Log Book Entry No.29

Created: 04 Dec 2013 17:46:45

Last Revised: 05 Dec 2013 13:19:38

PaulHallam

Observation_PH_JD_LF

Please edit and put your text etc. here

Telescope Set Up

• Target Delta Cephei selected using Stellarium and AAVSO catalogs
• Open shutters (ropes, pull apart, tie off ropes, motor control
• Turn power on
• Press power switch on telescope
• Removelens caps
• Point towards Vega
• Line up with finer scope
• Take continuous frames 0.1s
• Center Vega in frame
• Synchronise Vega with Maxim DL and Stellarium

Target Information

• Pulsating Variable star, magnitude variation 3.5 - 4.4, Δm = 0.9
• Period 5.4 days
• Next maximum, 07/12/2013, 9:32
• RA: 22h, 29min, 41s, Dec: 58deg, 29', 12"
• From simulated light curve - expected Δm(max) = 0.26, expected Δm(min) = 0.01
• From light curve of Delta Cephei, and time of next maximum, we believe the magnitude should be decreasing
• Companion star HIP 110988 used as a reference star

Initial Observation of Delta Cephei

• Centered on Delta Cephei - did not use Stellarium as could move telescope through the pole
• Frames were taken using different filters, initial exposure times:
• No filters - 1s
• Blue filter - 10s
• Green filter - 3s
• Red filter - 3s
• Took sample frames using this-set up, max pixel count was found using Python
• Re-evaluate exposure time to ensure max pixel count was in the range 55000 - 60000
• Re-evaluated exposure times:
• Focus filter - 1.1s
• No filter - 1s
• Blue filter - 10s
• Green filter - 5.1s
• Red filter - 3.3s
• Decided to take 5 repeats for each of these, and 10 repeats for Dark and Bias frames
• Autosave feature was used to take a sample set of data
• Residual image of Star found on Dark frames - low pixel count
• Implemented a 'Trash' frame before the Dark frame to attempt to remove this -> some residual image still remained

Observation of Delta Cephei

• Autosave feature took approximately 10 - 15 minutes to run
• Approximately three runs were taken per hour
• Delta Cephei was observed for 5 - 6 hours

Telescope Pack Up

• Turn off coolers
• Disconnect Camera
• Disconnect Stellarium and Maxim DL
• Put lens cap on telescope
• Turn off camera
• Turn off telescope
• Put cover back on camera
• Close dome shutters
• Turn off PC monitors
• Turn off lights and leave dome

Back to: LogBookAstronomy