Friday 28 February 2014

Fire in the sky.

Came home from work to a starry sky above. Whilst eating my tea weather forecast came on. Look out for tonight Aurora they said seen as far down as Devon.

I am quite lucky to have fields behind my house and a un polluted sky. So I grabbed the camera and took these. My first Aurora from Norfolk.
Taken with the Canon 40d 18-55mm lens at 18mm f5.0 Various exposure lenths from 30 seconds upwards


Friday 21 February 2014

Near Earth Asteroid 2014 CR


A near-Earth object (NEO) is a Solar System object whose orbit brings it into proximity with Earth. 2014CR pictured here in the little box was captured by me tonight It will pass the earth in the next 2 days approx 8.3 times further than the moon. Not considered a hazard to us, but if it were at
an estimate of 130 metres it could do a great deal of damage travelling at 27.000 MPH. When you consider that the meteor crater in Arizona was formed by an object
just 50 metres across. Food for thought hey...................

Cropped image from the original below.

















Full Frame with no darks/ flats used. hence the dust donuts.


Stellarium screen print from 21.00 hrs tonight.









Thursday 20 February 2014

Lunar 100

Objects in the Lunar 100 are arranged from the easiest to view to the most difficult. This is more systematic than the haphazard approach that produced the Messier list. Indeed, just by knowing a feature's Lunar 100 number, you have some idea of how easy or challenging it will be to see. For example, the Moon itself is L1, while L2 is earthshine and L3 is the light/dark dichotomy between lunar highlands and maria ("seas"). I'd be surprised if anyone reading this couldn't tick those off the list right now. Higher-numbered objects are smaller, less conspicuous, or positioned closer to the limb, making them more challenging to locate and view.





I was going to wait until the list was more complete before posting.
My aim of course is to complete the list and image all 100. I could cheat by just posting a pic of the full moon and complete 99%. But where is the fun in that.. .

 I hope you enjoy my list


L Image List Feature Name Significance Lat. Long. Diam.(km) Rükl Chart
(°) (°)
1
   Moon Large satellite 3,476
2
Earthshine Twice reflected sunlight
3


Mare/highland dichotomy Two materials with distinct compositions
4
Apennines Imbrium basin rim 18.9N 3.7W 70 22
5
 
Copernicus Archetypal large complex crater 9.7N 20.1W 93 31
6 Tycho Large rayed crater with impact melts 43.4S 11.1W 85 64
7
Altai Scarp Nectaris basin rim 24.3S 22.6E 425 57
8 Theophilus, Cyrillus, Catharina Crater sequence illustrating stages of degradation 13.2S 24.0E 46, 57
9
Clavius Lacks basin features in spite of its size 58.8S 14.1W 225 72
10
Mare Crisium Mare contained in large circular basin 18.0N 59.0E 540 26, 27, 37, 38
11 Aristarchus Very bright crater with dark bands on its walls 23.7N 47.4W 40 18
12 Proclus Oblique-impact rays 16.1N 46.8E 28 26
13 Gassendi Floor-fractured crater 17.6S 40.1W 101 52
14 Sinus Iridum Very large crater with missing rim 45.0N 32.0W 260 10
15
Straight Wall Best example of a lunar fault 21.8S 7.8W 110 54
16 Petavius Crater with domed & fractured floor 25.1S 60.4E 177 59
17    Schröter's Valley Giant sinuous rille 26.2N 50.8W 168 18
18 Mare Serenitatis dark edges Distinct mare areas with different compositions 17.8N 23.0E N/A 24
19
Alpine Valley Lunar graben 49.0N 3.0E 165 4
20 Posidonius Floor-fractured crater 31.8N 29.9E 95 14










21
FracastoriusCrater with subsided & fractured floor21.5S33.2E12458
22Aristarchus PlateauMysterious uplifted region mantled with pyroclastics26.0N51.0W15018
23
PicoIsolated Imbrium basin-ring fragment45.7N8.9W2511
24Hyginus RilleRille containing rimless collapse pits7.4N7.8E22034
25

