Photography Monthly interview on astrophotography
I had a lot of fun talking about astrophotography to Fiona Keating from Photography Monthly magazine a few weeks ago. The 4-page interview appears in the June issue of the magazine, which has just hit newsstands. In the interview I talk about some of the methods and equipment that can be used to take pictures of the night sky and the technical challenges astro imaging creates.
So if you’re thinking of getting into astrophotography, why not pick up a copy of the magazine and start snapping. And if you capture a great image, remember there’s a ‘best newcomer’ prize in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.
The day I met MIRI
With MIRI in the clean room at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Video courtesy of Sky at Night Magazine. Remember to select the 720p HD option.
Earlier this month I travelled to Oxfordshire to film the James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) in its clean room at the famous Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. After several years of assembly and testing at RAL, MIRI is now ready to be flown to the US where it will join up with the other parts of the James Webb Space Telescope that are being put together at NASA. Getting to go inside the high-tech clean room was an incredible experience and one that I won’t forget for a very long while. But what’s most exciting for me is what the instrument will uncover when it first opens its eyes to the cosmos. For those revelations we’ll have to wait a few years yet.
Filming MIRI in the clean room at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
AR1476 and the seething Sun
Prominences leaping from the limb of the Sun on 11 May 2012. Credit: Will Gater
It was hard to decide where on the Sun to look first yesterday with all the activity that was going on. AR1476 was, of course, taking centre stage but there were also numerous filaments scattered over the disc, while around the limb there were several impressive prominences.
I managed to capture a few pictures of what was going on, but sadly the seeing conditions were poor and so the detail in the images isn’t very good.
The picture above and the first two pictures below were taken with an Imaging Source DMK 21AU618.AS CCD camera (shooting at 60FPS), a 2x Barlow lens and a Coronado PST hydrogen-alpha filtered telescope. The last image was taken with the DMK 21AU618.AS on an ETX90EC OTA fitted with a white-light solar filter.
A large prominence extends above the solar limb. Credit: Will Gater
AR1476 as seen in hydrogen alpha light on 11 May 2012. Credit: Will Gater
AR1476 imaged with a white-light solar filter on 11 May 2012. Credit: Will Gater
A word of warning: never point an unfiltered telescope, unfiltered pair of binoculars etc. at the Sun. You will damage your eyes and almost certainly blind yourself. If you want to observe the Sun only use specialist certified solar filters that have been fitted correctly (and thoroughly checked) and that have been purchased from a reputable astronomical supplier. Be sure to follow any usage instructions carefully. Finderscopes etc. should also be filtered or removed.
Solar imaging after the rain
With all this rain we’ve been having I was starting to wonder if we’d ever see the Sun again here in the UK. Thankfully, a few small gaps in the clouds last week did give me the chance to get the solar imaging kit out. The first two images below show the main active regions visible in hydrogen alpha light on the 6th May. These include AR1476 which had then only just appeared over the Sun’s limb. The third is from the 1st May.
The pictures were all taken using an Imaging Source DMK 21AU618.AS CCD camera (shooting at 60FPS), a 2x Barlow lens and a Coronado PST hydrogen-alpha filtered telescope.
As for AR1476, it has grown substantially since these pictures were taken. It now measures roughly 160,000km across according to Spaceweather.com. What’s more, as the Sun gets increasingly active in the run-up to solar maximum we can look forward to seeing more enormous sunspots and active regions, like AR1476, appearing on the Sun’s disc. As long as the clouds stay away that is.
A word of warning: never point an unfiltered telescope, unfiltered pair of binoculars etc. at the Sun. You will damage your eyes and almost certainly blind yourself. If you want to observe the Sun only use specialist certified solar filters that have been fitted correctly (and thoroughly checked) and that have been purchased from a reputable astronomical supplier. Be sure to follow any usage instructions carefully. Finderscopes etc. should also be filtered or removed.
Watching a wandering star
Over the past few weeks it’s been hard to miss Venus shining away high in the west after sunset. At the end of March it was less than 3 degrees from the crescent Moon, while the first week of April saw Venus drifting past the Pleiades star cluster. Below I’ve collected together some pictures of the planet that I’ve taken recently; clicking on each one will take you to a larger version.
