SuperNova in M82

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kochu
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Favourite scope: Sharpstar-107PH Triplet.
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SuperNova in M82

Post by kochu »

Bright New Supernova in M82.

http://www.universetoday.com/108386/bri ... ar-galaxy/

Kochu/23-1-14
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yltansg
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Re: SuperNova in M82

Post by yltansg »

Hi Kochu,

Thanks for that piece of information. Did you try to image it?

I was hoping to do a spectrum on it but there are obstruction at my site :(

Alfred
kochu
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Favourite scope: Sharpstar-107PH Triplet.
Location: Jurong West

Re: SuperNova in M82

Post by kochu »

Hi Alfred,
I am in the process of migrating from my trustworthy EQ6 to G11/G2. Setting up not complete as Gemini-2 has a steep learning curve. So did not have the opportunity to image any objects.
Nice to see your set up of CEM60.
Wish you a Happy and Prosperous LNY.
Brgds
Kochu/30-1-14
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starfinder
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Re: SuperNova in M82

Post by starfinder »

I had set my alarm clock for 2am this morning, which was near the time the host galaxy M82 (in Ursa Major) would culminate in the North at 21 deg above the horizon, but somehow I only woke up at 4.30am+.

Nevertheless, I managed to view and image the Supernova in M82 (SN 2014J) with my LX-90 8" SCT from my north-facing room window in central Singapore city.

In the past few days, I had downloaded images of the supernova and charts, and rotated and flipped them to accord with the view through an SCT. Even so, when I initially look through the eyepiece at around 4:45am this morning, I actually saw the supernova but thought that I was seeing a foreground star and could not see the supernova. It was only after doing the imaging that I realised that one of the stars which I had seen was indeed the supernova.

Below is an image taken at 5:14am this morning (Thur 30 Jan 2014) through the Meade LX-90 8" SCT, with a Canon EOS 60D at ISO 1600 and 15s. A bit of the host galaxy can be faintly seen. The supernova is marked out and appears to be slightly yellowish on close inspection.

After imaging, I viewed through the eyepiece again (a 14mm XL for 143x). M82 was then only about 17 deg above the horizon. The supernova was faint but could just be seen (with direct vision). Comparing with another star in the same field of view, I estimate the supernova to have been at around mag 10.5. I'm sure that if M82 was much higher up in the sky, the supernova would have appeared brighter.

Anyway, from my experience with trying to view supernovae, I've realised that it's often difficult to ascertain which of the stars is the supernova, especially when viewing from urban locations where the host galaxy usually cannot be seen in the eyepiece. It would take very careful comparison with charts to be quite certain which of the stars in the eyepiece is the supernova.

Image
lqx
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Re: SuperNova in M82

Post by lqx »

Gavin!
[smilie=admire.gif] Awesome! Such a low object at mag 10 too!
Hopefully these good skies we're having hold out for a few more days...

All the best getting the spectrum of it, Alfred! [smilie=bye2.gif]
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Gary
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Re: SuperNova in M82

Post by Gary »

Good job! Congrats!
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"The importance of a telescope is not how big it is, how well made it is.
It is how many people, less fortunate than you, got to look through it."
-- John Dobson.
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