Notes on this program
I have completed the AL’s Solar System Observing Program twice. The first time, I completed the regular program, doing mostly visual observations (# 139 on 2019-02-26). The second time I completed the program using binoculars, thereby earning the binocular certification (# 151-B on 2019-11-01). This third time around, I am hoping to complete the program with photographs, thereby earning the imaging certification. The requirements from the imaging version of the program are identical to the regular program.
I will identify the gear I used, the day and time of the shot, and the location from which I took photos in a caption to each photo. Here are the specifics for reference.
Scopes and Cameras
My gear: iPhone 16 camera, Canon T1i DSLR, Seestar 50, Meade ETX 125
Remote Sites: Slooh operates a number of telescopes around the world and I have used several of them for this project:
Chile 1: Scope: Celestron 14″ EdgeHD 1400 Schmidt-Cassegrain Catadioptric (SCT) at f/11.
Camera: Diffraction Limited SBIG, Model STL-11000
Chile 2: Scope: PlaneWave Instruments 17″ CDK17 (Corrected Dall-Kirkham) at f/6.
Camera: Finger Lakes Instrument Proline PL16803 Monochrome CCD Camera
Canary 4: Scope: Celestron 14″ EdgeHD 1400 Schmidt-Cassegrain Catadioptric (SCT) at f/11.
Camera: Diffraction Limited SBIG STT-8300M
Slooh telescopes and cameras operate on fixed filter / exposure formulas based on the type of target in question. Sometimes they take luminance-only shots and at other times they take separate L,R,G, and B photos. I used a variety of integration techniques for the photos in this program. In general, if the photo has any color in it, it is RGB or LRGB. If it is monochrome, it is a luminance shot. In some cases I found it best to turn a color photo into a mono photo in order to bring out the contrast between dark space and the objects in the field of view.
Locations
I took photos from several locations for this project: My home in Verona, Wisconsin (42.96, -89.52),
The Slooh locations are in Santiago, Chile (Latitude: S33° 16′ 8.4″ S33.269 / Longitude: W070° 32′ 2.4″ W070.534) and the Canary Islands (Latitude: N28° 17′ 58.92″ N28.29970 / Longitude: W016° 30′ 29.736″ W016.50826).
Software
Pixinsight, Apple Preview, Astrometry.net
DAV 33.561821358515914, -82.76385726213762
YRS 42.790945158685965, -89.4382364058325
CP 42.96827436240214, -89.52446509281556