Category: Astronomy Report

Astronomy Report

Name: Ghanim Alotaibi

Crew: 221
Date: 10 Feb 2020

Two photometry measurements were preformed today (using the image data obtained last night). One value for V CAS which was 10.959 and the other value for V0960 MON which was 12.945. Both Values were submitted to the AAVSO.

Last night, the 3rd image for each search pattern was obtained. Crew astronomer will download the image later this night due to the internet limitation.

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested MDRS-14

Objects to be Imaged this Evening:

1. V CAS (Resubmitted today)
2. V0960 Mon (Resubmitted today).

Images submitted with this report: Non

Problems Encountered: Non

 

Astronomy Report

Name: Ghanim Alotaibi

Crew: 221
Date: 09 Feb 2020

Two images were taken last night. One image for V CAS and the other for V0960 MON. Out of the three images submitted for each search pattern, only two were taken.

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested MDRS-14

Objects to be Imaged this Evening:

V CAS (Resubmitted today)
Search pattern (submitted last night): Still active since last night. 1 image is missing out of the three images requested for each search pattern.
V0960 Mon (resubmitted today).

Images submitted with this report: Non

Problems Encountered: No photometry measurement was performed today due to the bad seeing profile (please see an example of the seeing profile for V CAS in the attached file). This seeing profile also occurs with V0960 MON as well as with random stars. The reason of this might be bad focusing and high background noise levels. New requests were submitted, and problem reported to observatory director.

 

Astronomy Report

Name: Ghanim Alotaibi

Crew: 221
Date: 08 Feb 2020

A Photometry measurement was submitted yesterday for V CAS (measurement performed 5 Feb). The V Mag was found to be 10.766 with an error of 0.0044.

The following table shows the new search pattern

(Re, Dec)	(Re, Dec)	(Re, Dec)
(15:00:00, +30:00:00)	(15:03:00, +30:00:00)	(15:06:00, +30:00:00)
(15:00:00, +30:45:00)	(15:03:00, +30:45:00)	(15:06:00, +30:45:00)
(15:00:00, +31:30:00)	(15:03:00, +31:30:00)	(15:06:00, +31:30:00)

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested MDRS-14

Objects to be Imaged this Evening:

1. V CAS
2. Search pattern (submitted today): Only the first raw was submitted to familiarize the crew astronomer with the analysis procedure using Astroimage J.
3. V0960 Mon (Submitted today).

Images submitted with this report:

1. The attached image is the uncalibrated image taken by the MDRS-14 as per the request for Skynet mentioned in astronomy report 3 Feb 2020.
2. The attached image is the uncalibrated image for V0960 MON.

Problems Encountered: The data pic for V0960 MON contains many stars with doughnut shape.

Astronomy Report

Name: Ghanim Alotaibi

Crew: 221
Date: 06 Feb 2020

A mistake was found in the coordinate submitted for the patterns of the discovery project. The discovery patterns observations submitted yesterday was therefore canceled from Skynet. New patterns will be identified for tomorrow’s night and will be submitted to Skynet.

A new variable star target was identified. The astronomy proposal was updated and sent to observatory director.

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested MDRS-14

Objects to be Imaged this Evening:

1. V CAS Variable
2. 2MASS J06593158-0405277(new target submitted today)
3. Orion Nebula

Images submitted with this report: Non
.

Problems Encountered: Non

Regards

Ghanim

Astronomy Report

Name: Ghanim Alotaibi

Crew: 221
Date: 05 Feb 2020

The dome of the robotic observatory was found to be open this morning. The observatory director received reports, and the crew astronomer saw the open dome. Observatory director solved the problem.

Today morning the first photometry measurement on V CAS was performed. The photometry measurement was found to be 10.766. Another request was submitted for V CAS.

A search pattern for the discovery project was identified based on empty location by a map provided by the Minor Planet Center. The search pattern is as follow:

Patter # (Re, Dec)	Pattern # (Re, Dec)	Pattern # (Re, Dec)
1 (14:00:00, 35:00:00)	2 (14:30:00, 35:00:00)	3 (14:90:00, 35:00:00)
4 (14:00:00, 35:30:00)	5 (14:30:00, 35:30:00)	6 (14:90:00, 35:30:00)
7 (14:00:00, 35:90:00)	8 (14:30:00, 35:90:00)	9 (14:90:00, 14:90:00)

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested MDRS-14

Objects to be Imaged this Evening: V CAS and Discovery Pattern (see above for coordinates)

Problems Encountered: for the discovery patterns, only 6 patterns were submitted. Skynet didn’t permit the modification of the declination. Crew astronomer submitted the coordinates until pattern 6 only. Problem communicated by email to observatory director.

