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Is this an SGL first? - Dwarf Planet Makemake


lukebl

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Hi guys,

I'm a bit excited by this. I think this must be a first for Stargazers Lounge, as there don't seem to be any previous postings here. I managed to image the distant plutoid Makemake (the third-largest minor planet after Pluto and Eris, discovered just 6 years ago) with my humble DSLR. It's near opposition right now at nearly magnitude 17 in Coma Berenices. Pretty faint, but just within the reach of my DSLR. It's also in the same field of view as the neglected but lovely galaxy NGC4559 (in fact, this is two firsts as no-one here seems to have posted images of NGC4559 here before. Also known as Cauldwell 36).

I got the co-ordinates from the JPL Horizons Web-interface, and cross-referenced my final image with the ESO Online Digitized Sky Survey to be sure I'd got the right dot.

It's in a nice area with loads of interesting faint galaxies.

3.5 hours of 5 min exposures, ISO800, canon 450d unmodded, SW 250PDS f/4.8, NEQ6, PHD guiding with SPC900 webcam + ST80 Guidescope. A humble image of a few pixels, but I'm dead chuffed with it.

lukebl-albums-luke-s-planetary-images-picture10059-makemake-2011-03-23c.jpg

Closeup:

lukebl-albums-luke-s-planetary-images-picture10030-makemake-2011-03-23b.jpglukebl-albums-luke-s-planetary-images-picture10032-ngc4559a.jpg

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Thats a great piece of science to get dim dwarf planet, don't know if its a first here but certainly a welcome image of a fascinating dwarf. Deep space galaxy has wonderful dust captured, you must be very pleased indeed.

John.

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If you have captured it, I'm very impressed. Take another shot as soon as you can of the exact area of your first and compare them. If Makemake is not there then you know for sure you have it.

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Thanks all!

If you have captured it, I'm very impressed. Take another shot as soon as you can of the exact area of your first and compare them. If Makemake is not there then you know for sure you have it.

Yes, it's only moving about an arc-minute per day, but I just checked the first and last images (i.e 3.5 hours apart) and there is a distinct jump in the position. Actually, because of this movement Makemake appears fainter than it should do in my image because DeepSkyStacker doesn't like moving objects unless you do a 'comet-centred-stack'. I had the same issues with another asteroid image yesterday (here)

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Hi guys.

Here's a little animation of the first and last frames (3.5 hours apart). It's amazing to me that something at that distance should show such measurable movement with amateur equipment.

lukebl-albums-luke-s-planetary-images-picture10033-makemake-2011-03-23.gif

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Excellent capture, and processing looks spot on aswell Luke

think ur a natural at these fainter objects

like how u got galaxy in shot and animation shows movement well

if this is 3rd largest Minor planet whats the smaller ones like, size looks tiny

3.5hrs of 5m subs, did minor planet show on single 5m sub ?

have u got any others, i know u got Pluto last year

noticed Juno and 20 Massalia are nicely placed near Saturn at min and are both brighter than mag10 so should be easy after this ?

great stuff :D

thx for posting

James

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Thanks again, all.

..3.5hrs of 5m subs, did minor planet show on single 5m sub ?...

Yes, it just showed up on each frame as a little grey dot a few pixels round. The little animation is made of the original frames (with contrast hugely enhanced to bring it out). I'm pushing the limits here in light-polluted suburbia! My earlier frames were heavily washed out by the bright un-curtained bedroom lights of the house over the road shining directly towards the scope. Fortunately, that doesn't happen very often. I really like capturing these obscure objects but, to be honest, they don't look much in an image and I don't generally show them to anyone!

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Thats fantastic Luke.. I'm well chuffed for you. What a great feeling you must have with this...

Would love to see more of this in SGL.. I've not taken so much interest in a thread for a long time. Thanks for sharing

Rob

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Having just got into astronomy I find it quite incredable just what is out there. It's easy to take what's in the sky for granted. Images like this only further my interest. Thanks for sharing.

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That's a fantastic result and very well presented. This is the sort of thing that got me interested in astronomy in the first place. More of the same please!

James.

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wow! after I wiped the screen to make sure i wasnt looking at a speck of dust...

It may look like a speck of dust, but it's what did it for Pluto's status as one of the planets!

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I really like capturing these obscure objects but, to be honest, they don't look much in an image and I don't generally show them to anyone!

Keep showing them here please mate, I for one find them fascinating.

Martin

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A superb capture Luke, you don't tend to see many images of dwarf planets posted, mainly because they aren't much to look at visually but I find them intriguing. :D

I'd like to see more amateur images of the these neglected outer solar system bodies, ever since Pluto was demoted to a dwarf they don't get as much attention it seems.

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