The wide-field pictures were all taken with a Canon 550D DSLR and a zoom lens, while the close-up (showing Venus’s phase) was captured with a Philips SPC900NC webcam and an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.
Two glittering planets meet the Earthshine lit Moon
Venus, Jupiter & the crescent Moon. (Click for full-size version) Credit: Will Gater
Jupiter, Venus and the crescent Moon are putting on a wonderful show in the west after sunset at the moment. The picture above shows the view last night with Jupiter and the Moon separated by roughly 3 degrees. A close-up of the view (below) shows the Moon and Jupiter as well as two of the Galilean satellites – Ganymede and Callisto. Tonight the view is no less spectacular with the brilliant Venus and the crescent Moon a little over 2 degrees apart. Pop out and see them if you can.
While you’re out, look out for the effect known as ‘Earthshine’. This is where sunlight reflected off the Earth’s bright cloud tops lights up the part of the Moon that isn’t directly lit by the Sun; it’s best seen when the Moon is a thin crescent, like it is at the moment. You can see Earthshine clearly illuminating the face of the Moon in the image below.
Jupiter, the crescent Moon & Earthshine. (Click for full-size version) Credit: Will Gater
A cold night imaging crater Copernicus and friends
Last night the atmosphere was particularly clear and steady here, so I took the opportunity to image some of my favourite lunar craters. All of the images below were captured using a Meade 203mm aperture Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and a Philips SPC900NC webcam. I also used a red (Wratten #23A) filter in front of the webcam to filter out some of the wavelengths of light that are more detrimentally affected by atmospheric undulations.
The images below are all mosaics. Each mosaic pane was made by taking a short video with the webcam and then sifting out the best 250 frames to be stacked and processed together into one more detailed image. Then each of the panes are arranged together to create the final mosaic image you see below. For example, the Clavius & Tycho image was made by stitching together 16 individual panes.
- The floor of crater Copernicus in shadow & the ghost crater Stadius. Credit: Will Gater
- The Tycho, Maginus, Clavius & Moretus region (click to enlarge). Credit: Will Gater
- Crater Plato, the Vallis Alpes and the Montes Teneriffe. Credit: Will Gater
Exploring the dark skies of Mid Wales
Back in November I spent a wonderfully quiet week staying near the town of Rhayader, in Mid Wales. The Welsh countryside around where I stayed is renowned for its wildlife and dramatic scenery, but the reason I went there – of course – was for its dark night skies. Unfortunately of the seven nights I was there only one was clear enough to get the telescope out.
Below you’ll find a few of the images I captured over the course of that evening. As you can see, thin patchy clouds and haze enhanced the small amount of light pollution visible, so I didn’t experience the skies there at their absolute darkest; which I guess means I’ll just have to go back and visit again next year.
- Venus sparkles above the vibrant glow of twilight. Credit: Will Gater
- Jupiter shines through thin mist against a starry backdrop. Credit: Will Gater
- The magnificent Orion rises over the skyline. Credit: Will Gater
- The Triangulum Galaxy. Taken with a Canon 550D on a William Optics 66mm refractor, autoguided by a Sky-Watcher SynGuider & an 80mm refractor. Credit: Will Gater
- The constellation of Auriga (and several bright star clusters). Credit: Will Gater
- The Crab Nebula (M1). Taken with a Canon 550D on a William Optics 66mm refractor, autoguided by a Sky-Watcher SynGuider & an 80mm refractor. Credit: Will Gater
An astronomical autumn on Dartmoor
Autumn is easily my favourite season for astronomy, partly because of the return of the dark skies but also because of the wealth of objects visible in the sky around this time. On the one hand some of the stunning summer sights are still visible low in the west, while at the same time the grand winter constellations are beginning to appear over the eastern horizon.
This autumn I’ve managed to get to my favourite dark sky site, on Dartmoor, a few times – though, admittedly, the imaging conditions haven’t always been great. Below are a few of the astro-images I’ve got to show for those trips.
