New Challenge Ideas Needed!

[Xilman]

Something for imagers with almost any equipment and for visual observers with large Dobs: extragalactic globular clusters.  The ones in the LMC and SMC are straightforward for southern hemisphere observers or those who use robotic telescopes.

The Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy (SagDEG) complement are fairly easy (one of them, M54, was known to Messier) and visible from most anywhere on earth.  Five of the Fornax cluster are straightforward too, though a bit far south from northern Europe.

The brightest GC in M31, Mayall II,is magnitude 13.8 and has been seen many times visually.  The brightest in M33 is mag 17.6, so almost certainly for imagers. There are a number of other local group galaxies which bear examination.

Dozens of GCs in M81 can be imaged with moderate telescopes and exposure times of 1-5 hours but once more the brightest are not visual objects as they start at around mag 18.  Remember that images do not have to be taken in a single exposure nor in a single night. Stacking subs makes life much easier!

I have seen amateur-taken images of GCs as far out as the Virgo cluster -- M87 alone has over 10K known and dozens, at least, show up fairly easily --- and I have successfully imaged HVGC-1 which is being ejected out of the Virgo cluster of galaxies.

Finding charts and/or catalogued positions for extragalactic GCs can be tricky, but that is part of the challenge! Remember that Aladin and VizieR are your friends.

[Frank the Troll]

Just 100% lights, ie no darks, no flats, no bias or dark darks or other such nonsense

 

[DaveS]

Imaging *anything* lately has been a challenge in itself.

[reezeh]

Here's one helluva tough one for all us brits and Irish:

Have two consecutive clear nights! 

[reezeh]

On 17/12/2020 at 12:03, Frank the Troll said:

Just 100% lights, ie no darks, no flats, no bias or dark darks or other such nonsense

 

It kind of used to be done like that before ccd and cmos cameras. With film you got what you got.

Results looked rough but the aim was to capture useful measurable information instead of "pretty"

[Pitch Black Skies]

Our favourite constellations with a brief paragraph of why. ✨

Satellites orbiting Earth 🛰️. I seen one pass my fov the moon a few months ago, would have been a great shot.

[woldsman]

It's globular cluster season in the UK at present - short nights favour this type of target until true darkness returns. 

[Craney]

Astro-art  ......  Art of Astro-photography

A non-standard representation  of an astronomical phenomenon captured by camera. 

OR .... Using artistic techniques to create a visually striking image of an astronomical phenomena

eg.   alternative crescent Moon....

 

 

[Mandy D]

On 29/05/2023 at 12:47, Craney said:

Astro-art  ......  Art of Astro-photography

A non-standard representation  of an astronomical phenomenon captured by camera. 

OR .... Using artistic techniques to create a visually striking image of an astronomical phenomena

eg.   alternative crescent Moon....

 

Or a Lunar Apocalypse, where the Sun eclipses the Moon?