# 239 | The Crescent Moon
The changing phases of the Moon allows observers to view our closest celestial neighbour slightly different each night. As the terminator slowly moves across the face of the Moon each day, shadows illuminate surface details from different angles, creating a continually changing perspective.
The thin crescent Moon, as seen in this image taken by Ricardo Borba, is an excellent target for a telescope or binoculars.
On April 30, 2006, from Ottawa, Ontario, Ricardo took this highly-detailed image of the Moon using his Lumenera camera, a 10-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain and a Baader IR-pass filter.
Imaging the Moon was the easiest part for Ricardo. His composite is a mosaic of 12 images, each containing 1000 frames. Processing was done using Registax 3 and Canon PhotoStitch.
# 238 | Jupiter
With Jupiter being so low in the ecliptic the next few years, accomplishing detailed images and visual observations could be difficult for amateurs in Canada.
To avoid turbulence caused by our atmosphere, observe Jupiter when it is transiting the meridian. At its highest point in the night sky, Jupiter is only 30 degrees from the horizon, therefore the atmosphere will have a significant role in obtaining detail observations.
A night of stable air blanketed much of Ontario on May 27, 2006. Using his 14-inch Celestron SCT, Darryl Archer took this image of Jupiter from his driveway in Baden, Ontario at 11:07 p.m..
After taking 800 frames using a Phillips webcam through his C14 operating at f/22, the best 208 were painstakingly combined.
The Great Red Spot, Europa and its shadow can be seen. Also visible is a new feature discovered earlier this year, a smaller spot nicknamed "Red Spot Jr." by online amateur astronomers.
A guide to observing Jupiter, including times for when the Great Red Spot will be visible can be found here.
# 237 | Jupiter
Planetary observers have had a good season of Saturn viewing. With the Ringed Planet approaching the western sky at dusk and soon to disappear into the sunset, telescopes will now be turning to Jupiter. Eleven times larger than the Earth, every body in our solar system, with the exception of the Sun, could fit inside of Jupiter.
On May 7, 2006, Chris Gardner of Toronto, Ontario, took this image of Jupiter using a 6-inch refractor operating at f/28. Using a 4x Tele Vue Powermate and a Phillips ToUcam webcam, 300/1200 frames were combined using Registax and then processed using Adobe Photoshop.
Chris' image also shows Io and its shadow upon the planet.
A guide to observing Jupiter, including times for when the Great Red Spot will be visible in May and June can be found here.
# 236 | Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
Although moonlight has been reducing the visibility of Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, SkyNews readers have been busy imaging and observing the comet over the past weeks.
On May 7, the comet had a close pass to M57, the Ring Nebula in Lyra. Martin Berneir of St. Liboire, Quebec created this composite, using eleven separate images, showing the comet travelling past the nebula.
Martin took exposures of 3-8 minutes using a Canon 300D at ISO 800 and imaged through a Meade 10-inch LX 200 Schmidt-Cassegrain at f6.3. Processing was done using Adobe Photoshop CS.
More information on Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, including charts and more images, can be found here.
# 235 | An Iridium Flare at Dawn
Thousands of satellites are continually circling the Earth. Ninety minutes after sunset or before sunrise presents the best opportunity to view one. Appearing as fast moving "stars", we are able to see them due to sunlight reflecting off of their metallic bodies.
A group of communication satellites, each given the name Iridium (followed by an identification number), were launched in the late 1990's. Amateur astronomers soon realized that if the geometry was correct, the solar panels would reflect sunlight and breifly appear as a bright flare. Due to the angle of the Sun, the position of the satellite and your location, some Iridium flares are brighter than others.
Shortly before dawn on April 28, 2006, Steve Irvine of Big Bay, Ontario took this image showing a bright Iridium flare over top of a nearby island.
Steve used a Canon EOS 350D digital camera with its lens set at 18mm and f/5 and took a 25-second exposure at ISO 100.