All were taken with an unmodified Canon 550D DSLR camera. The wide field images were captured with the DSLR on a tracking mount. The close-ups were taken with the DSLR mounted on a William Optics ZenithStar 66mm refractor on an HEQ5 Pro mount. The whole setup was autoguided by an 80mm refractor and a Sky-Watcher SynGuider.
- The Milky Way in Cygnus, Cepheus & Lacerta. Credit: Will Gater
- The Double Cluster (NGC 869 & NGC 884). Credit: Will Gater
- The Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, M33 & the Double Cluster. Credit: Will Gater
The Hyades star cluster Credit: Will Gater
- The Dumbbell Nebula. Credit: Will Gater
So You Want To Be A Scientist 2011
Last year I wrote about a new BBC Radio 4 competition called ‘So You Want To Be A Scientist?’ that invites members of the public to submit ideas for a scientific experiment they’d like to carry out. One of the finalists in last year’s competition was amateur astronomer John Rowlands who investigated the summertime atmospheric phenomenon known as ‘noctilucent clouds’. The competition is back this year and the team behind it are once again keen to hear your ideas for experiments.
If your idea is one of the handful selected by the judges you’ll be paired up with a professional scientist to complete the experiment you’ve proposed. When the results of your study are in you’ll then have to present your research at the Cheltenham Science Festival; a panel of expert judges will then select their favourite experiment, with the winning citizen scientist being declared the BBC’s Amateur Scientist of the Year. You’ve got until 31 October to get your ideas in, so get thinking — you never know what you might discover.
A Draconid meteor drops from the sky
- The Moon & clouds spoilt the peak of the Draconid meteor shower. Credit: Will Gater
After watching the clouds rolling in all day here I decided that the only way I’d have a chance of observing the peak of the Draconid meteor shower tonight would be if I followed the few gaps there were in the clouds by car. So, as the Sun was setting, I set off on a drive around Somerset looking for patches of clear sky. Unfortunately every time it looked as if I’d get a glimpse of the stars the clouds closed up obscuring everything. With complete cloud cover overhead I set off home thinking that was the end of the night.
Thankfully when I was about 15 miles from home the clouds broke and Jupiter and the Moon appeared to burst out of them in front of me. In an incredible stroke of luck there was a big lay-by about 100 metres ahead, so I pulled over and parked up. With small swathes of clear sky appearing overhead I set up the camera and began taking 20 second exposures at ISO 800.
- Gaps in the clouds afforded brief glimpses of a starry sky. Credit: Will Gater
Before the clouds closed in again I saw four Draconid meteors including a relatively bright one which I managed to photograph (below). It was a lot of effort to capture just one meteor on camera. Hopefully next time the clear skies will come to me so I don’t have to go chasing after them.
- A Draconid meteor shoots across the sky (click for a wide-field version). Credit: Will Gater
Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2011 results night
Video courtesy of Sky at Night Magazine. Remember to select the 720p HD option.
Two weeks ago I, and the rest of the Sky at Night Magazine team, travelled to Greenwich for the 2011 Astronomy Photography of the Year awards night. You’ll no doubt have seen many of the winning images splashed across the pages of newspapers, websites and blogs over recent weeks.
This was arguably the most difficult year to judge so far, with an astounding array of superb images submitted from all over the world. Above is the video we made on the awards night, which includes an interview with the overall winner Damian Peach whose stunning image of Jupiter, Io and Ganymede you’ll see below. I’ve also embedded below an excellent video profile of Damian, which was made by Lonelyleap Film for the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
- The overall winning image — Jupiter with two of its moons, Io & Ganymede. Credit: Damian Peach
Video courtesy of Royal Observatory, Greenwich/Lonelyleap.
Comet Garradd glides by the globular cluster M71
Comet Garradd, M71 and the star fields of the Milky Way. Taken with a Canon 550D on a William Optics 66mm refractor, autoguided by a Sky-Watcher SynGuider & an 80mm refractor. Credit: Will Gater
Comet Garradd is currently putting on a great show as it tracks across the night sky. In the past few weeks it has passed by several deep sky objects including the globular clusters M15 and M71. I captured the above image last weekend as the comet (top right) was moving away from M71 (bottom left).
