Grazing Occultation Kit

[peterskye]

It's been many long years since I participated in a Grazing Occultation. Back in those days we used SW radios, cassette tapes & frog clickers as a "Graze Kit". What are the current equipment options for getting a modern graze kit together? Assume availability of a scope & a GPS unit on my smart phone.

I'm interested in methods of receiving & recording timings. Are video methods up to the mark? Both cheap & full featured options would be good.

Thanks

[Larryp]

I can remember doing grazes that way too, Peter. I have no idea how its done now, though.:lol:

[AstralTraveller]

Peter,

Great to see you on the forum! I gather you plan to get Antares in use again. The obvious person to ask about graze equipment is Dave G - I think you have his contact details.

Based on the attempted graze on the Saturday before last, water wings should be in every graze observers toolkit.

[AstroJunk]

There are a bunch of us astronomers in Oz still doing occultation work.

We almost all use video cameras and gps timing devices now which gives us superb data and has lead to many published discoveries over the last few years.

Grazes are still fun to do, but the current focus is on double star discovery and measurement through lunar occultation of which about half a dozen AU/NZ observers are doing - there is plenty room for more and you are sure to be added to the list of discovers name in the Washington Double Star (WDS) catalogue along side the rest of us :)

This is our online home: http://www.occultations.org.nz/ there is a beginners guide to download on the front page and we are delighted to help you get going again :thumbsup:

[peterskye]

With over 2500 posts to your name, I now realise what you've been engaged with the last few years.

I remember Grazes With Dolphins also!

:thumbsup:

Peter