PoTM February 2016

[Perkil8r]

After all the bad weather over the past few months I thought this would be quite easy because there would be a low number of images posted.... How wrong I was! There were a lot of images so please don't expect me to discuss every single one, there is simply not enough time for me to do that let alone for you lot to read through it all! Instead there will be a pick of those I deem to be the stand out images in each relevant sub category (one or so from each) and of course the big announcement at the end. Here goes!

 

Comets, Asteroids, Meteors and Meteorites. - Andyboy1970 captured Catalina here:

Showing some nice subtle colour in the Coma and nice image scale.

link:

Deep Sky Objects (DSO's) There were a good few here! The couple that stand out to me are Sheila's Jellyfish in Orion:

I prefer the Mono to the Colour version from later in the month but I'm not sure why.

 

And

 

Red Dwarf produced a nice 4 channel version of one of my favorite objects M42:

The dust and gas surrounding this emission nebula showing well.

 

Lunar a smattering here including one from me at work There were a few that don't count because Ibbo does not do the Moon so they must be fake

 

Si2504 captured a nice full phase Moon here:

Good because it shows nice detail at a difficult phase with it often looking quite flat.

 

It's a good job Ibbo doesn't do the Moon or else I would have to show you this:

Pssst Steve, there's a bit missing

 

Planetary - Ibbo submitted the only image in the category for February. Jupiter with pretty bad conditions but still a nice honest image:

 

GRS just showing

 

Solar - Again, only Ibbo posting in this category for the month. Quite honestly I could put all of them in here really as they are all stunning but here is the best IMO from 15/02/2016

But do take another look through them all and then tell me the Sun is quiet!

 

Widefield - some nice images here but one stands out from the rest. VikN46 bagged the ISS:

Not easy!

 

And so to the winner..... This has been quite a difficult month due to the quality of all of the images posted not just those picked out above. The one that caught my eye though did so quite early in the month. The winner is VikN46 for the ISS from 11/02/2016. This image is one I would be very pleased to have captured half as well as Vicky has managed. Not only is this a tiny object to capture, it also zooms across the sky with quite some speed. So for this image to have been captured with manual tracking makes it not just impressive, but very impressive! Also this image is taken with modest equipment - DSLR and 150PDS.

 

A big well done to all who entered, a big well done to all who have read all of this and finally again

Well done VikN46 - The first EMS member to image a Briton in space!

 

[Daz Type-R]

Thanks for the write up Mike and a very worthy winner indeed.

 

Well done to all, some cracking good images.

[+Ibbo]

Good stuff Vicky that must have took some getting

[Brantuk]

Congrats Vicky - well done

[Tweedledee]

Some superb varied images there, but capturing the ISS like that is really impressive 

[andyboy1970]

Great write up.

Well done but that ISS reminds me of the Philae lander!

[Doc]

I love it Vicky.

 

It's something different and a worthy winner.

[Stephen]

Congratulations Vicky great image and well deserved 

Stephen

[red dwalf]

well done Vicky, i know how hard trying to get a good image of something moving so fast is, so a great effort indeed.

[Sheila]

well done   

[Smithysteve]

Congratulations Vicky, an unusual and difficult subject, well done!

[Guest VikN46]

Wow just seen this, Thank you, it was quite fun trying to get it. 

 

Feel guilty about only popping in now and then but been trying to set a little business up so I've not had much time.

 

Well done everyone there were some lovely shots in there!

 

 

[BAZ]

Well done Vicky, a really nice image there.

 

Some great shots from our other contributors and a big thanks to Mike for the round up.

 

Here's to some good weather for March.

[Guest]

Quote

 

Well done, everyone.

[catman161]

Congratulations Vicky. I have attempted that a couple of times and failed dismally! Not easy at all. Really nice capture. A well deserved win. Well done to all who persevered and imaged. I hope to contribute once my big scope is back in action. Thanks for the write up mike.