Panorama Creator. The final image was post processed the the Gimp 2.9. Click on the image to get a closer view.
Greyscale
Colourised image
 Steve Wainwright Tuesday, October 3, 201790%, waxing, gibbous Moon With AstroDMx Capture for Linux
90%, waxing, gibbous Moon tonight. Captured as 2 overlapping 16bit SER movie files, using AstroDMx Capture for Linux, an f/5.5 ED refractor mounted on an iOptron Cube Pro, AZ GOTO mount and a QHY 5L-II-M camera. The SER files were stacked in Autostakkert! 2.6, stitched in Microsoft ICE and wavelet processed in Registax 5.1, all running in Wine. The final image was processed in the Gimp 2.9 and Pinta. Click on the image twice to get a correct, closer view.
 Steve Wainwright Saturday, September 30, 2017M27 and the Sun
An image of M27 taken with the Atik 320e OSC and my new Altair Starwave 70mm EDT-R telescope. Just 4x5min subs, the last of which had very little nebula left as it was clouding over. First light with this scope.
Imaged and stacked in Maxim dl, further processed in Pixinsight, though rather limited in stretching etc due to lack of exposure time.  This solar image was taken using my new Altair Hypercam178M and the Lunt 50 H-alpha solar scope. It is slightly out of focus as I couldn't focus any further inward even though I had a screwfit adapter. 2 video files captured as Ser. Best 60% stacked in Autostakkert for each and then layered together in Photoshop CC. Unsharp masked to finish.  Here are some more images from a couple of days later. This time taken with the GPCAM and Lunt H-alpha scope. The close up ones were done using ROI in Altaircapture which speeds up the frame rate considerably.    Anne Startup Tuesday, September 26, 201729% waxing, crescent Moon with AstroDMx for Linux and a QHY 5L-II-M camera
The 29% waxing, crescent Moon,imaged with AstroDMx Capture for Linux, an f/5.5 ED refractor mounted on an iOptron Cube Pro, AZ GOTO mount and a QHY 5L-II-M camera. Nicola has almost completed the implementation of the camera. 2 overlapping 1000 frame SER files were captured. For each file, the best 400 frames were stacked in Autostakkert! running in Wine on a Linux Mint laptop. The two resulting images were stitched in Microsoft ICE running in Wine and the resulting image of the Moon was wavelet processed in Registax 5.1 running in Wine. The final image was post processed in the Gimp 2.9.
Click on the image to get a closer view:
Screenshot of AstroDMx Capture for Linux capturing the SER file for one of the frames
 Steve Wainwright Friday, September 22, 2017Saturn with a QHY 5L-II-C camera and AstroDMx Capture for Linux
Nicola is also in the process of implementing the QHY 5L-II-C camera (Kindly loaned by SAS member Derek Francis) on AstroDMx Capture for Linux. Here is first light for this colour camera with a Skymax 127 Maksutov and a 2.5 x Barlow. Saturn was very low and setting over the mountain. A 2000 frame SER file was captured and the best 40% of the frames were stacked in Autostakkert with RGB alignment, running in Wine. The resulting image was wavelet processed in Registax 5.1 also running in Wine, and post processed in the Gimp 2.9 on a Linux Mint laptop.
Screenshot of AstroDMx Capture for Linux
 Steve Wainwright Thursday, September 21, 2017M27 with a QHY 5L-II-M camera and AstroDMx Capture for Linux
Nicola is in the process of implementing the QHY 5L-II-M camera on AstroDMx Capture for Linux. Still a way to go, but first light tonight with an f/5.5, 80mm refractor. Stack of 38 x 20s, dark-frame corrected exposures of M27. The 8 bit Tiff images were stacked in Deep Sky Stacker running in Wine, and post processed in the Gimp 2.9 on a Linux Mint laptop. Click on the image to get a closer view.
Screenshot of AstroDMx Capture for Linux
 Steve Wainwright Wednesday, September 20, 2017BAY TV and the Swansea Astronomical Society
On Monday September 18th, BAY TV showed a feature about the Swansea Astronomical Society, filmed at the Society's new observatory.
Three former chairmen of the SAS were at the observatory to be interviewed by Presenter Phil Hoyles.   
Friday, September 15, 2017SAS on Bay TV
Howard Davies, the SAS Chairman received a call from Phil Hoyles requesting a news shoot for Bay TV. As he was going to the new observatory, Howard invited Phil and camera man Dave to come along and do the shoot. Brian Stokes and Brian Spinks were also there. The item should be aired on Monday night around 08:00pm on Freeview Channel 8 on Bay TV
Phil Hoyles and Co.
