spectro-aras.com

That's right - the Alpy runs at native f/4 with a larger slit. I think it might be the LISA that is optimised for f/5.5.

I'm also adapting my Lhires to run from the f/4 telescope on a fibre, which requires some messing about with a macro lens in front of the spectrograph and removing the slit ...

This has been a long time coming. I have been constructing a 50cm telescope in a dome, and tonight I managed my first spectrum.

The telescope is a 50cm f/4 prime focus design - the simplest possible telescope - using a lightweight mirror from Teleskop Express. Prime focus means no secondary, so it ...

This is fascinating work. Quite an achievement. It's a significant addition to the WR catalogue. Congratulations to all, and especially to Lionel.

This may be behind a paywall for some. It summarises recent findings that reduced cloud cover is contributing to accelerated climate warming (since clouds reflect sunlight back upwards). I am, to say the least, surprised to hear that there is a trend towards reduced cloud cover around the world. It ...

SN2024ggi is fading, and exposure times are getting shorter due to later sunset and earlier setting. So I suspect that this will be my last observation of this one, though there is still detail to be made out in the spectrum. The nominal exposure time is 2 hours but the reality, partly due to a ...

This work was received so well that it attracted a spontaneous round of applause in the discussion following the presentation at the Prague meeting...

Back home after several weeks away, and SN2024ggi still seems pretty bright, though I haven't seen any recent photometry. It's getting low in the sky, though, and I suspect I won't be able to follow it much longer.

I think we're getting decent coverage from Australasia, though I hope we can keep it up long enough as it fades.

Hamish also found this quite useful paper, with lots of comparisons of a a Type IIP with other examples and models. It's helpful for understanding the variety of features in both spectra ...

Hamish Barker, Peter Velez and I are continuing to monitor SN2024ggi - it's coming along nicely.

The filled in bit where you would expect a P Cygni style absorption to the left of the H Alpha line is interesting. I'm going to try to get a spectrum with higher S/N to see if I can bring out a little ...

I think just a little brighter than 12th magnitude at peak in V.

Fantastic to be able to follow ixf all the way to the nebular phase. We'll have to see how far we can get with this one.