David's Astronomy Pages CCD Images - Session 95 (2005-09-30) Images (S94)   Images (Main)   Home Page   Images (S96)

Notes (S00095)

- Unexpected observing session during 3 hour clear slot, when Metcheck.com showed a forecast of near 100% cloud, with possible rain !
- Aim of session was to record baseline images a number of stars lying close to the Sun (61 Cygni, Gamma Draconis, Barnard's Star), for measuring proper motion, and potentially annual parallax   
 - Opportunity was taken to record images of a number of other objects including M37 and the minor planet 19 Fortuna, and to monitor two AXP stars in Cassiopeia and some NSV stars in Cygnus. 
- An attempt was made to image MPL 2003 UB313, but sky conditions at low altitude (15 deg) where not suitable for seeing this mag +18.7 object.
- More Notes

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61 Cygni - Star (The 'flying star')

61 Cygni has a significant proper motion of around 5 arc secs/year, and is the reason behind its nickname - the 'flying star' (I hope to record this motion with an image taken in 1-3 years time). Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel studied 61 Cygni and was one of the first astronomers to measure annual parallax. 

61 Cygni (Cygnus) comprising the double star pair HIP 104214 & HIP 104217

CCD Image  20s exposure, C filter 2005-09-30 21:00h UT (#95004)

Astrometric solution of Cygni 61 at 2005-09-30 based on 19 UCAC2 stars Epoch 2000 Positions  (A) HIP 104214 : RA 21h 06m 55.96s, Dec 38d 45m 16.39s (B) HIP 104217 : RA 21h 06m 57.25s, Dec 38d 44m 49.35s

CCD  Image  2s exposure, V filter 2005-09-30 21:02h UT (#95007)

Astrometry measurement of 61 Cyg based on 5 images (95012-16), 2x2 binning, 1s exposure

Date (UT) Star RA (epoch 2000) Dec (epoch 2000)   2005-09-30 21:04 61 Cyg A, HIP 104214 21h 06m 55.94s +/-0.01s 38d 45m 16.40s +/-0.09s   2005-09-30 21:04 61 Cyg B, HIP 104217 21h 06m 57.23s +/-0.01s 38d 44m 49.42s +/-0.12s

Errors bars at +/-1 SD

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Gamma Draconis - Star 

Gamma Draconis was the star that the English physicist Robert Hooke made the first 'modern' attempt to detect annual parallax in 1669. His attempt was unsuccessful, and it was not  the 1830's/1840 that Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel and other astronomers first correctly detected parallax using slightly closer stars (see 61 Cygni above).

Gamma Draconis (Draco) Mag +2.2 Contrast turned up to show surrounding faint stars  (mag +11 to +15) . Telescopic optical artifacts from the bright  mag +2.2 star can be seen

CCD  Image  20s exposure, C filter 2005-09-30 21:11h UT (#95019) (Optical artifact analysis of this image)

Astrometric solution of Gamma Draconis at 2005-09-30 based on 9 USNO B stars RaDec2000 Position  for Gamma Draconis :  RA 21h 06m 55.96s, Dec 38d 45m 16.39s

CCD  Image  2s exposure, C filter 2005-09-30 21:12h UT (#95020)

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AXP Monitoring (4U 0142+615 & 1E 2259+586)

Two Anomalous X-ray pulsers (AXPs),  4U 0142+615 and  1E 2259+586 (both lying in Cassiopeia) were checked for brightening. No indication of activity was observed for either AXP.   

Star field of 4U 0142+615 area  no sign of AXP (mag limit +17)
CCD Image 2 min exposure,  C Filter 2005-09-02 21:46h UT (#95025)		Reference Image  (#81089)
Star field of 1E 2259+586 area  no sign of AXP (mag limit +17.8)
CCD Image 2 min exposure,  C Filter 2005-09-30  21:22h UT (#95029)		Reference Image  (#81094) [ Baseline Images and More Information ]

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Barnard's Star 

Barnard's Star, HIP 87937  (Ophiuchus)  a nearby star with large proper motion,  only 5.94 light years from Solar System

CCD Image (Mag Limit +15) 3 x 60s (median combine), clear filter 2005-09-30  21:35 h UT (#95037-39)

Astrometric solution of Barnard's Star at 2005-09-30 based on 79 UCAC2 stars Barnard's Star Epoch 2000 Position : RA 17h 57m 48.14s, Dec 04d 42m 35.26s

CCD  Image  20s exposure, C filter 2005-09-30 21:32h UT (#95034)

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UGC 556 - Spiral Galaxy 

UGC 556 (PGC 3235)  (xx) Catalog Mag +15.2 A Supernova (2005eb) was reported in UGC 556 on 2005-09-07 at mag+18.4 [ The small galaxy just to the north is PGC 212618 (catalog mag +16.9) ]

CCD Image  5 x 60s (average combine), C filter 2005-09-30 21:45h UT (#95040-44)

Negative Image

Negative CCD Image  (image details as above)

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NGC 1499 - Nebula (California Nebula)

Part of NGC 1499 (Perseus) Large, very faint Nebula.   A long exposure was needed to capture this small portion (Mag limit approximately +18.0)

CCD Image  5 x 120s (average combine), C filter 2005-09-30 22:06h UT (#95049-53)

Index Map for above Image (created using TheSky)

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M37 - Open Cluster

M37  (Auriga)

Approximate Colour CCD Image  Luminance : 3 x 20s (C Filter), Red 3x30s (av, R Filter), Green 2x20s (av, V Filter), Blue 2x60s (av B Filter) 2005-09-30 22:30h UT (#95064-74)

CCD Image  20s exposure, C Filter 2005-09-30 22:26h UT (#95065)

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MPL 19 Fortuna - Minor Planet

MPL 19 Fortuna passing through starfield in Aries

CCD Image  3 x 60s (average combine), C filter 2005-09-30 23:03h UT (#95107-09)

Negative Image [ Two faint galaxies are just visible PGC 11456, catalog mag +16.1 &  PGC 1529405, catalog mag +17.8 ]

Negative CCD Image  (image details as above)

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PGC 11277 - Galaxy Cluster

PGC 11277 and surrounding galaxies (Aries) [ whilst PGC 11277 is the brightest galaxy here (approximately centre of image),  and has a catalog mag of +15.2, the image shows numerous other galaxies  down to approximately mag +17. The bright star is the mag +7.3 star SAO 93216 ]

CCD Image  3 x 60s (average combine), C filter 2005-09-30 23:03h UT (#95107-09)

Negative Image

Negative CCD Image  (image details as above)

Index Map (created using TheSky6)

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