Astronomy Report

Name: Ghanim Alotaibi

Crew: 221
Date: 3 Feb 2020

One week before the rotation, two targets were submitted. V CAS using the MDRS 14, and the Orion Nebula using the MDRS WF. In Sol 1, a picture was taken for V CAS, while the Orion Nebula request was still active. A permission is needed from the observatory director to perform photometry analysis in a picture taken before the field rotation.

In Sol 1, the crew astronomer took a pic for the astronomy laptop, the mouse and the powercord. The picture was sent by email to the Observatory Director.

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested MDRS-14

Objects to be Imaged this Evening: V CAS and SS CYG

Images submitted with this report: Non

Problems Encountered: When the request to SS CYG was submitted in Skynet, a message appears saying that the target is not within one hour visibility within the telescope site. I was therefore unable to submit the request.

Robotic Telescope Requested MDRS-WF

Objects to be Imaged this Evening: Orion Nebula

Images submitted with this report: Non

Problems Encountered: Non

Astronomy Report

Name: Robinson Raphael

Crew: 219

Date: Jan 16th, 2020

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY: (MDRS-14)

Submitted an observation for the Owl Nebula (aiming for longer exposure time)

Images submitted with the report: (See attached below)

Whirlpool Galaxy (Generic and Johnson-Cousins Filters Used)

M40 (Generic and Johnson-Cousins Filters Used)

NGC 4258 (Generic and Johnson-Cousins Filters Used)

Problems encountered: Using the generic filters tend to leave the final image towards one more dominant color.

Astronomy Report

Name: Robinson Raphael

Crew: 219

Date: Jan 15th, 2020

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY: (MDRS-14)

MDRS-14 took observations of:

NGC 2960: (4 exposures of 63 s in Generic R and R) , (4 exposures of
125 s in Generic V and V) , (4 exposures of 250 s in Generic B and B)

Owl Nebula: (4 exposures of 40 s in Generic R and R) , (4 exposures of
80 s in Generic V and V) , (4 exposures of 160 s in Generic B and B)

Messier 40: (4 exposures of 30 s in Generic R and R) , (4 exposures of
60 s in Generic V and V) , (4 exposures of 120 s in Generic B and B)

Little Dumbbell Nebula: (4 exposures of 45 s in Generic R and R) , (4
exposures of 90 s in Generic V and V) , (4 exposures of 180 s in
Generic B and B)

NGC 4258: (4 exposures of 25 s in Generic R and R) , (4 exposures of
50 s in Generic V and V) , (4 exposures of 100 s in Generic B and B)

Whirlpool Galaxy: (4 exposures of 30 s in Generic R and R) , (4
exposures of 60 s in Generic V and V) , (4 exposures of 120 s in
Generic B and B)

Surveys 1-9 for Discovery: (3 exposures of 150 s in V filter)  done
for each survey except survey 6 which only has 2 exposures of 150 s in
V filter

Images submitted with report: Little Dumbbell Nebula (Generic and
Johnson-Cousins Filters Used)

Problems encountered: The third exposure for Survey 6 was not
recorded. Possibly due to bad weather

Astronomy Report

Name: Robinson Raphael

Crew: 219

Date: Jan 14th, 2020

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY: (MDRS-14)

MDRS-14 took observations of:

NGC 2623:

(5 exposures of 40 seconds in R)

(5 exposures of 75 seconds in V)

(5 exposures of 150 seconds in B)

(5 exposures of 150 seconds in Generic B)

(5 exposures of 75 seconds in Generic V)

(4 exposures of 40 seconds in Generic R)

Resubmitted observations for NGC 2623 with longer exposure times.
Current exposures recorded do not display the celestial body and
images are of very low quality overall.

Images submitted with report: None (Observations for other celestial
objects are still pending. Submitted a color image of the Crab Nebula
yesterday as Photo of the Day)

Problems encountered: MDRS-14 telescope only recorded 4/5 exposures
for Generic R filter (possibly due to weather causing the camera to
abort).

Caution: High Density Images — Part 2 of 2