 Sunday, September 10, 2017The Sun in H-alpha light
September 1st. The best 70% of frames taken in Altaircapture with a GPCam and Lunt 50 solarscope. Stacked in Autostakkert! and finished in Photoshop CC.
Click on the image to get a closer view.  Anne Startup Friday, September 1, 2017The Sun in White light with a bridge camera
A static-tripod mounted Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72 bridge camera was set to 60x optical zoom, ISO 100 and 1/1000s exposure at f/5.9. images were captured in bursts of 3. 135 images were precisely cropped in AstroCrop and then stacked and wavelet processed in Registax 5.1. The final image was post processed in the Gimp 2.9 all on a Linux Mint computer. Click on the image to get a closer view.
 Steve Wainwright Tuesday, August 29, 2017The Sun and Moon on August 27th
A Solarmax ll, 60, BF15 H-alpha scope was mounted on a Celestron AVX mount. AstroDMx Capture for Linux was used with a Fedora Linux computer and a DMK21AU04.AS camera. Click on an image to get a closer view.
Using a 2x Barlow lens
AR2672
A Skymax 127 Maksutov was mounted on the AVX mount and a ZWO ASI120 MM-S camera, (kindly loaned by Derek Francis for testing the AstroDMx capture software) was fitted with a Schuler 850nm IR pass filter. Images of various regions of the 6 day, 35% waxing, crescent Moon were captured as SER files. The SER files were stacked in Autostakkert! 2.6 running in Wine, the images were stitched where required using Microsoft ICE running in Wine and wavelet processed using Registax 5.1, also running in Wine. The final images were post processed in the Gimp 2.9. Click on an image to get a closer view. 
Craters Janssen, Fabricus, Metius. Vallis Rheita, Picolomini and Rupes Altai and Petavius.
Palus Somnii, Proclus, Crater Cleomedes, Marea Crisium, Fecunditatis and Tranquillitatis
Steve Wainwright
Saturday, August 26, 2017The Sun in H-alpha light
A GPCam and Lunt 50 H-alpha scope were used to image the Sun. The best 20% of 1000 frames exposed for the surface and prominences separately. were stacked in Autostakkert!. The images were further processed and combined in Photoshop CC. Yellow filter was applied and the image was unsharp masked. Click on the image to get a closer view.
 Anne Startup Thursday, August 24, 2017Circumsolar halo
This circumsolar halo was seen in Seattle, USA, with a skyscraper occulting the Sun. Click on the image to get a closer view.
 Gaynor Thomas Tuesday, August 22, 2017Total solar eclipse from Casper, Wyoming, USA
Click on an image to get a closer view.
Diamond ring and corona
Inner corona and prominences
Corona
 Nick Lewis Total eclipse from Salem, Oregon, USAMonday, August 21, 2017The Solar eclipse from South Wales
A tripod mounted Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72 bridge camera fitted with a Baader solar filter, was used to capture single images in a cloudy situation. First, the camera was set to automatic and maximum zoom to capture a full disk image showing AR2671 and a new sunspot group coming around the limb at 19:10 and at 20:07 the maximum partial eclipse was similarly imaged through a gap in the clouds. Clouds still partially obscured both images.
The location was Barry in South Wales where the forecast was favourable. In the event, the forecast was poor but the eclipse was still seen. Click on an image to get a closer view.   Steve Wainwright Monday, August 14, 2017Perseids with a Gopro Hero4
A Gopro Hero4 camera was used. It was set to take continuous shots of 30 second exposures all night. Mounted on a gorilla pod with a skeleton housing, so we could attach a battery pack. 850 images were obtained. Click on an image to get a closer view.
  Sandra Stewart Perseid meteor peak from the Fairwood observatory
Saturday night, August 12th was an exceptional clear night at Fairwood and the display of Meteors was the best I have seen for a few years.
Five people turned up at the observatory including a lady and her son with a 200mm dobsonian, who lent us a 2 inch to 1 1/4 inch adapter that enabled us to use our 12 inch SCT, and with little difficulty manually. A fine view of Saturn was obtained. After that, we observed M11, the Wild Duck cluster then M25, M8 Lagoon Neb and M31 the Andromeda Galaxy. We then returned to watch the Meteors which were falling one every few minutes and besides the Meteors, the Milky Way was a site to be seen, the best I have seen it for many a day. I am planning to hold another observing night around mid September when it will be dark earlier. I will post about this nearer the time. Howard Davies Sunday, August 13, 201771% waning, gibbous Moon with Linux
A ZWO ASI 120 MC camera was placed at the prime focus of an f/5.5, ED, 80mm refractor. AstroDMx Capture for Linux was used with a Linux Mint computer to capture a 5000 frame SER file. Autostakkert 2.6 running in Wine was used to stack the best 20% of the frames and the resulting image was wavelet processed in Registax 5.1. The final image was post processed in the Gimp. Click on the image to get a closer view.
