Backyard astronomer snaps Beta Pictoris dust disk

[Phantom]

Anyone read this article:

"Stars on webcam In what is being hailed as a first, a New Zealand amateur backyard astronomer has produced images of the protoplanetary disk surrounding a star that’s 63.4 light-years distant - on a webcam."

Backyard astronomer snaps Beta Pictoris dust disk ? The Register

[RobH]

Brilliant! If he can do it with a webcam and a 10 inch scope, there are lots of us on this forum who should be able to manage it too!! Any protoplanetary discs visible from the northern hemisphere? Rob

[Mark at Beaufort]

That is really interesting. The Herefordshire Astro Society has a talk this Thursday by Dr Ian Stephens, University of Birmingham on the topic of extra solar planets.

As you say Rob if this can be done with a webcam and a 10" scope this could become a new area where amateurs could support the professional observatories.

Mark

[Trickystar1]

That's incredible. I'm getting a 10" dob. Might invest in the webcam to.

[lunator]

that is a fantastic result

[David JM]

If that was me mu smugness factor would be magnitude 11

[pixelsaurus]

This is Rolf Olsen's pbase page with a bit more detail.

http://www.pbase.com/rolfolsen/beta_pictoris

He goes by the handle of SkyViking on www.iceinspace.com.au

[Auntystatic]

He's upgraded to a qsi 8.3mp kodak sensor now

[todd8137]

I bet company's were throw in kit at him,it's great work for amateurs and there's hope for us all

pat

[Mr Q]

WOW! That image is like going back in time and seeing our own solar system in the making from 63 LYs away. A to that observer indeed!

[DirkSteele]

That is pretty cool. My 3rd year dissertation was about imaging proto-planetary discs. I am pretty sure I did not conclude that 25cm telescopes and webcams would be the way forward less than 15 years later!

Clear skies,

[WaveSoarer]

That's really wonderful.