Category: Astronomy Report

Astronomy Report

Name: Sophie Wuyckens Crew: 190
date: 3/13/2018

Summary: I continued my training with the telescope. I got 2 pictures (see jpeg attached) of the Sun, they are not very fancy but unfortunately the Sun has no real relevant activity. I am trying to create gif and videos of the mini solar eruptions.
Objects Viewed: some little solar eruptions and surface of the Sun

Problems Encountered: No problems

Astronomy Report
Name: Sophie Wuyckens Crew: 190
date: 3/12/2018

Sky Conditions: Very clear sky in the morning and some clouds in the afternoon

Wind Conditions: No wind

Observation Start Time: 11:30 – 13:00 & 15:30-17:30

Observation End Time: See above

Summary: First day of observations. I became acquainted with the telescope all the day long. I got 3 pictures (see jpeg attached) of the Sun.
Objects Viewed: Sun, a little solar eruption and surface of the Sun

Problems Encountered: I had some trouble in order to find the Sun in the afternoon but it was just due to the fact that I had to pass to PM mode given that I passed from the morning to the afternoon. A Beginner Error, I guess. Peter is the one who told me how to fix my bug. It was good after.

Hello Capcom,

Astronomy Report
Name: Benoit Floquet Crew: 189
date: 2018/03/05

Sky Conditions: The sky was clear.

Wind Conditions: No wind

Observation Start Time: 02:00 pm

Observation End Time: 05:00 pm

Summary: Just a casual afternoon of observation

Objects Viewed: Sun Filament

Problems Encountered: None

Astronomy Report

Name: Benoit Floquet Crew: 189
date: 2018/02/19

Sky Conditions: The sky was clear during the window of observation. Before and after that it was cloudy

Wind Conditions: Quite a lot of wind but not that much during the window of observation.

Observation Start Time: 03:00 pm

Observation End Time: 03:30 pm

Summary: I went to the Musk Observatory to get a first experience with the telescope. I followed the instructions with success until I had to take a look at the Sun. It was not well aligned with the Sun Tracker but I couldn’t succeed to use the Hand control to make it right. Then I changed the set up ( time ) to get the Sun aligned and it was already to cloudy to take a good look…

Objects Viewed: none

Problems Encountered: I didn’t find the instructions to use the Hand control in order to move the telescope.

Astronomy Report

Name: Julia DeMarines

Crew: 188

Date: 02/07/2018

Sky conditions: Clear

Wind conditions: low to none

Observation start time 2:10 pm

Observation end time: 4:45 pm

Summary: The last several Sols have been overcast or extremely windy. An attempt to observe yesterday, during a clear patch, was stymied by high winds. Also, I came down with a cold yesterday and have been moving at a slower pace. Today the conditions were too perfect to pass up, even if feeing a bit under the Martian weather. After we helped today’s EVA crew get out the hatch, I had to take the role of Hab-Com until our Commander, Ryan, was finished with his dust experiments which are conducted at the time of the departure and return of the EVA’s. Sometime between 1pm and 2pm I made my way out to the dome and attempted to observe the Sun. I was having difficulties seeing it through the eyepiece even when it was in the Sol Spotting scope. Yesterday I tired to align it using the arrows but still saw no movement in the spotting scope. Today, I tried again and realized it helped to have your eye in the eyepiece. After getting the Sun in the eyepiece, I was finally able to toggle the focus knobs to bring the Sun in focus. I started taking some photos and almost immediately after taking photos, I caught an airplane eclipsing the Sun!

Objects viewed: Sun

Problems encountered: Had to trouble shoot to get the sun in the eyepiece. Was not able to observe the sun through the computer program today. It took too long to set up the camera.

Further questions: I probably will have some questions about the computer program but hope that it goes smoothly tomorrow and that weather is clear and calm.

Crew 188 Sol 3 Astronomy Report 31JAN2018

Julia DeMarines

31/01/2018

Astronomy Report

Name: Julia DeMarines
Crew: 188
Date: January 31, 2016 (Sol 03)

Sky Conditions: Mildly cloudy
Wind Conditions: None
Observation Start Time: 05:00
Observation End Time: 06:30
Summary: Crew 188 enjoyed watching the Super Blue Blood Moon before it slipped over the horizon.
Objects Viewed: Moon

Equipment Used: Celestron Celestar 8
Problems Encountered: Did not attempt to track the moon so just manually fixed the drift of the moon.

Name: Cynthia Fuertes Panizo

Crew: 187

Date: 17JAN2018

Sky Conditions: N/A

Wind Conditions: N/A

Observation Start Time: N/A

Observation End Time: N/A

Summary:

· This report is to inform a little anomaly found yesterday in the Musk observatory. There is a finger on the glass of the telescope (picture 1).

· The photo of the power supply of Astronomer laptop is attached (picture 2).

Objects Viewed: N/A

Problems Encountered:N/A

(This is not a formal MDRS report, just a summary of astronomy activities for the first week that were performed with my personal 6” Newtonian that I’ve set up next to the dome. No use of the MDRS observatories has taken place yet.)

Name: Max Fagin

Crew: 186

date: 01JAN2018-04JAN2018

Sky Conditions: Hazy for the first few evenings, but cleared up on Thursday and Friday

Wind Conditions: Calm

Observation Start Time: N/A

Observation End Time: N/A

Summary: The only scheduled observing was an attempt to photograph the entire crew on a distant mesa in front of the rising supermoon, but there were clouds to the east that prevented it. I have managed to catch a few photos of the sun and moon (attached). Also included is a photo of the crew on new years night (before entering simulation) standing on a (much nearer) mesa and looking at the full moon. The sky cleared up 2 nights ago, but has now gone back to cloudy, will do more astrophotography as the schedule and weather permits.

Objects Viewed: Sun, moon, M42 (not imaged)

Problems Encountered: None

Attached images:

Crew 186 and Supermoon 01012018.jpg

Moonrise 01042018.jpg

Sun and Supermoon.jpg

Supermoon 01012018.jpg

Astronomy Report

Name:  Thomas Horn    Crew: 184
Date: 7/15/17

Sky Conditions: Clear

Wind Conditions: Light

Observation Start Time: 2:00 pm

Observation End Time: 2:30 pm

Summary: No observing, shutdown Observatory and returned Laptop to HAB

Objects Viewed: None

Problems Encountered: None