Archive for August, 2024

5 results.

Jupiter 20240827

Aug28
by kevin on August 28, 2024 at 15:09 and modified on August 28, 2024. at 15:10
Posted In: astronomy

We had the opportunity to try out a new Optical Telescope Assembly the other morning and so were up and about at 04:00 EDT aiming to image Jupiter, even with the last quarter moon sitting right on top of it.
The results were exciting:

This is Jupiter without any barlows or powermates, at f10, FL 2350mm showing much sharper detail than I have seen in years, along with the moon Ganymede, coming out from behind Jupiter moving right to left.
This is the best 5% of 22K frames, each frame about 1.4ms, as stacked by Autostakkert! V4 and then wavelet sharpening using registax. I’ll note that Registax standard settings were not of any use with the new optics… I had to try some other settings that have not been proven. Perhaps with more testing, it will get even better!
I am very happy with the results and in the next imaging session will in fact be using a x1.5 barlow to bring surface details up even more.

As a comparison, here is an image from last month using the old optics:

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Garlic Harvest dates over the years

Aug21
by kevin on August 21, 2024 at 12:08 and modified on August 27, 2024. at 14:02
Posted In: garlic

The 2023/2024 crop of garlic has been cleaned, weighed, measured and stored away in the cold room.
Time to start thinking about the 2045/2025 crop.
A summary of when we have planted in the past:

2024 to be determined… maybe november?
2023 Oct 24
2022 Oct 24
2021
2020 Oct 28
2019 Oct 18
2018 Nov 05
2017 Nov 04
2016 Nov 05
2015 Oct 11
2014 Nov 02
2013 Oct 19
2012 Oct 20
2011 Oct 10
2010 Oct 23
2009 Oct 12
2008 Oct 18
2007 Oct 13

We basically watch the weather forecasts two weeks out and look for a downturn.. or a heavy frost (-3C or colder) night, and try to plant a week or two before that. Enough time for the cloves to establish a few roots, and with them being down 4″ they will have more time before a sustained cold affects them.
We have been getting better at planting, moving from 7-8 hours with 300 cloves to maybe 6 hours with 500+ cloves.
Being organized helps and having the bed ready to go is also a critical.
The beds (rotated from last year) will be tilled, compost and composted sheep manure added, then tilled again, at least a month before planting… which is around now.
Other prep includes having the garlic seed chosen in advance, cracking the bulbs in advance and having at least 6 ready to go in a labelled bag and a labelled stick for the ground.

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astro power

Aug15
by kevin on August 15, 2024 at 09:28 and modified on August 15, 2024. at 09:31
Posted In: alternative power, astronomy


For those following the tales of portable power and our adventures at Starfest… the news is great!
We used a 32AmpHour 12vdc battery in the popup trailer to runs its lights, CO detector and other minor bits without issue.
We built a stand angled for approx early August solar declination/altitude for the 10watt solar panel to charge it. This was with spare 1×2’s and a spare 2×2 and a couple of bolts and nuts. It folds down to a compact shape as well. I think the solar panel is an old (10 year) 10watt from Canadian Tire?


We used the 6.5AH (Talentcell 12V LiFePO4 Battery Pack LF4100, 2000 Cycles Rechargeable 12.8V 6.5Ah 83.2Wh Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery with DC 12/9 Volt and 5V USB Output $70) to run the DSLR camera lens heater and to charge up the android tablet running the SeeStar S50 telescope and two smartphones for the three days. It was pretty much depleted by event end. We figured we could recharge it from the 32AH trailer battery if need be.


The 3rd system was a 12vdc 7AH power source in a princess auto ammo box powering the RASCKC Douglas 25cm dobsonian telrad heater and eyepiece heater.

It has a power hub but no limiting controls on it.. so the eyepiece was hot and the telrad was clear! We plan on doing some upgrades to the Douglas including variable power control for the accessories.
There were a *lot* of solar panels in the field!

Starfest also had 110vac charging stations here and there in buildings/tents for use if you did not purchase the field power option.

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Perseid Meteor Shower 2024

Aug14
by kevin on August 14, 2024 at 12:19 and modified on August 14, 2024. at 12:30
Posted In: astronomy

The last 5 nights of a nightly summary image from the UWO Allsky2 Camera System:

18 events Allsky2-20240810

31 events Allsky2-20240811

30 events Allsky2-20240812

36 events Allsky2-20240813

14 events Allsky2-20240814


This low light video supercircuits video generates a 640×480 monochrome image and was installed in 2012.

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Titan transit of Saturn 20240801

Aug01
by kevin on August 1, 2024 at 10:00 and modified on August 2, 2024. at 08:23
Posted In: astronomy

For only the second time in my decades of planetary imaging, Saturn’s Moon Titan transitted across the face of Saturn. This particular event as very low on the bottom of Saturn and is difficult to make out. This image shows the moon about in the middle section of the bottom of Saturn (with a small yellow dash).

The imaging session started around 00:30 EDT and Saturn was both low in altitude and also in the light pollution dome of Kingston. Focus was difficult and a moving target. About one hour in, I refocussed again and this time it was better. So the first hour was pretty much tossed out.

It was warm.. about 19C and no mosquitos! There were some coyotes but they kept their distance.
After about 2.5 hours the exposure started to tank, I thought it might be clouds, but it turned out to be a dew heater strap on that was not turned on… the primary mirror fogged up.

This image is the best 10% of 5200 frames of approx 45ms each in a 4 minute run. Saturn was up to 36 degrees by this time and an airmass of 1.7, much better than the 20 odd degrees and airmass of 2.2 at the start.

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