The Perseid Meteor Shower an annual astronomical treat.

 

Previously un-published compilation of cropped images taken with the Jodrell Plank Observatory's mobile rig from Pakefield Cliffs Lowestoft in 2021.

" The night of the maximum Perseid Meteor display in 2021 was unaffected by moonlight and bad weather. The view from the cliffs at Pakefield provided a clear view to the east and towards Holland. Unfortunately, light pollution from buildings in Lowestoft and from ships and rigs on the North Sea was an issue, which required careful processing to overcome. 2021 provided an excellent display of Perseid Meteors and many more were seen than were captured by the camera. The data was captured using a Canon 600d DSLR and Sigma EX zoom wide-field zoom lens all mounted on a Star Adventurer EQ mount". - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Auriga widefield

 

Auriga in the winter Milky Way.  Canon 600d DSLR at f=18mm on Star Adventurer EQ mount.

"The weather continues both wet and windy at the Jodrell Plank Observatory. Worse still the Jet Stream has now decided to sit overhead. If this continues, I will have to ask the staff to take unpaid leave whilst our resident engineer Jolene McSquint-Fleming carries out essential maintenance on our extensive astronomical equipment. 

Our imaging engineer, Pip Stakkert, has spent an hour or two reprocessing old data obtained during the winter. The area of sky in and around Auriga is full of stars and nebulosity".  -  Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Mellotte 111 Open Star Cluster in Coma Berenice

 

"Mellotte 111 is an open cluster in the the constellation Coma Berenice, which sits between the constellations; Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dogs), Virgo and Leo Major. The above image measures some 4.6 x 3.1 degrees on the sky and is only part of the full cluster which covers an area of more than 7.5 degrees.  Mellottte 111 contains approximately 40 stars with magnitudes between 5 and 10 which share a common proper motion. The cluster is 280 light years distant. The above image also includes a number of non-stellar astronomical objects in the background including lenticular and spiral galaxies millions of light years away. Through a telescope at low magnification this part of the sky s quite beautiful and breath taking! 

Coma Berenice in latin means Berenice's Hair. Queen Berenice was an ancient Egyptian Queen (and goddess). According to legend, Queen Berenice 11 sacrificed her most treasured possession, her hair, to ensure victory in warfare. For this act of devotion to the state, the gods bestowed upon her their literally highest  honour  by placing her hair in the heavens as the constellation Coma Berenices. When you look at this cluster through a telescope, the stars seem to be arranged in skeins similar to tresses on the head of a well coiffured woman. By all accounts Queen Berenice 11 of Egypt was one empowered lady". - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

More nebulous version

Credit for Map: Astrometry net

Scorpius the Scorpion (or at least part of it)

Part of the Constellation Scorpio showing Acrab Graffias Beta and Dschubba Icklarkrau Delta Scorpi and the double star Jabhat Acrabi 1 and 2 - Canon 600d DSLR and Sigma wide angle lens at f=10mm - a stack of 10x30sec lights at ISO800. Final image cropped. Credit: Pip Stakkert.

                 

Part of the constellation Scorpius (Sco) showing the following:

The star Acrab

Graffias

Akrab (β1 Sco

8 Sco A)

The star Dschubba

Iclarkrau (δ Sco

7 Sco)

The star Jabbah (ν Sco

14 Sco)

The star Jabhat Acrabi I (ω1 Sco

9 Sco)

The star Jabhat Acrabi II (ω2 Sco

10 Sco)

The star β2 Sco

8 Sco B

IC 4592

                  Credit: Astrometry Net

" The constellation Scorpius never rises high above our southern horizon here in Lowestoft. Pipp has made a valiant effort to capture some of the nebulosity that abounds in and around this constellation but has had a difficult job combatting the sky glow and light pollution that exists at low southern declinations. A hint of the reflection nebula IC4592 (the Blue Horsehead  Nebula may be seen in the upper left of our image)". - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Applying AI based sharpening software to Planetary and Moon disc data

 

The Martian Disc with Syrtis Major Planum on display 2022

 

Saturn with rings wide open in 2017

Jupiter with the Great Red Spot on display 2022

The full Moon (old data)

" All the above imagery was captured at the Jodrell Plank Observatory in Lowestoft. Our on site digital imagery engineer Pip Stakkert has applied the new freeware AstroSharp to the old data and has made a considerable improvement to the clarity of these images. The Jodrell Plank Observatory is indebted to the many software developers who make the fruits of their labours available at no or very little cost!" - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

To show the difference made by a 95% application of AstroSharp software on data for the Moon's disc