Vega Rocket at the Milan Science and Technology Museum

VEGA (VV01) Credit Pascal Hilkens

The "Museo Nazionale Scienza E Technologia Leonardo Da Vinci" @ Milan houses a 1:1 scale model of the VEGA (VV01) rocket. The Museum houses the 1:1 scale model of the first Vega (VV01), a vector developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). About 30 meters high and with a mass of 137 tons, it is composed of 4 stages (3 solid fuel, 1 liquid fuel) that can transport and release satellites of up to 2.000 kilograms. Unlike most small launchers, it can carry multiple loads into Space, placing them on different orbits. Vega was developed thanks to a collaboration between Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. The first launch took place on February 13, 2012.

VEGA (VV01) Credit Pascal Hilkens

In May 2013, VEGA VV02 launched the Belgium made satellite Probe-V and in December 2015 VEGA VV06 launched LISA-Pathfinder.

Giovanni Schiaparelli's Merz-Repsold refractor

Merz Repsold refractor - Milan (Credit Pascal Hilkens)

When visiting the "Museo Nazionale Scienza e technologia Leonarde Da Vinci" @ Milan I walked into a huge refractor. It was Giovanni Schiaparelli's Merz-Repsold telescope. When it came to service at the Brera Astronomical Observatory in Milan - the Merz-Repsold telescope was the largest in Italy and one of the most important in the world. With this tool, Schiaparelli conducted his studies on Mars. He observed some structures - shaped like channels - on the surface of the planet. This ignited a debate on their very existence as well as on the possibility of living extra-terrestrial life on Mars.

Giovanni Schiaparelli: March 14, 1835 - July 4, 1910

Merz-Repsold refractor : 

• Optics by GS. Merz and  Mechanics by Repsold in 1882 - operational as from 1886
• Lens diameter : 49cm
• Focal length : 700cm f/14.3
• Column height : 4,5m
• Total weight : mount 3300kg & column 3000kg (the museum had to strenghten the floor to have telescope set up)

The Martian crater "Schiaparelli" is named after Giovanni Schiaparelli. This 459km wide impact crater was also used in the movie "The Martian" in which Schiaparelli is the landing site for Ares4, the fourth manned mission to Mars. An astronaut from Ares 3 who is stranded on Mars, must travel from Acidalia Planitia to Schiaparelli, a journey of 3200km.

Impact Crater Schiaparelli is located central on Mars' Disk

Mars between Pleiades and Hyades

On the morning of september 9th, planet Mars could be observed between star clusters Pleiades and Hyades.  Beside Mars and constellation Taurus, also constellation Orion was captured.

Io's Shadow on Jupiter comparing in WinJUPOS

Using software WinJupos (v12.1.2) the shadow of Io on Jupiter can be located including the position of the moon Io itself. The software uses my own picture to make the simulation. 

Update September 3 : Artemis I launch scrubbed due to Hydrogen Leak

Update September 3 : Artemis I launch scrubbed due to Hydrogen Leak

Reworked Jupiter Image August 7

I reworked my image of Jupiter from August 7, 2022. For sure the seeing was poor. 

Capturing Io's shadow for the first time

For the first time I was able to capture Io's shadow on Jupiter. This morning the Galilean moon Io was transitioning Jupiter creating a shadow on the planet.

Setting: TAL200K f/8.5, ASI224MC, ADC and Barlowx2
Software: SharpCap4, AS3!, DeNoise AI, CS4.
Preparation: polarallignment using SharpCap4 with ASI290MM and Guidingscope 60x240, 3 star allignment also using ASI290MM and Guidingscope 60x240