Re: [CvilleAstro] MP4 version of Crab Nebula animation
Marshall,
Changes in the appearance of the Crab Nebula are well known and not a new finding. There are some really cool Hubble Space Telescope animations showing ripples and waves propagating away from the pulsar region. The animation presented here was just for curiosity sake- I wondered if two images taken 9 years apart would show changes. As you point out there was alot of uncontrolled variables as these images were not captured specifically for this project. Nonetheless I do think that at least some of differences showing up are real ( I do think there is a suggestion of expansion at least). In addition the proper motion of the pair of stars in the lower left was a neat bonus as well!?
Thanks for the tip on using PIPP to create animations. I¡¯ll definitely look into that.?
Myron
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On Feb 22, 2025, at 7:37?AM, Karl via groups.io <kjatway@...> wrote:
?
Its always interesting when you can see changes in objects so many lys away .?
Karl
Dear RAC,? CAS, and friends,
A number of people had trouble viewing the animation I sent out showing changes in the Crab Nebula over 9 years. Heres another version saved as MP4 format. hopefully this will work better. I have a friend working on this video
also and im sure his final version will be very nice. Ill send that out when its ready. Note the high proper motion stars in the lower left of the image as they jump back and forth.
One image was obtained in 2016 and the other just a few weeks ago. Two different telescopes (Meade 12" LX-200 for 2016 image and a 10" R-C for 2025 image) and two different cameras ( ATIK 314E CCD for 2016 and QHY 294M Pro
for 2025 image). Not the best way to do it but 9 years is a long time! I have? thousands of MSRO images archived going back to 2015 as we save all the data. It might be interesting to create other animations using the old images- who knows what might show
up!
Myron Wasiuta- Mark Slade Remote Observatory
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MP4 version of Crab Nebula animation
Dear RAC,? CAS, and friends,
A number of people had trouble viewing the animation I sent out showing changes in the Crab Nebula over 9 years. Heres another version saved as MP4 format. hopefully this will work better. I have a friend working on this video also and im sure his final version will be very nice. Ill send that out when its ready. Note the high proper motion stars in the lower left of the image as they jump back and forth.
One image was obtained in 2016 and the other just a few weeks ago. Two different telescopes (Meade 12" LX-200 for 2016 image and a 10" R-C for 2025 image) and two different cameras ( ATIK 314E CCD for 2016 and QHY 294M Pro for 2025 image). Not the best way to do it but 9 years is a long time! I have? thousands of MSRO images archived going back to 2015 as we save all the data. It might be interesting to create other animations using the old images- who knows what might show up!
Myron Wasiuta- Mark Slade Remote Observatory
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Re: Crab nebula animation over 9 years
Myron: An mp4 version would be great as I live in the Apple universe.?
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On Feb 21, 2025, at 08:03, Myron Wasiuta via groups.io <myrnteryx4@...> wrote:
? Carl, I use Windows Media Player on my desktop. If anyone is having trouble opening the avi file, I will send out an mp4 version later tonight once I get a chance to work with it.?
Myron? On Feb 21, 2025, at 6:56?AM, Carl Darron via groups.io <an-hour-a-week@...> wrote:
?Myron,
What app do you use to play the simulation?
Vr/ Carl Darron? On Thu, Feb 20, 2025 at 21:59, Myron Wasiuta via groups.io <myrnteryx4@...> wrote: Dear RAC and CAS,
I
created an interesting animation showing what I believe are true
changes in the appearance of the Crab Nebula over a span of about 9
years. The first image was taken in February 2016 and the second image
was taken in January 2025. I had to scale the images to the same size,
and manually do a 2-star alignment to compensate for the different image
scales. Fortunately the orientation was nearly the same so this went well. The first image was taken using a Meade 12" LX-200 at about
f6.5 and using an ATIK-314E CCD camera with no filter. It is a stack of
10 120-second exposures. The 2025 image was taken using a 10" f7.9 R-C
and QHY 294 M Pro CMOS camera with no filter. It is a stack of 10
60-second exposures.
I
believe the images show apparent changes in the synchrotron radiation
glow of the nebula as well as a subtle expansion of the nebula itself!
In addition there is a high proper motion star (UCAC4-561-018089) at the
lower left part of the frame that can be seen drifting south in
declination about 2 arc-seconds. According to Cartes du Ceil-it has an
annual proper motion of about 241 milli-arcseconds /year.? There also
appears to be a possible variable at the top right part of the frame.
