The Search for Vulcanoid Asteroids
Submitted by admin on Thu, 2005-09-22 15:42.The Search for Vulcanoid Asteroids: It is a inner solar system quest that has been on-going since at least 1859. The very innermost region of our solar system is known as the stable Vulcanoid zonei, and remains largely unexplored. An asteroid whose mean distancei is less than that of Mercuryi’s distance to the Sun would be declared to reside within the Vulcanoid zone and would be called a Vulcanoid asteroid. Because of reecent advances in astronomy, inexpensive CCDs, portable telescopes, image processing software, and the Inteternet you have an unprecedented opportunity for discovering Vulcanoid asteroids and to add to our knowledge of this region of space.
up to date plan for Landon Noll
Submitted by chongo on Mon, 2006-03-20 13:17. Coordinating Eclipse ObservationsHere is my most up to date plan:
The following image shows my target field of view relative to the Sun during the 29 March 2006 Eclipse 80 km south of the Jalu Oasis in Libya near 28º17’53.5”N (28.2982ºN) - 21º34’10.9”E (21.5697ºE):
The above chart shows stars down to the 12th magnitude. (A 12th magnitude Vulcanoid could be between 3.5km and 10km in diameter). The dashed red line running through the Sun/Moon and the center of the rectangle is the ecliptici. Zenithi is up. The VEq red plus marks the Vernal equinox: the place where the Ecliptic and the Equator (0 deg declination) meet. The magnitude of the brighter stars are marked by 2 or 3 digit numbers. To get the visual magnitude, divide the number by 10.
Landon Noll's target field and 2 cameras
Submitted by chongo on Wed, 2006-02-22 10:55. Coordinating Eclipse Observations, AlternativeMedicine.todayAs previously stated:
The following image shows my target field of view relative to the Sun during the 29 March 2006 Eclipse 80 km south of the Jalu Oasis in Libya near 28º17’53.5”N (28.2982ºN) - 21º34’10.9”E (21.5697ºE):
The above chart shows stars down to the 12th magnitude. (A 12th magnitude Vulcanoid could be between 3.5km and 10km in diameter). The dashed red line running through the Sun/Moon and the center of the rectangle is the ecliptici. Zenithi is up. The VEq red plus marks the Vernal equinox: the place where the Ecliptic and the Equator (0 deg declination) meet. The magnitude of the brighter stars are marked by 2 or 3 digit numbers. To get the visual magnitude, divide the number by 10.
preliminary imaging tests with the Canon 20Da camera
Submitted by chongo on Mon, 2006-01-23 00:03. Vulcanoid Imaging TechniquesThis evening I performed some very preliminary imaging tests using the Canon EOS 20Da Red/almost-near-IR sensitive camera. I was using a Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens with a B+W 72mm Infracolor Orange-to-IR Filter, a filter blocks light above 520nm and fully lets in light from 600nm well into the near IR (beyond 1000 nm). Early results were encouraging.
Searching for Vulcanoids article published in Sky & Telescope
Submitted by chongo on Sun, 2006-01-01 01:20. Vulcanoid NewsThe Searching for Vulcanoids has been published in Sky & Telescope, Jan 2006, pp 87-89.
Vulcanoid object characteristics
Submitted by Mitch Cluck on Tue, 2005-12-06 18:32. Miscellaneous Chit-ChatVulcanoid searchers need to collect data
Submitted by chongo on Mon, 2005-11-28 07:33. Vulcanoid Imaging TechniquesIt is important to remember that to do a Vulcanoid search one needs to collect data. The normal image post-processing that one might do to clean up an image for submission to a magazine such as Sky & Telescope should not be done on your only copy of the data.
Image cleanup alters data and in some cases removes information. The information that you lose could be the Vulcanoids that you are looking for! Use Photoshop / Paintshop in a copy of the data if you must, but preserve your original image data for Vulcanoids analysis.
How large does it have to be to a Vulcanoid asteroid?
Submitted by marc on Sat, 2005-11-26 10:33. Vulcanoid Search TopicsEclipse tours?
Submitted by cscope on Sat, 2005-11-26 09:41. Miscellaneous Chit-ChatTurn off noise reduction
Submitted by david on Sat, 2005-11-26 08:10. Vulcanoid Imaging TechniquesOK, besides removing the lens cap :) turning off any camera noise reduction is critical. That tiny speck that noise reduction may smooth out could have been a Vulcanoid!
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