Dennis
21-10-2006, 06:36 AM
Hello,
I've just started jotting down some notes on the upcoming transit of Mercury on 9th November, 2006. I thought I would post them here and add to them if I, or other contributors, think of more stuff later.
Pre-planning issues:
Have a clear idea of what you want to achieve otherwise you will be in a flap, like I was, during the June 2004 transit of Venus, which found me running around like a headless chuck, not knowing which camera to use on what ‘scope, and when in the sequence.
Full solar disc views with Mercury a small black dot making its journey across the face of the Sun.
Close up of Mercury at the 4 critical points of 1st & 2nd contacts, ingress and 3rd & 4th contacts, egress.
Animation of the transit across the face of the Sun.
Close ups of Mercury adjacent any sunspots.
Dry runs:
Before the day of the transit, complete at least one dry run with the exact equipment and configurations you will be using for the transit.
Establish optimal exposures for each phase of the transit.
Make sure you have all the power cords, camera cables, camera adapters, focusing aids, etc.
Imaging issues:
Which camera are you going to use?
Meade LPI
Philips ToUcam
DSLR
Practice with it at least once before the transit, even if it means taking images of a blank solar disc.
Determine the best exposures for the Sun; 3 degrees above the horizon and as it gradually climbs to 68 degrees.
Environmental issues:
Shield the notebook computer from bright daylight. I use my observing hutch which has a curtain so the inside in reasonably dark.
Sun protection for you. Hat and sun screen.
Comfortable, lightweight clothing to protect you from the Sun, without overheating.
Set up issues:
Focusing can be tricky unless there is a sunspot to pre-focus on.
Work out the orientation and predicted path in advance, so your ‘scope is pointing to the correct segment of the solar limb. Or, if using GoTo, you can work this out by doing a GoTo on Mercury; although remember that it will only be a degree or two above the horizon.
How good will it be?
The relative sizes are based on data taken from Starry Night Pro V6. Mercury will be 10.0 arc seconds in diameter on November 9, as compared to the Sun’s diameter of 32 arc minutes, a ratio of 1 to 192. By comparison, Venus’ diameter during the transit of June 8, 2004 was 58 arc seconds, a ratio of 1 to 33.
I have posted a scale image of the relative sizes of Venus and Mercury against the solar disc, just so no one is disappointed on the day with how small Mercury will appear compared to Venus in June 2004.
Cheers
Dennis
I've just started jotting down some notes on the upcoming transit of Mercury on 9th November, 2006. I thought I would post them here and add to them if I, or other contributors, think of more stuff later.
Pre-planning issues:
Have a clear idea of what you want to achieve otherwise you will be in a flap, like I was, during the June 2004 transit of Venus, which found me running around like a headless chuck, not knowing which camera to use on what ‘scope, and when in the sequence.
Full solar disc views with Mercury a small black dot making its journey across the face of the Sun.
Close up of Mercury at the 4 critical points of 1st & 2nd contacts, ingress and 3rd & 4th contacts, egress.
Animation of the transit across the face of the Sun.
Close ups of Mercury adjacent any sunspots.
Dry runs:
Before the day of the transit, complete at least one dry run with the exact equipment and configurations you will be using for the transit.
Establish optimal exposures for each phase of the transit.
Make sure you have all the power cords, camera cables, camera adapters, focusing aids, etc.
Imaging issues:
Which camera are you going to use?
Meade LPI
Philips ToUcam
DSLR
Practice with it at least once before the transit, even if it means taking images of a blank solar disc.
Determine the best exposures for the Sun; 3 degrees above the horizon and as it gradually climbs to 68 degrees.
Environmental issues:
Shield the notebook computer from bright daylight. I use my observing hutch which has a curtain so the inside in reasonably dark.
Sun protection for you. Hat and sun screen.
Comfortable, lightweight clothing to protect you from the Sun, without overheating.
Set up issues:
Focusing can be tricky unless there is a sunspot to pre-focus on.
Work out the orientation and predicted path in advance, so your ‘scope is pointing to the correct segment of the solar limb. Or, if using GoTo, you can work this out by doing a GoTo on Mercury; although remember that it will only be a degree or two above the horizon.
How good will it be?
The relative sizes are based on data taken from Starry Night Pro V6. Mercury will be 10.0 arc seconds in diameter on November 9, as compared to the Sun’s diameter of 32 arc minutes, a ratio of 1 to 192. By comparison, Venus’ diameter during the transit of June 8, 2004 was 58 arc seconds, a ratio of 1 to 33.
I have posted a scale image of the relative sizes of Venus and Mercury against the solar disc, just so no one is disappointed on the day with how small Mercury will appear compared to Venus in June 2004.
Cheers
Dennis