I probably should have labelled each image with the year. The 2025 image is the one with the high proper motion star in its "up " position.
Myron Wasiuta
|
Re: Crab nebula animation over 9 years
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On Fri, Feb 21, 2025 at 8:03, Myron Wasiuta via groups.io <myrnteryx4@...> wrote: Carl, I use Windows Media Player on my desktop. If anyone is having trouble opening the avi file, I will send out an mp4 version later tonight once I get a chance to work with it.?
Myron? On Feb 21, 2025, at 6:56?AM, Carl Darron via groups.io <an-hour-a-week@...> wrote:
?Myron,
What app do you use to play the simulation?
Vr/ Carl Darron? On Thu, Feb 20, 2025 at 21:59, Myron Wasiuta via groups.io <myrnteryx4@...> wrote: Dear RAC and CAS,
I
created an interesting animation showing what I believe are true
changes in the appearance of the Crab Nebula over a span of about 9
years. The first image was taken in February 2016 and the second image
was taken in January 2025. I had to scale the images to the same size,
and manually do a 2-star alignment to compensate for the different image
scales. Fortunately the orientation was nearly the same so this went well. The first image was taken using a Meade 12" LX-200 at about
f6.5 and using an ATIK-314E CCD camera with no filter. It is a stack of
10 120-second exposures. The 2025 image was taken using a 10" f7.9 R-C
and QHY 294 M Pro CMOS camera with no filter. It is a stack of 10
60-second exposures.
I
believe the images show apparent changes in the synchrotron radiation
glow of the nebula as well as a subtle expansion of the nebula itself!
In addition there is a high proper motion star (UCAC4-561-018089) at the
lower left part of the frame that can be seen drifting south in
declination about 2 arc-seconds. According to Cartes du Ceil-it has an
annual proper motion of about 241 milli-arcseconds /year.? There also
appears to be a possible variable at the top right part of the frame.
I probably should have labelled each image with the year. The 2025 image is the one with the high proper motion star in its "up " position.
Myron Wasiuta
|
Re: Crab nebula animation over 9 years
Carl, I use Windows Media Player on my desktop. If anyone is having trouble opening the avi file, I will send out an mp4 version later tonight once I get a chance to work with it.?
Myron?
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On Feb 21, 2025, at 6:56?AM, Carl Darron via groups.io <an-hour-a-week@...> wrote:
?Myron,
What app do you use to play the simulation?
Vr/ Carl Darron? On Thu, Feb 20, 2025 at 21:59, Myron Wasiuta via groups.io <myrnteryx4@...> wrote: Dear RAC and CAS,
I
created an interesting animation showing what I believe are true
changes in the appearance of the Crab Nebula over a span of about 9
years. The first image was taken in February 2016 and the second image
was taken in January 2025. I had to scale the images to the same size,
and manually do a 2-star alignment to compensate for the different image
scales. Fortunately the orientation was nearly the same so this went well. The first image was taken using a Meade 12" LX-200 at about
f6.5 and using an ATIK-314E CCD camera with no filter. It is a stack of
10 120-second exposures. The 2025 image was taken using a 10" f7.9 R-C
and QHY 294 M Pro CMOS camera with no filter. It is a stack of 10
60-second exposures.
I
believe the images show apparent changes in the synchrotron radiation
glow of the nebula as well as a subtle expansion of the nebula itself!
In addition there is a high proper motion star (UCAC4-561-018089) at the
lower left part of the frame that can be seen drifting south in
declination about 2 arc-seconds. According to Cartes du Ceil-it has an
annual proper motion of about 241 milli-arcseconds /year.? There also
appears to be a possible variable at the top right part of the frame.
I probably should have labelled each image with the year. The 2025 image is the one with the high proper motion star in its "up " position.
Myron Wasiuta
|
Dear RAC and CAS,
T CrB still in quiescence as of Friday morning February 21, 2025. Light curve this morning shows more flicker and a gradual brightening and dimming of about 0.1 mag most prominent in B band. This is light mostly from the white dwarf which is where the action will be from when she erupts. The star has also brightened slightly but it has done this many times before.
The spectra obtained this morning is unchanged from baseline as well.
Have a great day! Myron
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Re: Crab nebula animation over 9 years
Myron,
What app do you use to play the simulation?
