Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Tue, 01/15/2019 - 22:03
This topic is for people considering joining the CCD2 class this year. Here you can ask the instructor any questions you may have before signing up. I've attached the Syllabus from the 2018 course. The course changes slightly each year as new discussion topics may be opened based on comments or questions from the students.
Not shown in this syllabus are the observing project comments and instructions, and the VPhot discussions for students learning VPhot during the course.
Phil
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Hi Phil
I was thinking of signing up for this. Just a couple of comments / questions:
1. I have a working scope (a Celestron Edge HD 8-inch) with UBVRI filters and a CMOS camera (a ZWO ASI 1600 MM Pro), but am not confident (given the weather here) that I will be able to capture appropriate images during the course itself. Therefore, I would be likely to want to use "images provided by the instructor" as per the course description.
2. I also note that CMOS cameras are not considered suitable for CCD Parts 1 and 2. This, however is not a problem, if there are instructor-supplied images.
Paul (YPFA)
Hi Paul,
CMOS: People in the AAVSO is still trying to figure out the best ways to use CMOS camera's for photometry, but results are yet to come in. Most CMOS cameras have very small pixels, lower digitization (12 bit vs 16 bit), and smaller Full Well Depth, when compared with CCD cameras. I expect there may be a separate CMOS photometry course and CMOS photometry guide documant when this is all worked out.
You would get the most from the course if you made your own images for the observing project, but images can be provided if you are otherwise prepared for CCD2. Have you done much imaging with a CCD camera or your CMOS camera?
There may be two sources of "instructor provided" images for the course observing project. I'll be observing the project field with my own scope and STL1001e camera. I'll make some of these images available to the students, but I may have the same problem as you. The climate here can be very cloudy in March and into April. I'm also hoping to get images from one of the larger AAVSO Bright Star Monitor network scopes that can be used in the course.
Phil
In 2021 the class will be held during the four weeks starting on Oct 11. We will use NGC 7790 as the standard cluster for calculating transforms by the spreadsheet method. Monochrome CMOS camera users are welcome, but you must be able to make your own decisions concerning offset and gain settings for your camera.
I encourage you to use your own telescope system for the variable star observing project, but for those without suitable systems the AAVSO BSM network will provide regular images (weather permitting) for the class observing project. The targets will be variable stars in the field of NGC 7790.
If you don't have photometric filters for your camera you may use RGB color filters. In the class you will transform your color filters to the standard system. Photometric filters would be preferred but transformed TG to V results are usually good. You should switch to photometric filters if you intend to continue doing photometry.
I will be using VPhot for class examples, and I'll support new VPhot users with step-by-step instructions for doing class exercises. Familiarity with VPhot prior to the class would be very helpful but is not required. The VPhot course in 2021 will be May 31 to June 21.
Phil
Paul,
If you read carefully, monochrome CMOS cameras are not excluded in CCD1, I simply may not be able to help with the details of your particular camera/scope setup. My experience is limited to using an ASI183m Pro with a short-focus refractor in bin1x1 and bin 2x2 modes. My experience does not extend to longer focus SCTs, but I would not wish to exclude those who work with setups similar to yours from taking CCD1. In fact, it might add to our knowledge of CMOS best practices. It is just that I might not be able to help you as much.
And yes, I will have images to share if weather does not permit you and others to image, both CCD and CMOS images in fact.
Ed