[category
astronomy-report]
Name: Aditya Krishna Karigiri Madhusudan
Crew: 292
Date: 11/02/2024
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: MDRS WF
Objects to be Imaged this Evening: NGC 1952 Crab Nebula
Images submitted with this report: None
Additional Notes:
1. Skynet shows both MDRS WF and RCOS 16 telescopes are down with a camera error.
2. Do you have any updates on the solar telescope?
[category
astronomy-report]
Name: Aditya Krishna Karigiri Madhusudan
Crew: 292
Date: 10/02/2024
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: None
Objects to be Imaged this Evening: None
Images submitted with this report: NGC 281 – Pacman Nebula
Additional Notes:
1. Skynet shows both MDRS WF and RCOS 16 telescopes are down with a camera error.
[category
astronomy-report]
Name: Aditya Krishna Karigiri Madhusudan
Crew: 292
Date: 09/02/2024
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: RCOS 16
Objects to be Imaged this Evening: AG DRA
Images submitted with this report: None
Additional Notes:
1. Further photometric observations on AG DRA with BVR filter are planned to be submitted tonight.
2. Skynet shows the RCOS 16 telescope is down with a camera error.
[category
astronomy-report]
Name: Aditya Krishna Karigiri Madhusudan
Crew: 292
Date: 08/02/2024
MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: MDRS-WF
Objects to be Imaged this Evening: M51 Whirlpool Galaxy
Images submitted with this report: NGC 5904 Globular Cluster.
Problems Encountered:
1. Only a single bias calibration frame was generated in Skynet. No dark and flat calibration frames for the filter were generated.
2. The images were initially calibrated using the single bias calibration frame, aligned, and stacked using AstroImageJ. Later they were processed and stacked once again into a color image using Photoshop. MDRS astronomy laptop was used to carry out the analysis. However, I could not find the camera raw option in the filter menu. As a result, I could not make fine adjustments to the image.
3. The images obtained through the luminous filter seem to be more noisy. The final image with and without the luminous layer is attached to this email. Maybe due to the lack of calibration frames?
GreenHab Officer: Mehnaz Jabeen
Environmental control: heater on , fan off , door close
Average temperature
8:25: 75.3F, 40%
13:56: 75 F, 40%
17:25: 73.8 F, 32%
Hours of supplemental light: 22:00 – 02:00
Daily water usage for crops: 7 gallons
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 0.031 gallons
Water in Blue Tank (200 gallon capacity): 152.9 69 gallons
Time(s) of watering for crops: 17:30
Changes to crops: More ripe tomatoes, radishes, grown kale and lettuce
Narrative: I started sol 5 having a treat to my eyes in the morning when I opened the airlock to go to the GreenHab. The red mountains were covered with snow. I cherished the moment, took a photograph and headed to the GreenHab. The GreenHab still looked very green and fresh. The moisture levels for all the crops looked pretty much the same i.e. 75-90%. After taking the readings I headed back to the hab and worked on my research project. Aditiya, our crew astronomer, helped in finding some parameters to derive the equations of PET and ET . We obtained daily climate data from the Loa climate center in Utah as we found out it is the nearest climate center that has data for all the parameters we needed. Around afternoon we came up with an experiment that we can try to validate my research which is impact assessment of the GreenHab Hydrology. In the evening I went to the GreenHab to do my usual duties. Clare, our crew journalist and Rajvi, our crew engineer, joined and helped me harvest some ripe radishes, fully grown lettuce, kale and leaves of red cabbage and water the crops. By the end of the day I went to the science dorm to check on the pots that I left in the growth tent for my experiment, water ½ cup in the pots ( 4 in number), noted down the temperature (80.6 F) and called it a day.
Harvest:
Radish: 172g
Kale: 96g
Red Cabbage: 73g
Lettuce: 33g
Support/supplies needed: None
Crew 292 EVA Report 09-02-2024
EVA #005
Author: BHARTI SHARMA
Purpose of EVA: To draw the geological structure for space art and measure the dip angle of the outcrop.
Start time: NA – the EVA got cancelled
End time: NA – the EVA got cancelled
Narrative: The EVA was cancelled because of snow outside as roads were inaccessible and the weather was not clear at all for the EVA fieldwork. We will aim for this spot when the weather is clear, as this spot is of utmost importance for our research.
Destination: South of Cowboy Corner – 518681, 4252888
Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): 518681, 4252888
Participants: Annalea, Bharti and Clare (the ABC)
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: NA – the EVA got cancelled.
