The Sun & Moon – 25th August 2024

NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely.

Jim Burchell, Simon Dawes & Dr Mike Rushton imaged the Sun in white light on the 25th August 2024 and below are their splendid results.  As you can see the Sun was very active.

Mike used his Dwarf II smart scope to acquire his image below.

 

Jim used a Pentax KP body attached to 102mm Altair Astro F11 refractor fitted with a Solar filter.  The mage of the Sun is a single shot and then processed in Snapseed. 

Below is an image of the Sun taken from Spaceweather.com on the same day with the sunspots numbered.

 

Simon's images are of the Sunspots and as you will see some of the sunspots are rather stunning.  Details of how Simon acquired his images are on the photos.

 

Later that day Jim captured this super image of a Waning Gibbous Moon.  The moon was 20.65 days old and 62.92% illuminated.  Details of how Jim acquired his image are on the photo. This is a single shot image and then processed in Snapseed.

CMHASD BBQ – 31st August 2024

On Saturday 31st August 2024 CMHASD held a BBQ for its members.  Below are a selection of photos & videos of the BBQ shared by members and an account of the event written by member Gary Hunt.  

''In the closing days of the summer of 2024, and after a three-year interregnum, CMHASD were determined to reinstate the annual summer BBQ. After judicious planning and a little dash of hope, it was decided to hold the event in the afternoon/evening of Saturday 31st August.

The suggestion was well received by the membership and with the support of the committee and permission of the Parish Council, a small planning group was set up of Sonia Rubie, Steve Floodgate, John Archer, Mike Rushton, Diane Clarke, and Jo Southgate. Preparation was in good hands, and I can confirm that joyous industry was carried-out by our hardworking heroes!

Sadly the weather forecast from earlier in the week was less than accurate, and we had our BBQ under cloud and just the odd spot of rain. However, CMHASD members are a hardy lot, and this wasn’t going to spoil our fun… no siree!

The team set up from 11:30, after accessing the Pavilion, with assembly of two gazebos (one for food/drink and the other for games), and outdoor games. Steve (F), Jo and John (A) set up their respective barbecues and very soon all was ready!

Most people arrived after 14:00, and the feast was easily a repast for the whole BAA, not just CMHASD, indeed, there was so much food left, it was saved and used on the following Thursday for another successful astronomical quiz created by the redoubtable MC…Sonia!

It is worth noting that several members of the public approached and engaged members, to see why we were having so much fun… I would suggest that at least a few visitors went away with some thought of checking us out?

After a fantastic lunch… it was time for games! Kicking off with several rounds of croquet, there was savage competition amongst members, whatever you think of how members played, it wasn’t cricket😆!

There was also a target sheet put up and compressed air rockets were aimed at the targets… to be honest, most members preferred to play, how high can I stamp the rocket, resulting in some near misses with other members!

One of the more popular games was introduced by Steve Goldson, a Finnish skittle game called ‘Mölkky’ and is pronounced “milkay”… The competition amongst members was fierce, with many finding unique and ‘mystery ball’ ways of tossing the baton and getting the points!

Sonia, then started some old school party games, including ‘Pass the parcel’, but with forfeits as well as prizes. It was a ‘mashup’ (I am known for being hip… man!), of charades, pass-the-parcel, music quiz and (reverse) tag! Sonia had created a monster of a game that had two sessions, and was loved by all!

 

[video width="848" height="384" mp4="https://crayfordmanorastro.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Video-2024-09-01-at-09.23.12-2.mp4"][/video]

 

[playlist type="video" ids="9358"]

After ice cream donated by an anonymous, but rather charming and good-looking member, and some lovely fruit-salad and cakes… It was time for, pin the alien on the spaceship! This was real fun, with, I would add some jeopardy, as contestants had to be blindfolded and spun around (to music!) and disoriented… Again this was real kid style fun, that appealed to the most ‘senior’ (think OLD!), of members…

Sadly, the weather was being uncooperative, and members feeling distinctly ‘chilled’ (in both senses!), cleared up and made our way to our respective homes (…maybe?🤣) just as it was dusk…

I think I am safe to say, the day was enjoyed by ALL! I believe I am speaking on behalf of all those present, THANK YOU! To all the wonderful members who worked so hard and creatively to give us an amazingly enjoyable day!!! A HUGE round of applause and slaps on backs all-round! AND, thank you to all those who attended and made the BBQ so much fun… Let’s all hope there is another BBQ in 2025?''

The Society would like to thank those members who shared their photos & videos and to Gary for his written account.  Thank you.

Our Sun by Jim Burchell – 23rd August 2024

NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely.

A fantastic white light image of the Sun taken by member Jim Burchell on the 23rd August 2024 from Dartford.  As you can see the Sun was very active with lots of huge sunspots.  Jim took the single shot image using a white light Baader planetarium Astro Solar Filter and a Pentax KP body attached to 102mm F11 Altair Astro refractor at 1/320 sec and iso 100.  Then processed in Snapseed.

 

Below is a spaceweather.com photo of the Sun with the sunspots given their number taken on the same day.

M31 by Kevin Langford – 19th August 2024

Messier 31 The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) taken by member Kevin Langford on the 19th August 2024 from Bexley.  Kevin said ''This is just a 30mins of exposure as I was packing up for the night.  I know it is very grainy, it needs a lot more time spent on it.''  Well we think it is rather superb as it is Kevin!

Kevin acquired his image using an ES102 with focus reducer and L-eNhance filter. Processed using Nina, Siril, and Affinity photo.  

Congratulations to Simon Dawes

NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely.

The Society would like to congratulate Simon Dawes for having his sunspot image (see below) published in the British Astronomical Association journal - August 2024 edition.  Well done Simon; it is a superb image.  Details of how Simon acquired his image is on the photo.

A mosaic of the groups AR3638, AR3643, and AR3645–3647, imaged in white light on 2024 April 18 at
07:31 UT, in Bexleyheath.

The Sun – 12th August 2024 by Dr Mike Rushton

NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely.

A lovely white light image of the Sun taken on the 12th August 2024 by member & trustee Dr Mike Rushton; using his Dwarf II smart scope. The image is stacked and is made up of 25 x 1/200 sec exposures at gain 0.

The large sunspot top left is AR3784 and the large sunspot to the bottom right is AR3780.

Latest images by member Terry Miles

Two super images by member Terry Miles taken using his Seestar S50 smart telescope on the 11th August 2024. The images are short exposures for deep-sky objects but you can clearly see the ring nebula in the 1st image and some nebulosity of the Eastern Veil Nebula in the 2nd image.

M57 The Ring Nebula.  Also catalogued as NGC 6720 is a planetary nebula in the northern constellation of Lyra.

 

NGC 6992 The Eastern Veil Nebula.  The Veil Nebula is a cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus. 

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