Messier & Messier AOblique ricochet-impact pair1.9S47.6E1148
26Mare FrigorisArcuate mare of uncertain origin56.0N1.4E16002–6
27
ArchimedesLarge crater lacking central peak29.7N4.0W8312, 22
28HipparchusFirst drawing of a single crater5.5S4.8E15044, 45
29
Aridaeus RilleLong, linear graben6.4N14.0E25034
30
SchillerPossible oblique impact51.9S39.0W18071
31TaruntiusYoung floor-fractured crater5.6N46.5E5637
32Arago Alpha & BetaVolcanic domes6.2N21.4E2635
33Serpentine RidgeBasin inner-ring segment27.3N25.3E15524
34
Lacus MortisStrange crater with rille & ridge45.0N27.2E15214
35Triesnecker RillesRille family4.3N4.6E21533
36Grimaldi basinA small two-ring basin5.5S 68.3W44039
37BaillyBarely discernible basin66.5S69.1W30371
38Sabine & RitterPossible twin impacts1.7N19.7E3035
39SchickardCrater floor with Orientale basin ejecta stripe44.3S55.3W22762
40Janssen RilleRare example of a highland rille45.4S39.3E19067, 68







41Bessel rayRay of uncertain origin near Bessel21.8N17.9EN/A24
42Marius HillsComplex of volcanic domes & hills12.5N54.0W12528, 29
43WargentinA crater filled to the rim with lava or ejecta49.6S60.2W8470
44MerseniusDomed floor cut by secondary craters21.5S49.2W8451
45
MaurolycusRegion of saturation cratering42.0S14.0E11466
46
Regiomontanus central peakPossible volcanic peak28.0S0.6W12455
47Alphonsus dark spotsDark-halo eruptions on crater floor13.7S3.2W11944
48Cauchy regionFault, rilles, & domes10.5N38.0E13036
49Gruithuisen Delta & GammaVolcanic domes formed with viscous lavas36.3N40.0W209
50
Cayley PlainsLight, smooth plains of uncertain origin4.0N15.1E1434
51
Davy crater chainResult of comet-fragment impacts11.1S6.6W5043
52CrügerPossible volcanic caldera16.7S66.8W4550
53LamontPossible buried basin4.4N23.7E10635
54Hippalus RillesRilles concentric to Humorum basin24.5S29.0W24052, 53
55BacoUnusually smooth crater floor & surrounding plains51.0S19.1E6974
56Australe basinA partially flooded ancient basin49.8S84.5E88076
57Reiner GammaConspicuous swirl & magnetic anomaly7.7N59.2W7028
58Rheita ValleyBasin secondary-crater chain42.5S51.5E44568
59Schiller-Zucchius basinBadly degraded overlooked basin56.0S45.0W33570, 71
60Kies PiVolcanic dome26.9S24.2W4553

61
Mösting ASimple crater close to center of lunar near side3.2S5.2W1343
62RümkerLarge volcanic dome40.8N58.1W708
63Imbrium sculptureBasin ejecta near & overlying Boscovich & Julius Caesar11.0N12.0E34
64DescartesApollo 16 landing site; putative region of highland volcanism11.7S15.7E4845
65Hortensius domesDome field north of Hortensius7.6N27.9W1030
66Hadley RilleLava channel near Apollo 15 landing site25.0N3.0E22
67
Fra Mauro formationApollo 14 landing site on Imbrium ejecta3.6S17.5W42
68Flamsteed PProposed young volcanic crater & Surveyor 1 landing site3.0S44.0W11240
69Copernicus secondary cratersRays & craterlets near Pytheas19.6N19.1W420
70Humboldtianum basinMulti-ring impact basin57.0N80.0E6507
71Sulpicius Gallus dark mantleAsh eruptions northwest of crater19.6N11.6E1223
72
Atlas dark-halo cratersExplosive volcanic pits on the floor of Atlas46.7N44.4E8715
73

















