It’s a hot, rainy Saturday afternoon in Sydney so what the hell, there’s an old pic of M31 I took some time ago.
Sensor breakthrough: Sony has developed a backlit CMOS sensor with global shutter
By Earl on 24 Feb 2018 on No Comments
This s very cool! Sony has just announced a CMOS chip that can read all the pixels at once – plus is has large 7 micron pixel size which will see it became a favourite for planetary imaging I’m sure!
Sony has made something of a break-through in sensor development with a new backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that is capable of global shutter, a huge improvement over current CMOS global shutter technology.
Fabulous to see!
Launceston planetarium marks 50 years
Time stands still for Launceston’s planetarium with little changing in the past 50 years.
Source: www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-23/launceston-planetarium-marks-50-years/9408338
Great way to test parallel systems. Love the Pi!
NASA Is Bringing Back Cold War-Era Atomic Rockets to Get to Mars
By Earl on 23 Feb 2018 on No CommentsAlways loved the idea of going to Mars on an atomic rocket.
NASA Is Bringing Back Cold War-Era Atomic Rockets to Get to Mars
Nuclear-powered spacecraft would cut travel time to the red planet.
CCD vs CMOS | Teledyne DALSA
Another interesting read on CCD vs CMOS
Much has been written about the relative advantages of CMOS versus CCD imagers. It seems that the debate has continued on for as long as most people can remember with no definitive conclusion in sight. It is not surprising that a definitive answer is elusive, since the topic is not static. Technologies and markets evolve, affecting not only what is technically feasible, but also what is commercially viable. Imager applications are varied, with different and changing requirements. Some applications are best served by CMOS imagers, some by CCDs. In this article, we will attempt to add some clarity to the discussion by examining the different situations, explaining some of the lesser known technical trade-offs, and introducing cost considerations into the picture.
Amazing APOD!
APOD: 2018 February 21 – Jupiter in Infrared from Hubble
A different astronomy and space science related image is featured each day, along with a brief explanation.
Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180221.html
Should You Get a Colour or Monochrome Camera? • PhotographingSpace.com
By Earl on 20 Feb 2018 on No CommentsA good read on colour vs mono astronomy cameras
Should You Get a Colour or Monochrome Camera? • PhotographingSpace.com
Why on earth would you ever choose a monochrome camera for astrophotography when there is so much beautiful color in the universe?!
Watch the Casting of a Giant Mirror for the First Extremely Large Telescope
By Earl on 19 Feb 2018 on No CommentsWatch the Casting of a Giant Mirror for the First Extremely Large Telescope
A look inside the Mirror Lab, where astronomers go when they need some serious glass.
Source: motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/bj7d3z/mirror-giant-magellan-telescope-extremely-large
Spectacular !!! NGC 2237 Rosette Nebula, imaged in rare clear skies on Feb 11th, 12th and 15th – total exposure time 7.25 hours. Narrowband Ha + Oiii (+RGB stars)
NGC 2237 Rosette nebula
NGC 2237 Rosette nebula in Ha and Oiii
Astronomers Will Fight to Save WFIRST Space Telescope from Being Axed
By Earl on 16 Feb 2018 on No CommentsAstronomers Will Fight to Save WFIRST Space Telescope from Being Axed
Leaders of the American Astronomical Society have denounced the White House’s proposed cancellation of NASA’s Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST).
Source: www.space.com/39714-aas-responds-wfirst-proposed-cancellation.html
ESO’s VLT Working as 16-metre Telescope for First Time – ESPRESSO instrument achieves first light with all four Unit Telescopes
By Earl on 13 Feb 2018 on No CommentsESO’s VLT Working as 16-metre Telescope for First Time – ESPRESSO instrument achieves first light with all four Unit Telescopes
The ESPRESSO instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile has for the first time been used to combine light from all four of the 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes. Combining light from the Unit Telescopes in this way makes the VLT the largest optical telescope in existence in terms of collecting area.
Source: www.eso.org/public/news/eso1806/
DIY DSKY: Apollo astronaut keypad being rebooted as open source replica
By Earl on 31 Jan 2018 on No CommentsTHIS I LIKE! Replica of the Apollo era DSKY computer.
Compared to the computer interfaces of today, the display keyboard used by the Apollo astronauts aboard their spacecraft might look quaint — until you recall that it was central to flying to the first humans to the moon almost half a century ago.
Now, a Columbus, Georgia electronics company that has recreated World War II Enigma machines and specialized in “location-based entertainment” devices has set its sights on offering the Apollo Guidance Computer’s (AGC) display keyboard as an open source, Arduino-based replica ready in time for the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing in 2019.
Astronomers Shed Light on Formation of Black Holes and Galaxies W. M. Keck Observatory
By Earl on 27 Jan 2018 on No CommentsAstronomers Shed Light on Formation of Black Holes and Galaxies W. M. Keck Observatory
Latest findings using the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaii increase scientific understanding of how powerful winds generated by supermassive black holes impact and regulate the growth of 3C 298 Quasar Host Galaxy.