Archive for the ‘Featured Articles’ Category

M64 Imaged by John Moore

This stunning image of M64, also known as the Black Eye galaxy, was taken by John Moore in April 2010.  The image reveals beautifully the prominent dust feature obscuring the stars.    M64 lies in the constellation of constellation Coma .  M64 was discovered by Edward Pigott 1779 and just days...
May 16th, 2010 | Featured Articles, John Moore | Read More

M65 and M66 Imaged by Chris Thayer

M65 (NGC 3623) and M66 (NGC 3627) are two of the galaxies that make up the Leo Triplet (also known as the M66 Group of Galaxies).  As its name suggests the Leo Triplet can be found in the constellation of Leo.   Charles Messier is generally assumed to have discovered these galaxies but it is possible...
May 14th, 2010 | Chris Thayer, Featured Articles | Read More

The Sombrero Galaxy and M88 by Kevin Pretorius

These two wonderful galaxy images were captured by Kevin Pretorius using his Meade 8″ S/N on an LDX 55 mount.  The Sombrero Galaxy The Sombrero Galaxy is also known as M104, although it was not actually discovered by Charles Messier.  Messier became aware of this galaxy after it was discovered...
May 14th, 2010 | Featured Articles, Kevin Pretorius | Read More

After Your First Telescope by Peter Campbell-Burns

There are plenty of good words of advice to be found on the Internet on the subject of choosing a first telescope.    If you are a complete novice you could do no better than to read the advice posted on the Flamsteed Astronomy Society web site.   However, little is written about the next step.    I’ve...
May 12th, 2010 | Featured Articles, Resources | Read More

M3 Imaged by John Moore

This beautiful globular cluster was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764 but its true nature was recognised by William Herschel.  M3 is a rich globular cluster comprising over half a million stars and an estimated mass of over 800,000 suns.  At a distance it of 34.1 light years it orbits our own...
May 7th, 2010 | Featured Articles, John Moore | Read More

Waxing Gibbous Moon by Peter Campbell-Burns

 The following image of the Waxing Gibbous Moon was taken on Sunday 25th April using a small Williams Optics SD66 and Philips ToUcam.  The telescope was mounted on a photographic tripod (i.e. unguided) allowing only short AVI video sequences to be captured.     Although the SD66 has a short focal...
April 26th, 2010 | Featured Articles, Peter Campbell-Burns | Read More

National Astronomy Day at the Alexander Telescope

Members of Farnham Astronomical Society marked National Astronomy Day (on 24 April 2010) at Aldershot Observatory with the Patrick Alexander telescope.Society member Eric Grieve opened up the dome to the afternoon sunshine and talked through the operation of the telescope with members and their...
April 25th, 2010 | Danny Thomas, Eric Grieve, Featured Articles, Kevin Pretorius, Observing, Past events | Read More

Observing with the Farnham Scouts

Farnham Scouts asked the Farnham Astronomical Society to bring some telescopes to its annual family camp in Tilford.  We have supported this event in the past and it is usually hugely attended.  Numbers on site exceeded 500 through the day.  Observing the night sky was the culmination of a series...
April 25th, 2010 | Featured Articles, Past events | Read More

The Leo Triplet and NGC 3628 by Peter Campbell-Burns and Kevin Pretorius

Peter: Kevin and I met at my house for a night of imaging. Despite the cloud of volcano ash over the UK we enjoyed a lovely sky.  The promised glorious sunsets had not appeared suggesting that the cloud was having minimal effect, but my images showed a brighter than usual background which may have...
April 19th, 2010 | Featured Articles, Kevin Pretorius, Peter Campbell-Burns | Read More

M82 Imaged by by John Moore

This stunning image of M82 (the Cigar Galaxy) was taken by John Moore.   M82 in the constellation of Ursa major was discovered by Johan Elert Bode in 1780 and observed by Charles messier in 1781.  Located  12 million light-years away it’s an amazing example of a starburst galaxy.  Regions...
March 25th, 2010 | Featured Articles, John Moore | Read More