spectro-aras.com

Hi, I've just joined the forum - having recently set up with an Alpy. I'm looking forward to learning more about spectroscopic techniques, and I hope I can contribute some southern hemisphere data to spectroscopic projects.

A bientot,

Tom Love

Welcome Tom!
I hope you'll find help and interesting discussions on the targetsans observing programs

Best regards,
François

hey Tom,

Do you know many other kiwis doing spectroscopy? I'm in Nelson. I'm just getting started and have got the hang of the ISIS software in the last month or so. But I hope to get a proper spectroscope sorted and in operation on the Nelson Science Society's C14 / CGX, at least before next summer's Eta Carina periastron fireworks!

Welcome from another southerner. If you need any help just ask.
Terry
Armidale NSW

Hi Hamish and Terry,

I'm not aware of anybody else in NZ yet. So it's nice to hear from you.

I'm still struggling a little with Isis, though making progress. And am waiting in frustration for clear skies and an opportunity to collect some more data to mess about with.

I've got an alpy and am still in the early stages of experimentation (have been busy recently making mount and scope changes to make things work a bit better). I've also ordered parts for an UVEX, which will be interesting... I'm planning initially to do some observations of the many unobserved southern Be stars - while it's low resolution, Valerie Desnoux tells me that it is better than nothing if there are no other observations. And submitting to the Be database means you get feedback on the quality of your observations, which is a useful learning process to refine your technique. It would be good to catch up at some point.

Terry - thanks for a generous offer. I've got a little more fiddling and trying options to do, but may come to you with some ISIS questions quite soon...

Best wishes,

Tom

yes, I know the feeling re isis niggles. If I had access to the code I think I would try to write some better error messages and trapping.

things I found so far:
- make sure fits header exposure and date fields are present and correct or isis will crash
- I'm only doing star analyser spectra so far. I did build a transmission grating spectro using some old lenses but have realised that my choices were sub optimal (collimator was shorter than camera, so slit got magnified, not great for resolution or S/N! I now have a better plan on paper including for guiding slit viewer and will start building soon.
- I read a paper which said "my thesis adviser said never build your own spectrograph". Ha ha.
- I have got the SA preprocessing working nicely in isis ( to correct slope and place zero order image on x=200 y =300 so that one does not need to recheck the dispersion equation or manually enter the zero order image x coordinate when calibrating.
- my camera is a lumix dslr. Sensitivity at Halpha is next to zero. Sensitivity above about 4200 A is also near zero. I have a replacement internal ccd filter in the post (fused silica) to replace the original UV/IR filter stack. Will require some delicate camera surgery. Nonetheless, I have got a decent response file working. It's good to do SA spectrographs with an open cluster (have been working on NGC6231 as it has a couple of WR stars) as then the reference and target stars are in the same image.
- my SA spectra resolution is not great maybe R=60-70 (have been tweaking my mount tracking - it's a dobsonian on equatorial table with no guiding. So I guess any spectrum without star trails is some sort of achievement.
- Once the camera filter is fixed, I hope to do even some low res Be star spectra.

Did you see Robin's call for spectra on the very southern Nova? (Mv 15 so bit of a hard sell on your alpy I guess. need something like Robin's franken-alpy (alpy with SA200 based grism installed) I guess.

Hi Tom.

Welcome and nice to see another NZ spectroscopist.
I have had a Lhires since 2014 but haven't been active in forums.

I guess that makes 3 now, and I know of others who bought the SA100 but aren't active.

Cheerio,
Stu

Hamish,
Welcome on board.
There are at least six to eight semi active amateur spectroscipists here in Oz.
I’ve built and used many spectroscopes over the years (including the Spectra-L200).
If you need any assistance just shout out.
Ken