Helios Averbode

Helios in Abdij van Averbode - 360° Foto Pascal

De abdij voor Averbode was zo gastvrij en zorgde er voor dat de lokale vereniging voor sterrenkunde Helios Averbode haar vergadering in de abdij kon plaatsvinden. Het was de eerste vergadering na het onverwachte overlijden van onze voorzitter Dr. Jan Cuypers. Guido Gubbels neemt het voortouw en zal de vereniging verden leiden.

Helios Leden - Foto Urbain

De opkomst was talrijk met in totaal 11 leden. Van de vergadering onthouden we de geweldige film die Guido gemaakt heeft over de workshop "Praktisch planeetonderzoek voor de zaterdagochtend (zondagnamiddag) georganiseerd bij Lieven Philips afgelopen Januari. We mochten ook al een glimp opvangen van de Guido zijn film over het zonnestelsel. Een knap staaltje van uitwerking.

Daarna mocht ik mijn werk over "Onze zon - de meest nabije ster" toelichten. Het boek 15 million Degrees heb ik gebruikt als leidraad. Bijkomende info heb ik afgelopen 4 maanden gehaald uit heel wat andere boeken, presentaties, websites en doctoraten. Voor mij was dit een leerrijke ervaring die ik dan ik vol overgave heb gedeeld met de Helios leden.

Helios In Vlaamse Zaal Abdij Averbode - Foto Pascal

Moon 50%

This evening the moon is Waxing Gibbous and 50% illuminated. Picture taken with Nikon D60 and Dobson 12".

Nikon D60 f/4.9 ISO1600 1/160s

Weather Summary March 2017

In comparison with 2015 and 2016, this March 2017 was average much warmer with about 4°C. I regsistrated only 6 air frost days - about 16 air frost days in 2016. Rainfall was normal and same as previous three years.

Bookreview 15 Million Degrees in Heelal Magazine

My bookreview of "15 million Degrees" is this week published. It can be read in this month's edition of the magazine Heelal.

End of Astrophysics Seminar

The last 10 weeks my Tuesday evening (together with 30 other ones) was scheduled to attend the lessons of Astrophysics. The small seminar was presented by Dr. Yves Gigase and took place @ Urania in Hove. He was able to show us more insight into astrophysics. Mathematics, physics, optica, mechanics and thermodynamic priciples were discussed in view of astronomy. The last two sessions he explained in detail stellar structure using all aspects of astrophysics. 

For those who want to know more about astrophysics and are not afraid about formulas and getting into the detail, I can only say that I greatly enjoyed it and would recommend everybody to attend this seminar training. Well done Yves. 

Saturnus and Messier objects at horizon

As from 4AM this morning the clouds dissapeared resulting in a clear and cold sky.
Saturnus showed up and could be observed above the south-east about 20° above the horizon. I also took some time to observe following Messier Objects :

* M4 and M9 both very faint globular clusters
* M16 or M17 : faint "fog" aound some open cluster stars. Not sure if this is M16 or M17. Needs to be confirmed with more observations
* M23 : beautifull and clear open cluster.

End of my observations around 6h15 AM but not after I had a look at Jupiter which is very bright in the south.

All observations made with 12" Dobson and 28mm UWA from WO and drawing made.

Messier Objects

All in all a good evening for observing Messier Objects. I prepared myself using the handbook of Messier Marathon. Observation started local time at 19h50 and I quit around midnight as light pollution continued to make observations impossible. In total I was able to observe 23 Messier Objects and extra 3 NGC objects.

Observation list with remarks

M77, M74, M33 : too faint and too light to see objects
M31, M32, M110 : low at horizon but visible
M52, M103, M34 : good visibility
M76 : picture taken of Little Dumbell Nebula
M45 : observation with naked eye
M42, M43 : good visibility
M78 : found but no details
M79, M93, M41 : behing garden trees :(
M46, M47 : nice open clusters (picture taken from M47)
M44 : observation with naked eye
M65, M66 and NGC 3628 : made a drawing of Leo Triplet. Very good visibility
M95, M96 : Faint objects
M105 with NGC 3384 and NGC 3389 : observation with 28mm UWA 82° all in one field
M81, M82 : even good visible in search scope 9x50
M97 : Faint object
M51 : Details good visible and picture taken.

Some learnings :
- Working with two telescopes makes it possible to take pictures and to keep track on making observing according the plan.
- Since a couple of weeks I'm having a spare battery for the camera. After 3h I needed to change the battery. Charging takes two hours, meaning I can keep taking pictures all the time.
- It was a long time I observed M65, M66; M81, M82 and M51 - all great objects and must see.
- After two hours misallignment on both scopes. After re-allignment much better. So make sure to plan for star allignment each every time (2h)
- Was I prepared? For sure, not enough!!

M51 : Whirlpool Galaxy - 15Mly away