Microobservatory image

MicroObservatory RGB Image Project Instructions

For this assignment, you will be using the MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network, run by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics to take a real image of an object in the night sky. You will then use the MicroObservatory Image software (free download) to combine images from multiple filters into a single color image.

Step 1) Go to http://mo-www.harvard.edu/OWN/training.html and click “How to request an image” to watch a short, 1-minute video that will explain how to task the MicroObservatory.

Following those instructions, choose your target and request your images.

1. From the training page, click “Control Telescope”.

2. You will see a list of targets. Any object that is greyed out is not visible in the sky tonight. Choose one from the list in the table below, and click “Observe.” Feel free to also observe other objects, but for this activity, these are the objects that will allow you to create a multi-color image. Record the name and type of your object on your observing log (the last page of this document). The designation in parentheses is the object’s Messier number, a catalog of beautiful deep-sky objects compiled by Charles Messier in 1771.

Andromeda Galaxy (M-31)

Orion Nebula (M-42)

Ring Nebula (M-57)

Dumbbell Nebula (M-27)

Trifid Nebula (M-20)

Lagoon Nebula (M-8)

Eagle Nebula (M-16)

Crab Nebula (M-1)

Messier 46 (M-46)

3. Select your Field of View (some objects will have a choice, others won’t). Record the field of view on your observing log.

4. Select your Exposure Time (the website may suggest that your selection might result in an under- or over-exposed image…select accordingly). Record the exposure time on your observing log.

5. Select “Multiple Filters”, and record this on your observing log. You want all three filters (red, green, and blue), so that you get three images that can be combined into a color image. If multiple filters aren’t an option, choose a different image. I want you to have the experience of building a color image.

6. Click “Continue.”

7. Enter your email address (your images will be emailed to you as soon as they’re ready). Fill out the rest of the information if you wish, and click “Submit.”

8. A confirmation window will appear. Make sure you have entered all the information in your observing log.

Step 2) While you wait for your image to be returned (usually the next day), this is a good time to download the software that you will use to do a little image processing. Also, I’ve provided a tutorial on telescopes and filters/color images for you to learn while you wait.

1. Go to http://mo-www.harvard.edu/OWN/software.html and click on the appropriate logo (Windows, Mac, or Linux) for your computer. If you need help with the download, you can go to http://mo-www.harvard.edu/OWN/training.html and click one of the “How to download the software for Windows/Mac” links to watch a short video.

2. Tutorial: How does my eye compare to a telescope? To learn a bit about how your own eyes compare to the MicroObservatory telescopes, go to http://mo-www.harvard.edu/OWN/pdf/eyeScope.pdf and complete the exercises.

3. Tutorial: What does the universe look like in color: To learn a bit about astrophotography and color filters and to understand what you will be doing with the images you directed the telescope to take, go to http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/webscope/activities/pdfs/colorT.pdf and read through it. It’s actually a teacher’s guide for a classroom activity. Part 3 of this document is where you will begin to follow the instructions for your actual image processing. I will duplicate the necessary instructions below, and you should also return to the page http://mo-www.harvard.edu/OWN/training.html and view the “How to make a simple RGB image” video.

When your images arrive in your email inbox:

Step 3) Go to the link in your email and download your three images in FITS format (this is the standard format used by astronomers). Be sure to name the files clearly, so that you know which image was taken through which filter (e.g. “orionRed.FITS” for an image of the Orion Nebula with a red filter). The filter color is listed in the Image Info file. Record the file names in your Observing Log.