WELCOME
Scotty Degenhardt scotty@scottysmightymini.com
International
Occultation Timing Association
Society for Astronomical Sciences
CURRENT OBSERVING PROGRAMS
Io Atmospheric Extinction Project – IAEP is a coordinated effort to measure the atmosphere of Io through Jovian Mutual Events. I first detected Io’s atmospheric extinction effects on 20090807 when Europa was passing behind Io’s atmosphere before and after being occulted by Io. Since this original page was posted 3 independent observers have also documented this extinction phenomenon:
http://scottysmightymini.com/mutuals/IoAtmosphereJME2009.htm
CALL FOR OBSERVERS: IAEP:
In an effort to coordinate observations worldwide of Mutual Events involving Io as the occulting body I have created a predictions page for all remaining Io occultations in the current Mutual Event season:
http://scottysmightymini.com/mutuals/Io_atm_extinct_predict2009_2010.htm
PAST OBSERVING RESULTS
All asteroidal profile measurement results can be found at
the Asteroid
Occultation Results for North America.
All of the profiles that I participated in measuring:
http://scottysmightymini.com/PR/previous_observations.htm
CALL FOR OBSERVERS: (234) Barbara:
The French VLT-MIDI Team has developed a new observational technique using interferometery that potentially provides very high resolution measurements of asteroid bodies. In developing this technique they have potentially found that the asteroid (234) Barbara may be a contact binary. This November the USA and European observers have a chance to measure the shadow of Barbara as it occults a bright star. IOTA has scheduled its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida for this event. Coordinated observing efforts through the central part of Florida in the USA and European path maps can be found here:
http://scottysmightymini.com/PR/234_Barbara_CallForObservers.htm
http://scottysmightymini.com/PR/20090719Pretoria_pr.htm
http://scottysmightymini.com/PR/20090820Vanadis_pr.htm
ARCHIVED
VIDEO
Coming soon: Kleopatra’s Capers…
20091121 (234) Barbara Asteroidal occultation results video. MUST SEE!
http://scottysmightymini.com/PR/20091121_234_BarbaraDegenhardt.wmv
20090909 (449) Hamburga asteroid expedition results
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2140590
20090909 Hamburga asteroidal expedition Part 1 (equipment tour)
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2127995
20090820 asteroid Vanadis occultation event 1h46m20ish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNoHQpoqGXI
20090820 asteroid Vanadis expedition Part 3, aligned on target star
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2013019
20090820 asteroid Vanadis expedition Part 2, asteroid expedition equipment setup
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1XajjpqUdY
20090718/19 (790) Pretoria asteroid Expedition Part1, equipment tour
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1831692
19980912 Aldebaran Lunar Graze
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBoBWtqINh4
Other archived videos can be searched at my Scottys Sky site:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scottys-sky
Publications
(more updates soon)
http://scottysmightymini.com/PR/Effects_miniature_optics_occultations.html
http://scottysmightymini.com/PR/HighResAstProfile.pdf
http://www.minorplanetobserver.com/mpb/MPB36-3.pdf
http://www.asteroidoccultations.com/observations/NA/DegenhardtMetisMeteor.htm
http://scottysmightymini.com/PR/StarDust_2009_068_01.pdf
http://www.socastrosci.org/Files/SAS_Vol_7_2.pdf
OBSERVING SYSTEMS
(more details coming here soon)
· Mighty Mini – a Tasco Essentials binocular objective modified to fit on the end of a video camera with an Owl f * 0.5 focal reducer attached.
· Mighty Midi – an Orion 80mm f/5 short tube refractor used with a video camera and Owl f * 0.5 focal reducer and Mini as a finder scope.
· Mighty Maxi – an Orion 120mm f/5 short tube refractor with a video camera and Owl f * 0.5 focal reducer and Mini as a finder scope.
Providing the highest resolution asteroid measurements
known to man…
Occultation detection with an array of Mighty
Minis!
Coming soon, all manner of astronomical folly by
Scotty Degenhardt
Ø I will provide you complete details on how to build your own Mighty Mini, or buy one prebuilt
Ø Details of past observation successes with the Mighty Mini, historical “mini memories”
Ø Details of future events observable by the Mighty Mini and plans to broadcast them LIVE from the field
Ø Links to publications the Mighty Mini observations have been recognized
Streaming LIVE from a shadow’s path!
The following table is a list of all currently planned events to be observed (weather permitting). They will be aired live on the internet from “Scotty’s Sky.” Events that involve moons of planets will be broadcast from my home. For the asteroidal occultations, if time allows I fully intend to broadcast live from one of my remotely deployed stations located inside the path of the asteroid’s shadow! (I promise that soon a more detailed page will come that will link you to the specific information concerning each event)
Click here to go live to Scotty’s Sky: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scottys-sky
OBSERVING
TOOLS
Step by step instructions for using Guide 8 to make prepoint charts:
http://scottysmightymini.com/tools/How_to_make_Guide8_prepoints.htm
(updated Sep 27, 2009)