Comet Hunting Program

Red Barn Observatory MPC/IAU H68

Established 2006

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Comet Hunting Techniques

Beginning in 2007, a new comet hunting program will be implemented at the Red Barn Observatory. A 230mm Telephoto Lens set to f/4.5 was attached to an SBIG ST-7 and piggybacked on the 0.3m LX200 Schmitt-Cassegrain. With this lens/camera combination, a FOV (field of view) of approximately 1.5 square degrees was produced and stars as faint as magnitude 14 were detected on the first "test image". The magnitude limit should improve as processing techniques are tweaked. The sensitive SBIG ST-7 allows the faint stars to be detected with the telephoto lens.

120 second exposure (unguided)

Lens: 200mm @ f/4.5

Camera: SBIG ST-7

The bright star in this image is Alpheratz.

First Image:

All images are to be collected in the FITS format so astrometry may be performed on any detected objects for follow up observations using Astrometrica. If a potential comet is observed, the 0.3m LX200 Schmitt-Cassegrain can easily follow-up on the object to produce accurate astrometry. I have used it to detect objects as faint as magnitude 19.5 - 20 with stacking techniques.

Brian Warner's MPO Connections will be used to automate the program. It will command the LX200 to slew to the pre-determined positions and control the SBIG ST-7. Images will be automatically saved in the FITS format and can even be transferred via wireless network to an "in house" computer where the images can be loaded into Astrometrica and manually reviewed.

I'm estimating that the program will be able to collect 20 to 30 sets of images per night and each image will cover about 1.5 square degrees.

Here's an image of M51 giving another example of the FOV with the lens set at 230mm f/4.5.

20061227

Single 2 minute (unguided) exposure - flat and dark removed

No further processing.

Moonlight was fairly bright at the time of this image.