Mythocentric Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 (edited) Probably an irreverent observation but NASA’s first Commercial Crew member, astronaut Doug Hurley (nickname Topper?) looks like he’s just stepped out of a Vietnam-era F-4B Phantom II after a mission! In fact, with his buzzcut and 'John Wayne' eyes he makes the rest of the crew look pretty bland by comparison. Still, it’s good to see the American gung-ho spirit is alive and kicking and I hope that SpaceX sort out their problems well before they risk their lives. I wonder if he’ll launch wearing a Stetson and matching, chrome-plated Colt .45 Peacemaker’s? Regards Bill Edited July 10, 2015 by Mythocentric 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 9, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 9, 2015 As promised, a couple of pics from this morning's lunar photoshoot. Atmospherics were excellent and I've about 3Gb of video to play with. The second picture - a mosaic of 7 individual pics - can be "massaged" to remove the join lines when I figure out how to do it in PSP! Jeff 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Happy Birthday, Jock. Sorry I'm a bit late in the day, been on with the turn table and only just logged on. Going downstairs now to drink to a great day for you and hope for many more All the Best Derek 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeeleyBridge Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Happy birthday Jock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Just had a BIG shot of the Highlands Brown stuff in my coffee as a toast to Jock and Joanna, I should SNORE LIKE A PIG later, ahhahahha. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Nice Moon Pigs Pics .Com Jeff, which Bunker is Yours? They just look like BIG Lavatory seats to me mate, but loving them none the less.Hahhhahahahaaa :nono: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peach james Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 why am I reminded, again, of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBrjdQIH8uw this kind of thing when Jeff is posting photos of the moon, and not saying it's made of cheese... James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Thanks for that James. That's something else NASA have kept quiet about! Regards Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 10, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 10, 2015 Since we've been discussing CTs and alien life, amongst other topics, here's a photo of part of the lunar highlands, taken yesterday morning. The dominant crater with the central peak, in the middle of the image, is Tycho, which is about 90km wide. It played a "part" in the 1968 Kubrick film "2001: A Space Odyssey", as the location of the Sentinel (the Monolith) which had been buried in the crater waiting for humans to discover it. Upon its discovery it sent a message to the stargate near Jupiter (Saturn in the original book) and so the story began..... ("Daisy, daisy, give me your answer do.....") Jeff 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peach james Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Those are nice photos Jeff, even if we are talking out of the moon (sorry, too easy not to...). James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 (edited) Hummm! That 'peak' in the centre does look suspiciously like a Pyramid don't you think Jeff? Seriously though, I love the images you are producing already given the Moon's reputation for being notoriously difficult to capture because of it's luminosity and high contrast. You don't believe in jumping in at the deep end do you? Regards Bill Edited July 10, 2015 by Mythocentric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 10, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 10, 2015 Those are nice photos Jeff, even if we are talking out of the moon (sorry, too easy not to...). James James, I did point out - seriously and, it seems relevantly, that Uranus was only a degree or so to the north of the Moon a couple of days ago.... Were you trying to tell me something? Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 10, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 10, 2015 Hummm! That 'peak' in the centre does look suspiciously like a Pyramid don't you think Jeff? Seriously though, I love the images you are producing already given the Moon's reputation for being notoriously difficult to capture because of it's luminosity and high contrast. You don't believe in jumping in at the deep end do you? Regards Bill Cheers Bill. I really like a challenge and the opportunity to put the telescopes, a new camera and a bit of inspiration together was too much to miss! Thursday morning showed what could be achieved with a relatively steady atmosphere - but the Moon was still less than 20 degrees in altitude during the imaging time. I'm hoping the winter height and steady air will produce some spectacular results! It's also been fun to get to grips with the DSLR (feels like I've had it for years now!), a new lunar imaging webcam, new software and the prospect of better photo processing. Which reminds me, must order PSP in a minute. I hope you get your replacement from FLO very soon. I'm looking forward to hearing you enthuse about it! Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 (edited) Hi Jeff! I'm enthused now bud, it's just that I can't do anything about it! Especially frustrating with four planets in view just now, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury allbeit all grouped around the Sun at the moment! I've just been running a series of checks with the multimeter suggested by FLO to ascertain the source of the problem. Plenty of power going in, very little or nothing coming out! My own suspicion puts the guilt on the mount. The handsets lighting up but there's no signal getting through although the mount does rotate if I plug it into the AUX port. I'm just going to send them an e-mail and arrange collection. And there's so many bikini-clad heavenly bodies to see right now dammit! Regards Bill Edited July 10, 2015 by Mythocentric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 12, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 12, 2015 I hope you're all maintaining an interest in the Pluto flyby. Only 2 days from closest approach now and the images being returned are getting better and better. Jeff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Afternoon all, Thanks to everyone for the kind birthday wishes - I'm more determined than ever to have another one now! Been really busy for a couple of days, my surprise birthday party and barbecue, followed by a fiftieth birthday bash last night for a family member ( the mother of grandson's partner, who in turn is mum to two of our great grandchildren) after which we had two of the great grandchildren for a sleep over! Silence now reigns again, so I'm off to attempt to catch up on various threads. Jeff, I visit the NASA, ESA and Daily Telegraph Science sites regularly throughout the day at the moment - can't wait for the 'fly past'! Kind regards, Jock. