On 06 Jul 2009, at 00:19, JayLEads wrote:
Saw the article in S&T about this and also at AAVSO site at http://www.aavso.org/publications/alerts/alert367.shtml and then the link mentioned in the article: http://www.aavso.org/news/usco.shtml
Anyone here followed up on Jay's suggestion yet? Looks like a useful project and something that can be done with relatively simple equipment. I've worked it several night's since Jay suggested it and find it to be easy to work. while I am using a CCD imager, I'm sure useful data could be obtained with just a DSLR since long exposures are not required. And unlike doing light curves, you really only need to get one shot per night. I'm guessing the idea is to just get a single shot per night whenever you can until it blows and for several days (weeks?) after. Strung together the pictures could make a nice "movie". If anyone would like to give it a try and has some questions just post them here or contact me off list. On a totally different and off topic matter that I'm really stoked about, I finally managed to make jump #500 yesterday, a bit more than 44 years after making #1. And just for fun I used my second oldest canopy (circa 1965) and arranged to borrow the belly mounted instruments my instructor wore when he put me out on that first jump. What a hoot! http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/01.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/02.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/03.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/04.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/05.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/06.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/07.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/08.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/09.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/10.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/11.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/12.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/13.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/14.JPG http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/keep/500/15.JPG clear skies! patrick