To determine when an Iridium flare will be visible from your location, please click here select your location from the database or enter your exact coordinates.
# 234 | Capturing M3 During Daylight
Globular cluster M3, a beautiful star cluster near the star Arcturus, can be seen as a small smudge in binoculars. When seen through a telescope, the cluster becomes alive with stars. At a distance of 35,000 light-years, M3 shines at a brightness of magnitude 6.4.
Because of its apparent brightness, Rock Mallin of Ottawa, Ontario, was able to find M3 in his 16-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope (operating at f/3.3) more than one hour before sunset on April 17, 2006 and, considering the time of day, record some amazingly detailed images.
Four images, taken with a MallinCam Hyper Colour Video CCD camera, were combined with Registax to create this final result.
# 233 | M81 and M82
M81 and M82, a pair of galaxies located in Ursa Major, rank high on the list of favourite galaxies for most amateur astronomers.
Separated by only 1/2°, when both can be seen through a telescope in the same field of view, the galaxies appear similar to cats eyes staring back. Observing from a dark sky through a telescope with an aperture of 6-inches or greater will provide stunning views.
Both galaxies are located approximately 11 million light-years away. M81 is slightly tilted, appearing as an oval, while M82 is spindle-shaped.
Pierre Tremblay of Quebec City, Quebec imaged the galaxies on March 27 and April 11, 2006. Pierre shot through a Takahashi Sky 90 refractor mounted atop a Losmandy G-11 Gemini equatorial mount. A Starlight Express SXV-H9 CCD camera was used, along with an SBIG CFW8A filter wheel, Astrodon LRGB and hydrogen-alpha filters and an IDAS LPF filter.
RGB = 12 X 5 minutes.
L = 36 X 4 minutes.
Ha = 500 seconds X 30.
# 232 | M101
Some mild auroral activity has been occurring the past few nights. Although observations have been hindered by moonlight, on occasion the displays have been intense enough to easily be seen.
While travelling back to Ottawa, Ontario after a late night of viewing and photographing auroras, Pierre Martin stopped alongside the Ottawa River to admire the display overtop of Petry Island and captured this image, a 30-second exposure at ISO 200 using a Canon 16-35 lens (set to 19mm and f3.5) and a Canon 300D digital camera.
To find out if an aurora is currently occurring, and for tips on how to photograph the northern lights, see the SkyNews Aurora Watch page.
# 231 | M101
Found near the end of the Big Dipper's handle, M101 is a spiral galaxy that is positioned face-on towards Earth, thus allowing observers to view its spiral arms. Although M101 is relatively large (1/4°), its low surface brightness can make it a difficult target from areas with even the slightest amount of light pollution. A dark sky and a telescope with at least 8-inches of aperture is recommended for viewing M101.
Chris Appleton of Toronto, Ontario imaged M101 with a Takahashi 60mm refractor and a StarlightXpress SXV-H9 CCD camera using Astronomik filters and a Lumicon Deep Sky filter. A total of 3 hours and 36 minutes of exposures were taken (L=39 x 4 minutes, RGB=15 x 4 minutes).
Sharp eyed viewers may also notice the smaller and fainter galaxy NGC5474 at the bottom of Appleton's image.
# 230 | The Total Solar Eclipse of March 29, 2006
People from across the world flocked to the Mediterranean and northern Africa regions on March 29, 2006 for a 4-minute event—a total eclipse of the Sun.
Groups of Canadians from across the country were part of the contingent and travelled with different tours to bask in the glory of the eclipse. Toronto's Paul Mortfield was near the town of Sallum, Egypt, along the Libyan border to watch and photograph the eclipse.
Using a Tele Vue 76 apochromatic refractor and a Canon 20D camera, Paul took a 1/20-second exposure using ISO 100 during totality. Paul's fantastic image showcases the corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun which can only be observed during a total solar eclipse.
A gallery of eclipse images taken by Canadians can be found here.