 Steve Wainwright Friday, August 11, 2017M27 with Linux
A ZWO ASI 120MM camera kindly loaned by SAS member Derek Francis for testing with AstroDMx Capture for Linux, was placed at the prime focus of an f/5.5, 80mm, ED refractor mounted on a Celestron AVX mount. Astro DMx Capture for Linux was used with a Fedora Linux computer. 23 x 30s, 16 bit RAW images exposures were captured of M27 with matching dark frames, and saved as 16 bit TIFF files. The images were captured through a UV/IR cut filter as luminance data. The images were dark-frame corrected and stacked in lxnstack, post processed in the Gimp 2.9 and Neat image. The final image was cropped in the Gimp. Click on an image to get a closer view.
 Ten, 30s images each were captured through red, green and blue filters, The images were stacked in lxnstack, combined in Andrew Sprott's AutoCAP, colour alignment processor, post processed, and the luminance data added in the Gimp 2.9  Nicola Mackin ArchivesDecember 27, 2009 January 3, 2010 January 17, 2010 January 24, 2010 January 31, 2010 February 7, 2010 February 14, 2010 February 21, 2010 February 28, 2010 March 7, 2010 March 14, 2010 March 21, 2010 March 28, 2010 April 4, 2010 April 11, 2010 April 18, 2010 April 25, 2010 May 2, 2010 May 9, 2010 May 16, 2010 May 23, 2010 May 30, 2010 June 6, 2010 June 13, 2010 June 20, 2010 June 27, 2010 July 4, 2010 July 11, 2010 July 18, 2010 July 25, 2010 August 1, 2010 August 8, 2010 August 15, 2010 August 22, 2010 August 29, 2010 September 12, 2010 September 19, 2010 September 26, 2010 October 3, 2010 October 10, 2010 October 17, 2010 October 24, 2010 October 31, 2010 November 7, 2010 November 14, 2010 November 21, 2010 November 28, 2010 December 5, 2010 December 12, 2010 December 19, 2010 December 26, 2010 January 2, 2011 January 9, 2011 January 16, 2011 January 23, 2011 January 30, 2011 February 6, 2011 February 13, 2011 February 20, 2011 February 27, 2011 March 6, 2011 March 13, 2011 March 20, 2011 March 27, 2011 April 3, 2011 April 10, 2011 April 17, 2011 April 24, 2011 May 8, 2011 May 15, 2011 May 22, 2011 May 29, 2011 June 5, 2011 June 12, 2011 June 19, 2011 June 26, 2011 July 3, 2011 July 10, 2011 July 17, 2011 July 24, 2011 July 31, 2011 August 7, 2011 August 14, 2011 August 21, 2011 August 28, 2011 September 11, 2011 September 25, 2011 October 2, 2011 October 9, 2011 October 16, 2011 October 23, 2011 October 30, 2011 November 6, 2011 November 13, 2011 November 20, 2011 November 27, 2011 December 4, 2011 December 11, 2011 December 18, 2011 December 25, 2011 January 1, 2012 January 8, 2012 January 15, 2012 January 22, 2012 January 29, 2012 February 5, 2012 February 12, 2012 February 19, 2012 February 26, 2012 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2014 October 19, 2014 October 26, 2014 November 2, 2014 November 9, 2014 November 16, 2014 November 23, 2014 November 30, 2014 December 7, 2014 December 14, 2014 December 21, 2014 December 28, 2014 January 4, 2015 January 11, 2015 January 18, 2015 January 25, 2015 February 1, 2015 February 8, 2015 February 15, 2015 February 22, 2015 March 1, 2015 March 8, 2015 March 15, 2015 March 22, 2015 March 29, 2015 April 5, 2015 April 12, 2015 April 19, 2015 April 26, 2015 May 3, 2015 May 10, 2015 May 17, 2015 May 24, 2015 May 31, 2015 June 7, 2015 June 14, 2015 June 21, 2015 June 28, 2015 July 5, 2015 July 12, 2015 July 19, 2015 July 26, 2015 August 2, 2015 August 9, 2015 August 16, 2015 August 23, 2015 August 30, 2015 September 6, 2015 September 13, 2015 September 20, 2015 September 27, 2015 October 4, 2015 October 11, 2015 October 18, 2015 October 25, 2015 November 1, 2015 November 8, 2015 November 22, 2015 November 29, 2015 December 20, 2015 December 27, 2015 January 3, 2016 January 10, 2016 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