Magnetic and Geographic North

When you use a magnetic compass, the needle points to the Magnetic North. This is a slightly different direction than the True Geographic North, which is along the Xaxis of our coordinate system. The angle difference between True North and Magnetic North is called magnetic Declination angle D. It is positive if the compass needle points to the east of True North, and negative if it points to the west of True North. This is a very important number to keep track of for navigation.

So what is the magnetic declination in my backyard? 

According NOAA data (see this link) the declination is about 1,999°

The magnetic Inclination angle, I, also called the Magnetic Dip angle, is a measure of how steeply a magnetic field line passes into the surface of Earth. If you were to hold a compass perfectly horizontal, it would 'point North' but its tip would also dip vertically to the ground. This feature was first discovered in 1581 by the English mariner and compass builder, Robert Norman.

So what is the magnetic inclination in my backyard? 

According NOAA data (see this link) the inclination is about 66,35°

What about Bx, By, Bz and the total magnetic intensity B? 

According NOAA data (see this link) Bx=19644nT  By=685nT  Bz= 44898nT

The total magnetic Intensity B= 49012nT

According my iPhone B=47580nT (using App Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite)

Magnetism - NASA Magnetic Math

I found a good basic description of magnetism especially as it applies to earth's magnetic field and solar activity.  Despite the fact that, next to gravity, magnetism is the most popularly-known force of nature, there are surprisingly few resources available. 

Via this link I found some good lectures included exercises : 

- NASA SpaceMath

- Magnetic Math 

8 years and 1000 Sunspots later

This week a new Sunspot with number AR3040 was observed. No big thing, but for me it was. Going back in time to april 16, 2014, I made my first picture of Sunspots. That day the Sun was covered with 9 sunspot groups (AR2032 - 2040). The picture was made using my Nikon D60 camera and Dobson OrionXT12.

8 years later and 1000 sunspots later I'm still fascinated by Sunspots. Every time when imaging a new Sunspot  my skills are increasing. On top of this I invested in my equipment and software and this resulted in much better pictures of Sunspots. I'm now imaging Sunspots in white light, CaK and H-Alpha.

Zonnekijkdag 3 juli Averbode

Op zondag 3 juli zal sterrenclub Helios-Averbode deelnemen aan de Zonnekijkdag. Vanaf 13h00 tot 17h00 zullen Helios leden hun zonnekijkers opstellen en informatie geven over onze eigenste Zon. Dit alles gaat door Het Moment van de abdij van Averbode.

Comet C/2017 K2 (Panstarrs) and IC4665 session 2

Image of session 2 with 5x90s exposure of Comet C/2017 K2 (Panstarrs) and openstar cluster IC4665 (Summer Beehive Cluster).

Setting : TLAPO80/480 f/6 with ASI2600MC
Lights 5x90s, darks, bias, flats and darkflats
Software : N.I.N.A, Stellarium, APP, CS4, DeNoise AI

Comet C/2017 K2 (Panstarrs) near IC4665 Summer Beehive

Last night, June 21, Comet C/2017 K2 (Panstarrs), an Oort Cloud Comet, was observed near IC4665 (Summer Beehive).

Setting : TLAPO80/480 f/6 with ASI2600MC

Lights 5x60s, darks, bias, flats and darkflats

Software : N.I.N.A, Stellarium, APP, CS4, DeNoise AI

Solar Imaging and False Colours when using H-Alpha and CaK filters

As I'm imaging the Sun with a monochromatic camera the result is typically gray. I'd like to add colours when imaging in H-alpha and CaK. This is what I found when using Photoshop (Cs4) :

For H-alpha imaging (page 356 of Solar Astronomy):

Use of levels to change the "midpoint" of each colour RGB and finaly RGB aswell.

R = 1,3 - G = 0.44 - B = 0.2 and RGB =1.8

For Ca-K imaging :

Use "image, adjustments, fotofilter" and adjust RGB colours to 150;33;255

Next change contrast +/-10, colourtone -10 and saturation by +10. Last change histogram with +10/15.

Supergranulation Cells in CaK

My image of Sunspot AR3030, 3032 and 3039 shows some interesting features. Looking near the limb a bright structure is visible, called the chromospheric network. The image shows also some cells of the chromospheric network.

More information was found via this link 

Setting : TAL 200K f/8.5 with ASI290MM and focal reducer x0.5

Filter : Solarfilter ND3.8 and CaK filter

Software : SharpCap Pro, AS3!, IMPPG and CS4

Sunspot AR3030-32-39 in CaK

Imaging Sunspots AR3030, AR3032 and AR3039 in CaK.

Setting : TAL200K f/8.5 with ASI290MM
Filter : Baader ND3.8 and CaK

Software : SharpCap Pro, AS3!, IMPPG and CS4

10 Sunspots Group

A very active sun today with in total 10 sunspots groups.

Setting : TLAPO 80/480 f/6 with ASI290MM and 0.5x reducer.

Solarfilter : Baader ND3.8

Software : SharpCap Pro, AS3!, IMPPG and CS4.
 

Herschel Objects book

Nice surprise yesterday from my collegue Walter which handed me over "The Complete Guide to the Herschel Objects". The book summarizes Sir William Herschek objects. It describes each of the 2435 objects the author filtered down based on errors from the original lists of between 2478 and 2511 objects.

As I'm working the Herschel 400 list, this book is a nice welcome and maybe a future challenge :)

The Grand Tour

Boarding now, a once in a life time getaway.

My first observation of an Ellerman Bomb

 

When looking at my H-Alpha timelapse I noticed a bright white light popping up beside a filament. The time between between the two pictures is 10 minutes. I found out that this phenomen is known as a Ellerman Bomb or a micro solarflare.

This is the first time I observed and imaged this phenomen.

My first H-Alpha timelapse

 

My first H-Alpha timelapse of the Sun on June 4th.

Setting : SolarMaxIII 70/400 f/5.7 DS BF15 with ASI290MM and reducer 0.5x

Timelapse : picture every 10 minutes; 10 images each 1000frames 

Software : SharpCap Pro, AS3! (5% best off), IMPPG, CS4

Sun H-alpha June 4

Full disk H-Alpha image of the Sun this afternoon.

Setting : SolarMaxIII 70/400 f/5.7 DS BF15 with ASI290MM and reducer 0.5x
Software  : SharpCap Pro, AS3!, IMPPG, CS4

Seeing tool  : 20.000 frames captured, only 1000 saved for processing of which 50 best frames are used for stacking.

Comet C/2017 K2(PanSTARRS)

The next months it will be possible to observe (and image) a special comet. Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) is estimated to reach magnitudes around 8. So not visible with the naked eye but as it's the first and only passage near the Sun anything can happen. The comet is an Oort Cloud Comet and after it's passage it will leave our solarsystem.

Some special moments :

- June 18-23 near object IC4665 Summer Beehive Open Star Cluster

- July 14 closest distance 270 million km to Earth

- July 14-18 near object M10 Globular Star Cluster

- August 2-5 near object M107 Globular Star Cluster