I'm rapidly learning why these pages are so well used. The bar is set high and provides us beginners with astonishingly good advice and standards to achieve. If you'll excuse the lack of science here - beautiful.
I'm rapidly learning why these pages are so well used. The bar is set high and provides us beginners with astonishingly good advice and standards to achieve. If you'll excuse the lack of science here - beautiful.
HI Paul, welcome to the whole new world of doing 'astronomy at the speed of social media!"
There is sooo much to learn and do compared to only a few years ago...good luck.
Conditions are pretty poor here tonight, but I have got enough data to get an update on the brightness of this SN.
Don't know why, but my mag measurements seem to be consistently brighter than others I have seen published recently.
So I'm including a "raw" image, no curves applied (hence no pretty galaxy to view) just stretched the top and bottom levels to let you judge for yourselves.
Even by eye, seems to me it's brighter than the 12.2 star, dimmer than the 10.2 star. Do the photometry, and it comes out to 11.3!
I'll update this when I properly reduce the images, but it looks like this is the brightest SN of the year by some margin.
Conditions are pretty poor here tonight, but I have got enough data to get an update on the brightness of this SN.
Don't know why, but my mag measurements seem to be consistently brighter than others I have seen published recently.
So I'm including a "raw" image, no curves applied (hence no pretty galaxy to view) just stretched the top and bottom levels to let you judge for yourselves.
Even by eye, seems to me it's brighter than the 12.2 star, dimmer than the 10.2 star. Do the photometry, and it comes out to 11.3!
I'll update this when I properly reduce the images, but it looks like this is the brightest SN of the year by some margin.
-Ivan
What filter are you taking the image through?
Your image has a star labelled R=10.2 but the R mag for that star on the AAVSO comp stars is 11.247 and a V mag of 11.652.
Your other labelled star isn't in the AAVSO comp star lists so I can't check it. The star under it is though and measures V = 13.539 and R = 13.105
Use the VSP here http://www.aavso.org/vsp to create a chart. Just put SN 2012fr in the label field and select "E" chart size for a good CCD size image. You can then also create a photometry table for the comp stars.
http://www.aavso.org/vsp[/URL] to create a chart. Just put SN 2012fr in the label field and select "E" chart size for a good CCD size image. You can then also create a photometry table for the comp stars.
What filter are you taking the image through?
Your image has a star labelled R=10.2 but the R mag for that star on the AAVSO comp stars is 11.247 and a V mag of 11.652.
Your other labelled star isn't in the AAVSO comp star lists so I can't check it. The star under it is though and measures V = 13.539 and R = 13.105
Thanks Terry, that explains it!
I'm using an Rc filter. So, with the AAVSO photometry sequence, I now measure the mag at 12.07.
Guys,
Magnitude estimate from a 5 minute subframe that was used in my 17 minute image last night, 5/11/12.
Using SkyX and CCDSoft, checked with MaximDL, I get 13.1 to 13.4 using UCAC3 reference stars.
Hi guys,
I reviewed my magnitude estimates in my image of 5 November as suggested. I used a 30 second subframe and the AAVSO chart for that area as suggested by Terry, and now I get mag 12.5, not 13.1 to 13.4...seems to be more agreeable using that technique with a subframe where the pixels are still in a linear range.
thanks for the help guys.
Anyone imaging NGC1365 might catch 2012 VB5. This NEO will pass within 2 degrees (PA 255) at around 07:25 AEDT on the 9th. It might be still dark enough for the Perth guys (04:25 WST).
What a difference a night makes. Collimation and remembering to enable PEC which must have been off for months, and now finally my images are nice again.
Image details:
10 x 180sec
ST8 @ bin 2x2
FL approx 3090mm
f/10
12" Meade SCT on PME
Beautiful shot Roger! I was out taking images of this one last night. The SN seems very bright indeed, it's a beauty!
There seems to be a handful of clear nights ahead here, so hopefully I can get more data I got 4.5 hours so far, all luminance and no RGB yet.
Beautiful shot Roger! I was out taking images of this one last night. The SN seems very bright indeed, it's a beauty!
There seems to be a handful of clear nights ahead here, so hopefully I can get more data I got 4.5 hours so far, all luminance and no RGB yet.
4.5 hours is significant data! I look forward to seeing your results
I've been waiting for clear skies since last Sunday to have a go at this.
The SN in M95 earlier this year sat at mag 13 and I was able to "just" spot it using averted vision; it blinked in and out. That's thru light pollution, neighbours lights on and only a 10" dob- so there's hope for many people out there that want to give this one a go.
A big thank you to everyone who is contributing images, mag. estimates and other info here- it's a huge help for me & others for sure.
I only wish there were more visual people reporting on this here, it would help us visual observers a lot. Ron's observation of it thru his 8" was particularly helpful especially when it came to determining the brightness visually.
That little triangle asterism & a couple of other stars there looks a good guide- I have a feeling this is going to be one very dim galaxy to find from my location, so I need all the star guides I can get. Guys, some of those widefield shots showing a larger star field are a big help to us visual observers.
This is what I call visual observing at it's finest- a great challenge and a great thrill when spotted! Well, for me anyway, when electronic guidance will only take me so far & the rest is up to me. Ah, the thrill of the chase...
Suzy
Go to the AAVSO VSP I mentioned earlier and make a finder chart that is suitable. Maybe a "B" size and change the mag to a level that you can see through your scope. ?mag 12.5 or so. Then the SN will be labelled on the chart and easier to find through the scope.
Suzy
Go to the AAVSO VSP I mentioned earlier and make a finder chart that is suitable. Maybe a "B" size and change the mag to a level that you can see through your scope. ?mag 12.5 or so. Then the SN will be labelled on the chart and easier to find through the scope.
Thanks Terry, I'll give it a go, but I find their site torture to navigate through, not sure how I'll go but I'll try- would be great if so!
Meanwhile what I have prepared and ready to go is a starry night map going as deep as I could go- grrr not that deep really - plotting out the mag of some stars, then a pic of Ivan's (inverted) to go deeper.
The SN in m95 was at the limits of my scopes capabilities, so yes I would say nothing over mag.13 for me.
Thanks Terry, I'll give it a go, but I find their site torture to navigate through, not sure how I'll go but I'll try- would be great if so!
Meanwhile what I have prepared and ready to go is a starry night map going as deep as I could go- grrr not that deep really - plotting out the mag of some stars, then a pic of Ivan's (inverted) to go deeper.
The SN in m95 was at the limits of my scopes capabilities, so yes I would say nothing over mag.13 for me.
Just use this direct link http://www.aavso.org/vsp
Type SN 2012FR into the title and select B visual. Change the mag limit to 12 and it will print a good chart.
I got 4.5 hours so far, all luminance and no RGB yet.
- plotting out the mag of some stars, then a pic of Ivan's (inverted) to go deeper. 