On Thu, Feb 20, 2025 at 21:59, Myron Wasiuta via groups.io <myrnteryx4@...> wrote: Dear RAC and CAS,
I
created an interesting animation showing what I believe are true
changes in the appearance of the Crab Nebula over a span of about 9
years. The first image was taken in February 2016 and the second image
was taken in January 2025. I had to scale the images to the same size,
and manually do a 2-star alignment to compensate for the different image
scales. Fortunately the orientation was nearly the same so this went well. The first image was taken using a Meade 12" LX-200 at about
f6.5 and using an ATIK-314E CCD camera with no filter. It is a stack of
10 120-second exposures. The 2025 image was taken using a 10" f7.9 R-C
and QHY 294 M Pro CMOS camera with no filter. It is a stack of 10
60-second exposures.
I
believe the images show apparent changes in the synchrotron radiation
glow of the nebula as well as a subtle expansion of the nebula itself!
In addition there is a high proper motion star (UCAC4-561-018089) at the
lower left part of the frame that can be seen drifting south in
declination about 2 arc-seconds. According to Cartes du Ceil-it has an
annual proper motion of about 241 milli-arcseconds /year.? There also
appears to be a possible variable at the top right part of the frame.
I probably should have labelled each image with the year. The 2025 image is the one with the high proper motion star in its "up " position.
Myron Wasiuta
|
Crab nebula animation over 9 years
Dear RAC and CAS,
I
created an interesting animation showing what I believe are true
changes in the appearance of the Crab Nebula over a span of about 9
years. The first image was taken in February 2016 and the second image
was taken in January 2025. I had to scale the images to the same size,
and manually do a 2-star alignment to compensate for the different image
scales. Fortunately the orientation was nearly the same so this went well. The first image was taken using a Meade 12" LX-200 at about
f6.5 and using an ATIK-314E CCD camera with no filter. It is a stack of
10 120-second exposures. The 2025 image was taken using a 10" f7.9 R-C
and QHY 294 M Pro CMOS camera with no filter. It is a stack of 10
60-second exposures.
I
believe the images show apparent changes in the synchrotron radiation
glow of the nebula as well as a subtle expansion of the nebula itself!
In addition there is a high proper motion star (UCAC4-561-018089) at the
lower left part of the frame that can be seen drifting south in
declination about 2 arc-seconds. According to Cartes du Ceil-it has an
annual proper motion of about 241 milli-arcseconds /year.? There also
appears to be a possible variable at the top right part of the frame.
I probably should have labelled each image with the year. The 2025 image is the one with the high proper motion star in its "up " position.
Myron Wasiuta
|
Zoom Link for our February 2025 business and program meeting
Dear RAC,
Here's the link for last night's meeting and program for anyone who missed the meeting.
Myron
Passcode: 3.5.JbV?
|
program for tonight's meeting
Dear RAC,
Due to cloudy weather during tonight's RAC meeting-the live observing program will not be possible. Instead, the program will be about how color images are obtained using the monochrome 294 M Pro camera. I will go through the workflow used at MSRO to convert the black and white raw images into beautiful color images. I think it will be a very instructive and interesting exercise and encourage everyone to attend if possible.
We will use images tonight of the beautiful southern star cluster M 46 in Puppis. As some of you know-it has a ghostly faint planetary nebula embedded among its stars. I am including two images-a? 60-second raw monochrome image taken with the V band (green) filter, and the final result obtained by stacking and combining 30 separate images (10 each using the red, green, and blue filters).
Hope to see you tonight to watch how we go from one image to the final color result!
Myron
|
2025 Regional events in or near the Mid East Region of the Astronomical League
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 2025 Regional events in or near the Mid East Region of the Astronomical League
Date: 2025-02-17 11:12
From: <dknabb01@...>
To: "Don 01 account" <dknabb01@...>
Greetings MERAL Presidents, ALCors, editors, officers, and others,
Below is a listing of regional scale events in MERAL (or nearby) for
2025. There are a few events later in the year that have not set dates
yet, so I will send an updated list when I get them.
I'll attach the information as a MS Word document also.
I just updated the MERAL website with the events information:
Clear skies,
Don Knabb
MERAL Chair
2025 regional events that are in or near MERAL
Northeast Astronomy Forum, April 5-6
Rockland Community College, NY (Not in MERAL, but close!)