It’s certainly worth looking out for this comet if you have a small telescope. I could see it with ease through a 66mm refractor; admittedly from an observing site, on Dartmoor, with nice dark skies. The image above shows much more detail than the eye sees though, as it is composed of five minutes worth of exposures.
By the time I’d finished enjoying Garradd & M71 — in the same field of view — the Andromeda Galaxy had risen higher in the sky and I couldn’t resist capturing this image of it below. If you want to track down Comet Garradd yourself you’ll find a finder chart here. Happy comet hunting!
The Andromeda Galaxy. Taken with a Canon 550D on a William Optics 66mm refractor, autoguided by a Sky-Watcher SynGuider & an 80mm refractor. Credit: Will Gater
NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter
- An artist’s impression of the Juno spacecraft at Jupiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Thanks to a tweet from the Guardian’s science correspondent Ian Sample I’ve been exploring this superb, Flash based, website covering NASA’s Juno mission.
After clicking on the ‘begin journey’ tab the site takes you through a series of narrated full screen videos that set the scene for the mission and explain some of key scientific objectives; between each video there’s an excellent interactive page, with further images and videos, allowing you to find out more about each topic. For example, here’s a page that covers the rocket that will launch Juno, while this one focuses on Jupiter’s atmosphere.
As well as the great graphics & engaging narration I particularly liked the ‘cluster’ of stars at the end of the presentation, each one representing an astronomical question.
As for the probe itself, it’s scheduled to be launched on an Atlas V rocket tomorrow (5 August). You’ll be able to watch the lift-off live, and in HD, on the NASA TV page here.
A celestial spectacle from the space station
- A crop of the NASA image. Click the image for the full resolution NASA version. Credit: NASA
I’m busy working on a new astronomy book at the moment, so don’t have much time to blog, but I really couldn’t let this amazing new image slip by without posting it here.
It was taken by astronauts on the International Space Station and has to be one of the best images from orbit I’ve ever seen. Aside from the impressive space hardware on show (that’s STS-135, Space Shuttle Atlantis, docked on the left hand side) the image shows numerous other celestial sights.
Beyond the solar panels and Space Shuttle we can see the green glow of the aurora dancing over the limb of the Earth, while in the background there are lots of objects familiar to amateur astronomers in the southern hemisphere. A quick glance shows the Coalsack Nebula, the rich star fields of the Milky Way, the Southern Cross, a hint of the Carina Nebula, and even the globular cluster Omega Centauri. Simply stunning!
Delving into the dark skies of Dartmoor
The sky was wonderfully clear over my favourite dark sky site on Dartmoor on Saturday night, meaning I was able to spend several hours imaging objects in and around the Milky Way. Below are some of my images from that session, including a few of the lovely noctilucent cloud display that appeared over the northern horizon at about 02:00 BST. Clicking on each image will open a larger version.
- The Milky Way in Scutum & Sagittarius. Credit: Will Gater
- The globular cluster M22. Credit: Will Gater
- Noctilucent clouds on the northern horizon. Credit: Will Gater
- A close-up of the NLCs showing intricate structures. Credit: Will Gater
- Wave structures within the 3 July 2011 noctilucent cloud display. Credit: Will Gater
- More wave structures within the 3 July noctilucent cloud display. Credit: Will Gater
Noctilucent clouds light up the horizon — 1 July 2011
The height of the display, at roughly 3am BST, as seen from latitude 51°N. Credit: Will Gater
At around 3am BST this morning I spotted my first noctilucent clouds of the 2011 season. It was a fairly modest display, but did show some nice Type IIIb cloud structures at one point. Below are a few images I captured, along with two animations I made showing the clouds’ movement and changing structures. Clicking on the images will open up a larger version.
A panorama showing the extent of the display across the NE horizon. Credit: Will Gater
ANIMATION: click the image below to view the wide-angle animation. Credit: Will Gater
ANIMATION: click the image below to view the close-up animation. Credit: Will Gater
Scanning the summer night skies
This month’s Sky at Night Magazine vodcast is all about some of the things you can see in the night sky during the summer months. From glittering star clusters to glowing nebulae there’s something for everyone to observe over the coming weeks; in fact, many of the objects covered in the video can be spotted with a good pair of binoculars.
