How to take UV Photometry flats ?

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Sat, 11/04/2023 - 17:33

My flat panel has no UV light (395nm).

 

Thanks

Steve HSTG

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Flats in the uv (or violet)

     It is straightforward to take twilight flats against a cloud-free sky using filters.  I do this essentially every clear night with a Sloan u filter.  It is best to point the telescope near the zero-gradient 'Chromey spot', which is roughly 15 deg off the zenith along an azimuth opposite the Sun.  This time of year, this is at a Declination somewhat north of your latitude.  Just doing it at the zenith may be good enough with small telescope fields.  With an f/8 system I start the u flats at about Sun elevation -2 deg, but you will have to experiment with this.  In any case, it will be quite a bit earlier than one would do twilight flats in B and V filters (say).

\Brian