Crew 200 Astronomy Reports
DECEMBER 18, 2018
Astronomy Report – December 18th
Mission Support,
This is our Astronomy Report. Today we learned how to use the Telescope of the Musk Observatory. It was a cloudy day, so we couldn´t take any pictures for you.
Receive the report.
Astronomy Report Name: Federico Arturo Martínez Espinoza Crew: 201 Date: Dec-18-2018 Sky conditions: Clear Wind: Calm Observation start time: 15:20 Observation end time: 15:50 Summary: This was the first day we went to Musk Solar Observatory to probe how to start, adjust and calibrate things correctly and as soon as possible to get ready for our first observations for the next days. Objects viewed: Just use of the telescope to locate the sun, none a particular object. Problem encountered: N/A
Thank you!
POSTED ONDECEMBER 9, 2018 Astronomy Report – December 9th Crew Astronomer: Andrew Foster
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: None.
Requested objects – None.
Objects Viewed: None
Images attached:
1. Dark sky from MDRS: Sirius, Orion, Taurus and winter Milky Way. Canon D60, 40x15s images + 4 darks @ ISO5000, images processed w/ DeepSkyStacker and PS.
2. Solar feature, likely faint sunspot AR2729, captured with Lunt 100mm solar scope 08Dec2018, w/ Imaging Source DBK colour camera @15fps, best 1200 of 1400 frames, processed w/ Registax 6 & PS.
Problems Encountered:
N/A
MUSK OBSERVATORY
Solar Features Observed (08DEC2018): Solar filament, faint Sunspot AR2729. Note – found observation of solar features challenging, likely due to inexperience with coarse / fine tuning of solar etalon.
Notes
Crew Astronomer departed station 12-08-2018, (now post-processing images acquired during mission).
End report.
Picture saved with settings applied. POSTED ONDECEMBER 7, 2018 Astronomy report – December 7th Crew Astronomer: Andrew Foster
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: MDRS-WF (05 DEC), hope to add further WF observations if conditions clear later this evening.
Requested objects – None.
Objects Viewed: None
Image attached: None.
Problems Encountered:
Poor weather conditions (Cloudy conditions continue today).
MUSK OBSERVATORY
Solar Features Observed: None.
Notes
Both observatories are clear of snow this evening.
Attached 3 x photos: Astronomy Laptop and Astronomy box (end of mission), plus photo of packaging for backup UPS battery left in Science Dome (empty packaging only, UPS battery is inside Dome).
Crew Astronomer departing station 12-08-2018
End report.
POSTED ONDECEMBER 6, 2018 Astronomy Report December 6th Astronomer: Andrew Foster
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: MDRS-WF (05 DEC)
Requested objects – Requested yesterday (05 DEC) 46/P Wirtanen (wide field),
MDRS-14 imaging update:
46/P Wirtanen (cometary coma imaging) – Active
3C 273 (Quasar) – Active
AG Peg / RW Aur (photometry measurements) – Images available (will download post-mission for processing).
Objects Viewed: None
Image attached: None.
Problems Encountered:
Poor weather conditions (Cloudy conditions continue today).
MUSK OBSERVATORY
Solar Features Observed: Short observation of Sun through eyepiece w/ high cloud conditions, no detail visible. Carried out short test of Imaging Source DBK camera (no image captured).
Notes
Carried out minor repair on Solar observatory dome – loose seal secured (see attached photos).
Both observatories are clear of snow this evening.
End report.
POSTED ONDECEMBER 4, 2018 Astronomy Report – December 4th Crew Astronomer: Andrew Foster
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: MDRS-14 / MDRS-WF / None
Objects Viewed: None
Image attached: Messier 45 (Pleiades Cluster) – finished processing from MDRS WF practice image. 50min exposure LRGB.
Problems Encountered:
Poor weather conditions (Cloudy conditions today).
MUSK OBSERVATORY
Solar Features Observed: None (no observations made today due to weather).
Notes
Both observatories are clear of snow this evening.
End report.
POSTED ONDECEMBER 3, 2018 Astronomy Report – December 3rd Crew Astronomer: Andrew Foster
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: MDRS-14 [Sent imaging request 46P/Wirtanen & 3C 273]
Objects Viewed: Milky Way & constellation Cygnus (visual only).
Image attached, Cygnus / Milky Way taken with Canon D60 @ ISO 3200 / 20s exp.
Second image w/ light painting by MDRS 200 crew member.
Carried out observational Limiting Magnitude exercise, est. NELM 5.9, clouds moving in from South during exercise.
Problems Encountered:
Poor weather conditions (snow / cold).
Robotic Observatory maintenance carried out, see Operations Report for details.
MUSK OBSERVATORY
Solar Features Observed: Carried out test of system / visual observation of Sun. No sunspots visible, no major features observed.
Observatory equipment photographs (start of mission) attached.
Notes
Both observatories are clear of snow this evening.
End report.
