Telescope Reviews: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972

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Astrophotography and Sketching >> Sketching

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lunar
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 07/03/10

Loc: NY, United Sates

Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972
#4577981 - 05/12/11 07:04 PM Attachment (43 downloads)

Here's my sketch from last night of the recent supernova 2011by in NGC 3972. The host galaxy was somewhat faint, and I recognized the supernova before the faint smudge of the galaxy. Unfortunately the moon was high in the SW, and there were high-altitude clouds Everywhere. I was lucky with this one.

I'm somewhat surprised that supernovae that brighten to magnitudes brighter than ~13.5 seem to occur so often. This would be my second in the past few months, the last being SN2011B. Just how often do these usually occur?

Comments suggestions are always welcome too

Clear Skies,
Brandon Doyle

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Jef De Wit
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/06/09

Loc: Hove, Belgium

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: lunar]
#4578901 - 05/13/11 09:09 AM

Nice sketch. With the galaxie visible the SN looks much better!

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niteskystargazer
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/05/09

Loc: 41-43'-28" N 87-42'-39" W

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: lunar]
#4579061 - 05/13/11 10:21 AM

Brandon,

Very nice sketch

.

CS,KLU,

,

Tom

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lunar
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 07/03/10

Loc: NY, United Sates

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: niteskystargazer]
#4579441 - 05/13/11 01:07 PM

Thanks for the compliments guys:)

Clear Skies,
Brandon Doyle

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frank5817
Postmaster

Reged: 06/13/06

Loc: Illinois

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: lunar]
#4580332 - 05/13/11 08:59 PM

Brandon,

Excellent capture. When they get this bright they are worth looking at. Nice captur of the galaxy too.

Frank

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CarlosEH
Postmaster

Reged: 01/19/05

Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: frank5817]
#4581290 - 05/14/11 12:21 PM

Brandon,

An excellent observation of NGC 3972 and the new supernova (Type 1a) in Ursa Major. This is a nice capture. Thank you for sharing it with us all.

Links;
http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/galgrps/uma.html
http://www.xjltp.com/XOSS/XM20ZJ/XM20ZJ.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43846774@N02/5661036373/

Carlos

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Special Ed
Postmaster

Reged: 05/18/03

Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: CarlosEH]
#4581798 - 05/14/11 05:21 PM

Brandon,

Well done and very accurate sketch--comparing it to the images in the links Carlos provided demonstrates how accurate you are with your star placement.

Those images also give you an opportunity to recalibrate your cardinal directions. North would be at the top and celestial west on the right in your sketch.

Quote:

...I'm somewhat surprised that supernovae that brighten to magnitudes brighter than ~13.5 seem to occur so often. This would be my second in the past few months, the last being SN2011B. Just how often do these usually occur?

SN2011by is the brightest supernova so far this year, but 86 supernovae of varying brightness have been reported to the IAU since the beginning of 2011. Apparently, stars blow up all the time.
http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/lists/RecentSupernovae.html

Edited by Special Ed (05/14/11 05:36 PM)

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lunar
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 07/03/10

Loc: NY, United Sates

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: Special Ed]
#4582066 - 05/14/11 08:22 PM

Mr. Rosolina,

Thank you for the kind compliments on my sketch! I've been having terrible trouble with my cardinal directions lately. I'm not sure if it has to do with impatience, or have I been mixing them up all along? And, I'm also glad you pointed this out to varify this because I looked at a series of star charts afterwards, and I did indeed realize I had mixed up my cardinal directions, once again. I'm going to be careful with the few sketches I do, to make absolutely sure I don't mix them up again.

Thanks!
Brandon Doyle

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blb
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/25/05

Loc: Piedmont NC

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: lunar]
#4582153 - 05/14/11 09:19 PM

Brandon,
I saw your published letter and sketch in the new issue of Astronomy. Great job!!!!

As for cardinal directions. With your dob, just let the stars drift across the field-of-view, they exit on the west side and enter on the east. North will be 90 degrees from west in a counterclockwise direction. If in doubt about this, just move the telescope towards Polaris (north pole) and the stars enter on the north and exit on the south. That should confirm the direction of north. With my dob this can get a little confusing but if you take your time it is really simple to do and with practice it get's easier.

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lunar
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 07/03/10

Loc: NY, United Sates

Re: Supernova 2011by & NGC 3972 new

[Re: blb]
#4583495 - 05/15/11 03:55 PM

Thanks for the information. It seems as though I've been ignorant as to the minor detail about recording North counter-clockwise of the western direction, as seen in the eyepiece. I'll use this from now on. And it also seems as though all of my sketches, up to now, have been inaccurate as to the cardinal directions. Thank you for telling me this bit of information.

Clear Skies,
Brandon Doyle

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