Transcript ALPO Observations of the Remote Planets in 2012-2013

ALPO Observations of the
Remote Planets in 2012-2013
Richard W. Schmude, Jr.
Gordon State College
Overview
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Introduction
Images
Photometry
Conclusions
Introduction
• Seasonal brightness changes
– Uranus
– Neptune
• Images
– Visible
– Near-infrared
Images
• Usually a large telescope
– 1.0 m Pic du Midi Observatory (France)
– 1.29 m Skinakas Observatory (Greece)
• Filters:
– B, V, R
– Near-infrared
Uranus: Sept. 14, 2012
Flavius Isac 0.25 m SCT
Uranus: August 8, 2012
F. Colas, J. L. Dauvergne, M. Delcroix, T. Legault & C. Viladrich
Pic du Midi 1.0 m telescope
Uranus: September 17, 2012
A. Obukhov, Moscow Russia (C11 telescope)
Uranus: September 17, 2012
J. Boudreau, MA, USA (C11)
Uranus Belt Latitudes
• Equatorial Belt
– 2° S to 13° N (3° uncertainty)
• North Temperate Belt
– 45 3° N to 59° N (3° uncertainty)
Neptune: August 27, 2012
G. Maravelias and M. Kardasis Skinakas Observatory 1.29 m
Photometry
• Measurement of Brightness
• Accurate brightness measurements since 1950
• B, V, R and I filters
Photometry: Uranus
V(1,a) = -7.117 ± 0.007
B – V = 0.47
R – V = 0.307
I – R = 1.18
*Uranus is a little fainter than in the previous
apparition
Photometry: Neptune
V(1,a) = -7.005 ± 0.009
B – V = 0.384
Photometry: Oberon
• September 24, 2012 unfiltered image:
– Titania was 0.25 mag. brighter than Oberon
Conclusions
• Several astronomers have imaged albedo
features on Uranus using telescopes as small
as a C11.
• Uranus is a little fainter than in the previous
apparition
Acknowledgements
P. Abbott, K. Bailey, J. Boudreau, F. Colas, J. L. Dauvergne, M.
Delcroix, F. Emond, J. Fox, M, Kardasis, T. Legault, S.
Maksymowicz, G. Maravelias, M. Mattei, F. Melillo, C. Pellier, J.
P. Prost, T. Boyle, C. Viladrich
P. Abel, P. Bayle, G. Bianchi, D. Gray, T. Ikemura, F. Isac, A.
Kazemoto, A. Lasala, P. Maxson, A. Medugno, S. Mogami, A.
Obukhov, D. Peach, J. J. Poupeau, E. Punzo, S. Quaresima, H.
Sasse, J. Sussenbach, G. Tarsoudis and A. Yamazaki