Mode of travel: NA – the EVA got cancelled.
Sol 4: Rocks + Stars = Rockstars!
The Mangalyatri crew woke up to a cool day with a hint of sun peeking through the clouds, and, mercifully, very little wind. Perfect EVA conditions! Our Marstronauts had a quick breakfast of blueberry pancakes to fuel their journey, and then it was off for a 1000 start.
Everyone got into their EVA suits quickly, with a minor hitch along the way. One of the suits hadn’t charged (which we later realised was our fault as the fan hadn’t been switched off), meaning a change of suit for one of the crew. The crew were still out the door relatively on time (in the airlock at 1002), and were off to try and find some gypsum, concretions, and any possible evidence of microbial life. This was a fairly long EVA for our fresh Marstronauts, and they managed their time and energy extremely well, and even brought back some great samples of lichens, soil, and rocks for testing by our crew biologist, Daniel.
The rest of the crew at home were focused on more domestic tasks like sweeping, how to bathe using the least amount of water possible, and cooking lunch so that the EVA crew had a hot meal as soon as they got home. Great successes on all three fronts, I’m pleased to say!
The crew was spread out this afternoon with some people in the Hab, some in the Science Dome, and some in the GreenHab, all focusing on different tasks. Mehnaz took care of the plants and began planting some more radish seeds for both us and her experiments, Annalea continued her drawing and painting, Bharti and I had a lengthy geology and geoconservation discussion, Daniel helped in the GreenHab and baked a banana bread, and Rajvi continued doing her stellar work as crew engineer.
Unbeknownst to the rest of the crew, Aditya was quietly working away in his room, processing data from the robotic observatory leading to one of Sol 4’s biggest successes – a beautiful image of NGC5904 (a globular cluster 24,500 light years away from Earth)! Aditya even showed us a publicly searchable image of NGC5904 for comparison, and his was extremely similar. His image of NGC5904 was met with a chorus of oohs and aahs from the rest of the crew. We were (and still are) incredibly impressed with the quality of his image. The crew can’t wait to see what you image next. Well done, Aditya!
Mangalyatri truly is a crew of rockstars, both metaphorically, and in terms of actual rocks and stars (well globular clusters, really).
Keeping our head in the stars,
Clare Fletcher (292 Mangalyatri Journalist)
Sol: Sol #4
Summary Title: What a remarkable day – a significant capture of NGC5904!
Author’s name: Annalea Beattie
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: On this morning’s EVA to Cowboy Corner our away team was Bharti, Daniel, Rajvi and Aditya. Our science lead Bharti collected images of geomorphology and saw for the first time the paleo-channels and cross-bedding. She will return to do the slope analysis. Daniel navigated everyone to the EVA site, initially following the GPS then using old school methods – a map and compass. He looked for gypsum but couldn’t find the needed samples. Engineer Rajvi kept the time. Her objective was also to find gypsum and to understand the geological context for gypsum bearing sites since they are water carrying minerals and water will be an essential thing for the astronauts and as well it could be utilized for the propellant production on Mars. Aditya saw two large life forms (deer simultaneously jumping, we think) as well as many different kinds of lichens. Back at the hab, Mehnaz and I cleaned the floors, upstairs and downstairs and then we cooked lunch. I did yoga. Clare lent a hand to everyone. Her experience here is an asset. This afternoon we planned science directions, talked about gypsum, Jezero and discussed future EVAS and the inclement weather. Later, I continued with my gypsum sample watercolours in the science dome and Mehnaz and Daniel planted new seeds for her research. Daniel also cooked chocolate chip banana bread.
After the EVA this afternoon, Aditya continued his analysis of NGC5904, a globular cluster of stars twenty-four thousand light years away. And then, amazingly, he captured the image of the star cluster using the robotic telescope at MDRS. Congratulations Aditya Karigiri Krishna Madhusudhan! We are all thrilled with your work (see photos).
Look Ahead Plan: Two EVAS tomorrow weather permitting.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Cold but dry in the morning and only a small amount of rain this afternoon. Cloud cover was high all day with minor wind SSW with gusts up to 11mph. Average temperature 38F. Now pouring.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal
EVA: EVA to Cowboy Corner to search for gypsum samples and to examine igneous intrusions in sedimentary bedding, onion skin weathering the stratigraphy of the area. Crew consisted of Bharti, Daniel, Rajvi and Aditya.
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, EVA request.
Support Requested: None
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