Where is the DSC next weekend - 29th nov?

[MarkH]

Delphine, it doesn't really matter as long as you are near the hook-ups. However, I personally prefer to be somewhere away from the toilet block as it has a lights on it. Either of the left hand corners are fine.

As you enter the field South is to your right.

Bugger ...hook ups I forgot that campsites have hook ups. I've gone for all battery and I didn't need to. And I've got all the appropriate connectors in the garage doh

[Mike]

That's fine. Mark S also runs everything from batteries and a few of us still have battery gear if we go somewhere without hookups. Not all campsites have them so it's useful to have.

[Jim]

I hope to come as well. Last time we setup at the wooden fence just on the right as you enter the field. You can park on the road side and setup on the field side of the fence. Forecast is looking good.

[Roy]

Roy and me are planning to arrive on Friday and get set up before dark.

[The Thing]

Roy and me are planning to arrive on Friday and get set up before dark.

See you there while it's still light

[julian]

See you lot there at about 8pm.
I may bring 2 500 watt flood lights so I can set up in the light!   

[Ivor]

Does Blacklands lend itself to capturing ISON? I've never tried to capture a comet before and would be interested in giving it a go.

[mickw]

The adjacent field towards the East has a bit more SE horizon than than the main field.
All depends on the time really - and the clouds - and the rain etc., etc.

[Mike]

Recent reports suggest ISON has already started to break up and indeed may have exploded into a giant dust cloud already so I wouldn't hold out much hope for viewing it.

Currently, NASA is receiving reports that molecular emission from the comet has fallen dramatically. Meanwhile, the dust production seems to be enormous. This could potentially indicate that the nucleus of the comet has completely disrupted, releasing an enormous amount of dust while reducing emission rates. This means that the comet has essentially broken apart which, in turn, means that it likely won't be present in the skies in early December.

[Mike]

You can keep track of ISON's approach to the Sun almost live with the SOHO LASCO C3 camera images......

So far it seems to have broken up but may still be in large pieces so some may survive the encounter with Sol.

ISON is at the 3.30 position.

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/c3/512/

[Ivor]

Thanks Mike, looks like it will be missed opportunity. Love the fact you can track it, that's pretty impressive. Maybe I'll have to persuade Duncan to help me with Capturing Jupiter instead Registax is the tool of choice, right?

BTW is there WiFi at the site?

[The Thing]

Thanks Mike, looks like it will be missed opportunity. Love the fact you can track it, that's pretty impressive. Maybe I'll have to persuade Duncan to help me with Capturing Jupiter instead Registax is the tool of choice, right?

BTW is there WiFi at the site?

Hi Ivor,

No WiFi unless they have added it since last time. For capturing planets you can use a variety of software, it depends what camera you are using. I use a bog standard SPC900, 2x ED barlow on 2000mm SCT and Sharpcap. I have tried Firecapture a while back, must get the latest version. Also Castrator is useful for cutting file sizes.

Registax, Autostakkert or AviStack2 are the free tools of choice for processing. I tend to try all three and see which comes up with the best result for given video stream! I like to use Registax wavelets for final sharpening.

Hope that helps!

[Ivor]

Thanks I'll download Sharpcap and registax ready for the weekend. Genius name for an application Castrator.

[Mike]

Ivor, Comet Lovejoy is still around in the mornings. It's about Mag 4 at the moment. There is still a small chance that ISON, or a large part of it, may survive.

[Rocket Pooch]

Just to let you know it has not rained down here for a week and the ground is  pretty good, also the local weather forecast seems to suggest some clear skies early morning Friday and Saturday.