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Research Kapteyn Institute The Blaauw Observatory

Observations

Some great shots have already been made with the Gratama Telescope. The examples below give an impression of the possibilities.

A recording of the Orion Nebula, a star formation area in the Milky Way. The recording was made by Nynke Oosterhof (Biology) and Mike Chesnaye (Artificial Intelligence) for their minor in Astronomy. — An image of the Orion Nebula, a star-forming region in the Milky Way. The image was taken by Nynke Oosterhof (biology) and Mike Chesnaye (artificial intelligence) for their minor in astronomy.

A recording of the supernova in the night of January 28-29 in the year 2011. The galaxy NGC 2655 is located in the middel of the image. The supernova is the bright bue-and-white star at the bottom left of the galaxy system. — An image of the supernova on the night of 28-29 January 2011. The galaxy NGC 2655 is in the centre of the image, the supernova is the bright blue-white star to the lower left of this galaxy.

An image of the moon. Using a telescope or binoculars, structures sush as craters on the moon that cannot be seen with the naked eye become visible. — A shot of the moon. A telescope or binoculars reveal structures such as craters on the moon that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

An image of the globular cluster M53 (Messier 53), taken with the 'broadband' B- (blue), V- (green) and R- (red) band filters. — An image of the globular cluster M53 (Messier 53), taken through the ‘broadband’ B- (blue), V- (green) and R-band (red) filters.

The left image shows the relationship between the brightness of the H-alpha and the H-beta emission lines; light yellow indicates a high intensity and dark blue a low intensity. This ratio is a measure of the amount of dust present between the observer and the glowing hydrogen gas in the mist. The right picture shows the ratio between the brightness of the [OIII] and the H-beta emission lines and is a measure of the ionization degree of the gas. — The left image shows the ratio between the brightness of the H-alpha and H-beta emission lines; light-yellow is high intensity, dark-blue is low intensity. This ratio is a measure of the amount of dust between the observer and the illuminating hydrogen gas in the nebula. The picture on the right shows the ratio between the brightnesses of the [OIII] and H-beta emission lines and is a measure of the degree of ionisation of the gas.

A recording of the Orion Nebula through 3 'narrowband' filters: 5x8 minutes though the [SII] filter (red), 7x8 minutes though the H-beta filter (green), and 5x8 minutes through the [OIII] filter (blue). — A shot of the Orion nebula through three ‘narrowband’ filters: 5x8 minutes though the [SII] filter (red), 7x8 minutes though the H-beta filter (green), and 5x8 minutes through the [OIII] filter (blue).

Here we have a recording of the Eagle Nebula, a star formation area in the Milky Way. The 'false colours' show how the hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, sulphur gas and dust are distributed. A group of newly formed bright stars is located right above the centre. These stars are lighting up the gas clouds in the nebula. In order to create this image, the CCD was illuminated 2x30 minutes through the [OIII] filter (blue), 1x30 minutes through the H-alpha filter (green) ans 2x30 minutes through the [SII] filter (red). — Here we have an image of the Eagle Nebula, a star-forming region in the Milky Way. The ‘false colours’ show how the hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, sulphur gas and dust are distributed. A group of newly formed bright stars is located above the centre, and these stars light up the gas. Exposures were made 2x30 minutes through the [OIII] filter (blue), 1x30 minutes through the H-alpha filter (green), and 2x30 minutes through the [SII] filter (red).

This is an H-alpha image of the Pelican Nebula in the Swan constellation. The CCD is illuminated 2x30 minutes through the H-alpha filter. The shot reveals structures of swirling gas and dust. In the top right corner you can find a track of a satellite that traversed the image field during recording. — This is an H-alpha image of the Pelican nebula in the constellation Swan. The CCD was exposed 2x30 minutes through the H-alpha filter. The image shows structures of swirling gas and dust. In the top right corner runs the trace of a satellite that crossed the field of view during the recording.

Zoomed version of system NGC 4088 of the image below (right), compared with a previous image of the same system (left) when the supernova was not yet at the same spot as shown in the right image. — Zoomed-in version of galaxy NGC 4088 from the image below (right), compared with an earlier image of the same system when the supernova was not there (left).

A redording of the supernova SN2009dd in NGC 4088, on the night of April 15-16. The smaller system at the bottom right is the system called NGC 4085. The total exposure time was 10x10 minutes through the B-band, 7x10 minutes through the V-band, and 4x10 minutes through the R-band. The blue supernova is right next to the orange core of NGC 4088 (see image shown above). — Supernova SN2009dd in NGC 4088, taken on the night of 15-16 April with the Gratama Telescope. The smaller galaxy in the lower right is NGC 4085. Total exposure time was 10x10min in B, 7x10min in V, and 4x10min in R. The blue supernova is right next to the orange nucleus of N4088 (see image above).

