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Observation Requests |
Welcome to http://www.handsonuniverse.org/activities/Explorations/HOUtips/requests.html
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Observation Requests |
Open the HOU homepage. http://hou.lbl.gov. Select Images.
Choose Observation Request.
http://hou.lbl.gov/participant/requests/requestobs.html
- M or NGC Catalog Objects. Enter object and hit submit.
Currently, catalogs for Messier Objects and NGC objects are available. If you choose an object from either catalog, type its name and hit submit. For example, type M57, (for the Ring Nebula), and hit submit.- Solar System or Other Objects. Hit Submit.
If you want a solar system object, star, or other object not in M or NGC catalogs, then just hit submit. You will be asked in a subsequent page to supply the coordinates for these objects.- Uncle Al's Sky Wheels will help you figure out if your selected targets are in a good position for the date of your request. Refer to http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu/starclock/skywheel.html Set your starclock for midnight on the current date. Objects requested should be in the constellations towards the center of the star wheel.
You will be asked for your login and password. If you do not know your password or need a password, write to houstaff@hou.lbl.gov.
NOTE 1. Refresh Page
If you should get an error message before you fill in your login and password, just refresh the screen in your browser. (Usually, refresh option is listed under the View item on your browser menu bar.)IMPORTANT: Browsers and Passwords, Multiple Teachers Requests
Perhaps you are in a workshop situation or several teachers are together when you are making requests. For each new teacher, close and open the internet browser. Otherwise, the browsers remember the last login and password; the requests will all be assigned to the first teacher who did the requesting. Closing the browser application and then opening it again will renew the system to prompt for a login and password.
Catalog objects will have the forms nearly complete. For other objects, you will have to supply coordinates, etc.
You may wish to change the exposure time or the filter. (You are submitting your preferred settings. The astronomers may have different filters or use a different exposure time depending on their experience and observing conditions.)
You will need to fill in more information for objects not in our catalogs. Use sky calendars or almanacs for current information about solar system objects. Use other reference books for other objects not listed in our catalogs.
Observer information is about you. You may wish to list your students names as observers. This information goes in the image information with the image. (Consider if you have parent permission or use first names as this information is available for view on the Internet.)
Make sure you type your email address correctly.
Note a reason for your request. This may help the astronomers make decisions about the observations they take for you. However, a reason is not required at this time, so you may leave the space blank.
You do not have to choose or supply any of the advanced options.
HOUR ANGLE: HOU computes the local hour angle of the requested object at midnight. This is the angular distance, expressed in hours, minutes, and seconds (one hour equals 15 degrees), measured westward along the celestial equator from the celestial meridian (north-south circle around the sky) to the hour circle of the object being located. If you receive a warning about the hour angle of your object, you should consider requesting a different target.
Local Hour Angle Examples for June:
For example, during June, m64 or m57 are acceptable targets because their sky positions are not too far from the meridian at midnight.
M64 is west of the meridian at midnight. It's hour angle is positive, being west of the meridian. It will be available for imaging after evening twilight, but not for much time after midnight. It on its way to setting in the west.
M57 during June is east of the meridian at midnight. It is rising in the east. It's hour angle is negative, being east of the meridian. It will be available for imaging from midnight until dawn.
If the object is far from the meridian at midnight, then you will see a warning indicating that HOU may not be able to observe this object for you during the time frame of your request. You may wish to choose a different object to observe. Use the Back buttons on your browser to go to the first form for Object Requests. Begin over with a new object.
For example, during June, M42, the Orion Nebula, is high in the sky during the day, quite close to the Sun. So, it is not a good target for an observation. You would see this data and warning if you requested M42 in June.
If your request is successful, a web page will pop up with a summary of your request and a request ID number. Write down and keep your request ID number! A request summary will also be emailed to you. File this email for future reference.
Vivian Hoette, an HOU staff person and a certified teacher, is taking many of our images using the University of Chicago's, Yerkes Observatory, 24 inch telescope, F/13.5. The CCD camera is an Apogee-CCD and has 24 micron pixels, 512 by 512. The pixel scale is 0.60 arc seconds per pixel and the field of view is about 5 arc minutes square. When you make a request, Vivian welcomes you to send her an email about the request, etc. That way, your request will become a priority and she will assist you with the process as needed. vhoette@hale.yerkes.uchicago.edu
June 03, 2001
