Here's something for our imagers - a request via the FAS for
images of Comet 67P taken over the next few weeks. Once you have
the images (show JPEGs here first, of course), keep them as FITS
format and Helen Usher will be in contact again, via the FAS,
about uploading them.
Subject: | [Allfassocs] Calling all Comet Observers |
---|---|
Date: | Sat, 6 Nov 2021 12:47:31 -0000 |
From: | webmaster--- |
Dear
all
Please
see and pass on to your members the following from PHD
Student Helen Usher
1: Image of 67P taken by Tim Jardine on 5
November 2021 from Coventry
Calling
All Comet Observers - or Potential Comet Observers
Would
you like to help build on the legacy of the Rosetta
Mission to Comet 67P?
The
comet has just passed perihelion and is now getting to its
brightest (estimated 8th November) and getting
closest to the Earth (13th November).
So
this is a great opportunity to add to the data set for the
comet.
Helen
Usher is requesting images taken over the next couple of
weeks, but particularly over this weekend.
Comet
67P is well placed in Gemini although you may have to stay
up a little late to observe it. You can check out the
visibility by inputting your location into this page https://in-the-sky.org/data/object.php?id=0067P&day=5&month=11&year=2021
The
comet is about magnitude 10 at the moment, so you will need
an optical aid to see it. It has a short tail too (but
don’t expect anything like last year’s Comet Neowise!).
Given the comet is moving it is usually best to take short
exposures which can later be stacked (unless you can track
at the comet speed).
We
are requesting data in FITS format (for a science archive) -
remember to check the data contained in the header is
accurate for camera, time, filter and exposure in
particular. If you could make a few notes about your
observing session that would be great too (eg location,
equipment, weather conditions, issues). Please also keep
any calibration files you use.
Helen
is hoping to gather lots of great data from a wide range of
locations, with a wide range of equipment, and observation
parameters.
If
you are not taking FITS images, but jpegs, then you can
upload to Flickr for INAF's
Catch a Comet Campaign
What's
the background to this?
Comet
science is one area where frequent observations from
amateurs can really contribute to leading edge scientific
study. The routine monitoring by amateurs of comets allows
changes in comets (such as outbursts or fragmentation) to be
spotted early and the professional community alerted.
Larger telescopes can then be used for further higher
resolution data collection and analysis too.
Helen
is a PhD student at the Open University looking at the
amateur data from the observing campaign in support of the
Rosetta Mission to Comet 67P.
She
has also been looking at ways of making Pro-Am campaigns as
effective as possible, and what tools can be provided for
data collection and analysis. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/abca46
The
varied data set from this intensive observation of 67P will
allow testing different analysis techniques, and an upload
facility for a data archive. The idea for the data archive
is to store comet observations, raw FITS files and
associated calibration and context files, for the Pro-Am
community to access in the future.
This
data set will also provide data for analysing the behaviour
of 67P around perihelion.
Where/When
should I submit my data?
Helen
will be back in touch (through FAS) to ask for data
submission when the development and testing of the upload
facility is completed. So hold your data and supporting
information for now!
The
data in the FITS header cards will be used as the starting
point for the verification of meta data to be stored with
the observations. The following will be requested in
addition to FITS files:
-
brief overview details of the observing sessions (to provide
context)
-
location and equipment (telescope, camera, filters)
-
calibration state, and where possible calibration files
(flats, darks, bias)
So
could you please bear this in mind when setting up your
observation runs, logging and saving your data.
Full
credit will be given to observers in any publications which
use the data
If
you have any questions then please contact Helen helen.usher@PROTECTED.
Thank
you - and clear skies!!
////////////////
Martin
Martin
Baker
Webmaster
Federation of Astronomical Societies
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