The night of April 18-19 was of such an irresistible observing quality, that Marc Verheijen went to the Gratama telescope to see whether is was possible to do an H-alpha observation of a nearby galaxy. The M51 system became the target. The observation lasted 4x30 minutes in the B-band, 3x30 minutes in the V-band, 2x30 minutes in the R-band and 4x30 minutes in the H-alpba band. On the left you can see the produced colour image and on the right the system in H-alpha radiation. Numerous H-alpha areas can be made visible with the Gratama telescope. In these areas there is ionized hydrogen gas. — The night of 18-19 April was of irresistible quality, so Marc Verheijen went to see if it was possible to make an H-alpha image of a nearby galaxy. The galaxy M51 became the target; observations lasted 4x30min in B, 3x30min in V, 2x30min in R, and 4x30min in H-alpha. On the left, you can see the colour image, on the right the system in H-alpha radiation. Numerous H-alpha regions can be made visible with the Gratama telescope. These regions contain ionized hydrogen gas.

On another beautiful night, the night of April 17-18 in the year 2009, Marc Verheijen made an observation an created an image of the Coma cluster to see what the telescope was capable off. The observation lasted 5x30 minutes in the B-band, 4x30 minutes in the V-band and 3x30 minutes in the R-band. The Coma cluster is one of the largest accumulations of galaxies in the nearby universe. These galaxies move away from us at 7200 kilometres per second. Furthermore, its light has travelled 330 million years to finally be captured by our telescope. — It was another beautiful night of 17-18 April 2009. So Marc Verheijen shot a picture of the Coma cluster to see what the telescope can do; 5x30min in B, 4x30min in V, 3x30min in R. Coma is one of the largest accumulations of galaxies in the near universe. These galaxies are moving away from us at 7200 kilometres per second and the light has been travelling for 330 million years before finally being captured by our telescope.

Colour plate of Messier 101 (M101). The observation lasted 10x10 minutes in the B-band, 7x10 minutes in the V-band and 5x10 minutes in the R-band with the crescent Moon above the horizon. — Colour picture of Messier 101 (M101); 10x10min in B, 7x10min in V, and 5x10min in R with the crescent moon above the horizon.

The Messier 81 (M81) spiral galaxy. Multiple shots through different colour filters are combined to make this colour image. The total exposure time was 3 hours and 10 minutes. — The spiral galaxy Messier 81 observed with the Gratama telescope. Multiple exposures through different colour filters were combined to create this colour image. The total exposure time was 3 hours and 10 minutes.

Shot of the planetary nebulea, Messier 27 (M27) also known as the Dumbbell nebula. This colour image was made by combining the light of oxygen (blue-green) and hydrogen (red). A planetary nebula arises when a bright star (like the Sun) emits its outer layers at the end of its lifetime. — Shot of the planetary nebula M27, also known as the Dumbbell Nebula. This colour image was made by combining the light of oxygen (blue-green) and hydrogen (red). A planetary nebula is created when a bright star (like the sun) emits its outer layers at the end of its life.

The first shot made with the new telescope. This image is from the beautiful globular cluster Messier (M13). There is no focus, no tracking and the 60-second-observation has not been edited. — The first image taken with the new telescope. This image is of the beautiful globular cluster M13. There was no focus, no tracking, and the 60-second recording was not further processed.

Shooting in the Dumbbell Nebula (M27) in two colours: H-alpha (deep red) and OIII (blue-green). THe H-alpha recording reveals the presence of hydrogen and the oxygen recording reveals the presence of oxygen. — Recordings of the Dumbbell nebula (M27) in two colours of light: H-alpha (deep red) and OIII (blue-green). The H-alpha shot betrays the presence of hydrogen. The oxygen uptake betrays the presence of oxygen. The crescent nebula is a planetary nebula: a cloud of gas created when a bright star (like the sun) emits its outer layers at the end of its life.

A shot of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). This is a galaxy like our own galaxy and contains several hundred billions of stars. The right and the left image are made from the same observation, only the right image did have image processing where the weakest parts have been brought forward. — An image of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). This is a galaxy just like our own Milky Way and contains several hundred billion stars. The right image is from the same shot where image processing has been used to bring out the faintest parts.

Four shots of the star 'Wolf 1346' in 4 colours of light. For this star, astronomers know exactly how much light is being emitted in each different colour band. Therefore, using these recordings, the sensitivity of the camera can be determined for these specific bands. — Four shots of the star ‘Wolf 1346’ in four colours of light. It is known exactly how much light this star emits in each colour. With these recordings, the sensitivity of the camera used can be determined for these colours.

Last modified:15 October 2024 1.11 p.m.

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