Golden Handle with ASI2600MC and Nikon D7500

This evening the "Golden Handle" or "Jewelled Handle according Patrick Moore" is visible on the Moon's disk. The “Golden Handle” effect is produced by way the sun strikes the curved Montes Jura mountain range surrounding Sinus Iridum on the north and west. 

Following set up used : TAL200K f/8.5 with Nikon D7500 and TAL 200K f/8.5 with ASI2600MC.

Nikon D7500: ISO100 and exposure time 1/100s. Editing done using CS4.

ASI2600MC: imaging using ASIStudio. Both AVI files and png pictures captured. 

- AVI files too large to stack using AutoStakkert!2. Version 3 was downloaden and memory optimized using adaptive buffering. I choose only to stack 5 frames. It took 33 minutes to have a saved result. Stacking was done again without drizzle,  resulting in a working time of 20minutes. 

- png files are stacked with APP and final editing using CS4. In total 10 pictures, each 52ms, are stacked. This provided the best result. 

ARISS SSTV – Expedition 66 – MAI-75 February 2022

On Feb 7 & 8, 2022, the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) conducted a routine SSTV (Expedition 66-MAI75 Feb 7&8 2022) experiment during orbits that pass within range of Europe and Russia. They typically operate PD120 on a downlink frequency of 145.800 MHz using the Kenwood D710E located in the ISS Service Module. I could download 4 images during 3 ISS passes.

The quality was good but not the synchronisation. I used websdr from Nürnberg http://nbgsdr.ddns.net/

and MMSSTV software. 

Moon-Uranus

This evening, both the Moon and planet Uranus within 2° field of view.
Setting : Nikon D7500 with TLAPO80/480 f/6, ISO100 and exposure time of 3s. This capture was more difficult then I expected.

Alexander's Beaded Rim

A couple of hours before quarter Moon, the dark side of the Terminator shows Alexander's Beaded Rim. The moon is 42% illuminated (Feb 7, 2022).

Setting : Nikon D7500 and TALPO80/480 f/6, ISO100 and exposure time of 1/160s. Editing using CS4.

The Sun in CaK and OIII feb 5, 2022

Pictures of the Sun on Feb 5, 2022 both in OIII as in CaK.

Setting : Nikon D7500 & TAL200K f/8.5 Filter ND3.8 and OIII. Editing using CS4 and P, B0 set with Helioviewer.

Central sunspot AR2939 was special as a Faint Light Bridge (FLB) was observed.

Setting : ASI224MC with TAL200K f/8.5 and Filter ND3.8 and CaK. Stacking using AutoStakkert! and final editing with CS4. 

Faint Light Bridge on Sunspot AR2939

 

Sunspot AR2939 was observed on Feb 5, 2022 using a solarfilter ND3.8 and OIII filter with Nikon D7500 and TAL200K f/8.5. The picture is cropped and show the sunspot together with pores and the faint light bridge inside the umbra. This is the first time I made this observation. 

Positional Astronomy by Prof Claude Doom

Attending the first (1/5) lesson of the positional astronomy course provided by Prof. Claude Doom. At the end of this training I should be able to calculate the location of the sun, moon, planets, satellites aswell as eclipses and occultations.