The new 0.7m telescope dome is up and running at Phillips Exeter Academy. There is still some serious testing to do in order to prove out the various bits and pieces that all have to integrate together: mount control, focus control, heaters, fans, pointing models, dome control, linking dome to the telescope, imager and filter... Continue Reading →
A Wide Field Orion Taking on Taurus
Winter is the Orion time…. time to get a wide field camera taking snaps of the winter sky. Here is a wide field frame of Orion with his nemesis, Taurus the Bull. This was a process-image of seven 15-second exposures at f/3.5 28mm, ISO10000, with automatic dark frame subtraction using a Nikon D810a on a... Continue Reading →
Betelgeuse is Fading
There has been a lot of buzz on the net about the star, Betelgeuse, Alpha Ori... the red supergiant in Orion's shoulder (or armpit as people might prefer). It is a well known, bright red, supergiant, and it is a well known variable with a long period. Of late, it has been fading rather unusually... Continue Reading →
How to Observe a Meteor Shower
Whenever the major yearly meteor showers show up on our calendar, I am often asked: How do I observe a meteor shower? What's the best place to go? What is the best time to observe? Do I need a telescope: also, is your observatory open? Here is some helpful information to help you plan out... Continue Reading →
2019 Geminid Meteor Shower
One of the best meteor showers of the year is rapidly approaching. Peaking on the night of December 13/14, the Geminids put on a good show with peaks averaging at 120 meteors per hour. Now, with the moon being just past full that night, many of the fainter meteors will be drowned out by moonlight.... Continue Reading →