2018-09-28 photos  (pm)

Have installed FocusMax V4 and getting some VCurves to build the focus profile.

While we have made great progress installing and testing out the new camera, I wanted to share a few images from both to highlight some of the capabilities of what can be done with the wonderful equipment at this amazing dark site. The initial astrophoto team will be working with the data and practice scheduling targets with the system.

CCD with 16" f/8.9 RC:

Helix Nebula

Helix Nebula: single raw 30 minute CCD frame taken with h-alpha filter on a night with thin clouds. The AOX unit was used for guiding. It is great having the camera's great sensitivity to easily pick up the first outer loop of the helix in a raw frame. OIII and SII frames will also be taken for testing the other narrowband filters.

Image Rotator

Not circumpolar: a 10second image testing out the rotator on a random star.

Orion

DSLR + 200mm lens: Orion - A single 3 minute unguided shot @f/4, ISO1600. Just photoshop levels and curves used. Lots of dust and nebulosity showing up. M78 at upper left including a portion of Barnard's Loop.

great progress is being made.  Now it's about training teams, tackeling the data storage, and putting processes in place.

We appreciate your continued support in this National effort.

2018-09-28 Progress Report

An email went out to all members requesting volunteers to form the telescope operations, astrophotography and science teams. 23 people reesonded. The teams are now being trained. Meanwhile the telescope cameras are being tested and imagery taken.

One problem being tackled is data storage—where to put all of the images coming down from the two cameras after every night run.