Smythii basinDifficult-to-observe basin scarp & mare2.0S87.0E74038, 49
74Copernicus HDark-halo impact crater6.9N18.3W531
75Ptolemaeus BSaucerlike depression on the floor of Ptolemaeus8.0S0.8W1644
76
W. BondLarge crater degraded by Imbrium ejecta65.3N3.7E1584
77Sirsalis RilleProcellarum basin radial rilles15.7S61.7W42539, 50
78Lambert RA buried "ghost" crater23.8N20.6W5420
79Sinus AestuumEastern dark-mantle volcanic deposit12.0N3.5W9033
80Orientale basinYoungest large impact basin19.0S95.0W93050








81Hesiodus AConcentric crater30.1S17.0W1554
82LinnéSmall crater once thought to have disappeared27.7N11.8E2.423
83
Plato craterletsCrater pits at limits of detection51.6N9.4W1013, 4
84PitatusCrater with concentric rilles29.8S13.5W9754
85Langrenus raysAged ray system8.9S60.9E13249
86Prinz RillesRille system near the crater Prinz27.0N43.0W4619
87HumboldtCrater with central peaks & dark spots27.0S80.9E20760
88PearyDifficult-to-observe polar crater88.6N33.0E744, II
89Valentine DomeVolcanic dome30.5N10.1E3013
90Armstrong, Aldrin & CollinsSmall craters near the Apollo 11 landing site1.3N23.7E335
91De Gasparis RillesArea with many rilles25.9S50.7W3051
92Gylden ValleyPart of the Imbrium radial sculpture5.1S0.7E4744
93Dionysius raysUnusual & rare dark rays2.8N17.3E1835
94DrygalskiLarge south-pole region crater79.3S84.9W16272, VI
95Procellarum basinThe Moon's biggest basin?23.0N15.0W3200
96Leibnitz MountainsRim of South Pole-Aitken basin85.0S30.0E73, V
97Inghirami ValleyOrientale basin ejecta44.0S73.0W14061
98Imbrium lava flowsMare lava-flow boundaries32.8N22.0W10
99InaD-shaped young volcanic caldera18.6N5.3E322
100Mare Marginis swirlsPossible magnetic field deposits18.5N88.0E27, III















Also included here is the handy observing / Imaging guide for day by day.

Day 2
2 Earthshine
10 Mare Crisium
16 Petavius
56 Mare Australe
70 Humboltianum Basin (Mare Humboltianum)
73 Mare Smythii
85 Langrenus rays
87 Humboldt
100 Mare Marginis swirls

Day 3
58 Rheita Valley (Vallis Rheita)

Day 4
12 Proclus
25 Messier & Messier A
31 Taruntius
40 Janssen Rille (Rima Janssen)
48 Cauchy region
72 Atlas dark halo craters

Day 5
7 Altai Scarp (Rupes Altai)
8 Theophilus, Cyrillus, Catherina
18 Mare Serenitatus dark edges
20 Posidonius
21 Fracastorius
26 Mare Frigoris
32 Arago Alpha & Beta
33 Serpentine Ridge (Dorsa Smirnov)
34 Lacus Mortis
38 Ritter & Sabine
53 Lamont
55 Baco
90 Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins

Day 6
24 Hyginus Rille (Rima Hyginus)
28 Hipparchus
29 Ariadaeus Rille (Rima Ariadaeus)
35 Triesnecker Rille (Rimae Triesnecker)
41 Bessel ray
45 Maurolycus
50 Cayley Plains
63 Imbrium sculpture
64 Descarte
71 Sulpicus Gallus
82 Linne
89 Valentine dome
93 Dionysius rays

Day 7
4 Apennines (Montes Apenninus)
19 Alpine Valley (Vallis Alpes)
27 Archimedes
46 Regiomontanus central peak
66 Hadley Rille (Rima Hadley)
75 Ptolemaeus B
76 W. Bond
88 Peary
92 Gylden Valley

Day 8
15 Straight Wall (Rupes Recta)
47 Alphonsus
51 Davy crater chain
61 Mosting A
79 Sinus Aestuum
83 Plato craterlets
96 Leibnitz Mountains
99 Ina caldera

Day 9
5 Copernicus
6 Tycho
9 Clavius
14 Sinus Iridum
60 Kies Pi
65 Hortensius dome
67 Fra Mauro formation
69 Copernicus secondary craters
74 Copernicus H
78 Lambert R
81 Hesiodus A
84 Pitatus
94 Drygalski

