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JWST 14th – 15th August 2023, Slip-sliding away in Sagittarius. - Printable Version

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JWST 14th – 15th August 2023, Slip-sliding away in Sagittarius. - Dennis - 2023-08-15

After watching an enthralling Netflix documentary covering the James Webb Space Telescope, (JWST), I opened the JPL Horizons Web Application and searched for the JWST.

The ephemeris from JPL Horizons indicated that the JWST would be high up in the skies, located in the constellation of Sagittarius. Even better, outside, the skies were clear. Smile

I managed to collect 5 sets of image runs, whilst dodging some intermittent thin, wispy clouds.
  • Run 02 - 60 frames 8:07PM to 9:08PM AEST (UT+10)
  • Run 03 - 57 frames 9:15PM to 10:13PM AEST (UT+10)
  • Run 04 - 48 frames 10:223PM to 11:11PM AEST (UT+10)
  • Run 05 - 60 frames 11:13PM to 00:14AM AEST (UT+10)
  • Run 06 - 60 frames 00:26AM to 01:27AM AEST (UT+10)

Each Run was processed separately in PixInsight, with the 5 output files then Aligned and Combined into a final composite image revealing the curved trail of the JWST.

Imaging start time - 2023-08-14 10:06:36 UTC (Run 02)
Imaging end time - 2023-08-14 15:27:46 UTC (Run 06)
 
Raw Image details.
  • Tak Mewlon 210 F11.5
  • Tak x0.8 Reducer/Flattener
  • QHY268M Camera
  • Scale: 0.726 arcseconds/pixel
  • 2137mm F10.2
  • 14th – 15th August 2023
  • Brisbane, QLD
 
Cheers

Dennis

   

RE: JWST 14th – 15th August 2023, Slip-sliding away in Sagittarius. - theskyhound - 2023-08-15

That is so cool!

RE: JWST 14th – 15th August 2023, Slip-sliding away in Sagittarius. - PMSchu - 2023-08-15

Dennis, that's really excellent!

Thanks,

Phil S.

RE: JWST 14th – 15th August 2023, Slip-sliding away in Sagittarius. - Dennis - 2023-08-16

Thanks Greg and Phil, I appreciate your comments.

With severely obstructed horizons and needing to set up and tear down each session, these single session projects lend themselves so readily to my current operating environment.

Cheers

Dennis

RE: JWST 14th – 15th August 2023, Slip-sliding away in Sagittarius. - PMSchu - 2023-08-16

Dennis,

I showed your image to my 13 yo grandson. He wasn't as impressed as I thought that he should be, unfortunately. At least he knew about the JWST. It would make a great show-and-tell image for a school science class. The spacecraft is really orbiting very close to the L2 point. It's impressive what those old guys were able to figure out back then that we're still taking advantage of today.

Phil S.

RE: JWST 14th – 15th August 2023, Slip-sliding away in Sagittarius. - Dennis - 2023-08-17

Hi Phil

Ah yes - B&W, grainy, still, blotchy images of stars and a random trail are an acquired taste that is probably lost on the youth of today, who are more used to rich animated, multi-media content with funky audio on demand. Cool

Oh for the good old days. Rolleyes

Cheers

Dennis

RE: JWST 14th – 15th August 2023, Slip-sliding away in Sagittarius. - PMSchu - 2023-08-17

I was a space nerd at that age. I'd like to think that I would have appreciated your image.  Big Grin I remember drooling over the war surplus optics in the Edmund Scientific catalog.

Phil S.