Astronomy pic of the evening.

[absolom7691]

So, I dusted off the old 8" Newtonian and aimed it at our neighbor. I expected the pictures to be half decent, holding my phone up to the eyepiece since have gotten okay result before. What I didn't expect was to see a satellite transiting the moon. Whether it is man-made or natural, who knows? When I saw it transiting, I snapped as fast as I could. I'm just glad I got it before it zipped out of the frame. You'll have to zoom in to see it. It's at the upper center. I will probably never get a pic like that again. Makes me wish I had my SLR hooked up. Oh well.



And just for S&G, here's a pic I snapped about a year ago of Jupiter and friends with my cell phone to the eyepiece. I really need to get back into astronomy. Then again, it can drain my wallet just as proficiently as laser. *sigh*

[sbk]

Amazing pictures, thanks for sharing.

Isn't these days that there will be the "super moon"? When it's at its closest point from earth.

[planters]

That is a fantastic image! There is a near earth asteroid predicted to pass just 25,000 miles away today. However, at 60 feet across it would subtend 0.1 arc second and so your satellite, which looks resolved, is not that one
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news184.html

But, things in orbit repeat themselves. You just might see it again if you observe the moon tonight starting earlier and ending later. Also, it would be fun to see if you can estimate its size. If resolved, you can determine the angle represented by each pixel based on the angle and number of pixels across the moon. If you have some video then you can estimate how many diameters/second it is traveling. A low orbit satellite at say 300 miles should be around 1-2 arc seconds across and traveling at about 1,000 diameters/second. A geosynchronous satellite should not be resolvable and travel at about 5-600 diameters/second. If I'm wrong and it isn't resolved then the speed can be estimated by the fraction of the moon's diameter it is covering in a unit of time.

[Eidetic]

Excellent!!! I observe the sun and absolutely love it when a satellite transits. Or birds, aircraft, the space station, even the unidentified. Catching one when your finger is on the shutter button is even better. Great work!

[dsli_jon]

So, I dusted off the old 8" Newtonian and aimed it at our neighbor....

..She's that hot, eh? I had to read that twice to 'get it'.. Super-knarly pic, Man... 'Satellite-spotting' is one of my Boys / mine favorite 'pasttime', when in such-appropriate places (like on I-40 in NM, or AZ.. just nothing quite like the 'gauze' of space, when yer out among the Rocks, gazing..) 'Bout the only place (I've been..) on-par with the Deserts, is Canada.. '..Oh, Canada...' Wow, the Auroras you can catch up there, sometimes.. Talk about a 'light show'..

..But, I also have to say...

...you can determine the angle represented by each pixel based on the angle and number of pixels across the moon. ...A low orbit satellite at say 300 miles should be around 1-2 arc seconds across and traveling at about 1,000 diameters/second. A geosynchronous satellite should not be resolvable and travel at about 5-600 diameters/second.... ..the speed can be estimated by the fraction of the moon's diameter it is covering in a unit of time.

..Man... just who the *hell* ARE you?? One minute yer DIYing a NASA-grade multi-up Blue / Red diode-engines for your own PJ, the next yer scratchbuilding yer own DPSS-green (..and blowing away SP 'Millenia' beam-quality, in so-doing..) the next, yer concocting some sub-zero LN-chilled Cryo-jector, or making 15W of 577 from a Jello-laser, or baking the latest galvo-claims.. ...And, the next, yer waxing-wisdom on the ails of the icecaps.. and.. dishing out 'how to train-on yer favorite moon-illite with yer iPhone??' ..Dude, are you like, really Benjamin Franklin or something?? Heh, jk, but.. Not trying to 'stroke yer ego' (..or stroke your-Anything but.. Yer posts are just some of the 'Best Part of PL' / what makes this place still special..

..Here's to Brian's magic iTelescope, and Eric's posting-breadth proliphery... http://media.saveur-biere.com/303-26...ed-en-bois.jpg

j

[absolom7691]

Thanks, guys!

Eric, unfortunately, the sky tonight was primarily cloudy so, I think I am going to miss my chance at getting a repeat. Thanks for the info though. I love astronomy but I am NOWHERE near the level you are, clearly!

Jon, my family and I go out to the desert a lot. One of our favorite things around the campfire is seeing who can point out the most satellites. Unfortunately, SoCal is getting worse and worse for sky viewing. I used to go to Joshua Tree a bit but in the last 15 years, the sky has become ridiculous. About the only place left for me is Death Valley. Whenever I get time, I like to get up to Mahogany Flat. I think that's about the best sky you're going to get around here. Also, I completely second what you have to say about Eric. That guy knows is stuff in a super-hero like way!

[dsli_jon]

...my family and I go out to the desert a lot. ..Unfortunately, SoCal is getting worse...About the only place left for me is...

..Oh, you gotta get 'up North' sometime, Bud.. The 'gauze', even in / around Sequoia, let alone Yosemite, is just.... beyond words.. Not to mention up-Shasta-way.. You're like O_O the whole time.. ..But, ya - 'around here', Needles / DV / out-yonder past Coachella / Blythe-way is about the best yer gonna get..

...Also, I completely second what you have to say about Eric. ..

..I know, right? I think his 'title' should get changed from 'Senior Member', to 'Diode-Arraying Cryojectoring DPSScratchbuilding Dyemuxing Spacial-Filtering Scanner-spanking Moon-unit-Utilizing Revolutionary-ConstituLibertarian & Guru of Self-felled-Timber Workshops'.

..btw, the Moon was *quite* gorgeous, last nite, and being nice n' clear (..at least here, in Van Nuys-ish area..) She should be no-less spectacular, tonite..

j

[tribble]

Amazing! I'm glad you told us what it was... I looked at the pic before I read the post and thought it was just a laser-burned camera!

[swamidog]

there is a near infinite amount of very dark and clear sky where i leave.

bring your scopes on over!

here's my shot of the venus transit i took a few years ago with my improvised rig.

[dsli_jon]

there is a near infinite amount of very dark and clear sky where i leave...

I know this, I know this..... YOU'RE A TRAVELING BLACK HOLE!! ..haha, just kid'n I know whatcha mean... AZ is quite 'sparkletacular' at nite.. And, rad shot of Lady Venus..