CODY Astronomical Society

News and Information - For latest images by members click here

AGM - 11th June 2008

Don't forget the Society's AGM on 11th June - please come along.

Click here for news of the Isle of Wight star party - March 2008

6th - 10th MARCH 2008. Come and enjoy some of the darkest skies in the South.
Run by Vectis Astronomical Society in association with SAGAS
 

Comet 17P/Holmes - October 2007

Members of the society observed the bright comet 17P/Holmes in outburst at magnitude 2.5 in Perseus.
 

Lunar Eclipse - March 3rd 2007

A total lunar eclipse was visible on Saturday 3rd March. The umbral eclipse started at 21.30, with maximum eclipse at 23.30. Members of the society viewed the event at the observatory. A members photo is shown to the left.

 

Leonids - November 2006

The society organised, at short notice, a Leonid observing evening. This was held at Paul's house - a dark site south-west of Andover - and six members attended. Despite the promise of good weather 24 hours earlier, the sky sadly clouded over from 7pm onwards, getting progressively worse. At midnight, after an evening of good conversation and indeed food and drink (!), it was decided to abandon the event. See the picture opposite for an example of a typical observing evening in the UK !

What was more galling was that Paul got up at 5am to find the clouds had disappeared and the sky was sparkly clear. He went out and observed for half an hour, seeing 10 Leonids and one sporadic meteor in that time.
 

Observing Nights - October 2006

The society had two successful observing nights in late October with good attendance at both. High on the list of objects to observe was the bright comet Swann - click left for a picture by one of the members.
 

Recruitment Stand - September 2006

The society set up a recruitment stand in the main walkway at QinetiQ,  Farnborough on 13th September to advertise the society to those resident on the Cody site. There was a good response. See the picture to the left.

 

News on Membership - May 2006

Cody AS is opening its membership to the public for the first time. Operating from within Cody Technology Park in Farnborough, Hampshire, membership has until now only been available to those with site access, but recently approval has been given to offer membership to a limited number of the general public. Unfortunately membership cannot be offered to non-UK citizens or children less than 16 years of age because of limitations on the issue of site passes. Those interested should contact chairman Phil here.
 

Older News items here


Recent Images taken by Members

Mars, Meade 10" LX200. Image by Phil Alner.
Comet 8P/Tuttle (Approx mag6) in Pisces. Sum of ten x 30s exposures. 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. Jan 2008. Image by Paul Curtis.
M42, Orion Nebula - 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. 20 second exposure, Jan 2008. Image by Paul Curtis.
Moon, 29-10-07 - Canon 30D EOS prime focus on Tal Newtonian (150mm, F8). Picture by Glenn Shackleford
Comet 17P/Holmes, 15-11-07, Canon 30D EOS, 45sec exposure - prime focus on Tal Newtonian (150mm, F8). Picture by Glenn Shackleford
Comet 17P/Holmes, 30-10-07, Canon 30D EOS 30sec exposure - prime focus on Tal Newtonian (150mm, F8). Picture by Glenn Shackleford
Mars, Sum of 409 exposures each 1/50th second, 10" LX200@f24, TouCam Pro webcam, December 2007. Image by Paul Curtis.
Comet 17P/Holmes, sum of ten x 30s exposures, 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. October 2007
Lunar occultation of saturn. 22nd May 2007. 250mm Orion Newtonian, afocal image with Olympus compact microdigital 800 camera (5M pixel). Effective focal length 5200mm. Image by Gordon Lloyd.
Mercury and the Moon (phase 1.5%), 17th May 2007. 6M Sanyo digital camera. Image by Paul Curtis.
Moon, Hommel to the limb, afocal image with Olympus compact microdigital 800 camera (5M pixel). Effective focal length 5200mm. April 2007, Image by Gordon Lloyd.
Saturn, sum of 307 exposures each 1/25 second, 10" LX200@f24, TouCam Pro webcam, April 2007
Moon, Clavius, afocal image with Olympus compact microdigital 800 camera (5M pixel). Effective focal length 5200mm. March 2007, Image by Gordon Lloyd.
Saturn, 250mm Orion Newtonian, Celestron Neximage Webcam, Focal length 3750mm. Average of 1000 images processed in Registax. March 2007. Image by Gordon Lloyd.
Total lunar eclipse, 250mm Orion Newtonian, afocal image with Olympus compact microdigital 800 camera (5M pixel). 3rd March 2007. Image by Gordon Lloyd.
Lunar Eclipse photos by member Paul Hugill, 3rd March 2007

