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Old 30-07-2012, 02:35 PM
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AstralTraveller (David)
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Wollongong
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I think the next step is to look at what sort of data you can collect with this equipment. For example you can image and do photometry but not spectroscopy. For photometry you are limited to 'bright' (relatively) objects, 'long' exposures (I'm thinking several seconds or longer) and I suspect that very fine resolution (eg <0.01mag) is not possible. I'm assuming the equipment is fixed, which also removes some possibilities.

Some possibilities off the top of my head (alas none of which test physical laws):

- Variable star photometry. There are lots of interesting, poorly understood classes of variable. You need one where the period is not too long (you only have a year) not too short (the data should be able to be obtained by nightly to weekly observing) and not well understood (I don't think there is much point in observing cepheids).

- Asteroid photometry. To assess spin rates (and/or albedo variations).

- Asteroid occultations. To determine the size of asteroids. You would need some relatively cheap extra equipment. You would also need to be mobile.

- Supernova search. Probably not appropriate in that you don't actually produce data, others do that once the supernova is discovered. Also, Stu Parker will doubtless beat you to any new supernova (BTW he's having a lean spell now, it's been over a week since the last discovery).

BTW, that isn't a particularly impressive set of equipment. There must be hundreds of people on this forum with better.
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