Another Spectrum. Beta Carinae

Terry B · #1 25-04-2011, 05:02 PM

Dear All
I needed to take a spectrum of a standard star to work out the instrument response for my spectrograph. This is then used to correct the spectrum of any other spectrum I take.
There was intermittent cloud last night precluding taking long exposures of T pyx so I chose a bright star that I could image with short exposures namely Beta Carinae.
My camera is only 512 pixels wide so I need to take separate images of the different regions of the spectrum and merge them together. The result is a merge of 6 different regions each taken with 5x60 sec exposures along with 5 x 5 sec exposures of calibration lamps. (neon for the red end and Hg from a compact flouro for the blue end).
I have corrected the spectrum for instrument response and now have a useful graph to correct the spectra I take of T Pyx.

pvelez (Pete) · #2 25-04-2011, 09:22 PM

Looks great Terry

What do you use to take this - do you have a spectrograph or a Star Analyser or similar?

Pete

sheeny (Al) · #3 25-04-2011, 09:36 PM

Excellent Terry.

Al.

Terry B · #4 26-04-2011, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvelez

Looks great Terry

What do you use to take this - do you have a spectrograph or a Star Analyser or similar?

Pete

I was using a L200 spectrograph with a 600l/mm grating. The camera is a ST9E and the scope is a vixen VC200L.
I could certainly use a bigger scope but this means a bigger mount etc and lots of money.

pvelez (Pete) · #5 26-04-2011, 08:24 AM

Thanks Terry

I'm tempted to give this a go and was interested in your gear

Pete

Merlin66 (Ken) · #6 28-04-2011, 04:18 PM

Good one Terry!
Always nice to see more spectra!!
The skies have opened over here....to let the rain through!

Terry B · #7 28-04-2011, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlin66

Good one Terry!
Always nice to see more spectra!!
The skies have opened over here....to let the rain through!

Same problem here. Over easter I was trying to take images of T pyx. It was clear each night til about 8:30 then fogged over. I was able to take photometry images but as soon as I changed to the spectrograph the cloud rolled in so no more spectra.
At present we have misty rain that will stay for some more days.