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 12, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 12, 2015 Bill, I've now got a copy of PSP X7 Ultimate. I've managed to figure out the basic image fiddles and how to do the layering.... HOWEVER, my layering ends up as in post 1202 as a series of distinct image blocks and I cannot figure out how to merge the blocks together to create a smooth transition. I've been looking at Masks but cannot get anything to work. Any suggestions? Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 12, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 12, 2015 Afternoon all, Thanks to everyone for the kind birthday wishes - I'm more determined than ever to have another one now! Been really busy for a couple of days, my surprise birthday party and barbecue, followed by a fiftieth birthday bash last night for a family member ( the mother of grandson's partner, who in turn is mum to two of our great grandchildren) after which we had two of the great grandchildren for a sleep over! Silence now reigns again, so I'm off to attempt to catch up on various threads. Jeff, I visit the NASA, ESA and Daily Telegraph Science sites regularly throughout the day at the moment - can't wait for the 'fly past'! Kind regards, Jock. Shame we won't get to see more of the equatorial spots. It'll be decades before another probe is out that way.... Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) I hope you're all maintaining an interest in the Pluto flyby. Only 2 days from closest approach now and the images being returned are getting better and better. Jeff Ready and waiting patiently (almost) Boss! Hi Jeff! My initial response is to work on the individual images (layers) using Express Lab (within PSP) to adjust the images using either the auto or manual functions to balance the contrast and brightness, etc, of each image until you are happy with the result before flattening the layers for the final image. I haven't had the chance to pick up a copy of X7 yet (Sara came up for the weekend!) so remember I'm speaking from the perspective of an older version. I'll nip off and and work my way through it and send you a message with the results a.s.a.p. Regards Bill PS: Just for fun I used NASA's PlutoTime app to set the appropriate light levels in the image, so I've got at least one thing right! Edited July 13, 2015 by Mythocentric 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 13, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 13, 2015 Excellent, Bill. I see the anal probe is ready for action!! As for PSP, I'll continue to "play". The best thing to do with all of these things is just to try things out and see what happens! Jeff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Just found this on Youtube from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Mars Rovers 26.2 mile journey across Mars with a soundtrack by the Rover itself! https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=12&v=3b1DxICZbGc Regards Bill 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Morning all, Getting excited now, watching the countdown on NASA's web site - soon be only twelve hours to go according to their clock! Quite a surprise that we have had to revise the estimated size of Pluto, but I don't think that it's increased size will be enough to raise it from its current status of 'Dwarf Planet'. Another exciting aspect of this close encounter, is the data gathered on Pluto's smaller moons, as hitherto we have been unsure about their shape, let alone their size! I guess it will be some time before all the developments will be published, but this is certainly shaping up to be the astronomical event of the year. Awesome science and engineering! Kind regards, Jock. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 14, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2015 Morning guys. Three things achieved in the last day or so... Flooring in the Bunker completed and I've been looking over the initial requirements for wood needed for the first 2-3 L-girders. I've spent hours playing with Paint Shop Pro. Progress is being made, though I still can't mosaic things the way I'd like. Here's an improved mosaic of the one shown in post # 1202 above: I'm also as excited as Jock re. the Pluto fly-by. The high-res telescope images (LORRI) are getting better and better, and with only 9.5 hours to closest approach we're only 470,000km from the target (a bit more than the Earth-Moon distance). I can't sleep, so I'm staring at the screen!! Jeff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 (edited) Morning guys. Three things achieved in the last day or so... Flooring in the Bunker completed and I've been looking over the initial requirements for wood needed for the first 2-3 L-girders. I've spent hours playing with Paint Shop Pro. Progress is being made, though I still can't mosaic things the way I'd like. Here's an improved mosaic of the one shown in post # 1202 above: LargestImbrium.jpg I'm also as excited as Jock re. the Pluto fly-by. The high-res telescope images (LORRI) are getting better and better, and with only 9.5 hours to closest approach we're only 470,000km from the target (a bit more than the Earth-Moon distance). I can't sleep, so I'm staring at the screen!! Jeff That makes two of us Jeff. I keep telling myself to go to bed then ignore myself by staying right here! The last time I recall doing this (or being so excited) was watching the first images from the first Apollo moon landing. At the time I was camping half-way up Pendle Hill and we had to make the long trek down to the Pendle Witch in Sabden and then make the long climb up again after! No such discomfort this time but I'd still do it if it meant seeing a once-in-a-lifetime event like this! The moon image is a great improvement on the last one and the only way to improve it further would be to slightly crop the individual image borders slightly to help blend them. However, that said, you've achieved a lot in a few hours, so practice, practice, practice! It's a whole new program for you so have patience and take your time because you're definitely getting there! Regards Bill Edited July 14, 2015 by Mythocentric 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emt_911 Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 The New Horizon mission is definitely fascinating. The data from the Pluto fly-by will probably change a lot of ideas about the solar system and the universe. Unfortunately I'll be stuck in a classroom being ejumacated this afternoon so will have to catch up on the details when I get home. Jeff - It looks like you're slowly mastering PSP to do justice to the photos you've taken 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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