First light with Baader CaII K en Solar Continuum Filter

This morning the sky was cloudfree so time to try out the baader filter CaIIK and Solar Continuum filters.

For the try out I used my TAL200K f/8.5 scope with Nikon D7500. Unfortunately I was not able to get the sun into focus. With only a few mm too short. So the pictures are not in focus and can not be used as a reference. After putting all material back in place I found a solution for a next trial and also collegue Walter provided a solid solution to overcome a couple of mm backfocus. 

Beside the focus issue, the CaII K picture is too dark. Total exposure time is about 25s. This is due to the use of a Solar filter ND5. Next try out I will be using my new solar filter ND3.8.

Pint of Science : September 7 - 9 : Astronomy on line from all over Europe

Pint of Science is happening this year on September 7 - 9.

Some interesting astronomy lectures across Europe :

1) Germany : see this link 

2) Belgium : Recycling a Star! : September 8, 19h30

3) Portugal : What do Colors of the Sun tell you? : September 7, 20h00

Pint of Science : Online on September 7 - 9, 2020

Pint of Science will be organised from September 7 till 9, 2020. This year I will have my drink at home and still be able to attend a science talk. Most of the lectures will be live via Youtube or Zoom.

The programme of Pint of Science in Germany is available with some interesting astronical lectures. This is what I found :

Monday September 7th: Solar System
- From Dust to Planets (18h)
- Finding and Studying Planets outside our Solar System (19h)

- Garbage dimp flying above our Heads (20h)

Tuesday September 8th : Ground Control to major Tom

- The Dark Side of the Universe (19h)

- Black Holes Bend Light onto Itself (20h)

Wednesday September 9th : Star Wars

- The Life and Times of our Milky Way (19h)

- Super-Earths and Biomarkers : How we look for extraterrestrial Life (20h)

- The hidden Universe (21h)

See details for Germany via this link. 

No data is yet available for Belgium, France and the Netherlands. 

Lecture by Govert Schilling: Live Streaming!

 

On September 24 Govert Schilling will be speaking at the Universtity of Maastricht. This time he will be talking about the debate astronomers have on the  Expansion Rate of the Universe. The lecture will be provided by a live streaming. Cool!

Telescope.org account 6 months extended

My student account for telescope.org and using the COAST telescope at Tenerife (Observatorio del Teide) is extended with 6 months. This is great news and creates opportunities to make pictures. 

Circumzenithal arc

This evening both sundogs and a very bright circumzenithal arc.

Halo around the Sun