In August, we held a beginners’ course for interested teachers in our school lab. The first goal was the basic operation of the instruments. This included telescope control, taking color images with a digital camera, but also telescope tracking using a control computer. After an introductory talk by members of STScI, all groups took planetary and deep sky photos.With the ability to operate the instruments, leaders of a school Astro working group will be able to help their school boys and girls with the first steps at the telescope.
The image shows the Andromeda galaxy Messier 31, a world island at a distance of about two million light years – thus in our direct neighborhood. The image was exposed with a Canon digital camera for only 8 minutes.
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