Day 10
13 Gassendi
30 Schiller
49 Griuthuisen Delta & Gamma
54 Hippalus Rilles (Rimae Hippalus)
59 Schiller-Zucchius basin
68 Flamsteed P
98 Imbrium lava flows

Day 11
11 Aristarchus
17 Schroter’s Valley
22 Aristarchus Plateau
39 Schickard
42 Marius Hills
44 Mersenius
57 Reiner Gamma
86 Prinz Rilles (Rimae Prinz)
91 De Gasparis Rilles (Rimae De Gasparis)

Day 12
37 Bailly
43 Wargentin
62 Rumker Hills (Mons Rumker)
77 Sirsalis Rille (Rima Sirsalis)

Day 13
36 Grimaldi basin
52 Cruger
80 Orientale Basin (Mare Orientale)
97 Inghirami Valley (Vallis Inghirami)

Day 14
1 Moon
3 Mare/highland dichotomy
95 Procellarum Basin

Days 15-16-17
10 Mare Crisium
12 Proclus
16 Petavius
25 Messier & Messier A
31 Taruntius
40 Janssen Rille (Rima Janssen)
56 Mare Australe
58 Rheita Valley (Vallis Rheita)
70 Humboldtianum basin
72 Atlas dark-halo crater
73 Smythii basin (Mare Smythii)
85 Langrenus rays
87 Humbolt
100 Mare Marginis swirls

Days 18-19-20
7 Altai Scarp (Rupes Altai)
8 Theophilus, Cyrillus, & Catharina
18 Mare Serenitatus dark edges
20 Posidonius
21 Fracastorius
29 Ariadeus Rille (Rima Ariadeus)
32 Arago Alpha & Beta
33 Serpentine Ridge (Dorsa Smirnov)
34 Lacus Mortis
38 Sabine & Ritter
41 Bessel ray
45 Maurolycus
48 Cauchy region
50 Cayley plains
53 Lamont
55 Baco
63 Imbrium sculpture
64 Descarte
71 Sulpicius Gallus dark mantle
82 Linne
89 Valentine dome
90 Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins
93 Dionysius rays

Days 21-22
4 Apennines (Montes Apenninus)
5 Copernicus
6 Tycho
9 Clavius
15 Straight Wall (Rupes Recta)
19 Alpine Valley (Vallis Alpes)
23 Pico
24 Hyginus Rille (Rima Hyginus)
26 Mare Frigoris
27 Archimedes
28 Hipparchus
35 Triesnecker Rilles (Rimae Triesnecker)
46 Regiomontanus central peak
47 Alphonsus dark spots
51 Davy crater chain
61 Mosting A
66 Hadley Rille (Rima Hadley)
67 Fra Mauro formation
69 Copernicus secondary crater
74 Copernicus H
75 Ptolemaeus B
76 W. Bond
78 Lambert R
79 Sinus Aestuum
81 Hesiodus A
83 Plato craterlets
84 Pitatus
88 Peary
92 Gylden Valley
94 Drygalski
96 Leibnitz Mountains
99 Ina Caldera

Days 23-24-25
13 Gassendi
14 Sinus Iridum
30 Schiller
49 Gruithuisen Delta & Gamma
54 Hippalus Rille (Rima Hippalus)
59 Schiller-Zucchias basin
60 Kies Pi
65 Hortensius domes
68 Flammsteed P
98 Imbrium lava flows

Days 26-27-28
11 Aristarchus
17 Schroter’s Valley
22 Aristarchus Plateau
36 Grimaldi
37 Bailly
39 Schickard
42 Marius Hills
43 Wargentin
44 Mersenius
52 Cruger
57 Reiner Gamma
62 Rumker Hills (Mons Rumker)
77 Sirsalis Rille (Rima Sirsalis)
80 Orientale basin
86 Prinz Rilles (Rimae Prinz)
91 De Gasparis Rilles (Rimae De Gasparis)
97 Inghirami Valley (Vallis Inghirami)
























































































California Nebula

  NGC1499 The California Nebula. Discovered in 1889 The California Nebula is an emission nebula in the constellation of Perseus, currently v...