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LATEST IMAGES & NEWS

 

Composite image of - Agrupación Astronómica de Fuerteventura Observatory & The Summer Milky Way -  Canary Islands. September 3, 2008.

 

 

 

 

Total solar eclipse, 1 August 2008, Novosibirsk, Siberia.

More images and report here

 

 

 

 


I took several shots during my recent visit to Greece and the EAE Mount Parnon Starparty
More new images in the Expeditions section.

 

 

 

 

 


 

Images from the Burren  - 26.April.08  Info on this shot here  and more in Starscapes

 

 


 

 

 

22.03.08  1.19am  UT

Full Moon in NY

 


 

 


 

13.02.08

Saturn

Taken by Frank Ryan Jr & Dave Lillis.

 


 

23.12.07

Mars

 

 

 


 

03.12.07

Mars is finally back.

 


 

06.11.07

Mercury (bottom left), The Moon, Venus (above), Saturn (top right) & The Space Shuttle Discovery (streak)
Taken this morning at 6.40 AM as the shuttle prepares to return to Earth.






Explanation of the image here

 

 

 

 


 





Massive Eruption! This comet has jumped in brightness by a factor of 1 Million. More here.

 


 

06.10.07

The Whirlpool Starparty, Birr.
For more images go to 'Starscapes'

 


 

21.08.07

First shot of Mars.
More here

 

 


 


13.08.07


I finally managed to capture a few meteors.
I guess the Persieds were going to be my best chance.
Apart from the constant clouds and rain I got lucky and managed to get a few shots.




 

15.07.07


IMAGE:     The ISS (International Space Station) passing over a beach in Portugal, 18.05.07 
                 Photo of the Month - BBC Sky at Night Magazine




IMAGE:  Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the ISS, 10.06.07   

              Published in The BBC Sky at Night Magazine - UK & Ireland
              'Sky and Space' Magazine - Australia & 
              Astronomy Now Magazine - UK & Ireland

                       

                                                                                                                                  Video capture of the pass, 10.06.07 



Explanation of the image above;

The space shuttle Atlantis finally docked with the ISS (International Space Station) on the 10th of June on it's mission to deliver a new solar array.

                                
Space Shuttle Atlantis Crew.                                       The Shuttle delivering the solar array.                           The ISS as it looks now with the new panel.

 

To get the shot & video, I noted on Heavens Above.com that the pair would be 
making a few well-placed passes over my location that evening.


I took the image using a modified Philips SPC900 webcam attached to my Meade ETX-125.
First I focused, set the exposure levels and aligned the red-dot finder on Venus which was setting in the west.
When the pair began their pass, I just clicked record and tracked manually.
(and by manually I mean with two hands on the optical tube assembly I physically aimed the laser finder at
the bright dot that was the pair whizzing overhead.)


Out of a 3min AVI, I was able to stack around 40 good clear frames in Registax.
I was really surprised with the level of detail that can be gleaned by doing this,
especially when you consider they are around 300 KM above traveling at 27,700 KPH!