Welcome to Gert's Astronomy Page

Last Updated: August 2012
This is my Astronomy Homepage
courtesy of the Tri Valley Stargazers.
Breaking News : The Transit of Venus


Amateur Astronomy:  Astrophotography, Software and Links


  • Astrophotography

  • Deepsky:

     
  • CCD gallery. Latest images August 2012
  • New images from the Hidden Hill Observatory, California, USA (German)
  • Deep sky photography on the  Hidden Hill Observatory, California, USA
  • Deep sky (prime focus)

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    Sun:

     

  • Annular solare eclipse, May 20th 2012, Fallon, NV, USA
  • Total solar eclipse, March 29th 2006, Aksaray, Turkey
  • Partial solar eclipse, May 31st 2003
  • Sun, Spring 2003 (German)
  • Sun, Winter 2002-2003 (German)
  • Sunspots summer 2002 (German)
  • Sunspots in April 2002 including an animated rotation (German)
  • Giant sunspot AR9  393, March 2001 (German)
  • Partial eclipse of the Sun, December 25th, 2000 ( German )
  • Prominences ( German )


  • Moon:

     

  • Thin crescent Moon with earth shine May 2009
  • Total lunar eclipse, February 21st 2008, Fremont, California
  • Total lunar eclipse, August 28th 2007, Fremont, California
  • Thin crescent Moon with earth shine June 2007
  • Conjuntion of the Moon and Venus 2007 May 19
  • Total eclipse of the moon on May 16 2003
  • Moon rise and earth shadow from high flying airplane
  • Digital imaging of a full month (in progress)
  • Observation of lunar eclipse during daylight


  • Planets:

  • Venus Transit 2012 May 5/6
  • Mercury Transit 2006 November 8th
  • Mars opposition 2005
  • Mercury, Venus and Saturn from the Hidden Hill Observatory
  • Jupiter 2004 with Philips PCV 740K Webcam
  • Mars, Jupiter and Saturn 2003 with Philips PCV 740K Webcam
  • Saturn transits in front of M1 (Crab Nebula) January 2003
  • Moon occults Venus during daytime July 17 2001
  • Venus in February and March 2001
  • Mercury transit Nov. 15 1999
  • Venus Jupiter conjunction 2/1999
  • The Moon occults Saturn Dec. 9th 1997
  • Planetary photography


  • Other:

  • Stardust Reentry Observation Jan 2006
  • 2001 Leonids


  • Excursions, Presentations, Techniques, Software and Links

    Excursions:

  • TVS Open House at the Hidden Hill Observatory 2013-05-04
  • The Hidden Hill Observatory gets a new roof
  • CCD Observation on Kitt Peak
  • Oktober 2002 Hawaii: Kilauea Vulkan und Mauna Kea Observatorium (german)
  • Visit on Mauna Kea, Hawaii at the James Clerk Maxwell Radio Telescope


  • Presentations:

  • Digital Astronomy (Still Camera, Webcam, CCD, Camcorder)  EAS Feb. 2004
  • Digital cameras and Webcams for Amateur Astronomie TVS 2003
  • Digital Astronomy (Still Camera, CCD) TVS 2001


  • Technique:

  • A test of the TS field-flattener on a 5" F6.3 APO
  • A simple Ronchi tester based on a film grating
  • A low profile magnetic finder holder
  • Backfocus analysis for a Meade 12" LX200ACF OTA
  • Medium format lens adapter for ST10XME
  • Positioning of a coma corrector for the ST10XME CCD camera
  • 10" Ritchey Chretien Cassegrain ATM Project
  • Mechanical design
  • Making the optics (primary mirror)
  • Making the optics (secondary mirror)
  • Making a new primary mirror
  • Michelson interferometer setup
  • EAS Telescope makers workshop 8" mirror ronchi test
  • (NEW!) Micro crontroller compensation for drift guiding with the ST4
  • Experiments on CCD image calibration, August 2001
  • Analysis of tube flexure
  • Image processing for planetary and eclipse photos
  • Enhancing deep sky photographs by stacking multiple images
  • Compensating for vignetting
  • Image processing software


  • My Amateur Astronomical Links

  • Tri Valley Stargazers
  • Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte e.V. : Astrofotography
  • Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte e.V. : Astronomy Workshop
  • Matthias Kiehl Astrofotography
  • Axel Mellinger Astrofotography
  • Stathis Kafalis Telescope Making



  • G. Gottschalk, May 2012