[1]
Staunton River Star Party (Spring), March 24-30
Staunton River State Park, VA
[2]
South Jersey Astronomy Club Star Party, April 24-27
Belleplain State Forest, NJ
[3]
Mega Meet at Pulpit Rock, June 27-29, rain date August 8-10
Pulpit Rock, PA
[4]
Northern Virginia Astronomy Club, Astronomy Day, May 3
[5]
York County Star Party #1 June 25-29
Susquehannock State Park in central Pennsylvania
[6]
Cherry Springs Star Party, June 19-22
Cherry Springs State Park, PA
[7]
Green Bank Star Quest, June 25-28
Green Bank WV
[8]
Astronomical League Convention, June 25-28
Bryce Canyon, UT
[9]
Stellafane, July 24-27
Springfield, Vermont (Not in MERAL, but too important to not include)
[10]
West Virginia Astrophotography Association Annual Conference, July 25-27
Blackwater Falls State Park, WV
[11] [12]
Almost Heaven Star Party TBD
Spruce Knob Mountain Center in Circleville, WV
[13]
York County Star Party #2 September 17-21
Susquehannock State Park in central Pennsylvania
[6]
Black Forest Star Party TBD
[14]
KVAS Blackwater Falls Astronomy Weekend, September 18-20
Blackwater Falls State Park, WV
[15]
Northern Virginia Astronomy, Star Gaze, TBD
C.M. Crockett Park, Midland, VA
[5]
Staunton River Star Party (Fall), October 20-26
Staunton River State Park, VA
[2]
James River State Park Star Party, November 14-15
James River State Park, Gladstone, VA
[16]
Links:
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[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
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March sky materials from the AL
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: FW: March sky materials from the AL
Date: 2025-02-15 14:49
From: <dknabb01@...>
To: "Don 01 account" <dknabb01@...>
Hi MERAL Presidents, ALCors, editors, officers, and others,
I am forwarding you the March sky materials from John Goss of the
Astronomical League.
Please share these with your club members, use them in your newsletters
and post them to your website and social media sites.
Clear skies,
Don Knabb
MERAL Chair
From: John Goss <goss.john@...>
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2025 11:10 AM
To: John Goss <goss.john@...>
Subject: March sky materials from the AL
Attached are the AL March sky materials.
Clear skies,
John Goss
|
Zoom Invite for February 2025 Program/Business Meeting
Dear RAC,
Please join me for our February RAC Meeting. The meeting will start with business at 7:30 to be followed by the program which will be a live observing/training session on the mSRO station 2 telescope. Please feel free to join in on the discussion and observing especially if you have an interest in learning how to operate the telescope for your personal observing.
RAC President (Myron Wasiuta) is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: RAC FEBRUARY 2025 Program/Business Meeting
Time: Feb 19, 2025 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81914249530?pwd=DOL4h7lWbl8NRS34QT28lRurfCbbxv.1
Meeting ID: 819 1424 9530
Passcode: 392471
---
One tap mobile
+13092053325,,81914249530#,,,,*392471# US
+13126266799,,81914249530#,,,,*392471# US (Chicago)
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Dial by your location
? +1 309 205 3325 US
? +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
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? +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
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? +1 564 217 2000 US
? +1 669 444 9171 US
Meeting ID: 819 1424 9530
Passcode: 392471
Find your local number:
Myron
|
Spectral comparison of T CrB
Dear RAC and CAS,
There has been recent increase in the accretion rate of the mass transfer in the T CrB recurrent nova system that was announced recently by professional astronomers. It was detected by increased emission features in the spectrum of this star. Whether this means an eruption or outburst is imminent is uncertain.
I got two hours of data on the morning of February 14, 2025. The light curve was pretty stable and looked to be at magnitude 10.2. No unusual features were detected in the curve from what I have been seeing since March of 2024 when I began intensively monitoring the star. I also was able to obtain a low resolution spectrum which also looks similar to those i have been getting all along. So from my limited ability with my amateur telescope and low resolution spectra-I have not seen any changes yet that are big enough for me to detect.
I have enclosed a screen shot of two spectra-one obtained on March 20, 2024 and the other on the morning of February 14, 2025. Aside from differences in clarity ( due to seeing)-they look essential unchanged.
Myron
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What¡¯s Up With the Astronomical League February 2025
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: What¡¯s Up With the Astronomical League February 2025
Date: 2025-02-14 16:10
From: Astronomical League <john@...>
To: Matthew Scott <treasurer@...>
Reply-To: john@...
