Sunspot Region AR2651

Testing the pier mounted 127mm Meade Apo-refractor with white light filter. Observed double sunspot on the solar limb - believe this to be Sunspot Region AR2651(false colour)

"The gusting wind and high level hazy cloud, together with the sunspots' location close to the solar limb, made imaging this region problematic.  The pier dampers performed well and were effective in reducing the vibrations created by the wind.  The intermittent cloud however, prevented sharp images of the sunspots being aquired.  The white light filter had not been used since the 'Transit of Mercury' observations and is in need of some urgent refurbishment before further use.  This priority work will be undertaken by our dexterous 'Observatory Instrumentation Engineer and Associate Astronomer' - Jolene McSquint " - Kurt Thrust - current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Widefield view of Sunspot Region AR2561 (false colour)

Enlarged view of  spots with faculae showing as brighter surface areas (false colour)

 

Image of the Earth added to show the scale of AR2651. Most spots range in size from about 1,500 km (932 miles) to around 50,000 km (31,068 miles) in diameter. Once in a while, huge sunspots the size of Jupiter show up on the Sun's surface.

The last three above images have benefitted from the applied skills of the Observatory's ' Imaging Team Leader' -  Pipp Stakkert.

The Occultation of Europa

First image from the newly mounted 127mm Refractor, taken from the  Jodrell Plank Observatory

"Last night the weather conditions were far from ideal for astrophotography, with high winds and clouds over Lowestoft, but as Jupiter was shining brightly and the Galilean moon Europa was about to be eclipsed and occulted by the planet, I turned the telescope towards the Jupiter and took the above image using the QHY5-11 colour planetary camera. The recently constructed permanent pier performed vey well in the high winds damping any vibrations very affectively". 

"The Great Red Spot was visible through out the evening's observations, in recent times this anticyclonic storm system within the clouds of the equatorial belt has become redder and smaller in size. This storm has existed since observations capable of seeing it commenced but are we now witnessing the beginning of the end for the Great Red Spot ?"

"An eclipse occurs when the shadow of the planet falls upon the moon. An occultation occurs when the moon moves behind the planet. An eclipse of one of the Galilean moons will occur when the planet is between the sun and the moon, consequently a Galilean moon may disappear from our line of sight whilst some distance from Jupiter's limb, it just depends upon the orbital 3 dimensional geometry and the positions of Jupiter, the Galilean moon and Earth". An occultation occurs when  Jupiter is between the Galilean moon and the Earth on a  line of sight from a given location on Earth".  Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Building Works at Jodrell Plank

The NEQ6Pro equatorial mount fixed to the top of the newly constructed Lowestoft Pier

Alan Waffles inspects the fine concrete work of his son Barry Waffles

" The Jodrell Plank Observatory has been running in maintenance mode whilst upgrading works have been undertaken by the two man building team Alan and Barry Waffles.  The major project to replace the ageing tripod, supporting the 127mm Meade Apochromatic Triplet Refractor, with a purpose designed and constructed reinforced concrete pier has been completed ahead of schedule.  Our thanks to Alan and Barry for their efforts to ensure the pier was built in the right place,to specification, ahead of programme and within the project budget. The name 'Waffles' will be written in the stars "   Kurt Thrust - current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

"Due to concerns raised by Mrs. Alice Boon Oxon, both Waffles Construction Ltd. and The Jodrell Plank Observatory wish to confirm that no Sea Eagles were harmed whatsoever during the recent pier construction process". Alan Waffles and Kurt Thrust -14-04-2017