Supernova in spiral galaxy NGC2525

Supernova 2018gv in NGC2525 constellation Puppis - taken on the 28th January 2018 -
Credit : COAST automatic autonomous telescope - telescope.org - Open University - image by Pip Stakkert

Supernova 2018gv in NGC2525 constellation Puppis - taken on the 28th January 2018 - Heat map Credit : COAST automatic autonomous telescope - telescope.org - Open University - image by Pip Stakkert.

"This Type 1a supernova was discovered by Koichi Itagaki on the 15th. of January 2018.  Pip Stakkert pointed the COAST autonomous telescope at the spiral galaxy NGC2525 and the above images were taken seven days later on the 28th of January. Type 1a supernova occur in binary star systems in which at least one star is a white dwarf. These enormous explosions are so large they can be seen in distant galaxies across the universe." - Kurt Thrust - acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Spiral Galaxy IC342

IC342 or Caldwell 5 in the constellation Camelopardalis -  Credit : COAST automatic autonomous telescope - telescope.org - Open University - image by Pip Stakkert - 28 January2018 - 3 minute exposure using BVR filters (and heat image also incorporated in luminosity layer.)

"IC342 is an 'intermediate spiral galaxy' that is a galaxy which sits between the classifications of a barred and unbarred spiral. It is not an easy galaxy to observe as it is hidden behind dust and stars that reside in the disc of the Milky Way. The galaxy is approximately 10 million light years distant and is not part of our 'Local Group' but is instead part of the nearby Maffei Group". - Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Saturn at Opposition

Saturn at Opposition June 2018 in amongst the stars of Sagittarius - Meade ETX 90Ra with QHY5-11 planetary camera on Star-Adventurer mount. 

"This year and because Saturn is so low in the sky, we have been unable to use the big Meade refractor here at the Jodrell Plank Observatory to capture images of Saturn. 'The Boss - Kurt' therefore asked me to undertake minor alterations to stabilise the tripod we use for 'widefield imaging' away from the Observatory. Clearly a  planet, even a 'gas giant', requires imaging at a relatively high F ratio and this asks significant questions of the mount and equatorial mount. Kurt decided to utilise the old ETX 90Ra Mak telescope at F12.5 mounted on the 'Star Adventurer. I was pleased to brace the tripod's thin aluminium hollow legs with a piece of plywood and a number of steel bolts"  - Jolene McSquint - Instrumentation Engineer.

The Meade ETX 90Ra Mak mounted on the Star Adventurer Equatorial Mount on the recently braced tripod

" Although the weather in the UK has been exceptionally warm and stable, here on the East Coast the nights have been mixed to say the least. We managed to image Saturn over two nights around the time of opposition. The first night was difficult because of intermittent cloud, the second however, was clear. Strange enough the best image captured on the first night is much better than those obtained on the second. Presumably the atmosphere was more stable on the first evening." - Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Image obtained with the Meade ETX 90Ra and QHY5-11 planetary camera on Star-Adventurer mount on the first night - 29-06-2018

Image obtained with the Meade ETX 90Ra and QHY5-11 planetary camera on Star-Adventurer mount on - 30-06-2018

Image obtained on with the Meade ETX 90Ra and QHY5-11 planetary camera on Star-Adventurer mount on - 30-06-2018

Quite new

Nice crescent Moon Composite of several images taken with the Canon 600d DSLR in still and movie mode. - Pip Stakkert

" Interesting day, after our Pip realised whilst looking through a bedroom window last night, that Saturn was not going to get high enough above our southern horizon here at the Jodrell Plank Observatory. Usually we use the pier mounted 127mm. Apo Refractor for planetary work but sadly not this year. Jolene McSquint has been working flat out all morning to upgrade the Observatory's mobile rig to take the 90mm. Maksutov Cassegrain scope out and about and get an image of the ringed planet however poor." - Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

" Some more and detailed images of the moon  taken back in April of this year which I overlooked at the time" Pip Stakkert

Summer Skies

Taken from an elevated position looking out over the site of the Jodrell Plank Observatory- Lowestoft - Tripod mounted Canon 600d DSLR at f=18mm. - Composite image - 2 stacks of 10 images at 15 sec exposure ISO1600 - Kurt Thrust

"The staff holidays coincided with some indifferent weather in Lowestoft during the last month here on the East Coast of England.  Long  light nights and British Standard Summertime are no friends of astronomers and so there has been little time for any astro-imaging at the Jodrell Plank Observatory. On a more positive note, our Facilities Manager, May Fleming  has been using this time wisely and effectively- replacing worn-out equipment parts and greasing nipples, cogs and bearings.

Last night we were able to capture a few widefield images of the summer Milkyway, the red-giant star Antares in the Constellation Scorpius and the gas giant planets Saturn and Jupiter, Such fun!" -  Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

 

Earth-shine

New Moon in April 2018 - The Crescent Moon directly illuminated by the Sun and the remainder of the nearside illuminated by sunlight reflected by the Earth - 127 mm. Meade Apo Refractor and the Canon 600D DSLR. credit: Pip Stakkert

"Each month for a few days the Moon presents as an illuminated crescent and the remainder of the Moon's nearside is illuminated by Earth-shine - sunlight reflected by our planet. Although this can be viewed without any optical aid, photographing this effect is difficult because of the vast difference in luminance between the crescent and the disc". - Kurt Thrust, acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Jupiter 2018

The Planet Jupiter + GRS - Meade 127mm. Apo Refractor with Barlow lens at F 22.5 - QHY5-11 Colour Planetary camera - 19th-20th April 2018 - credit: Pip Stakkert 

" The weather in Lowestoft had been rather good for a number of days so Pip Stakkert, our Imaging Team leader at the Jodrell Plank Observatory, pointed the 127mm. Refractor at Jupiter. Sadly, Jupiter is very low this year and near the southern horizon from our location of Latitude 52.4833 North. The images he therefore obtained obliquely through our atmosphere are detrimentally affected by chromatic dispersion, atmospheric heat instabilities and pollution. However blurry the view, keeping an eye on the 'king of the planets' is always a priority at the Jodrell Plank Observatory". - Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Wide-field view showing the innermost Galilean moon Io

"Io is pulled and pushed by the the gravitational tidal forces exerted by Jupiter and its other Galilean moons, this imparted energy creates constant and violent volcanic activity in and on this small moon." - Archie Mendes visiting mathematician and astrophysicist. 

More Information about the moon Io

Wide-field view showing  Galilean moons Io and Callisto

The Planet Jupiter + GRS - Meade 127mm. Apo Refractor with Barlow lens at F 22.5 - QHY5-11 Colour Planetary camera - 19th-20th April 2018 - credit: Pip Stakkert