Hello, Astronomical League
What¡¯s Up With the Astronomical League February 2025 is available for
download!
[1]
IN THIS ISSUE¡..
* Digital only Reflector for March 2025, the paper option returning in
June 2025
? Astronomy Days for 2025
? Astronomical League Live
? Texas Star Party, April 20-27, 2025
? Astrocon 2025-space left for 150 more registrants
Download this issue HERE [2]
CELESTIAL SAVINGS PROGRAM PARTICIPATING VENDORS
Astronomical League
9201 Ward Parkway , Suite #100, Kansas City, MO 64114
Unsubscribe [3]
Links:
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[1]
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[2]
wd38VjCkHJBjWe2bBdBubsSVZI-2Bn-2B-2F0fImkJ1EKqCKcABTnrzfyo4fxpjkGh5hpydm-2BTxW0-2BzLpT8TItGmAfbFAzvROH-2FiY274t8kaHLQnOyagHKlmB8JwrIHfwAideEhWTyGDHOf0Ao-2FYVFucqPKzImi2xSHFEv0cimccg6YhsxhriKOItloXdnyakbZytE3vhiyDG4BKBPeuP8SRq-2BXXokiTlKa3M0MjZOpo8b9-2B6vWGvgPzjThcXUKMPGlE95iRN6qGvkr1v4B-2BD5i8fDloTs7N
[3]
B4DTMsUi2PxJgTUicuuo-2BxqjTRE09LxLtMSDkOP0brgQOf8DPr6g1XxRBpHstnTbyW52x6Li9Df62fNEfZkW3HxytoQ-2BQZ3VoVqa7YEcy-2FlSTEe-2Bze2torlcD-2B4EXUtJ9rmH1I0BN-2FtzTmFdemfRBYwCrREdqHg-3D-3D
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On Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 8:26, Myron Wasiuta via groups.io <myrnteryx4@...> wrote: Dear Astronomy friends,
Observed T Corona Borealis this morning and got about 2 hours of light curve data. The star is still in quiescence and sitting at about mag V= 10.1. The spectrum looks unchanged from my baseline in March 2024 and is consistent with that of a red giant with lots of broad absorption bands. I did not see any emission features. But again my capabilities are quite limited.? I¡¯ll post the light curve once I have a chance to analyze it if it shows any changes from what I¡¯ve been seeing all along.
Myron
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Re: ATel #17030 A sudden increase of the accretion rate in T Coronae Borialis
That¡¯s good to hear. I was beginning to wonder how often a ¡°regular¡± cycle recurrent nova go off cycle. It¡¯s been a while since college astronomy, but it would make sense that over time it may take longer for the parent material star to shed enough mass for the white dwarf to go nova? I can imagine that the periods between nova eruptions could get longer and longer over time until there isn¡¯t any mass left from the parent star. That would take a good couple billion years though.?
Let¡¯s blame dust!?
BWB
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Astro Pixel Processor, StarNet++, Affinity Photo
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Dear Astronomy friends,
Observed T Corona Borealis this morning and got about 2 hours of light curve data. The star is still in quiescence and sitting at about mag V= 10.1. The spectrum looks unchanged from my baseline in March 2024 and is consistent with that of a red giant with lots of broad absorption bands. I did not see any emission features. But again my capabilities are quite limited. I¡¯ll post the light curve once I have a chance to analyze it if it shows any changes from what I¡¯ve been seeing all along.
Myron
|
Re: ATel #17030 A sudden increase of the accretion rate in T Coronae Borialis
Myron,
I'm going off the usual grid for a few?days to take care of my sick daughter.? I'll have a phone, but that's it.
Thanks!
Pete
On Wed, Feb 12, 2025 at 1:12?PM Myron Wasiuta via <myrnteryx4= [email protected]> wrote: Looks like the accretion rate is rapidly increasing! This may be it- or maybe another false start. Either way everyone should be watching this star closely. It¡¯s well up in the NE sky by morning.
Myron
|
ATel #17030 A sudden increase of the accretion rate in T Coronae Borialis
Looks like the accretion rate is rapidly increasing! This may be it- or maybe another false start. Either way everyone should be watching this star closely. It¡¯s well up in the NE sky by morning.
Myron
|
Myron Wasiuta
Brian Barbre
Peter Laky