November 2019

November 29th 1815 GMT Deep Sky

Unfortunately, I had a bad back or I might have tried some more adventurous shots. I started with the Hyades star cluster at 70mm focal length, ISO 6400 and 6 seconds exposure but only one frame was good.

I had five frames of Melotte 20 at 300mm focal length, ISO 6400 and 2 seconds exposure but they didn't stack. I processed the best one.

I managed to stack 40 images of the Pleaides star cluster (M45).

November 29th 1715 GMT Moon

I had another try with my DSLR at 300mm focal length. ISO 100 and 1/250 second exposure. the result was very similar.

November 29th 1605 GMT Moon

It was just after sunset and the sky was still quite bright. I snapped the Moon at 300mm focal length, ISO 400 and 1/250 second exposure.

November 19^th 0650 GMT Moon

I repeated the shot from the morning before.

November 18^th 1830 GMT

After arriving home from work, I set up a camera trap for meteors. I used 16mm focal length ISO 6400 and 6 seconds exposure. I aimed at Perseus, as I knew that several minor showers were active in that area.

I did not catch any meteors but managed a nice shot of Perseus.

I also added one of Cassiopeia.

November 18^th 0645 GMT Morning Moon

The Moon was waning gibbous and high in the sky. I took some shots at 300mm focal length, ISO 100 and 1/1000 second exposure.

November 13^th 0710 GMT Moon

I snapped the dawn moon low in the north west. It was full. I used my DSLR at 300mm focal length, ISO 100 and 1/1000 second exposure.

November 11^th 1740 GMT

The Moon looked full, at least to camera and eyeballs. Cloud was scattering moonlight enough to obscure all but the brightest stars. I took some shots with DSLR at 300mm focal length, ISO 100 and 1/1000 second exposure. The quick session was much easier than the transit.

November 11th 1225 GMT Mercury Transit

I just about sorted focus out before cloud rolled in and I missed first and second contact. With the Sun low down in the English autumn sky, conditions were hazy. At about 1245 GMT, I caught the tiny silloutte of Mercury near the solar limb bit you will need to use zoom to see it. I used 1540mm focal length, ISO 100 and 1/800 second exposure.

I processed a similar frame 2 minutes later but cropped the image. It was slightly out of focus.

I used a similar method at 1400 GMT and caught Mercury, with it having moved.

I tried some close-ups with my 3x Barlow but none of them worked. I also tried to see the transit using my binoculars and an eyepiece in the Mak but with no result. The transit turned out to be harder than the one I had observed many years ago.

November 8^th 2200 GMT Moon

Fortunately, there was a gap in the cloud later in the evening, so I caught the Moon with my DSLR, using the same settings as the evening before.

November 8th 1750 Visual

I wish I had taken my camera with me when I was out and about on appointments. I always have my binoculars in my car boot. The Moon looked quite superb, especially around the southern craters. Sinus Iridium was away from the terminator but still prominent. I also saw Melotte 20, which only showed the brighter stars and the Perseus Double Cluster was barely visible.

November 7^th 1810 GMT The Moon

I had another go at the Moon in full darkness with my DSLR at 300mm focal length, ISO 100 and 1/400 second exposure.

November 7^th 1625 GMT Moon

I was out and about working but stopped for a couple of minutes to snap the Moon with my DSLR at 300mm focal length, ISO 400 and 1/800 second exposure.

November 7^th 1440 GMT Sun

The Sun was already low down and I could only get a faint disc in hydrogen alpha light. I took some frames more in hope than expectancy.

November 4^th 1550 GMT The Moon

After seven days of hurt, with persistent rain and cloud, I saw the Moon at half phase. It was low in the south. I took some snaps from an upstairs window with my DSLR at 300mm focal length, ISO 400 and 1/800 second exposure. Cloud soon rolled in again to close the gap in the clouds.