The vodcast is illustrated with several star charts to help you track down some of the more elusive objects, but if you require something a little more detailed then have a look at the free planetarium program Stellarium.
As usual, make sure you select the 720p HD setting for the best video quality. Clear skies and happy summer stargazing!
Video courtesy of Sky at Night Magazine.
New article: “Islands of darkness”
I’ve written an article for the new issue of Sky at Night Magazine about the first International Dark Sky Places to be set up in and around the UK.
From Galloway Forest Park in Scotland to the island of Sark in the Channel Islands these places are home to some of the darkest night skies we have in this part of the world. They are havens for astronomers faced with the ever-growing blight of light pollution – rare places from where we can view the unspoilt night skies in all their beauty.
The article explores how these sites came to be recognised as International Dark Sky Places and what effect their new statuses are having on their surrounding regions. The piece also looks at what the future holds for some of the other dark sky locations across the country while highlighting a few places that may apply for this special designation soon.
You’ll find the feature – entitled ‘Islands of darkness’ – on pages 26-31 of the July 2011 issue of Sky at Night Magazine, available from all good newsagents.
An introduction to dark matter from PhD Comics
With recent advances in astrophysics, cosmology and particle physics we’re entering an exciting period in our quest to understand the mysterious substance known as ‘dark matter’.
If you’ve ever wondered just what we do know about dark matter, and how scientists can study it, have a look at this video comic from Jorge Cham, of PhD Comics.
It’s a great introduction to the subject and shows nicely how several scientific fields have joined together to examine a significant, but elusive, component of the Universe we live in.
Hat tip to the Astronomy Twitter Journal Club blog where I first saw the video.
Starfields & skylarks – a night of imaging on Dartmoor
Capturing the night skies from the UK can often be a frustrating experience. You can spend ages setting up your scopes and cameras, carefully perfecting the mount’s tracking and getting everything in focus, but just as you’re ready to image the clouds have appeared.
Sometimes though it all comes together and you get a magical evening under the stars. For me, Friday night — on Dartmoor — was one of those precious nights.
I started taking images just before midnight. By the time I had finished, the sky towards the east was brightening and some very eager skylarks were beginning the dawn chorus. Below are a few shots I captured that night.
Seeing the Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae again reminded me that we have lots to look forward to over the coming summer months.
UPDATE 09.06.2011 — Here’s a short, admittedly poor quality, recording I made of the skylarks.
- The Lagoon (bottom) & Trifid Nebulae. Taken with a Canon 550D on a William Optics 66mm refractor, autoguided by a Sky-Watcher SynGuider & an 80mm refractor. Credit: Will Gater
- The crescent Moon over Haytor Rocks. Credit: Will Gater
- Venus sparkles in the eastern sky as dawn breaks. Credit: Will Gater
Noctilucent clouds and Audioboo
A noctilucent cloud display captured during summer 2010. Credit: Will Gater
I’ve just started using the website Audioboo to upload short pieces of astronomy themed audio to the Web. My first ‘boo’ (as they’re called) is all about noctilucent clouds – the ethereal glowing clouds that appear in the northern hemisphere’s night skies around this time of year.
I’ve embedded the audio below. If you’d like to see some of my pictures from previous years’ displays you’ll find them here and here.
A new astronomy column in BBC Knowledge Magazine
I’m very pleased to announce that I have a new column in the BBC’s excellent Knowledge magazine.
It’s called Above & Beyond and it’s where I’ll keep Knowledge readers up-to-date with what’s happening in the world of astronomy and space. There’ll be a certain practical element to the column too. So if there’s a planet worth looking out for or a meteor shower you just can’t miss, it’ll have all the details.
Knowledge is published, every two months, in the UK as well as in Bulgaria, Brazil, North America and Singapore. You’ll find my first column – all about the magical lure of Saturn – in the May/June issue, on sale this Wednesday.
Aurora hunting on the Sky at Night Magazine vodcast
Following on from the images I posted earlier this week, here’s the latest episode of the Sky at Night Magazine vodcast, which is all about my trip into the Arctic Circle in search of the aurora borealis. As usual, make sure you select the 720p HD setting for the best video quality.
