Just Starting out in Astronomy

Also take a look at past years for interesting images and projects.I like to call my Images "Now & Laters". Observe Now and Share Later.Check back often as I work on projects in the observatory

Mind's Eye Observatory in the Press Click Here

https://skymaps.com/downloads.html

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/interactive-sky-chart/

https://eyesonthesky.com/charts/free-star-charts/

Aurora in Florida! Just incredible!MEO 2024 May 10After multiple solar coronal mass ejections and flares we reached an Kp index of over 9! Aurora was seen as far as the Florida keys.All the action was mostly from sunspot group 0000 as it rotated East on the solar face as we reach solar maximum cycle in the next year. Aurora this strong hasn't happened in years. The red color indicates the altitude the excited oxygen is at.North is at top. The pillars or curtains are easily visible reaching down from high overhead. The weather station is the mast visible at the top attached to the observatory.

MEO after the Aurora was done.

The launch of Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 mission on board SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A in Florida 1:05 a.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 15 from the all sky camera at Minds Eye Observatory. Destination is the Moon. Note the sky and trees increased brightness even 60 miles from the pad. The first stage separation can be seen as well as the boost-back burn for the return to the cape. The camera was an zwoasi224mc with fisheye. 10 second exposures. It is usually used to monitor weather at the observatory.

Untitled video - Made with Clipchamp.mp4

1998OR204282020 - Copy.avi

Typical Night of Operations

Time Lapse

Florida clouds and a Moon teasing me.

Better known as Sucker Holes!

Imaging asteroid 1998 OR2

Time lapse

This night I was imaging asteroids.You can see a front moving in that I was racing. As it moved over the observatory you can see the scope move into the home position calling it a night.

1998OR204292020.avi

20503a2020.avi

Full Moon Maintenance Night

Time Lapse

At 2.39 you will see my my nightly visit from the sheriff via helicopter. They have seemed to take an interest in me and usually do a circuit around the observatory about the same time each night! Somehow they haven't ruined an image. There was a full moon so I was doing some Maintenance Cone error adjustment and a polar alignment check up.