Lunar Eclipse photo by member Paul Curtis, 3rd March 2007
Moon, Theophilus to Fracastorius, afocal image with Olympus compact microdigital 800 camera (5M pixel). Effective focal length 5200mm. November 2006, Image by Gordon Lloyd.
Lunar images (Clavius and Straight Wall) by Phil Alner using a Meade LPI with the society's Zeiss scope, November 2006
Jupiter, 250mm Orion Newtonian, Celestron Neximage Webcam, Focal length 3750mm. Average of 1000 images processed in Registax. April 2006. Image by Gordon Lloyd.
HGC7293, Helix Nebula, Aquarius, 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. 15 minute exposure. October 2006. Image by Paul Curtis
Comet 73P Schwassmann-Wachmann (fragment C) in Corona Borealis at Mag 8.8, 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. 7 x 30 second images summed on Comet. April 2006, Paul Curtis
Mars, sum of 50 exposures each 1/33 second, 10" LX200@f24, TouCam Pro webcam, 19th December 2005, Paul Curtis
Saturn, sum of 126 exposures each 1/25 second, 10" LX200@f24, TouCam Pro webcam, 8th February 2005 at the Cody Observatory. Image by Paul Curtis.
Comet/2002 Q2 Machholz in Aries at Mag 4.1 - showing detail in the tail, 10" Meade LX200 SCT f4, Starlight Xpress MX5 CCD. 10 x 60 second images summed on Comet. Jan 2005. Image by Paul Curtis
Pleiades, drawing using 15x70 binoculars, by Mark Radice, November 2004
Saturn, by Mark Radice using a Toucam Pro Webcam with a 4" refractor, November 2004
Moon, Shroters Valley,  by Mark Radice using a Toucam Pro Webcam with a 4" refractor, October 2004
Some lunar images taken by Mark Radice using a Toucam Pro Webcam with a 4" refractor, June 2004    
Pictures taken by Phil Alner at the Cody Observatory, June 8th 2004      
Pictures of the Venus transit taken by Paul Curtis at the Cody Observatory, June 8th 2004
    

    

   
Comet 2001 Q4 NEAT in Cancer. Eight 30 second images summed on the comet. Paul Curtis, 10 LX200, MX5 CCD, May 2004
Jupiter, by Mark Radice, 4" refractor, June 2004
Moon in full eclipse by Paul Curtis. Image taken with Minolta Dimage Xt digital camera. 4th May 2004
Moon emerging from eclipse by Paul Curtis. Image taken with Minolta Dimage Xt digital camera. 4th May 2004
Moon emerging from eclipse by Paul Curtis. Image taken with Minolta Dimage Xt digital camera through the eyepiece of the Cody Scope. 4th May 2004
Venus, Mars and Saturn - 6 second exposure taken with a Minolta Dimage Xt digital camera. 4th May 2004
Moon just emerging from eclipse - stack of 22 images taken through the society's Cody Scope by Andy and Rachael Parsons.
Moon in partial eclipse. Image taken with a Meade 60mm refractor by Andy and Rachael Parsons.
Moon showing crater Petavius by Phil Alner and Roy Mitchell. Image projection with Fuji 2900 digital camera. 23rd April 2004
Image of Venus taken by chairman Phil Alner using the society's Zeiss telescope on 22nd April 2004.
Jupiter and the GRS, sum of 275 exposures each 1/25 second, 10" LX200@f24, TouCam Pro webcam, 19th April 2004, Paul Curtis

Click here to see some superb lunar drawings by member Gordon Lloyd